Radev announces mandates will be handed out in the New Year
The handing out of the first mandate will take place after the New Year, President Rumen Radev announced today. The leading political party, GERB, has requested more time to hold talks with potential coalition partners. Today, it began discussions with Democratic Bulgaria, but without the other coalition partner, We Continue the Change.
The other parties GERB plans to negotiate with are BSP - United Left and There Is Such a People.
"I cannot issue a mandate at the beginning of next week given the Christmas and New Year holidays. Clearly, talks between the political forces are progressing with difficulty," Radev added. He added that the public expects a budget that meets the needs of the Bulgarian economy without pushing the country into a debt spiral.
EC launches major legal action against Bulgaria
The European Commission has initiated infringement procedures against Bulgaria for failing to implement European legislation. In addition to three new procedures, three others are being extended, and in one case, the Commission has taken the ultimate measure regarding violating countries-a lawsuit in the EU Court of Justice.
Bulgaria faces the risk of a judicial fine if its lawyers fail to convince the EU's highest court of its reasons for not applying the Proportionality Test Directive. The directive requires national authorities to assess the regulatory impact on professions each time they introduce legislative changes in this area.
Software sector surpasses expectations with 16.5% growth
The software sector in Bulgaria reported a 16.5% increase in total revenue for 2023, exceeding the projected 12%, according to the annual Barometer report by the Bulgarian Association of Software Companies (BASSCOM).
Despite a challenging macroeconomic period, the sector created more than 2,600 new jobs and contributed three times more in taxes and social security per employee compared to the national average. Additionally, the industry leads in investments in research and development
Radev announces mandates will be handed out in the New Year
The handing out of the first mandate will take place after the New Year, President Rumen Radev announced today. The leading political party, GERB, has requested more time to hold talks with potential coalition partners. Today, it began discussions with Democratic Bulgaria, but without the other coalition partner, We Continue the Change.