Vazrazhdane riot sparks uproar
The pro-Kremlin party Vazrazhdane (Revival) orchestrated a violent protest in Sofia against Bulgaria's potential entry into the eurozone, targeting the European Commission's office.Around 2,500-3,000 supporters, brought in by 53 buses, vandalized the building with red paint, threw firecrackers, attempted to set the door on fire, and smashed windows, while also burning EU-flag-wrapped effigies.
Police used pepper spray to disperse the crowd, resulting in ten injured officers and six arrests, including an MP who was later released due to parliamentary immunity. The incident sparked strong condemnation from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and all major Bulgarian parties, while Interior Minister Daniel Mitov vowed zero tolerance for aggression against law enforcement.
Bulgaria remains under FATF-enhanced monitoring
Bulgaria remains on the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) "grey list" for enhanced monitoring due to deficiencies in anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing efforts. Despite joining the list in October 2023, the country's required reforms remain unchanged, while Laos and Nepal were newly added, and the Philippines was removed.FATF reiterated its March 2022 warning about Russia, citing its violations of FATF principles and alliances with sanctioned states. Meanwhile, Bulgaria's ruling coalition has included plans for the country's removal from the grey list in its governance agenda.
Bulgaria tops EU for monthly inflation
In January, Bulgaria's annual inflation rate reached 3.8% under Eurostat's harmonized methodology, placing it eighth in the EU for inflation growth. The countries with the lowest inflation in the eurozone were Denmark (1.4%), Ireland (1.7%), and Italy (1.7%). Hungary (5.7%), Romania (5.3%), and Croatia (5%) recorded the highest annual inflation rates. Meanwhile, Bulgaria and Slovakia had the highest monthly inflation in the EU at 1.8%, followed by Lithuania at 1.6%.Vazrazhdane riot sparks uproar
The pro-Kremlin party Vazrazhdane (Revival) orchestrated a violent protest in Sofia against Bulgaria's potential entry into the eurozone, targeting the European Commission's office.Around 2,500-3,000 supporters, brought in by 53 buses, vandalized the building with red paint, threw firecrackers, attempted to set the door on fire, and smashed windows, while also burning EU-flag-wrapped effigies.
