The direct losses for Bulgaria from the delayed full accession to the Schengen Area amount to EUR 424 million, caretaker Minister of Economy Petko Nikolov said. He quoted a report by the Economic Research Institute at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, commissioned by the Ministry of Economy.
At a discussion in Sofia on the priorities of the Hungarian presidency of the Council of the European Union and their repercussions on the Bulgarian political agenda, Minister Nikolov pointed out that the direct losses should be added to the lost profits of around EUR 275 million. Thus, the potential benefits from removing land border controls exceed EUR 680 million annually. Additionally, the accession to Schengen by land will reduce carbon emissions from traffic. "Transport connectivity will improve, trade and investment flows will increase and travel time and costs will decrease", summarized Minister Nikolov.
In 2024, Bulgaria's exports of goods to third countries decreased by 5.1% compared to 2023, amounting to EUR 15.4 billion (30 114.9 million BGN), according to data from the National Statistical Institute (NSI). Bulgaria's main trading partners..
It is extremely concerning that the largest company in Bulgaria, Lukoil Neftohim, which is part of the country's critical infrastructure, is still in the hands of a country that has declared Bulgaria a hostile state. This opinion was shared by energy..
“The divergence between the monetary and the fiscal policy pursued by the government continues to be the main reason why Bulgaria does not meet all criteria yet for entering the Eurozone,” Lyubomir Karimansky, member of the Governing Council of the..
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