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Macro: Living in the past

Alex Bivol — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:59:00 +0200

Inasmuch as some Bulgarian officials are concerned, the credit crunch and the economic recession might as well have never happened.

Offline: Password protected

Rene Beekman — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:59:00 +0200

Anything that is digital can and will be copied, sooner or later. Where and how the file is stored is irrelevant.

The English Angle: Charisma

Gabriel Hershman — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:59:00 +0200

One conspicuous absentee from the 20th anniversary celebrations of the fall of the Berlin Wall was former British prime minister Mrs Thatcher.

Legal Alien: Taking the cake

Clive Leviev-Sawyer — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:59:00 +0200

Not one to rest on his laurels, Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Boiko Borissov has cut the budget for laurels. Not only laurels, but all Cabinet entertainment expenses on flower arrangements and buffets

Offline: Private parts

Rene Beekman — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:59:00 +0200

Swedish daily The Local reported on October 21 2009 that a Swedish teenager who allegedly sent nude photos of his ex-girlfriend to his friends, had his conviction overturned upon appeal

My Bulgaria: Is it worth it?

Petar Kostadinov — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:59:00 +0200

A widespread view in Bulgaria, keenly supported by politicians, is that the work of the secret services should be hidden from the public eye so that the services can do their job to their utmost. This notion applies equally to secret services’ success and failures.

The English Angle: Party pooper

Gabriel Hershman — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:58:00 +0300

The establishment’s attacks on the British National Party (BNP) in the UK all miss the point.

Living Bulgaria: Snails in Zaimov Park

Bill Drysdale — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:58:00 +0300

Sofia is blessed with fine parks which are the lungs of the city.

Macro: Euro debate, again

Alex Bivol — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:58:00 +0300

Last year’s short-lived but intense furore left the impression that the debate whether Bulgaria should unilaterally adopt the euro was over.

Offline: Tunnel vision

Rene Beekman — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:59:00 +0300

If Bulgarian media and cultural community are unable to defend freedom of expression, then why would we expect the Rasates, Atanassovs and Tsvetanovs of this world not to trample basic democratic principles?

My Bulgaria: The battle for Spaska

Petar Kostadinov — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:59:00 +0300

Prime Minister Boiko Borissov won one of his first victories abroad after Spaska Mitrova was released from a Macedonian court on October 8.

Legal Alien: Mad about Bulgaria

Clive Leviev-Sawyer — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:59:00 +0300

Close to a quarter of Bulgarians, had frequent attacks of various forms of mental disorders over the four-year period up to the end of 2007.

Legal Alien: Spirited

Clive Leviev-Sawyer — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:59:00 +0300

The Government wants to increase the excise on spirit liquors. I’ll drink to that.

The English Angle: Unwanted

Gabriel Hershman — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:59:00 +0300

Higher tax does have one undeniably good effect - it drives the most undesirable celebrities out of the UK.

Macro: Romanian scenarios

Alex Bivol — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:59:00 +0300

In the short-term, the only certainty about Romania's latest political crisis is that there is more uncertainty ahead.

Living Bulgaria: Taxing entrepreneurs

Bill Drysdale — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 09:58:00 +0300

The success of the Bulgarian economy depends, as is often said about Germany, on its entrepreneurs.

My Bulgaria: Too late on Bokova

Petar Kostadinov — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 09:58:00 +0300

uite predictably, the election of Bulgaria’s ambassador to France, Irina Bokova, as Director-General designate of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) caused mixed feelings in Bulgaria.

Offline: Muppet Union

Rene Beekman — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 09:58:00 +0300

As if it is not enough that record companies try to control when you and I can listen to what music and on which device, now meddlesome Meglena Kouneva wants to control at what volume we can enjoy our music

Legal Alien: Policeman’s bawl

Clive Leviev-Sawyer — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:59:00 +0300

Somewhere in Bulgaria’s Interior Ministry there is an egghead who thinks up peculiar ideas to keep police on the straight and narrow.

Macro: Tomfoolery

Alex Bivol — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:59:00 +0300

Suddenly bereft of those levers of influence he has grown so accustomed to, Purvanov does not seem content to see out what is left of his term as a ceremonial relic.