Bulgaria — FrontPages.eu

Business tycoon's murder halts parliamentary hearing

Get European news in your inbox daily

A short daily digest of the whole continent — or just the countries you care about.

Choose individual countries instead (or as well)

The murder of Ilian Filipov has led Plovdiv police to lock down the city's exits and caused MPs to postpone a hearing into the flights of Delyan Peevski. The logistics tycoon and football club owner was shot dead overnight. Initial investigations suggest the gunmen may not have intended to kill Filipov, though the incident has sparked immediate security and political consequences.

Election season has begun with a double-digit lead for Iliana Iotova and a discovery regarding her competition: one vice-presidential candidate reportedly holds Soviet citizenship. While the Sofia deputy mayor for construction resigned, the national government secured a €2.25bn loan from foreign markets. This comes as banking data highlights that Bulgarian banks hold over €58bn in customer savings.

Bulgaria has joined Greece and Romania in an action plan for 25 transport projects worth €23bn. However, local construction concerns remain in the capital, where residential blocks are currently going up in the Vitosha foothills without any connection to the sewage system.

Top stories

Prominent Businessman Murdered in Plovdiv, Parliamentary Hearing Postponed

Ilian Filipov, a prominent businessman and owner of the logistics company PIMK and football club Botev Plovdiv, was shot dead in Plovdiv. The murder, which prompted a police lockdown of city exits, has led to the postponement of a parliamentary hearing concerning alleged flights by Delyan Peevski and Minister of Interior Ivan Demerdzhiev. Investigations are underway into the circumstances and motives behind Filipov's killing.

Presidential Election Polls Show Iotova Leading, Candidate's Soviet…

New polls for the upcoming presidential election indicate that President Iliana Iotova and her running mate Valchev are significantly ahead of rivals Georgi Gyurov and Kandev. Adding a twist to the campaign, a vice-presidential candidate has been found to hold Soviet citizenship, raising questions about eligibility.

Government Secures New Loan Amidst Banking and Insurance Sector Changes

The Bulgarian government has secured a new loan of 2.250 billion euros from foreign markets. This comes as Bulgarian banks hold over 58 billion euros in customer savings, and the country's insurance and pension fund companies are undergoing significant changes this year.

Parliament Acts Against SLAPPs, Sofia Deputy Mayor Resigns

The Bulgarian Parliament has approved measures aimed at combating strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) used to intimidate journalists. Meanwhile, Nikola Lyutov, the Deputy Mayor for Construction in Sofia, has resigned from his position.

Bulgaria, Greece, Romania Plan 25 Transport Projects; Vitosha Construction…

Bulgaria, Greece, and Romania have agreed on an action plan for 25 transport projects valued at 23 billion euros. Domestically, new residential buildings are being constructed in the Vitosha foothills without essential sewage infrastructure.

Bulgaria Reports Alarming Fentanyl Use Data, Especially in Plovdiv

Bulgaria is facing a leading position in fentanyl use, with particularly alarming data emerging from the city of Plovdiv.

OFFNews Bulgaria leads in fentanyl use; alarming Plovdiv data ↗