Thu, Feb 09 2012
TRUCK FEES
As of September 1, all Bulgarian trucks have to pay a transit fee of 83 euro when entering Turkey. The fee was imposed by Turkish authorities in response to Bulgaria's decision to introduce a similar measure against Turkish cargo companies. As of July 1, Bulgaria started charging Turkish trucks an 83 euro transit fee. According to the Turkish side, Bulgaria's move was a breach of a 1979 Bulgarian-Turkish bilateral agreement on road transit.
CHINESE FM IN BULGARIA
Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi arrived on an official two-day visit to Sofia at the invitation of Bulgarian counterpart Ivailo Kalfin on August 31. Jiechi's visit to Bulgaria had an "important and stimulating meaning" for the further development and consolidation of the excellent ties between Bulgaria and China, Kalfin said after meeting him. This was the first official visit of a Chinese foreign minister to Bulgaria in 13 years.
SERBIA CANDIDATE 2009
Serbia could receive the status of an European Union candidate state in 2009 if it meets all the prerequisites, European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso told Serbian president Boris Tadic in Brussels on September 3, website Balkan Insight reported. Serbia's cabinet, which took office in July, has repeatedly said that the country hopes to achieve candidate status by the end of 2008.
No trains could cross the Danube Bridge and passengers from international trains were being taken to the city of Rousse by road transport.
Hazardous weather warnings across the country on February 9, new record-low temperatures, and three people reported frozen to death in Pernik.
Opposition parties and environmental protection NGOs argued that this and other provisions were the result of lobbyist pressure from ski resort operators.
Ferry-boat service between the Bulgarian and Romanian banks of the river may continue if the ferry captains decide that the weather conditions allow the safe passage of the boats.
Bulgaria shut down two 440MW units at its Kozloduy nuclear power plant in 2004 and two more units with the same installed power in 2006.