Section: Novinite (Bulgaria)
Ukraine Peace Talks’ Friday Round ‘Canceled’
The next round of the Minsk talks between the Ukrainian government and pro-Russian rebels has been called off, according to Belarusian officials. A spokesman for the country’s Foreign Ministry is quoted by the BBC as saying “there wil be no contact group meeting today”, but stopped short of any specific reason. According to...
Donetsk Rebels Nationalizing Ukraine Companies in Donbass
All state-owned companies in Ukraine’s Donbass region have been de facto nationalized, rebels say. Alexander Zakharchenko, head of self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic’, has said in a press statement that in case of entities with “state participation” the rebel authorities are intending to “step...
Ukraine to Start Removing Artillery from Donbass
Kiev authorities have announced large-caliber artillery is to be drawn away from the country’s Donbass region starting after December 26, Friday. This will serve the purpose of setting up a 30-km safety zone, according to Russian news agency TASS, which cites the Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s press office. Ukrainian authorities are now...
Russia Vows to Retaliate if NATO Expands Eastward
NATO’s expansion to the east could prompt Moscow to take “adequate” measures, Alexander Lukashevich, a spokesman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, has said. Russia’s official comments follow Ukraine’s move on Tuesday to abandon its neutral status with a prospect to seek NATO membership in the years to come. Kiev...
Patriarch Neofit Issues Christmas Blessing for Bulgarians across the Globe
Patriarch Neofit, the head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, is serving the traditional Christmas Day service at the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia. Neofit is casting a prayer for good health and long lives and with a blessing to all Bulgarian Orthodox Christians around the world. He has called for love and help for the sick and lonely...
Ukraine Temporarily Cuts off Electricity Supplies for Crimea
Ukraine temporarily cut off power supplies to Crimea on Wednesday after the Russian-annexed peninsula failed to curb consumption as required due to a power crisis, the Ukrainian Energy Ministry said. “Today electricity supplies to Crimea were shut off … just as would be done to any region of Ukraine,” a ministry representative told...
Ukraine’s Parliament Votes to Abandon Non-Aligned Status
Ukraine’s Parliament on Tuesday decided to abandon the country’s non-aligned status in favour of building closer ties with NATO. The bill, passed in a 303-8 vote, marks departure from the non-aligned status, which Ukraine adopted under strong Russian pressure in 2010. “Ukraine’s fight for its independence, territorial...
World Bank OKs USD 378.4 M Loan for Power Sector Upgrades in Ukraine
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved Monday a USD 378.425 M loan for the development of Ukraine’s energy sector. The sum was allocated to a project aimed at improving the reliability of Ukraine’s power transmission system and supporting the implementation of the Wholesale Electricity Market in the country,...
Russian Humanitarian Aid Convoy Enters Ukraine’s Donbass
As many as 90 Russian trucks have delivered loads of humanitarian aid to the Donbass region in Eastern Ukraine. The convoy has transported there medicaments, construction and New Year presents.Deliveries have a total weight of 1.4 tons. Some reports say the amount is higher and even put the number of trucks at up to 170. Pictures from photo...
Fitch Maintains Bulgaria’s Credit Rating At ‘BBB-‘ With Stable Outlook
Fitch has affirmed Bulgaria’s long-term foreign and local currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDR) at ‘BBB-‘and ‘BBB’, respectively, with stable outlook. According to the global rating agency, the affirmation and stable outlook reflect Bulgaria’s government plans to target expenditure-driven fiscal consolidation,...
