Latest Bulgaria News

Firewalkers in Greece honor Saint Constantine in mystery-shrouded, centuries-old rituals

May. 25, 2023 09:32 AM EDT

LAGKADAS, Greece (AP) — Sotirios Gkaintatzis danced across burning coals, his stomping bare feet raising sparks and puffs of smoke as he held aloft an icon of Saints Constantine and Helen. Gkaintatzis is the leader of a group of anastenaria -- the devotees of St. Constantine who...

Bodies of 18 Afghan migrants who died while being smuggled into Bulgaria returned to Kabul

May. 24, 2023 08:13 AM EDT

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The bodies of 18 Afghan migrants who died while being smuggled into Bulgaria were returned to Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, on Wednesday, a spokesman for the Taliban government's Foreign Ministry said. Bulgarian authorities discovered the bodies in a...

EU commissioner nominated to lead Bulgaria's next government

May. 10, 2023 09:57 AM EDT

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — A European Union commissioner from Bulgaria was nominated Wednesday for the post of prime minister, as the Balkan country struggles to end a two-year period of political instability and economic hardship. Maria Gabriel was tipped on Wednesday by the...

Today in History: May 8, Truman announces Nazi surrender

May. 08, 2023 00:01 AM EDT

Today in History Today is Monday, May 8, the 128th day of 2023. There are 237 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On May 8, 1996, South Africa took another step from apartheid to democracy by adopting a constitution that guaranteed...

Bomb attack in Bulgaria targets chief prosecutor’s car

May. 01, 2023 13:12 PM EDT

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgaria’s chief prosecutor escaped unharmed as a bomb exploded on a motorway near the capital, Sofia, while his motorcade drove past on Monday, government officials said. “The chief prosecutor and his family were the target of a terrorist act,” the...

Russia excluded from men's basketball at 2024 Olympics

Apr. 18, 2023 11:37 AM EDT

MIES, Switzerland (AP) — Russia has been excluded from qualification for the men's Olympic basketball tournament in Paris next year, basketball's international governing body FIBA said Tuesday. The decision was widely expected since FIBA has suspended Russia's teams from...

Kenya deploys first earth observation satellite into space

Apr. 15, 2023 05:08 AM EDT

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenya's first earth observation satellite was launched into space Saturday after two aborted attempts earlier in the week. The African country's Taifa-1 was among the satellites on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, which lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base...

Farmers in Romania, Bulgaria protest Ukrainian grain influx

Apr. 07, 2023 10:48 AM EDT

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Farmers in Romania and Bulgaria staged protests Friday to express their anger over the European Union’s response to a glut of agricultural products from Ukraine that they say are flooding local markets and undercutting prices. About 100 farmers converged...

Bulgaria: Borissov proposes coalition after contested vote

Apr. 05, 2023 08:31 AM EDT

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, whose center-right GERB party clinched a narrow win in Bulgaria’s parliamentary election, invited his political opponents Wednesday to talks on forming a government. Results from Sunday’s election, Bulgaria's fifth in...

Borissov appears winner of Bulgaria's parliamentary election

Apr. 03, 2023 07:46 AM EDT

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — The center-right GERB party of ex-premier Boyko Borissov appeared to be the winner of Bulgaria’s parliamentary election, the country’s central electoral commission said Monday, with 99% of the ballots counted. Results showed the GERB party receiving 26.6%...