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Saturday 30 July 2016

Bulgaria Blog

As at today's date I have uploaded 3,347 posts to this blog.With a few exceptions, they all relate to information about Bulgaria It really is one huge library, so use it and enjoy it.Any unanswered questions just post.


Tuesday 26 July 2016

Balchik Classical Music Festival 23-30th July 2016

Here is a link to the Festival website.All concerts are free and commence at 7.30pm outside the Hotel Mistral. http://www.balchikclassicdays.com/

Particularly nice event on Saturday.Sofia Symphony Orchestra playing Mozart, Hadyn and Beethoven Symphony No. 1.



Interesting Historical Film about Sofia


Donald Trump..Some Facts

Here is a facebook comment from Robert Reich (who was Bill Clinton's Labour Secretary and a leading economist).I do not normally publish stuff on American politics, but the implications for the Balkans could be enormous.

Connect the following 7 dots. Do you see a pattern?
1. Trump's debt load has grown dramatically over the last year, from $350 million to $630 million. At the same time, he’s been blackballed by all major US banks.
2. Post-bankruptcy, Trump has become highly reliant on money from Russia -- most of which has over the years become increasingly concentrated among oligarchs close to Vladimir Putin.
3. Paul Manafort, Trump's campaign manager and top advisor, spent most of the last decade as top campaign and communications advisor to Viktor Yanukovych, the pro-Russian Ukrainian Prime Minister and then President whose ouster in 2014 led to the on-going crisis and proxy war in Ukraine. Yanukovych was and remains a close ally of Putin.
4. Trump's foreign policy advisor on Russia and Europe is Carter Page, a man whose entire professional career has revolved around investments in Russia and who has deep and continuing financial and employment ties to Gazprom, which, in turn, is part of Putin’s financial empire.
5. Over the course of the last year, Putin has aligned all Russian state controlled media behind Trump.
6. The Trump Camp was totally indifferent to the Republican Party platform, with one exception: They changed the party platform to eliminate assistance to Ukraine against Russian military operations in eastern Ukraine. Not incidentally, this is the single most important issue to Putin.
7. Trump is also suggesting the US and thus NATO might not come to the defense of NATO member states in the Baltics in the case of a Russian invasion -- another important issue to Putin.
I’m no conspiracy theorist, but these are the facts. (See sources in Josh Marshall's article below.)
What do you think?

Thursday 21 July 2016

Advertising on Uncle Bulgaria's Blog about all things Bulgarian

We are currently opening up advertising space on this blog due to unprecedented traffic. Each advertiser will get featured advertising and a dedicated email address so that both client and advertiser can monitor traffic. Rates begin from 100lv a month.

International Festival "Folklore without borders" opens Monday Dobrich online | News about Dobrich Dobrich line

10. lev will be in charge Albena weekends Dobrich online | News about Dobrich Dobrich line

10. lev will be in charge Albena weekends Dobrich online | News about Dobrich Dobrich line:

10lv to go into Albena resort at weekends is absolute robbery.The government banned any charges at all years ago,now they have mysteriously crept back, first 5lv now 10lv !.

Just a bit more information on this breaking story.Albena was a state owned resort, then, after the fall of Communism, it became a private company.Everything in the resort is rented from this company bars,restaurants the lot. Now they are milking visitors by a car tax.



32 photos from Sofia. See the capital of Bulgaria and you realize that you have overcome plenty of them too

By Bulgaria’s Beautiful Black Sea - The New York Times

By Bulgaria’s Beautiful Black Sea - The New York Times:

A lovely article about a lovely area. It is well worth a visit.

Tuesday 19 July 2016

The Brexit plot thickens

Turkey descends into terror

2,700 Judges arrested, now 15,000 teachers suspended sounds like revolutionary terror. This coup is Erdogan's breakfast , lunch and dinner.God help the poor people.
The pictures today showed the soldiers had been brutalised.A lot are being held in sports stadia, like Argentina in the 1970's.

Mostafa Minawi, director of the Ottoman and Turkish Studies Initiative at Cornell University, called the failed coup "a gift for President Erdogan, given him all the justification he needs to implement further clamp down measures against any dissenters, in the process sinking Turkey deeper into authoritarianism." 

Reported this morning (20th July) that 14 Turkish warships are still missing along withe the commander of the Turkish Navy.Rumoured to be heading to Greek ports.


I remember the actress Lili Palmer, a German Jew, quoting I think Pastor Bonhoeffer 'First they came for the Jews and I said nothing then the Communists and I said nothing.. then they came for me .....'

Breaking News on Brexit 19/072016

As some people may be aware, there has been a legal challenge this morning to get a ruling that only parliament can authorise Brexit, not the Prime Minister alone.A government lawyer has just told the court that article 50 will not be invoked this year, so effectively no Brexit earlier than 2019.

I am now seriously starting to think that Brexit won't happen at all.There are a variety of permutations here: 

Firstly a Scottish veto, especially since the Spanish and Belgians will not allow separate Scottish membership of the EU as it will encourage Flemish and Catalan nationalists and thereby lead to the breakup of their countries.

Secondly the British public will revile the economic impact of Brexit (It is clear that a lot of them did not understand the implications).

Thirdly that there is a prospect of a general election since the Tory working majority is only 18.

Fourthly May has deliberately placed 'headbangers' in key ministerial roles; Davis at Brexit, Johnson at the Foreign Office and Fox at Trade. They are bound to fail.

UK 'Hopes to Defend' Rights of Bulgarians - Novinite.com - Sofia News Agency

Monday 18 July 2016

Good Lawyers in Bulgaria

I have noticed that this thread attracts huge demand. I will shortly be setting up a better reference list.
If you need a good lawyer in Bulgaria, and I mean English speaking, qualified for the Bulgarian Bar, please e mail info@gobg.co.uk


Sunday 17 July 2016

Two bed house in a Balchik Villa Zone just €42,000

We are pleased to present an offer in the Kulaka Villa zone in Bulgaria's exclusive seaside town of Balchik.The house is 62m2 in size with 670m2 of land.The property has well maintained gardens and a separate garage.The views are of lush verdant hills, with the added bonus of sea views from the first floor. Internally the villa is over two floors.Downstairs there is a lounge and a kitchen/dining room,and wc.Upstairs are two bedrooms and a shower/wc.There is also an extensive pebbled yard with a summer kitchen.Internet is already installed, as is cable tv.There are wood burners on both floors for living all year round.The house is fully furnished.This property is very competitively priced at 53,000 Euro's.STOP PRESS REDUCED TO 42,000 Euro's e mail info@gobg.co.uk or visit www.gobg.co.uk ref 660







New Authoritarian Slide in Turkey 'Could Threaten Bulgaria'- Ex President - Novinite.com - Sofia News Agency

Saturday 9 July 2016

Bulgarians, Romanians 'Not Bargaining Chips', Stanishev Tells Corbyn - Novinite.com - Sofia News Agency

Bulgarians, Romanians 'Not Bargaining Chips', Stanishev Tells Corbyn - Novinite.com - Sofia News Agency

Bulgarians in the UK ,and Brits in Bulgaria are not pawns to play in a Brexit game.

Investing in Bulgaria post Brexit vote


I thought I would publish this short note for those potential investors in Bulgaria who are concerned after the UK referendum result.

As I mentioned in my last post, absolutely nothing is going to change in the next two years from when Article 50 is invoked.If indeed Article 50 ever is. Even the Brexit fanatics are talking 2020 now, and leaving the EU may prove virtually impractical (if not impossible).

UK citizens can still safely buy property in Bulgaria , as indeed they did before Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007.Remember the most significant increase property prices took place in 2003-2007.

The pound remains volatile, and that will continue.It is just as likely to rise as well as fall and investors must make a judgement about the most judicious time to transfer their money into , for example Euros (which are pegged against the Bulgarian Lev and therefore not subject to fluctuation).In the last few weeks since the referendum, the pound has rarely moved from the 2.33lv mark and this appears to be where it has settled (I am updating this on 7th August 2016)

Property prices in Bulgaria remain very low and could even go lower as a result of the economic uncertainty caused by the exit of the world's sixth largest economy from the EU.

In other words it is by no means all bad news.
For further information either post here or e mail Info@gobg.co.uk

Bulgaria's National Carrier Owes Millions to Sofia Airport - Novinite.com - Sofia News Agency

Saturday 2 July 2016

Bulgaria post Brexit

There are a lot of worried people out there,after the UK referendum vote to leave the EU. I am writing this post to try and address the fears,worries and concerns of both residents in Bulgaria and potential investors ,as factually as I can in what is a very fluid ,evolving situation.

Firstly ,it should be pointed out that should Article 50 be invoked the UK has two years to leave the EU, in that period rights as EU citizens will remain unchanged.It now seems doubtful whether the Article will be invoked until 2018.

After that period things such as EHIC cards may become invalid and local health insurance should be purchased.

Equally the long term residency cards are for EU citizens and will also be invalid.For those currently on possession of such cards this may be the time to take Bulgarian citizenship as has been offered by the Bulgarian Prime Minister.

Property Rights.Only Bulgarians and EU citizens can own land without a company.Many British people now own land in their own names as a result of this.After two years it may be that new purchases will have to be via companies. The status of previously bought land is questionable (though I now think people will be allowed to keep land in their own name)

Visas. It is likely that UK nationals will need a visa to stay more than 30 days in Bulgaria.

Pensions.Currently pensioners who live outside the EU have their state pensions frozen, that is to say they do not receive the annual increase.

Travel within the EU. Travelling to EU countries will require a visa on current information.

Falling Pound.As at yesterday (1st July 2016) the pound stood at 2.33lv, a loss of 10% of its value.For those on fixed incomes this is serious.it also makes holidays and buying property in Bulgaria more expensive.

I think this addresses the basic concerns but I will keep updating it.If you have any questions post here.