Shumen.UKBulgarian news from a British perspective.https://shumen.uk/2026-06-16T23:15:04ZAdrian Danehttps://shumen.uk/about.htmlCopyright 2026 Shumen.UK. All rights reserved.Shumen.UK Atom builderhttps://shumen.uk/favicon.svghttps://shumen.uk/images/logo.pngBulgarian MPs Earn Nearly Seven Times Minimum Wage, Widest Gap in Europehttps://shumen.uk/articles/bulgarian-mps-salary-gap-europe-highest.html2026-06-16T21:45:16+00:002026-06-16T21:45:16+00:00A comparative study shows Bulgaria's parliamentarians receive the highest salary multiple relative to the national minimum wage of any European country, despite the country ranking among the EU's poorest by income.On This Day in Bulgaria: Bancho Banov, the Actor Who Also Graduated as a Doctor (16 June)https://shumen.uk/articles/bulgaria-on-this-day-16-june-2026.html2026-06-16T04:01:48+00:002026-06-16T04:01:48+00:00Bancho Banov, born on 16 May 1925, was a Bulgarian actor and screenwriter who trained as a military medic before spending four decades in front of cameras and behind typewriters. Here's the story of a quiet multi-hyphenate who wrote better roles than most people get handed.Bulgaria Maps Out €19 Billion Defense Push to 2035, Banking on EU Loanshttps://shumen.uk/articles/bulgaria-defense-spending-2035-plan.html2026-06-15T18:12:02+00:002026-06-15T18:12:02+00:00Sofia has outlined plans to triple military spending over the next decade, reaching 3.5% of GDP by 2035. The catch: Bulgaria is betting on continued EU financing, which may not survive beyond 2030.Bulgaria's Prices Hold Flat in May While Annual Inflation Edges to 6.9%https://shumen.uk/articles/bulgaria-inflation-may-2026.html2026-06-15T18:01:19+00:002026-06-15T18:01:19+00:00Official figures show zero monthly movement in consumer prices, though petrol, healthcare and restaurant bills continued to climb on the year. Lidl receipts and Toplofikatsia bills tell different stories.Power cuts, chess champions, and a budget squeezehttps://shumen.uk/articles/shumen-roundup-power-cuts-chess-champions-budget-squeeze.html2026-06-15T09:45:48+00:002026-06-15T09:45:48+00:00Planned power cuts across Shumen this week, a local chess tournament draws national attention, traffic police step up drink and drug checks, over 100 jobs on offer, and a string of emergency calls keep firefighters busy. In Sofia, the government warns it must borrow to meet the 3% deficit target by the end of June.Black Sea beaches: what the flag colours mean and when to worryhttps://shumen.uk/articles/peak-black-sea-season-means-lifeguards.html2026-06-15T09:36:46+00:002026-06-15T09:36:46+00:00Lifeguards patrol all week through peak season, but jellyfish blooms arrive fast and the useful intel lives on railings, not apps.Sofia Police Detain 36 in Botunets Crackdown on Extortion Ringhttps://shumen.uk/articles/sofia-police-detain-36-botunets-kalashniks-crackdown.html2026-06-15T09:07:25+00:002026-06-15T09:07:25+00:00Special police units sealed off parts of the Botunets neighbourhood in a major operation targeting the so-called Kalashniks group, with weapons and lists linked to exploitation among the seized evidence.On This Day in Bulgaria: Bulgaria Beat Poland 4-1, and Three Name Days Quietly Go About Their Business (15 June)https://shumen.uk/articles/bulgaria-on-this-day-15-june-2026.html2026-06-15T04:00:58+00:002026-06-15T04:00:58+00:00Today's calendar offers a 1969 World Cup qualifier win, three Bulgarian forenames that barely anyone under forty actually uses, and no municipal festivities at all. Here's what you actually need to know if you live here.Bulgarian saints, a premiership visit, and a Shumen actor rememberedhttps://shumen.uk/articles/shumen-roundup-bulgarian-saints-premiership-visit-shumen-actor-remembered.html2026-06-14T18:38:50+00:002026-06-14T18:38:50+00:00The Bulgarian Orthodox Church marked the Second Sunday after Pentecost on 14 June with services honouring all Bulgarian saints across the country. GERB leader Boyko Borissov travelled to Shumen for a party training event and called for a 100-day grace period for the new government. The city also mourned actor Yordan Zidarov, who died aged 78.Sofia's Coffee Now Costs More Than Rome's, and the Numbers Don't Add Uphttps://shumen.uk/articles/sofia-coffee-prices-higher-than-italy-cologne.html2026-06-14T18:17:17+00:002026-06-14T18:17:17+00:00A standard espresso in central Sofia runs €3.50 to €4.00 or more, above what you'd pay in Italy or Cologne. The pricing pattern holds across Bulgaria's tourist zones, and income levels don't explain it. These comparisons are based on a single source and have not been independently verified.EU Plans Lower Electricity Tax Than Gas to Ease Household Billshttps://shumen.uk/articles/eu-electricity-tax-reform-gas-2026.html2026-06-14T09:14:35+00:002026-06-14T09:14:35+00:00Brussels is preparing to force member states to tax electricity below gas rates as part of a broader push to cut energy costs and accelerate the shift away from fossil fuels. The reform requires Council approval and could be formally presented on 22 July.On This Day in Bulgaria: The 1913 Earthquake That Levelled Veliko Tarnovo (14 June)https://shumen.uk/articles/bulgaria-on-this-day-14-june-2026.html2026-06-14T04:01:08+00:002026-06-14T04:01:08+00:00On 14 June 1913, a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck central Bulgaria at 11:28 in the morning, destroying 80% of Veliko Tarnovo and killing at least 36 people. Here's what happened, and why it still matters if you walk the cobbled streets of the old capital today.Bulgaria's Economy Grew 3.1% in Q1, And British Businesses Are Noticinghttps://shumen.uk/articles/bulgaria-economy-q1-2026-growth.html2026-06-13T11:42:53+00:002026-06-13T11:42:53+00:00The National Statistical Institute confirmed the figure this week: household spending and investment activity drove the expansion, and while industry contracted on weaker exports, services now account for three-quarters of gross value added. Unemployment stayed low, employment held at 3.5 million, and the Bulgarian economy generated €23.8 billion in Q1 at current prices.Bulgaria's Top Chess Player Warns Career at Risk as Federation Row Hits FIDE Deadlinehttps://shumen.uk/articles/bulgaria-chess-federation-dispute-nurgyul-salimova.html2026-06-13T09:07:11+00:002026-06-13T09:07:11+00:00Nurgyul Salimova, Bulgaria's highest-ranked female chess player, has warned she doesn't know whether she'll be allowed to compete internationally after 1 July as a dispute between rival Bulgarian chess federations threatens sanctions from the sport's world governing body.Bulgaria's Fentanyl Crisis Started Two Years Ago, Addiction Experts Say the System Still Hasn't Caught Uphttps://shumen.uk/articles/bulgaria-fentanyl-crisis-2024-prevention-system-scrutiny.html2026-06-13T08:25:34+00:002026-06-13T08:25:34+00:00Fentanyl-related deaths in Bulgaria began rising in late 2024, but officials have focused on arresting users and low-level dealers rather than building prevention, harm reduction or youth treatment capacity, according to frontline addiction workers.On This Day in Bulgaria: Bulgaria v Israel, 1965 (13 June)https://shumen.uk/articles/bulgaria-on-this-day-13-june-2026.html2026-06-13T04:00:54+00:002026-06-13T04:00:54+00:00On this date in 1965, Bulgaria played Israel in a World Cup qualifier at Vasil Levski Stadium. The match ended 2-1 to Bulgaria, a footnote in the wider story of how a tiny Balkan nation briefly became a footballing force.On This Day in Bulgaria: Georgi Bogdanov, Revolutionary and Thessaloniki Bomber, Dies (12 June)https://shumen.uk/articles/bulgaria-on-this-day-12-june-2026.html2026-06-12T04:01:26+00:002026-06-12T04:01:26+00:00Bulgaria's calendar today marks the death of a man who hurled a bomb at a Greek café in Ottoman Thessaloniki, survived a death sentence, endured exile in the Sahara, and died penniless in Sofia. Here's the story British expats rarely encounter outside specialist histories of the Macedonian struggle.How to Watch the 2026 World Cup in Bulgaria: Full BNT Schedule Publishedhttps://shumen.uk/articles/2026-world-cup-bnt-bulgaria-tv-schedule.html2026-06-11T06:20:09+00:002026-06-11T06:20:09+00:00Bulgarian National Television has released the complete broadcast schedule for the FIFA World Cup, which kicks off tonight with Mexico vs South Africa at 22:00 on BNT 1 and BNT 3. The tournament runs through 19 July with 104 matches spanning group stages, knockouts, and the final.On This Day in Bulgaria: Bulgaria Beat Malta 2-0 in Sofia (11 June)https://shumen.uk/articles/bulgaria-on-this-day-11-june-2026.html2026-06-11T04:00:59+00:002026-06-11T04:00:59+00:00On 11 June 1975, Bulgaria defeated Malta 2-0 at Vasil Levski Stadium in a European Championship qualifier that nobody under fifty remembers, but which sits in the official record as one of those quiet victories that built the team's reputation. Here's why it matters if you live here now.On This Day in Bulgaria: The First Multi-Party Election in 59 Years (10 June)https://shumen.uk/articles/bulgaria-on-this-day-10-june-2026.html2026-06-10T04:01:24+00:002026-06-10T04:01:24+00:00Bulgaria held its first free election since 1931 on this date in 1990, ending the one-party era. Here's what the day meant then, what the controversy still means now, and why you'll see Antonina name days celebrated quietly.On This Day in Bulgaria: The 1923 Coup That Toppled an Elected Government (9 June)https://shumen.uk/articles/bulgaria-on-this-day-9-june-2026.html2026-06-09T04:01:20+00:002026-06-09T04:01:20+00:00On 9 June 1923, army officers staged a midnight coup that ended Bulgaria's agrarian government and kicked off a summer of violence. Here's why this date still casts a shadow over the country's modern politics.On This Day in Bulgaria: The Day Luxembourg Arrived in Sofia and Left with Eight Goals Against (8 June)https://shumen.uk/articles/bulgaria-on-this-day-8-june-1997.html2026-06-08T04:00:55+00:002026-06-08T04:00:55+00:00On 8 June 1997, Bulgaria played Luxembourg in a World Cup qualifier at the Vasil Levski Stadium. The final score was 4-0, which sounds respectable until you remember Luxembourg's population is smaller than Plovdiv's and they'd conceded seven to the Czech Republic three days earlier.Bulgarian Driver Tsolov Claims Third Straight Monaco Winhttps://shumen.uk/articles/nikola-tsolov-monaco-f2-win-2026.html2026-06-07T10:36:40+00:002026-06-07T10:36:40+00:00Nikola Tsolov secured his third Formula 2 victory of the 2026 season after winning Monaco's feature race on Saturday, extending a streak that now includes wins at the Principality across three consecutive years.On This Day in Bulgaria: The 1908 Election, and Roses in Kazanlak (7 June)https://shumen.uk/articles/bulgaria-on-this-day-7-june-2026.html2026-06-07T04:01:11+00:002026-06-07T04:01:11+00:00Bulgaria's calendar today gives you a parliamentary election from 1908 and the most photogenic festival of the year. Here's what's worth knowing if you live here.Kaufland's Paid Parking Subscriptions Sell Out in Hours as Sofia's Car Park Crunch Tightenshttps://shumen.uk/articles/kaufland-parking-subscriptions-sofia.html2026-06-06T10:24:34+00:002026-06-06T10:24:34+00:00The German hypermarket chain has rolled out monthly rental spaces at five Sofia branches, with demand in dense residential districts exceeding expectations and the 46-space Iztok lot reportedly gone within hours of launch.Three Dead After Sofia Street Race Turned Fireball, Prosecutors Move on Intent Chargeshttps://shumen.uk/articles/sofia-street-race-crash-three-dead-intent-charges-june-2026.html2026-06-06T08:22:59+00:002026-06-06T08:22:59+00:00Two drivers face intentional homicide charges after allegedly organising an illegal race on Chelopeshko Shose, slamming into a public bus at speeds exceeding 150 km/h. One car burst into flames, firefighters prevented worse, and a third victim later died in hospital.On This Day in Bulgaria: England Win 3-0 in Sofia, and a Bulgarian Decline Sets In (6 June)https://shumen.uk/articles/bulgaria-on-this-day-6-june-2026.html2026-06-06T04:00:55+00:002026-06-06T04:00:55+00:00On 6 June 1979, at the Vasil Levski Stadium in Sofia, England beat Bulgaria 3-0 in a European Championship qualifier, a comfortable away win on the road to Euro 1980 and a chastening night for a Bulgarian side already well past its 1960s peak.Bulgaria's 3% Deficit Target Already Looks Optimistic, Donev Tells Parliamenthttps://shumen.uk/articles/bulgaria-budget-deficit-2026-donev-parliament.html2026-06-05T14:07:18+00:002026-06-05T14:07:18+00:00Finance Minister Galab Donev confirmed European Commission projections showing Bulgaria's budget deficit reaching 4.1% of GDP this year, while defending the government's eurozone entry data as accurate despite acknowledging what he called 'accounting tricks'.A Shumen man wanted for sex offences, underage joyriders, and contraband cigaretteshttps://shumen.uk/articles/shumen-roundup-shumen-man-wanted-sex-offences-underage-joyriders-contraband.html2026-06-05T11:51:23+00:002026-06-05T11:51:23+00:00A 30-year-old Shumen native arrested under a UK warrant, two children crashed a stolen car in Varbitsa, 43 packs of untaxed cigarettes seized on a routine stop, and storms brought down trees across the region. Four separate incidents, no immediate British angle, but these are the stories from your corner of Bulgaria this week.Brussels Escalates Legal Aid Complaint Against Bulgariahttps://shumen.uk/articles/bulgaria-legal-aid-infringement-escalation-june-2026.html2026-06-05T07:59:03+00:002026-06-05T07:59:03+00:00The European Commission has advanced infringement proceedings against Bulgaria for failing to grant legal aid to suspects, not just accused persons, under EU law. Bulgaria now has two months to respond or face the European Court of Justice.