With the protocols fully processed, Bulgaria already has a clear picture of the 52nd National Assembly. The Central Election Commission data shows a five-party parliament: "Progressive Bulgaria" - 44.594% (1,444,924 voters), GERB-SDF - 13.387% (433,755 voters), PP-DB - 12.618% (408,845 voters), DPS - 7.120% (230,693 voters) and "Vazrazhdane" - 4.257% (137,940 voters). Just below the 4% threshold remain: MECH - 3.225%, "Velicie" - 3.104%, "BSP-United Left" - 3.015% and "Siyanie" - 2.887%.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has lowered its growth forecast for Bulgaria slightly by 0.3 percentage points to 2.8% amid the crisis caused by the war in the Middle East, which is not as influential in this regard as in other countries. The revised inflation forecast for Bulgaria is about 0.5 percentage points higher than expected in October and reaches 3.8%. Bulgaria's economy is in an environment of strong domestic demand, rapidly growing consumption, a widening current account deficit and continued expansionary fiscal policy, which is not the right approach in a situation where prices are rising strongly. One of the main challenges facing the future government will be to review fiscal policy with the aim of moving from an expansionary to a more neutral regime. This could be done, for example, by addressing the rapid growth of public sector wages, the automatic indexation of social benefits, but of course, this is also a good time to think about reforms that can support growth, given the lowered growth forecast. There are opportunities for more effective use of European funds by directing them towards public investment. Among the recommendations of the IMF representative are the development of a long-term program of structural reforms, including in the areas of governance, investment in human capital and education.

Next week, a major event will be celebrated in Simitli – the official opening of the first optical cable production plant. The project is implemented by Simler EOOD – a company with a clear vision for implementing high-tech solutions and sustainable industrial development. The investor and manager of the company is Ivaylo Neshev, who chose Simitli as a strategic location for the development of modern production with high added value. The production hall is equipped with two modern lines for the production of optical cables, as well as a specialized machine for coloring optical fibers, a technology that allows the full production cycle to be carried out in Bulgaria. The enterprise will produce high-quality optical cables intended for telecommunications operators and infrastructure projects, thus meeting the growing requirements for fast and reliable communication networks.

The largest online food retailer in Bulgaria - eBag, is in a period of accelerated growth: last year's turnover jumped by 50% to 88 million euros, with similar growth starting in the first quarter of 2026. Therefore, the company "Convenience", which is behind the brand, will begin construction of a second logistics base (or second fulfillment center) in 2027, which will be located in "Hemus Park" in the "Chelopechene" industrial zone. The investment in phase 1 is around 21 million euros, financed through a combination of bank credit and equity. The facility will be leased by the company "K Bio Industry Bulgaria", which will provide the warehouse infrastructure. This is a company of Andon Touchev, who also owns the aluminum joinery and curtain wall company "Tal Engineering". The new center will be located on nearly 14 thousand square meters of built-up area. The initial capacity will allow the execution of about 6,000 orders per day with the possibility of expanding to 12 thousand depending on the load (with approximately 25 items on average per order). Currently, eBag's capacity allows the execution of up to 6,000 orders per day. At full capacity, the base has the potential to support an annual turnover of 300 million euros. All orders are now being served, including those for Plovdiv, Bansko and Blagoevgrad, by the company's existing logistics base, which is located in the "Modern Suburb" warehouse and production zone in Sofia. For the first time in 2026 eBag exceeds 30 million euros in turnover within a quarter and has already served nearly 70,000 households in Sofia, Plovdiv, Bansko and Blagoevgrad. The number of users is 42% higher compared to the first three months of 2025. In fact, in three months eBag reaches more households than in the whole of 2024, the online platform reports. The average value of the order through the platform increases by 3% compared to the average level for 2025 and reaches a new maximum of over 71 euros. The number of items in one order also increases by about 3%. Founder Ivan Alexandrov is the majority owner of Convenience - the company that manages eBag. Minority shares are held by the Czech Rohlik Group, the investment funds Eleven and MFG Invest, the venture capital company HR Capital, as well as Miglena Popova-Vasileva and Ivaylo Karamanolev. At the end of October 2023 "Convenience" attracted new capital - 539 thousand leva - from two investors: Milen Stoichkov, commercial director at eBag, and "PK Capital" - an investment company from Varna, owned by serial IT entrepreneur Presiyan Karakostov. The valuation of the online food retailer in this deal reaches 84 million leva. In November 2025, the listed companies HR Capital and MFG Invest, which have minority stakes in "Convenience", announced a preliminary agreement for the purchase and sale of shares, as a result of which they increased their stake in the company to 24.99%. For 2025, eBag reports a turnover of 88.8 million euros, which represents a 50% increase compared to the previous year. The operating profit is 2.38 million euros, or a 3.23% margin. The total capital raised since the company's establishment to date is 4.1 million euros.

The Bulgarian meat producer Trace Angus Farm EOOD will modernize its production facilities in the Montana village of Doctor Yosifovo. An investment proposal has been submitted to the Regional Inspectorate for Environment, Water and Water Resources-Montana, which makes it clear that the company will implement high-tech equipment for processing and packaging products with automated processes and digital control. The renovation will be implemented in the company's existing base located in the village. The investment proposal provides for a transition to a closed and fully automated work cycle. The technological renovation covers all stages - from the primary processing of the raw material to the final labeling. Trace Angus Farm EOOD was registered in 2013 with its headquarters in the village of Doctor Yosifovo. Its main activity is closely specialized in the breeding of purebred cattle of the elite meat breed Aberdeen Angus. The company is an established producer of breeding animals and fattened calves. The company is 100% owned by Rodopaimpex Bulgaria AD – a company with experience in the trade of animals and meat. The related company “Tele-Fattening Complex Trace Angus Farms” EOOD also operates in the same region, turning the location in the village of Doktor Yosifovo into a strategic center for the group. For 2022, “Trace Angus Farm” EOOD reports total revenues of EUR 4.8 million.

The subsidiary of the food and chemical packaging manufacturer Bulmetal AD CEVOLANI ITALIA S.R.L. has transferred to the parent company its entire shareholding of 1,500,000 shares, or 98.36% of the capital, in the German company BIBRA Biagosch and Brandau Germany GmbH. Thus, Bulmetal now directly owns a majority stake in BIBRA. The parties have agreed on a total price of EUR 3.7 million based on an independent appraiser's report dated December 1, 2025. The amount is planned to be paid after being offset against the dividends for the financial year 2024 by CEVOLANI. The general meeting of shareholders of the Italian subsidiary has voted to distribute a dividend to the majority shareholder, i.e. the Bulgarian company, in the amount of 5.25 million euros. The funds are provided from the capital contribution reserve and partially from the company's available extraordinary reserve. With the offset of the 3.7 million euros for the BIBRA deal, Bulmetal will receive a net 1.55 million euros.

Bulgarian cargo drone company Dronamics announced that it has attracted Asia Air Survey as a strategic investor and is opening a subsidiary in Japan - Dronamics Japan Holdings Co., Ltd. Asia Air Survey, a publicly traded Japanese company and leader in the field of cutting-edge geospatial technologies, becomes the first Japanese investor in Dronamics through its corporate venture investment division. The two companies will work to implement Dronamics’ drone technology in aerial survey, disaster prevention and civil protection in Japan and abroad. Asia Air Survey was founded in 1954 and is among the pioneers in the industry. Back in the 1960s, the company developed the first analytical aerial triangulation system. Today, Asia Air Survey offers a wide range of services - from mapping and remote sensing, to disaster management, urban planning and environmental consulting.

Sales of fully electric vehicles (BEVs) in Europe’s major car markets rose by almost a third in the first quarter as drivers sought alternatives to internal combustion engines after the Middle East war led to the highest jump in gasoline prices in years, Reuters reported. Registrations of new BEVs rose 29.4 percent from a year earlier to almost 560,000 in the quarter, and in March alone they rose 51.3 percent to more than 240,000 vehicles in 15 European markets, data from trade association E-Mobility Europe and consultancy New Automotive showed. Last year, these markets accounted for 94 percent of all BEV sales in the European Union (EU) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), whose countries adhere to EU laws regulating carbon dioxide emissions, data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) showed. Half a million electric vehicles registered in the quarter are enough to reduce oil consumption by 2 million barrels per year. The five largest markets in the region – Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Poland – saw BEV sales grow by more than 40% in the quarter. An estimated 21.2% of all new cars registered in the EU and EFTA in March were electric. Electric vehicle registrations in the UK, the second-largest market for this powertrain in Europe after Germany, rose by 12.8% in the quarter, helped by rising petrol prices, and accounted for 22.5% of new car sales in the country. France continues to lead the way in sales growth among major markets, with a 28% increase in registrations in the quarter, supported by a government sales incentive scheme. The Nordic countries remain leaders in terms of adoption of this powertrain. Around 75% of all new cars in Denmark were fully electric in March, while the share in Finland was around 50%. In Norway, the BEV market share exceeded 98%, despite registrations falling by 7% year-on-year. In the Netherlands, electric vehicle sales fell by 24.4%, while in the Czech Republic, registrations grew by 10.5% with a market share of 5.7%.

The world's largest natural gas producers are not that many. Who are they, Visual Capitalist presents in its latest infographic. The countries are ranked by dry natural gas production in 2024 in billions of cubic feet. At the top are the United States, Russia, Iran and China. The United States produces 25% of the world's natural gas and is ahead of any other country. Its production is almost equal to that of Iran and China combined. Global natural gas supply is concentrated among a small group of producers, which shapes energy markets and the trade in liquefied natural gas (LNG). The United States is significantly ahead in its position as the world's largest natural gas producer, accounting for a quarter of global supplies in 2024. The United States produced 37,751 billion cubic feet of natural gas in 2024, more than 1.6 times that of Russia and almost equal to the combined production of Iran and China. The gap between the United States and Russia is larger than the combined output of most of the top 10 producers. After the top four, production drops sharply, with no country exceeding 7.5 trillion cubic feet. Canada and Qatar lead the second tier, followed by a mix of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporters and regional suppliers. This sharp decline highlights how concentrated global supply is at the very top. Together, these countries form the core of the world’s gas supply system, spanning North America, Eurasia, the Middle East, and key LNG export hubs. U.S. natural gas production has roughly tripled since 2005 as hydraulic fracturing has unlocked shale formations that were previously unprofitable. This surge explains why the United States is so far ahead of other producers and why it has become a hub for both pipeline and LNG flows. Recent tensions in the Middle East have disrupted natural gas infrastructure and shipping routes, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, a key point for global energy trade. With flows constrained, global markets are increasingly relying on large, stable producers. This dynamic further strengthens the role of the United States, which is the leader in both natural gas production and liquefied natural gas (LNG) export capacity. As supply risks continue, this concentration is becoming increasingly significant. Countries with large, stable production, particularly the United States, are playing an increasing role in balancing global energy markets and meeting demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG). The data covers 74 countries. The visualization of the top 40 shows the ranking of natural gas production in 2024 in billion cubic feet. Romania, for example, is in 44th place with 325 billion cubic feet, Poland - 48th place (184 billion cubic feet), Italy - 54th (92 billion cubic feet), Turkey - 56th (81 billion cubic feet). Hungary occupies 61st place with 60 billion cubic feet, Serbia - 71st place and 11 billion cubic feet. The last two places are for the Czech Republic - 73rd with 7 billion cubic feet and Jordan - the same volume.

China's central bank kept its key interest rates unchanged for the 11th consecutive month. The institution is weighing the economic fallout from the war in the Middle East and China's steady growth, combined with weakening inflationary pressures, which reduce the need for urgent action, CNBC reported. The People's Bank of China's one-year benchmark interest rate (Loan Prime Rate - LPR) remained at 3 percent, while the five-year rate, which is a benchmark for mortgage rates, was 3.5 percent. The decision on rates was made after the world's second-largest economy grew by 5 percent in the first quarter, accelerating from the previous period, when it expanded by 4.5 percent. Beijing lowered its growth target for 2026 to a range of around 4.5-5 percent, which is its least ambitious target since the 1990s. China’s producer prices also rose for the first time in more than three years, rising 0.5 percent year-on-year in March, a sign that the pressure from higher import costs is starting to weigh on the economy. China’s consumer prices rose by their biggest jump in more than three years in February, rising 1.3 percent before slowing to 1 percent in March. The People’s Bank of China’s board of governors is likely to adopt a “wait and see” approach, as rising inflation reduces the bank’s incentive to cut key interest rates or introduce significant easing in the near term. The People’s Bank of China has said it will maintain a “supportive” and “moderately loose” monetary policy this year to support growth while preserving the stability of the yuan.