Bulgaria is the poorest country in the EU, but the prices of a number of goods with a large share in household consumption are above the average levels in the European Union. For another year, this is confirmed by "Eurostat" data on the prices of consumer goods for 2023. Regarding food, in general, households in Romania and Poland have lower costs than Bulgarian ones. In Bulgaria last year, food prices were 86.5% of the average level for the EU, while in Poland they were 75.8%, and in Romania - 72.7%. Bulgaria turns out to have quite expensive milk, dairy products and eggs. The prices are 27% above the EU average, significantly surpassing not only Poland (77% of the EU average), but also countries such as France (91%), Austria (94%), Sweden (95%), The Netherlands (96%). Oil (vegetable oils) also turns out to be far cheaper in Poland, Romania, Germany, Austria, Italy, Croatia. In our country, in 2023, the price of oil exceeded the average European level by 17%. Regarding meat, the price level in our country is 72% of the average. In Poland and Romania, however, it is cheaper - 67% and 65%, respectively. Poland and Romania are also ahead of us with cheaper vegetables and fruits, and Romania has cheaper bread. In our country, the price level of fruits and vegetables is 78% of the average, and bread - 72%. Bulgaria has the cheapest fish. In the case of restaurants and hotels, there is also a huge difference in price levels, with the lowest being registered in Bulgaria (52% of the EU average), Romania (65%) and Hungary (72%), and the highest in Denmark (152 %), Finland (129%) and Ireland (128%).

More than BGN 234 million is the added value created by the producers of soft drinks and bottled water in the Bulgarian economy in 2022 alone, according to the research data of the Institute of Market Economy for the Association of Non-Alcoholic Drink Manufacturers. 169 relatively large enterprises work in the industry, and they generated sales revenue of BGN 922 million for 2022. They paid about BGN 11 million in corporate tax, over BGN 42 million in insurance and BGN 8.8 million income tax of employed persons. Additionally, the sales generated BGN 260 million in VAT revenue. The impact of the producers of non-alcoholic and bottled water creates a total internal consumption of BGN 860 million. For the needs of their activity, they have used local resources for over half a billion BGN, of which 226 million are for raw materials and materials. "Enterprises in our industry directly provide 4,273 jobs, which represents 41% of employment in the production of all types of beverages and nearly 1% of employment in the processing industry," said Zhana Velichkova, executive director of the association. At the European level, the sector supports over 1.8 million jobs, with each direct job creating another seven in the value chain. The total value generated by the sector in the EU is estimated at €242 billion, with 97% of soft drinks produced within the EU. Small and medium enterprises contribute about 14% to the total revenue of the market.

Mizia glas Ltd - Razgrad wants to build a new warehouse with TIR parking in the land of Musachevo village, Elin Pelin municipality. For this purpose, an investment proposal has been submitted to RISV-Sofia, which provides for an investment to be deployed on an area of ​​24 acres. In the company's new warehouse, glass figures will be stored in special wooden crates. It is expected that 35 people will work there. The company specializes in the production of decorative glass, chemically frosted glass, interior door panels, steps and floors. The production base and central office of "Mizia Glass" are located in Razgrad. There, the company also has a logistics center in the Perister Business Zone. In 2010, the Razgrad company opened a warehouse and sales office in Sofia, in the "Modern Suburb" area. The company's investments in the logistics center built in the business zone of Razgrad are worth BGN 4.3 million. The investment proposal envisages the construction of a "TIR parking lot, warehouses with an administrative - domestic part, a cesspool and a substation" in the land of the village of Musachevo, m. "Choyna", Elin Pelin municipality The idea is to deploy the investment on the territory of two properties with a total area of ​​24 thousand square meters - one with an area of ​​over 19,581 square meters, and the other - 4,471 square meters. The company was founded by Evgeni Veseslavov Tachev, who is the sole owner of the capital and manager and owns shares and participates in the management of several other companies - 100% of the capital of "MT Plast" Ltd, 92% of the capital of "Vodstroy" JSC and a member of the Board of Directors, 100% of the capital of "Mizia Glass Trading" Ltd., as well as 50% of the capital of "Yoveta - 2005" Ltd. For 2023, the company's revenues are in the amount of BGN 33.6 million, and for 2022 – BGN 48.6 million. The staff numbers 35 people, having been increased by 4 compared to 2022.

"Hebros Bus" has stopped servicing the bus passenger lines between Plovdiv and Karlovo, Panagyurishte, Starosel, Zlatosel and Rozovets, after its contract for the most profitable line - the one to Sofia - was terminated. The company has been in a difficult financial situation for years and revenues are constantly falling, and for the last announced report - 2022, it is at a loss of BGN 2.3 million. Now a new contract has been signed with direct negotiation with "Meritrans-2002" of Petko Angelov. This is the company that also took over the lines from the Rhodopes and that carries out the transportation of part of the lines of the mass urban transport in the city.

The Financial Supervision Commission (FSC) approved the merger of Veta Pharma JSC into Sopharma JSC. The acquisition decision was announced in mid-January this year. At that time, Sopharma JSC owned 99.98% of the company's capital. The procedure for acquiring Veta Pharma JSC began in 2016, when Sopharma JSC acquired 68% of the company, subsequently continuing to expand its stake in the enterprise. In the last year, the Bulgarian pharmaceutical group Sopharma JSC also received approval for the acquisition of the Serbian - Pharmanova - a local producer of vitamins and nutritional supplements. Veta Pharma JSC is a company for the production of disinfectants, cosmetic sports, tinctures for oral administration. The company was founded in 1950 in Veliko Tarnovo. In 2010, Veta Pharma JSC invested in a completely new plant for the production of medicinal products.

The shareholders of "Neochim" JSC did not approve the transactions with "Euro Fert" JSC for the distribution of ammonium nitrite and with "Asenova Krepost" JSC for polymer packaging at the regular annual general meeting held on June 21. EuroFert is the second largest shareholder in Neochim. The proposal called for the two companies to enter into a five-year contract for the distribution of ammonium nitrite. According to an independent appraiser, the deal is worth over BGN 648.3 million, with Euro Fert selling more than half of Neochim's ammonium nitrate production. The other deal provided for "Neochim" to buy various polymer packaging from "Asenova Krepost" JSC for a period of 5 years and for a total value of about BGN 10.7 million. Related persons who would be interested did not participate in the voting of the transactions. Under the proposal, EuroFert would have acted as an independent trader, with current ammonium nitrite pricing, a distributor discount and advance payment for fertiliser. The deal with "Asenova Krepost" JSC  provided for "Neochim" to make specific inquiries and orders with required quantities and deadlines for production and delivery and a specific offer. Shareholders have also approved the fertilizer maker's loss for 2023 to be covered by reserves. Dividend for 2023 is not distributed.

Bulgaria is in second place in terms of the number of checks carried out last year by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF). In Bulgaria, 14 inspections were carried out, and recommendations for follow-up actions were issued in five cases. The most numerous inspections were in Romania (16), and 10 recommendations were issued due to detected irregularities. Last year, a total of 265 inspections were concluded in EU countries and in other countries where projects with European funds are being worked on, and 190 new investigations were initiated. OLAF issued recommendations for the recovery of €1.04 billion and prevented the misuse of €209.4 million. Among the internal investigations, the most numerous were related to the activities of employees of the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European External Action Service. Most of these cases ended with OLAF recommending further action. With the participation of OLAF, suspicions of circumvention of the sanctions imposed by the EU against Russia and Belarus due to the military attack against Ukraine were investigated last year. The European Office has also checked data on secret trade agreements, manipulation of public procurement procedures, suspected conflicts of interest, forged invoices, duty evasion and smuggling.

China will install more solar panels in 2023 than any other country, adding to a huge fleet of renewable energy sources that already leads the world and will be hard to catch up, Bloomberg reports. The country installed 216.9 gigawatts of solar power last year, bettering the previous record of 87.4 gigawatts by 2022, according to a statement from the National Energy Administration. That's more than the entire 175.2 gigawatt fleet in the U.S., the world's second-largest solar market. The rise of clean energy in China, the biggest polluter, helped push global renewable penetration to a record 510 gigawatts last year, according to the International Energy Agency. Countries are moving closer to meeting the target set at the COP28 climate summit to triple renewable energy by the end of the decade, the IEA believes. China likely provided 58% of global solar installations and 60% of global wind power last year, according to Bloobmerg NEF. The addition of renewables means China can use less coal to meet growing energy demand. The change also supports predictions that the world's biggest polluter may have peaked emissions last year, well ahead of the government's 2030 target. coal-fired power plants, which provide about 59% of the country's electricity. According to sources, the new plants are needed for the reserve and that coal consumption will decrease from 2025. Thermal generation capacity increased by 57.93 gigawatts last year. Solar and wind installations have been boosted in part by the sharp drop in costs. Fierce competition between manufacturers has driven panel and turbine prices to record lows in China. This has reduced profitability for manufacturers and raised expectations of major consolidation in the industry this year. The acceleration of renewable generation has brought challenges as China's grid struggles to keep pace. China is expected to maintain gains in renewables. Solar installations are expected to grow by around 7% this year, while new wind capacity is expected to increase by 11%, BNEF forecast.