From The Us To The Black Sea ? In The Sofia Echo - Sophia Echo 21/06/2008
An agreement that will open the way for Bulgarian air carriers to fly to the United States is one of the key outcomes of the visit to the US by Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev. In the issue of The Sofia Echo published on June 20, Rene Beekman outlines the meaning of the agreement and the issues that will influence how it will work. Whatever successes it produced, Stanishev’s visit to the US was overshadowed in part by criticism unleashed against Bulgaria’s ruling coalition by President Georgi Purvanov. In the newspaper, Petar Kostadinov examines the exchanges between two of the most senior figures in the Bulgarian Socialist Party and what they could mean for Bulgaria’s political future. more

Rila Hotel In Sofia Spotted For Construction 11/07/2008
Construction interests united the church, archaeologists and architects to start protesting against plans for a 22-storey building meant to replace Rila hotel in the heart of Sofia. In an interview with private broadcaster bTV on July 10, a representative of the St Nikolai ancient church behind the hotel said that the construction of the hotel in the 1940s caused a partial reduction of the church yard and cracking of one of the church walls. It is feared that new construction could further damage the church. Architects, for their part, said that the new building is envisioned with eight underground storeys, which was dangerous because the underground waters in Sofia were close to the surface. “I am sure this would cause sinking of some of the nearby buildings. I hope none of them... more

Finding Profitable Property Abroad Today And For The Future 30/05/2008
Unless you’ve been on holiday in Antarctica for the past 6 months you know that these are economically uncertain times; and this fiscal downturn is different from any that’s gone before.  This is the first recession pattern to emerge since the balance of economic power has shifted (markedly) from West to East, with Latin America closing in on Asia with only a few years’ lag. Whilst this may be bad news for many, particularly those who bought properties in stressed markets right at the peak of their boom, it does make finding profitable property abroad today and for the future possible if you are just prepared to look beyond Europe to find emerging economies with strong room for continued growth based on strong and sustainable fundamentals. In this article, Deanne DuKhan, Portfolio... more

Us Investors Complain Of Expensive Plots In Bulgarias Capital 10/03/2008
Land owners in Sofia and Bucharest speculate with land prices, agents said. Most land owners fail to understand how land prices are formed and offer high prices because of the high demand, investor.bg reported. The land price should add up to no more than 20 per cent of the total value of a residential project, US investment fund Heitman said during a discussion on residential property market in Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia. Private property owners in Bucharest demand 30 per cent of the total project value, Capital Investment and Consultancy representative David Erickson said. Intense increase of land prices in Bucharest encouraged most investors to focus on the construction of tall buildings. The number of residential projects in Bucharest was only three in 2005 and... more

Skiing Brits Find Eastern Property Promise In Bulgaria 19/03/2008
Bulgaria is cementing its lead as an investment property hotspot for skiers and snowboarders looking to own a slice of the slopes. The country's recent accession in the EU, together with the low prices and plentiful property facilitated by the building boom, are leading many British skiers and snowboarders to leapfrog their traditional favourite ski spots in France, Switzerland and Austria, in favour of Bulgaria's more modestly priced mountains. The boom in property development in Bulgaria's best resorts have meant that brand new ski apartments can be snapped up for less than Ј30K. These low prices, combined with the preventive costs of getting on to the British property ladder, means that many young buyers are choosing Bulgaria for either investment property, a holiday... more