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News, Views, Comment, Feature Articles, Information and Advertising about Elhovo, Bulgaria, and the surrounding areas.
Current News for the Elhovo Area
Details of Forthcoming Events and Car Boot Sales in the area appear on the Entertainment Page along with details of Bars and Restaurants in the area serving English style food with English language Menus available.
Local News - now updated as News comes in.
Elhovo Town Park renovation is underway.One of Elhovo's least known and underused facilities, the town park which is shown on our town map is undergoing a major refurbishment with large new flower borders being installed along with new planters, benches and bins. The area includes some lovely areas of mature trees and is well worth a visit during the next few months, and giving a wonderful show in the autumn months. (24.04)
Angling prohibited from April 15th for 47 days.
The annual ban on angling during the breeding season in the Black Sea, the Danube and inland sites comes into force on April 15th and will last until the 31st May, and applies to all spring-summer breeding species. (12.04)
Clean Bulgaria Day 2013
Everyone support is requested to help with this year's "Clean Bulgaria for one Day" campaign' which is being held on Saturday 20th April. Those wishing to officially register to participate in the clean-up campaign should contact the municipality by Friday 12th April on 0478/81250 or by e-mail at - obshtina@elhovobg.org. (07.04)
Elhov and Bulgaria now on Google Street View.
Elhovo and most of the larger villages in the municipality can now be seen of Google Street View, along with most other areas of Bulgaria. (11.03)
Local Taxes now due for payment.
Local taxes are now due for payment at the Municipality offices for property, garbage collection and vehicles with a 5% discount available if they are paid by the 30th April (11.03)
Our Gardening Pages which ran for the past year are now replaced by Food 4 Free.
Find out how much you've been missing out on through these fascinating articles by Mike Wray. First one up on Nettles now with more to follow soon.
Bunking Off - A new article in the Features section by Mariesa Burrow
Mariesa Burrow has written a fascinating and well illustrated article about the legacy left by the Second World War in the tiny village of Valchi Izvor which is situated to the east of Bolyarovo. Hopefully this will encourage some other readers to come up with similar articles on the features of the village or area they live in which we will be glad to publish.
Eight families have filed for foster parents under the "I have a family" program in the municipality of Elhovo
Eight families have so far applied to be foster parents under the "I have a family" program in the municipality of Elhovo. Five families have been approved and entered in the register of approved foster families. Social workers from the foster care team will conduct basic and further training of candidates for foster parents who have applied at the end of October. Basic training includes 36 hours, which will be divided into 6 sessions of 6 hours for 6 days as classes will be held every weekday. Upgrade training includes 24 hours, which will be divided into 3 sessions of 8 hours for 3 days.
The first two children, a girl of seven and a boy of eleven have now been placed with Foster parents. Good news. (07.02)
"Agriculture" Fund investing in agriculture in 2013
The SFA has provided financial resources for the continued investment in developing agricultural output in Bulgaria during 2013, including projects promoting the accreditation of better quality livestock and encouraging animal husbandry, horticulture and buying new machinery, equipment and improving buildings.
Information about the scheme is available at: http://www.dfz.bg/bg/darzhavni-pomoshti/kreditna-shema-za-investicii/
In 2013 loans and aid will be available for "Investments in the construction of commercial premises and purchase of commercial equipment for farmers engaged in direct supply of small quantities of raw materials and foodstuffs of animal origin. Financial assistance for building small retail outlets for direct sales of home produced products such as eggs, meat, honey etc. More details can be found here: http://www.dfz.bg/bg/darzhavni-pomoshti/direct-animal/
Specific help will be availkable for bee keepers and details of this can be found at :
http://www.dfz.bg/bg/darzhavni-pomoshti/-kreditirane-programa-pchelarstvo/ ( 10.2013 )
New Project to form Volunteer Squalds in Elhovo.
A new project has been started in Elhovo to seek applicantions from suitably qualified individuals interested in joining a voluntary unit designed to provide additional support and assistance to the population of the area in the event of emergency situation. The member will be expected to assist in actions such as:-
1. Warning the population of emergency situations;
2. Implementation of emergency measures to reduce their impact;
3. Disclosure of ongoing information on the situation;
4. Direct rescue operations;
5. Mitigation and remediation of fire damage;
6. Operations, search and rescue;
7. Perform immediate emergency restoration work;
8. Provide first aid to victims of fires, disasters and emergencies;
9. Damage restoration.
10. Other operations related to defence.
Volunteer may be any able-bodied person aged of 18 or more, who is clinically healthy, not suffering from mental illness and has not been convicted of an intentional criminal offense, unless rehabilitated.
Volunteer will receive :-has the right to:
- Initial and on-going training.
- Unpaid leave to participate in training and tasks of prevention and management of disasters, fires, emergencies and elimination of consequences, which he recognized as official or work experience;
- Insurance;
- Provision for all social risks;
- Remuneration for participation in training and practical exercises;
- The use of facilities, specialized machinery and equipment;
- Full information about they activities that will perform as a volunteer.
Volunteer duties are determined by the Principal of the project.
Documents required to be submitted:
1. Application to the mayor of Elhovo municipality to participate in the group;
2. Application Form;
3. Medical certificate proving that the person is clinically healthy;
4. Report from the psychiatry that person does not have mental problems;
5. Certificate of convictions if applicable;
6. A copy of the acquired education, specialty or competence qualifocations;
7. Written consent of the employer for employees participation.
8. Declaration of consent to the processing of personal data.
To apply and submit the necessary documents between the 14th - 31st Jan. at the Council office located at "Kaloyan" № № 13, in Room 104. Elhovo.
For more information tel. Marten Sotirova on 0478 88038 (10.2013 )
Five million Leva tax fraud identified in Yambol Region
Tax fraud of over 5,000,000 Levs has been revealed by Yambol auditors who conducted 90 audits during the past year, over 4 million Leva was for under paid VAT, 55 of which totalled over 10,000 Leva. Construction companies accounted for nearly 2 million Leva of the short payments, 700,000 Leva for the wholesale and retail trades and a similar amount for tourist related businesses. (04.12)
Expansion of the Dobrich landfill site.
Two years ago the new landfill site for non-hazardous waste was opened for use at Dobrich, and is still the only modern site of it's kind within the Yambol region. The original capacity of the site, at 26,000 tons has now been doubled, and will provide safe and environmentally friendly storage for the next twenty years.
The old landfill site just outside Elhovo is now being rehabilitated at a cost of 1.9 million Leva and includes the cleaning and preparing of the ground, transportation of soil enabling the leveling and shaping of the ground and final landscaping. The Elhovo municipality is only one in southeastern Bulgaria which receives funds for reclamation of landfill. (15.11)
The New Sports Facilities are now Open in Elhovo
The new sports facilities which have been constructed in Elhovo over the summer months have now been opened and are available for use. They include two tennis courts, a basketball court and a seven-a-side football pitch, all set within newly landscaped suroundings alongside the river Tundra (20.10)
All Dogs must be Registered and Chipped by the end of January 2013
All Dogs within the Elhovo Municipality over the age of 6 weeks must be Registered and have a pet passport under Ordinance № 19 on curbing the population of stray animals and the acquisition, possession, cultivation and registration of dogs in the municipality of Elhovo by the end of January 2013. They need to be taken to an approved vet who will vaccinate, micro-chip and deworm them and issue them with a pet passport.
The fine for not having registered your dog will be 50 Levs for the first offence and for repeat offenses - 200 Levs. You do not need a new registration for a dog which is already fully registered and chipped. (20.10)
New Law on Insurance windscreen stickers.
A new law banning the placing of Insurance company stickers on car windscreens indicating that the vehicle is insured against theft and damage came into force on the 6th October, with a 50 Leva fine for breaking the law. This DOES NOT involve taking the green Third Party Insurance sticker off the screen which is still required by law. Apologies to anyone who I mislead on Saturday morning in Elhovo when I had got the wrong impression from a Google translation of a Bulgarian news story. (06.10)
New Centre for Children to be built in Elhovo
A new project has been unveiled in Elhovo to build a new home and centre for children who have no parents or family to care for them and who are not suitable for Foster care. Funding of 675,000 Levas has been made available from State and EU sources and the project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2014. The facility will have capacity for twelve children plus room for two additional children needing emergency accommodation.
The aim of the new centre will be to provide an environment for children deprived of family care which will enable them to live in a homely atmosphere where they can attend school and grow up in a de-institutionalised setting, giving them the same chances in life as children growing up within a family. (05.10)
Moves to promote tourism in the Elhovo area.
On September 29th a seminar entitled "Potential for development of tourism in the town of Elhovo and creating a sustainable tourist destination." was held in the "European Information Center" in Elhovo, The seminar is part of the activities under the project "Establishment of recreation, sport and tourism in the cities of Edirne and Elhovo" Programme for Cross-border cooperation between Bulgaria and Turkey, funded by IPA. The main emphasis of the seminar was the potential for development of tourism in the region of Elhovo and the funding opportunities available for suitable projects from EU funding. (02.10)
Yambol Tax Officials chase two million Levas back taxes.
The Yambol Office of the Bulgarian NRA are continuing their purge on collecting two million Levas in back taxes dating back as far as 2007 from the residents and businesses within the Yambol region. Debtors are able to enter into a Debt Management agreement with the NRA which allows them to clear the arrears over a period of time and so far one third of those contacted have already made such agreements. Failure to pay in the case of a company can result in assets being seized and sold by sealed bid auctions to cover the debt, and so far 16 such auctions have been held this year. (29.09)
Local Taxes now have to be paid at a new office in Elhovo.
As from Monday 1st October all Local Taxes for the Elhovo area will have to be paid at a different office, located at 13 Commercial Street in the town square. (28.09)
Walls of Death may disappear
Obituaries walls where posters marking the death of local residents are a typical Bulgarian tradition and do not appear in any countries other than Serbia and parts of Italy, where it consists of a special panel at the church. There are now suggestions that the sites where these notices are displayed in and around town and village centres should be discouraged as they are unsightly and un-necessary? (28.08)
Elhovo Municipality is in a good financial state
Elhovo Municipality has been designated as the most financially sustainable Municipality in this area of Bulgaria with income some 33% above expenditure during the annual review of 264 municipalities by the Ministry of Finance (28.08)
Medical Fees have gone up
The fee for a visit to the doctor or dentist will be 2.90 lev in the coming year the government decided. Stays in hospital for insured people will be 5.80 lev per day, but for no more than ten days. (28.08)
Tightened controls at border checkpoints
You could experience tighter border controls if you are coming back into Bulgaria from the south. There is an outbreak of African Swine Fever in the Ukraine and extra vigilance will be in place to safeguard against any risk of it spreading to Bulgaria. (16.08)
Hopes that partly completed Yambol Hospital could be completed.
The partly completed new General Hospital at Yambol which had cost 6 million when work came to a halt some time ago may be able to be completed if proposals being put to the Yambol Municipal Council are accepted and the necessary finance made available by the Ministry of Health. There seems to be considerable good will towards the completion of the project which is structurally at an advanced stage, but considerable resources will be needed to finish the project and equip it to modern standards. (07.08)
Now You Really Will Need your Headlights On
At some time during the coming week the new legislation requiring you to have your headlights on during the day when driving will be published in the State Gazette and it will become law. There will be a short period of grace when you will get a warning, after which failure to comply will get you a 50 Leva on the spot fine. When checking you the police will also check your tyres and your windscreen wiper blades, so you have been warned. (04.08)
Money to Improve Elhovo Hospital
Elhovo Hospital and Medical Centre is one of 243 public buildings throughout Bulgaria which will benefit from new grants available for improvements to be made to facilitate energy saving through thermal insulation. Work will start early next year. (27.07)
Big Jump in Solar Power Production
EVN Bulgaria has reported a 228 percent increase in the production of Solar Electricity production in the Elhovo area compared to January 2012 (27.07)
Further funds made available for Cross Border Cooperation
A further €13.1 million have been made available to fund increased cross border cooperation between the Bulgarian and Turkish communities on either side of the border, focusing on the development of social and economic projects which improve the quality of life and environment for the populations within the area. (21.07)
New Cheese Factory for Elhovo
Over seven million Levas are to be spent on a new Goat and Sheep Cheese manufacturing facility in Elhovo by the Misia Milk company. The unit will use the old Rhodope meat processing factory building in the Elhovo industrial area which will be completely re-furbished and newly equipped with cheese processing equipment. The factory will provide employment for 60 to 100 people when in full production which should be by early 2014, with a processing capacity of 36 tonnes of milk per day, which will be collected from producers within a 100 Klm. radius of the town. The products will be marketed throughout the EU. (16.07)
Consolidation of Agricultural Land in Yambol Region
Meetings are being held in villages around the Yambol region to organise and encourage the consolidation of agricultural land ownership. The aim is to overcome the present situation where large fields were divided into small parcels of land and given to individual village farmers at the fall of Communism, which results in in-efficient use of the land area.
The combining of the small areas of land into one large area will greatly increase the efficiency with which it can be farmed, including the use of irrigation, and also greatly increase the value of the land. It will also serve to stimulate the local economy and improvements to the local infrastructure. Participation in the project is entirely voluntary and all owners have equal rights and obligations. Landowners involved are asked to fill in questionnaires to express their wishes for their future disposal of consolidated properties. (11.07)
Elhovo will now have a Free Wi-Fi Internet Zone
The Company Global System 2011 Ltd. Is establishing a free access WFi zone in the centre of Elhovo, through the joint efforts of the head of Global Systems, George Andreev, and the Mayor of Elhovo, Petar Kirov. The zone will cover the area between the Elhovo municipality building and the clock tower next to the Hotel Diana
In the past few months the company has built a brand new optic fibre underground network throughout the town and has just begun offering high quality and fast Internet access of all inhabitants of Elhovo, the maximum available speeds being nearly four times faster than currently available. (22.06)
Grants for Rural Development Projects made available.
Grants to encourage rural development projects within the Elhovo Municipality have been made available from Central Government funds amounting to 3,420,000 Levas.
Grants will be available for a number of project areas :-
Measure 121 "Modernization of agricultural holdings"
Measure 123 "Adding value to agricultural and forestry products"
Measure 226 "Restoring forestry potential and introducing prevention actions"
Measure 311 "Diversification of agricultural activities"
Measure 312 "Support for the creation and development of micro enterprises"
Measure 313 "Encouragement of tourism activities"
Measure 321 "Basic services for the population and the rural economy"
Measure 322 "Renovation and development of settlements."
Among the planned activities are the reconstruction of road and water networks, renovation of public buildings and squares, building playgrounds, creation of small enterprises, modernization of agricultural holdings, introducing new products, processes and technologies and improving existing production equipment and intangible assets , improving the quality of manufactured products and agricultural opportunities for the production, processing and marketing of organic agricultural products, increasing production and use of renewable energy sources, development of rural tourism and traditional crafts. (14.06)
Public Reporting Traders who are still not issuing Invoices
Members of the public are reporting traders who do not issue legal tax receipts when selling goods, with over fifty written complaints already received by the NRA Office in Yambol, resulting in an inspection of the retailer by NRA officials. Traders who do not register sales through an official cash register can be fined up to 500 Levas for an individual trader or up to 10,000 Levas for a limited company. Surprisingly, a customer who fails to get an official receipt with their purchase before leaving the shop can also be punished by a fine. (14.06)
New Ground Maintenance Equipment for Elhovo and Villages
Revenue from waste collection fees in Elhovo municipality has been used to purchase 10 strimmer/brushcutters and 2 self-propelled lawn mowers for use on public park and landscaped areas within the town and villages of the minicipality. A strimmer/brushcutters will be allocated to the villages of Boyanovo, Granitovo, Kirilovo, Dobrich, Lesovo, and Malomirovo. The other strimmers and the mowers will be used for the maintenance of the stadium, gardens, parks and green spaces in Elhovo. (08.06)
New Wastewater Plant for Elhovo gets nearer
The construction of the new waste water and sewage treatment works for Elhovo which was announced some months ago has moved a step closer. Four tenders for the work have been received and are now being considered by the Municipal Council. The project also includes partial renovation of the water supply within the town. Officials will have the task of evaluating the bids and submit an official report for final consideration by the Council by 1 June 2012.
The four bids received are from DFK Anda Consulting Ltd. of Sofia, Fortis Sempera Ltd. from Sofia, Profit Ltd. from Smolyan and Balance-M Ltd. from Sofia. ( 30.05.12 )
You Can Now Purchase a House with Land in Bulgaria Without Having to form a Ltd Company
In the middle of April 2012 the act finally came into force which allows foreigners from other EU countries to buy land and property with land attached in Bulgaria without having to form a Limited Company to do so. This will hopefully help to encourage buyers when the property market eventually starts to show some signs of recovery, and of course all those who already have formed companies can take over the ownership of their property in person and liquidate their company.
Don't get too excited though, as you may not be that surprised to hear, it takes and least six months to liquidate a Bulgarian limited company at a cost of at least five hundred Levas upwards. You will also have to pay for the legal and Notary costs of the property being transferred over to your own personal ownership which may well amount to several hundred Levas.
Police to introduce car based radar checks by the year end
The days of being stopped by a Policeman waving a baton at you will be phased out by the end of this year to be replaced by the latest radar systems operated from un-marked cars parked by the roads in towns and on main roads. There will be no stopping of cars, and offenders will learn of their offence when they receive an electronic record card through the post with details of the location, date, time and speed recorded along with a photograph automatically taken at the same time.
Funds made available for the Renovation of five churches in Elhovo Municipality
The State Fund for Agriculture has announced new funding under the "Renovation and Development of Settlements" scheme for five churches in the Elhovo Municipality. The total amount of subsidies across the country, which will be used for reconstruction and renovation of 20 churches is 5,275,898.00 BGN, of which five are in the Elhovo Municipality. The Churches receiving grants are "St. Dimitar " in Elhovo town, "St. George" in the village of Malomirovo, "St. George " which is a monastery church", "St. Dimitar " in the village of Dobrich and "St. Archangel Michael " in the village Trankovo.
The approvals cover projects and activities that involve the repair of roofing and cladding, facade work, interior improvements, restoration of icons, windows and carpentry work, replacement of electrical wiring and fittings, painting, strengthening and lining bells, improvements in the heating and ventilation systems, replacement of water and sewage systems and the renovation and landscaping of the spaces around the churches.
Don't Fence Me In
Government plans announced last year to build a 181 Km long border fence between Bulgaria and Turkey, aimed at preventing another Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak have now been abandoned. Apart from ecological issues which were raised relating to the project's effect on the nine protected habitats for wildlife along the route of the fence, financial costs are the main reason for abandoning the project. The total cost estimate for erecting the barrier amounted to 28 Million BGN with additional costs for the on-going maintenance each year.
Linking Cash Registers directly to the N.R.A. uncovers the fraudsters.
Since the obligatory linking of cash registers with the NRA, the returns of some 3000 companies around Bulgaria have changed dramatically - up or down, giving rise to suspicions of past abuse when making tax returns. 10,000 checks over 10 days found that absolutely all cash registers in the country are now linked to the revenue agency. Remote connection not only brings to light hidden trading but also allows for automated risk management by the NRA as they now monitor all 300,000 cash registers in the country. The software is designed so that they visualize those merchants where turnover does not correspond to reality, so that we know what the average turnover in a given industry in a region is.
New Tourist Information Centre opens in Elhovo town centre
One of the first private Tourist Information Centres in Bulgaria has now opened in Elhovo town centre, right opposite the fountain bar. The main objectives of the centre will be the promotion of the cultural and natural heritage of the town of Elhovo, marketing of the total tourist package available to visitors to the Elhovo municipality as a holiday destination and supporting local entrepreneurs in the tourism sector in the absorption of European operational program funds.
The Centre will provide visitors with verbal and written information about the area's tourist attractions, routes and transport, and the availability of accommodation and meals in Elhovo and Yambol municipalities. Along with this it will offer many additional services for residents and those wanting to promote their own activities within the local tourist sector such as tourism advertising and information, design and consultancy, office services and advice on applying for finance which may be available to them .
Improving the Safety of Playgrounds in the Area
As part of a national campaign all 105 Children's Playgrounds within the Yambol area have been inspected for compliance with safety regulations. 18 are for children under 3 years old, 28 for children from 3 to 12 years and 27 for children from12 to 18 years, with 32 playgrounds for all ages. After checking just 42 were found to meet the requirements for safety of playgrounds relating to the construction and subsequent maintenance of playgrounds and facilities located on them.
Primary responsibility for playgrounds lies with Municipalities and the Mayors of the five Municipalities in the Yambol region have an obligation by the end of December 2013 to bring all Playgrounds in their area up to legal requirements. After this period the sites that do not meet the safety conditions will be removed. Managers of Playgrounds are required to commission an independent inspection body to carrying out an annual review of the safety of their sites.
The Information given here is believed to be accurate at the time of publishing but no guarantee can be given.
We are always happy to receive news and items of general interest relating to Elhovo
and the area within 50 Km radius at :-
and the area within 50 Km radius at :-
National News
In future the weekly summaries of the past week's news will no longer appear.
The following link will take you straight to the Sofia Morning News site
where you can access the latest daily news every weekday.
In future the weekly summaries of the past week's news will no longer appear.
The following link will take you straight to the Sofia Morning News site
where you can access the latest daily news every weekday.
http://www.sofiamorningnews.com/
If you prefer to read a summery of the past weeks news the following link
will take you straight to the Sofia Weekly News site.
If you prefer to read a summery of the past weeks news the following link
will take you straight to the Sofia Weekly News site.