The first-ever Bulgarian-Indian Business Forum outside Sofia was held in Hall 1 of the Ruse Regional Administration. The event was organized by the Ruse Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) with the active support of the Embassy of India in Bulgaria and the Federation of Indian Export Organizations (FIEO).

The forum was attended by nearly 20 companies from India and the Ruse region, operating in various sectors such as pharmacy, construction, logistics, trade and manufacturing.

“This is the first event for direct business communication between Indian and Ruse companies, which is the fruit of the long-standing cooperation between the RCCI and the Embassy of India in Sofia,” said the Executive Director of the Chamber, Milen Dobrev. He emphasized the strategic importance of Ruse as an attractive place for investment and business and specified that the forum is an initial step towards a long-term and stable partnership between Bulgaria and India. 

Dobrev emphasized the advantages of Bulgaria as a member of the European Union and the opportunity for Indian companies to use the country as a gateway to European markets. The expected introduction of the euro is perceived as an additional plus by foreign investors.

The meeting was attended by the Regional Governor of Ruse Dragomir Draganov, the Deputy Mayor of Ruse Municipality Zlatomira Stefanova, the Commercial Counselor and Second Secretary at the Embassy of India Mr. Soni Dahiya, Mr. Manish Sharma - representative of FIEO. Zlatomira Stefanova emphasized the commitment of the municipal administration to actively promoting investments in the region, emphasizing the importance of creating a favorable environment for business development, strengthening international partnerships and improving infrastructure, which will contribute to sustainable economic growth and improving the quality of life of citizens.

After Ruse, the Indian business delegation will visit Bucharest, and the forum in Ruse remains an important step towards strengthening economic and friendly relations between Bulgaria and India.

Citizens and guests of Ruse will be able to take advantage of another way to pay for parking spaces in the Central City. The mobile application "PayPark" works with bank payments /debit and credit cards/, as well as by sending SMS.

When installing the application, users must register the vehicle for which parking will be paid, entering the GPS location of the parking lot. This reduces errors when recording the vehicle registration number, which are a common cause of unsuccessful payment.

"PayPark" has many advantages, including a detailed history of payments and reminder notifications before the paid time expires. Users of the application will also be able to benefit from direct contact with an operator in the relevant city if necessary. They will also receive a notification when the vehicle is repatriated.

"PayPark" is a free mobile application and can be found in the App Store and Google Play.

Construction activities have begun on the building of the Zora Kindergarten, which is financed by the National Eco Trust Fund and the Municipality of Ruse. The renovation was launched by Deputy Mayor Encho Enchev.

"This is another step in our effort to provide a better and safer educational environment for the children of Ruse. I thank everyone who is involved in the implementation of this project. I am convinced that when the building reopens, it will be an even better place to play and learn," said the Deputy Mayor. He thanked the director of the kindergarten, Irena Pencheva, for the good organization and ensuring the successful learning process.

The main activities are aimed at carrying out major repairs and implementing energy efficiency measures. The project provides for thermal insulation of external walls, including the superstructure and plinth. The building's joinery will be replaced and thermal insulation of the roof will be carried out, as well as measures for the heating installation. A photovoltaic power plant will also be installed to produce electricity for its own needs.

The construction and installation work will take 120 calendar days.

Five groups or a total of 110 children are educated in the "Zora" kindergarten, 4 of which are mainstream and one is for children with special educational needs. During the summer renovation activities, the kindergarten's graduates are distributed into collective groups in the "Prolet" kindergarten and the "Detelina" kindergarten.

The building has not undergone a major renovation for more than 40 years. The finishing works on the yard will be carried out with our own funding.

The renovated and renovated premises of the Center for Social Adaptation and Support were officially opened today. Established as an auxiliary body to the Local Commission for Combating Antisocial Behavior of Minors and Juveniles, the Center is a place where 21 municipal educators care for over 300 children with risky behavior.

The opening ceremony was attended by Deputy Mayor Encho Enchev, who is the Chairman of  the Local Commission for Combating Antisocial Behavior of Minors and Juveniles, Tsvetoslav Dimitrov, Director of the Education and Culture Directorate, Tanya Todorova, Head of the Education Department, and the Secretary of the Local Commission for Combating Antisocial Behavior of Minors and Juveniles, Tatyana Kyuranova.

The Deputy Mayor said that the renovation turns the Center into a place where children can feel protected and valued, and this is the first step towards their recovery. “The new premises help children relax and focus on working with the educators. The furniture and equipment allow for more diverse activities, providing comfort, which is the basis for emotional stability. For educators and specialists, the renovated environment means not only better working conditions, but also more inspiration, motivation and opportunities to develop their methods with ease and confidence,” said Encho Enchev.

Tatyana Kyuranova stated that when they feel comfortable and protected, children are much more likely to reveal their problems, fears and anxieties.

Father Nedyalko from the Holy Trinity Church performed a water blessing in all premises and presented the Center with an icon of the Holy Mother of God with the wish that it would protect employees, children and parents.

The ongoing interior renovation of the third floor of the Center includes 3 large rooms, an office and a corridor. The old windows have been replaced with new PVC windows, the interior wooden doors have been replaced with aluminum ones. New plasterboard lining has been made on the walls, all the walls have been plastered, marble window sills have been laid, sand plaster has been made, and the walls have been painted. After dismantling the old flooring, the floors have been leveled with cement mortar and laminated boards and granite tiles have been laid. Suspended ceilings made of mineral wool panels have been installed, the plumbing installation has been renewed, the electrical installation has LED lighting fixtures on the suspended ceiling.

The three rooms on the second floor, which were also recently renovated, are now furnished with new furniture and thus the entire Center acquires a much more pleasant appearance.

There are also designated corners in which educators work with the children, a consulting room has been created in which children and young people can share their problems, and a room for group psychotherapy has been separated.

The improved conditions in the Center facilitate the work of educators and create a more relaxed atmosphere for therapeutic activities.

A total of 65 proposals from 14 Bulgarian publishing houses were submitted for participation in the 11th edition of the Elias Canetti National Literary Award.

Of these, 62 are in the “Fiction” section and 3 in the “Drama” section. In terms of genre, in addition to novels, the works in the competition include short stories, novellas and plays. 30 are proposals from one of the largest Bulgarian publishing houses – “Jeanette 45”. The publishing houses “Hermes”, “Ciela”, “Kolibri”, “Zahariy Stoyanov”, “Riva”, “Biblioteka Bulgaria”, “Knigomania”, “Faber” and others have also sent their proposals for the competition.

Among the 65 authors who will participate in the competition for the prestigious award this year are Georgi Gospodinov, Zahari Karabashliev, Zdravka Evtimova, Dimitar Shumnaliev, Vladimir Zarev, Aleksanser Sekulov, Ivan Stankov, Albert Benbasat, Yuri Rahnev, Nikolay Terziyski, Radoslav Bimbalov, etc.

A 7-member commission is to be formed, appointed by order of the mayor of Ruse Municipality, which will determine the nominees and winners of the award for 2025. According to the regulation, the commission includes two literary critics, one theater critic, a prominent Bulgarian author, winner or nominee for the Elias Canetti National Literary Award in previous editions, a representative of the Elias Canetti International Society, a representative of the Municipal Council - Ruse, nominated by the Standing Committee on Culture, as well as a representative of the Municipality of Ruse.

The award was established by the Municipality of Ruse and the International Elias Canetti Society in 2005 on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Nobel Prize-winning writer Elias Canetti, who was born in Ruse. It is awarded to Bulgarian authors in the field of fiction and drama for contemporary works, published and realized for the first time in the last 2 years, which correspond to the spirit and ideas of the cosmopolitan humanist Elias Canetti.

Traditionally, the names of the nominees and winners will be announced at a solemn ceremony organized by the Municipality of Ruse on the eve of the Day of the People's Awakeners - November 1. The statuette - a bronze figure, made by the sculptor Maya Kubratova, is accompanied by a diploma and a cash prize of 5,000 leva for fiction and 2,000 leva for drama.