Novinite (Sofia News Agency)

Bulgaria’s draft 2027 state budget предусматриваes a 5% increase in public-sector salaries, Prime Minister Rumen Radev announced at the start of a cabinet meeting, outlining plans for spending restraint, a smaller government deficit and less new government debt in nominal terms than in 2026 and 2025.

Slovakia is quietly restoring military and diplomatic contacts with Russia and preparing to resume bilateral government meetings suspended after Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to Slovak media reports and an investigation by Politico. Two Slovak military personnel are already working in Moscow, while Russia has accredited an experienced officer to serve in Bratislava, although he has not yet arrived, Slovak media reported.

Bozhidar Bozhanov, co-chair of the "Yes, Bulgaria" party, has called for a NATO-backed “Black Sea Shield” to protect commercial shipping, saying Russia wants to block the Black Sea as attacks on vessels in the region intensify. Speaking to Bulgarian National Radio (BNR), Bozhanov said Russia was stepping up provocations against EU and NATO member states because it was losing on the battlefield.

Rain is expected across much of Bulgaria on October 16, 2026, with cloudy skies and colder air bringing daytime highs of 10°C to 15°C, according to the weather forecast. Atmospheric pressure will fall toward the monthly average. Overnight and during the day, most of the country will remain cloudy, with precipitation in many areas. A light to moderate northerly wind will bring colder air, while overnight lows are forecast to range from 3°C to 8°C.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused US President Donald Trump of choosing Russia over Ukraine and warned that Kyiv will resume attacks on Russian oil refineries, as restrictions on military satellite communications and concerns over US intelligence sharing deepen tensions between the allies.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the alliance would adjust its deterrence and defense posture if necessary after discussing Black Sea security and recent attacks on commercial shipping with Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev and Romanian President Nicușor Dan. Rutte described the meeting as good in a post on the social network X, adding that NATO had reinforced its presence along the eastern flank, including by expanding its capabilities to counter drones.

American diplomat Joshua Huck, who has served in Bulgaria and Greece, is taking interim charge of the U.S. Embassy in Athens following the departure of Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle. Huck previously served as deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Greece and has more than 25 years of diplomatic experience, with assignments spanning the Balkans and East Asia.

North Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski has accused Iva Mihailova of illegally crossing into North Macedonia's neighboring country of Bulgaria and warned that she and her father would eventually face justice, despite claims that she left through an official border checkpoint. Speaking at a press conference in Bitola, Mickoski disputed reports in Bulgarian media that Mihailova and her Bulgarian lawyer, Nikolay Dimitrov, had crossed the border legally and been welcomed upon arrival.

Magdalena Lazarova-Prodanova was elected acting Prosecutor General of Bulgaria by a 17-2 vote of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) Plenum on Thursday, with the decision subject to appeal within 14 days. Under the Judiciary System Act, the same person may hold the acting positions of President of the Supreme Administrative Court, President of the Supreme Court of Cassation or Prosecutor General for a maximum of six months.

India has called on Russia and Ukraine to guarantee safe passage for commercial vessels in the Black Sea, as attacks on merchant ships endanger Indian seafarers and threaten essential food and energy supplies. New Delhi said it was holding discussions with both countries.