Bulgaria is wrong to think that low salaries and taxes are enough to make it globally competitive, stated French Ambassador to Sofia Philippe Autie.

"In a global world, you can always find a country with lower salaries and taxes," said the envoy, speaking in an interview for Darik Radio.

(Reuters) - German tourists are in short supply in Greece these days, frightened away by reports of visceral anti-German sentiment in some places, fears of being stranded by strikes and television images of fiery anti-austerity riots.

Who in their right mind, after all, would want to go on holiday to a place where they might be called a Nazi?

Bulgaria, along with another eleven EU member states, risks to draw Brussels wrath for failing to comply with its hen welfare standards by the end-May deadline.

In end-January, the European Commission launched infringement procedures against 13 EU member states, including Bulgaria, over their failure to implement EU legislation concerning the welfare of laying hens.

(Reuters) - Three European railway companies are interested in buying all or part of Greece's railway business, as the debt-laden country sells assets to satisfy its lenders, people familiar with the discussions told Reuters.

Russia is considering buying the entire Greek railway network and its operator Trainose, while Romania's largest private railway company, Grup Feroviar Roman (GFR), has expressed interest in the cargo business, two high-level Greek officials said.

Bulgaria's first major highway, "Trakiya", linking Sofia to the Black Sea coast at Burgas is to be completed ahead of schedule, Regional Development Minister Lilyana Pavlova announced.

Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri, the biggest Turkish mobile-phone company, has emerged as the most likely buyer of the Bulgarian incumbent telco BTC, local media reports say.

The Turkish company has put in a bid of over EUR 870 M for a 94% stake in the company, which operates under the brand name Vivacom, Capital daily reported, citing well-informed sources.

Denver-based Molson Coors said it will purchase StarBev and its nine breweries in central and eastern Europe, including Bulgaria, as it expands its operations further.

The price of the deal is EUR 2.65 B (USD 3.54 B).

Bulgaria's auction of state-owned construction company Technoexportstroy has failed to draw any bidders, the sale body announced.

The open auction to sell construction company Technoexportstroy, scheduled for May 2, was cancelled due to lack of bidders, Bulgaria's Privatisation Agency announced.