Open-Source Procurement Transparency: Bulgaria launched SIGMA, a fully open-access, open-source platform covering 2020–2026 public contracts worth over EUR 51B, letting citizens track tenders, negotiations, bidders, and the companies behind awards. Energy Storage Push: A new analysis says Bulgaria is cutting emissions fast and is poised to climb EU rankings, with renewables plus rapidly expanding battery storage now driving the next phase of the transition. Solar + Batteries in the Pipeline: OMV Petrom approved the EUR 300M Gabare project in Bulgaria (about 415 MWp solar and ~600 MWh storage), targeting first power in 2028. Digital Government Gap: OECD data shows Bulgaria still lags on digital government and open data, especially in proactive and user-driven services, with limited data re-use. AI/Robotics Research Focus: Prime Minister Radev met INSAIT leadership to back high-tech, AI, robotics, security, cryptography, and quantum research to keep Bulgaria competitive. Public Finance Debate: A Sofia forum discussed how fast Bulgaria should consolidate fiscally, weighing sharper deficit cuts against inflation control. Food Safety Pressure: Dairy processors warn that delayed raw milk checks under a new watchdog order could disrupt production and push prices up. STEM Participation Boost: Bulgaria’s natural science olympiad campaign hit 78,033 municipal-round entries (+9.85% year-on-year), signaling growing STEM engagement. Media Freedom Watch: Bulgaria’s media regulator chair cited Reuters’ findings as reflecting local media conditions, including trust levels and legislative delays tied to the EU media freedom push. EU Tech Corruption Probe: The European Parliament lifted immunity for Italian MEP Fulvio Martusciello in the Huawei bribery investigation tied to 5G policy lobbying. Defense Spending Plan: Bulgaria approved a roadmap to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, including cyber defense, resilience, and innovation funding. Energy-Efficiency Upgrade for Culture: Haskovo’s Ivan Dimov Drama and Puppet Theatre reopened after a renovation expected to cut primary energy use by 72%.