According to the results of Bulgaria’s early parliamentary elections, the Progressive Bulgaria coalition, linked to former President Rumen Radev, came in first. According to Reuters, citing partial official results after 91.68% of ballots were counted, the coalition received 44.7% of the vote. GERB came in second with 13.4%, and Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria came in third with 13.2%.
According to data from Bulgarian agencies and exit polls, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms and Vazrazhdane also secured seats in parliament, while the BSP – United Left hovered around the threshold. Thus, the new composition of the National Assembly remains multiparty, though the winner secured a significantly stronger mandate than any party in recent elections.
The key issue now is the formation of a government. If Progressive Bulgaria secures a sufficient number of seats (which is highly likely), Bulgaria could see a single-party or dominant cabinet for the first time in a long while. If, however, it fails to secure a majority, the country faces negotiations on a coalition or external parliamentary support. This is particularly important after several years of political instability and frequent changes in government.
For Bulgaria’s economy, the election result is significant in terms of fiscal policy, infrastructure decisions, and managing the implications of the country’s entry into the eurozone on January 1, 2026. A strong government could theoretically accelerate decision-making on investments and reforms, but much will depend on how quickly the winner can translate electoral success into a functioning executive model.
For the region, the election results are significant due to Bulgaria’s role as a member of the EU and NATO, as well as a country in the Black Sea basin. Any changes in Sofia’s foreign policy could affect regional coordination on energy, security, and issues related to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Egg exports from Ukraine reached 216.2 million units in March 2026, marking a five-year high, according to the Ukrainian Poultry Farmers’ Union, citing customs statistics.
The association noted that compared to February, physical shipment volumes increased by 23% and by 25% compared to March 2025—a 25% increase. At the same time, foreign exchange revenue showed a much sharper increase, rising by 57% compared to March 2025—to $24 million.
“In total, during the first quarter of 2026, 579.5 million eggs were shipped to foreign markets for a total of $66 million. Physical exports during this period increased by 17%, while revenue surged by 74% compared to the same period last year,” the association clarified.
EU countries remained the main consumers of Ukrainian products in January–March, accounting for 74% of the export structure. The largest volumes went to Spain (26.1%), the United Kingdom (13.1%), Poland (11.7%), and Israel (8.3%).
As noted by the industry association, this gap between the growth rates of physical volumes and revenue is explained by the favorable price conditions that prevailed in the European market at the beginning of the year.
S1 REIT, an investment firm that manages real estate funds under the REIT model, has registered a new fund, “S1 Plaza Poznyaki,” whose assets will include commercial space in a shopping center, the company’s press office announced.
“This is the first commercial real estate-based fund in the company’s portfolio. For us, its launch is a logical step in our development, and for investors, it is an opportunity to diversify their capital across various asset classes. Under the S1 REIT umbrella brand, we are building a diverse portfolio: not only income-generating residential real estate, but also commercial real estate,” noted S1 REIT CEO Igor Gifes.
As reported, the National Securities and Stock Market Commission (NSSMC) has registered the prospectus and the issuance of investment certificates for the S1 Plaza Poznyaki closed-end investment fund with a total par value of UAH 600 million, with a par value of UAH 100 per certificate, in a quantity of 6 million units.
A key feature of the “S1 Plaza Poznyaki” fund is its lower entry threshold. While the initial investment for the S1 VDNH and S1 Obolon funds is at least UAH 122,000, the entry threshold for the new fund is significantly lower—starting at UAH 1,000. The minimum additional investment in “S1 Plaza Poznyaki” is just 100 UAH.
The projected return for S1 Plaza Poznyaki is 10.4% per annum in currency. Dividend payments to investors will be made immediately, even before the facility’s construction is completed.
“Until construction is completed, returns will be generated through capitalization and effective asset management. We have developed a model that will allow us to pay dividends to investors from day one, without waiting for construction to be completed. At the same time, we already have a clear vision for generating cash flow from leasing the property. More than 60% of the shopping center’s space has already been reserved by international and national retail chains,” Gifes said.
The “S1 Plaza Poznyaki” shopping center, with a total area of 5,000 square meters, is part of a large-scale residential project by developer Standard One. The project is being built in the Darnytskyi district of Kyiv, near the Poznyaki metro station and Lake Serebryany Kol. High foot traffic to the commercial spaces will be ensured not only by the area’s heavy pedestrian traffic but also by residents of the complex, which will comprise over 750 apartments.
Sales of certificates for the new fund are scheduled to begin as early as May of this year.
S1 REIT is Ukraine’s first operator of collective investments in income-generating real estate, offering the opportunity to become a co-owner of profitable properties with an entry threshold that is dozens of times lower than the cost of a single residential or commercial unit. The company operates under the Real Estate
Investment Trust (REIT) model, providing investors with the opportunity to participate in the ownership and receipt of income from profitable properties without directly managing the assets.
Three funds are available for investment: “S1 VDNH,” “S1 Obolon,” and “S1 Plaza Poznyaki.” The assets of these funds consist of income-generating real estate based on development projects by Standard One.
The Ukrainian national tennis team has entered the top 3 of the Billie Jean King Cup world rankings for the first time in history, according to a press release from the National Olympic Committee (NOC).
“A historic achievement: the Ukrainian national tennis team has entered the top 3 of the Billie Jean King Cup world rankings for the first time in history—the largest international team competition in women’s tennis,” the NOC stated in a Telegram post on Saturday.
It is noted that this was made possible by a decisive victory over the Polish team (4-0) in the qualifiers. The team’s victories were secured by Marta Kostyuk, Elina Svitolina, Oleksandra Oliinykova, and the Kichenok sisters—Lyudmila and Nadiya.
Currently, only the teams from Italy and Great Britain rank higher than Ukraine. Ahead of the Ukrainian team, captained by Ilya Marchenko, lies the final stage of the tournament, which will take place in September in Shenzhen, China.
The NOC noted that last year, Ukrainian tennis players entered the top 5 of the world rankings for the first time following their historic run to the tournament semifinals.
Turkey’s decision to open an import quota for 3 million tons of corn with a reduced tariff rate of 5% has significantly altered market conditions, according to the information and analytical agency “UkrAgroConsult.”
“This move is expected to stabilize domestic prices in Turkey and meet high demand. The country’s domestic balance dictates the need for active imports: domestic production amounts to about 8 million tons, while consumption exceeds 10 million tons,” analysts noted.
According to the agency, Ankara’s customs policy remains strict: a 130% tariff applies outside the quota. However, the market is adapting thanks to temporary preferential regimes. Under these conditions, Ukraine is strengthening its presence and already accounts for 85–87% of Turkish imports due to significant supply and favorable logistics.
“Currently, the key competitive factor is the speed of shipments and traders’ willingness to assemble flexible shipments. Market dynamics are driven by raw material shortages within the importing country and the efficiency of logistics chains,” emphasized UkrAgroConsult.
Among the main trends, experts highlighted the transformation of demand due to quotas and the dominance of regional suppliers amid shortages. The agency forecasts that Ukraine will maintain its status as Turkey’s key partner precisely due to the speed of deliveries, despite protective tariffs on non-quota volumes.
Roman Degtyarev, an 18-year-old Ukrainian chess player from Kharkiv, won the 2026 European Individual Chess Championship after defeating Grandmaster David Anton Gicharro in the final round, according to the European Chess Union (ECU).
“Congratulations to 18-year-old Roman Degtyarev on his victory at the 2026 European Individual Chess Championship!” reads a post on social media.
It is noted that the Ukrainian teenager became the sole winner of the competition, defeating Grandmaster David Anton Gicharro in the final round.
“Ranked 126th on the starting list, Degtyarov caused an absolute sensation at the championship, finishing the tournament with a final score of 9/11 points, suffering only one loss throughout the entire tournament and achieving an incredible rating of 2781!” the post states.
As Ukrainian International Grandmaster Pavlo Eljanov recounted, at the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, he helped Ukrainian families relocate to Europe, but Degtyarev, who was 14 at the time, backed out at the last minute.
“Everything was arranged for the family from Kharkiv—until their 14-year-old son, a talented chess player, refused to go at the last moment. He didn’t want to leave his father. He stayed in one of the most dangerous places in Ukraine. With very limited opportunities to travel and almost no training, he still became the champion of Ukraine,“ Eljanov writes.
According to him, with his victory, Degtyarev ”caused the biggest sensation in the history of the European Championship.”
“Remember this name: Roman Degtyarev! It’s no wonder our city of Kharkiv is called ‘reinforced concrete’!” Eljanov concluded.
