A new beverage called “suspended coffee” is set to take cafes across the country by storm. It is much more heartwarming than a snazzy latte. Born in the cafes in Naples, Italy, the “caffe sospeso” is a tradition in which caffeine drinkers not only place their own regular order, but they also request a second drink for someone who cannot afford to pay for their own.

The nation-wide goodwill initiative was launched on March 22 and thanks to the power of social networks, has reportedly taken hold in more than 150 coffee shops in Bulgaria. At cafes that participate in the initiative, customers can ask if there are any “suspended coffees” available, and if so, they are supplied with a free beverage, thanks to the kindness of a stranger.

The idea is not just aimed at helping the homeless, but those who simply find themselves out of work and broke or those who accidentally forgot their wallets. The concept is based on good faith by both the shops and the customers – anyone can enter and ask for a “suspended coffee” without being asked for their credentials.

Following the “suspended coffee,” there have been plenty of proposals for suspended loaves of bread, ham, cheese, banichkas, and even kuftetas.

For now, the only place in Blagoevgrad which has joined the initiative is Hotel Park Bachinovo.

So, maybe next time when you are going for a walk in the park, you can stop by and get a free coffee or throw in an extra coffee on your tab. It feels good and it is not much of a sacrifice. Hopefully, more of Blagoevgrad’s local cafes will take up this “kindness in a cup” initiative. What better way to instill a little goodwill than with a warm cup of joy?

As soon as the Bulgarian government’s resignation was accepted by the National Assembly on February 20th, 2013, politicians believed the tension in society would finally subside. Not only did that hypothesis not come true, but it also brought about another wave of protests in the biggest Bulgarian cities – Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas and the Blagoevgrad area over the next couple of days. Continue reading…

The 85^th Academy Awards ceremony took place on Feb. 24 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. The event was hosted by the actor and animator Seth MacFarlane. Continue reading…

Bulgaria’s government resigned on Wednesday, Feb. 20 after nationwide protests against high electricity prices and austerity measures. Prime Minister Boyko Borisov’s attempts to calm the protesters by promising to cut the power prices and by dismissing his finance minister failed, after violent outbursts on Tuesday Feb. 19. At least 25 people were injured after yesterday’s clashes. “I will not participate in a government under which police are beating people,” Borisov said.

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At the beginning of February 2013 a signal for abuse of animals’ rights and welfare in the Blagoevgrad’s zoo was filed from concerned citizens. That triggered checkups for verification of the situation of the facility and the animals. Continue reading…

Thousands of people joined the third consecutive protest against the high electricity bills in Blagoevgrad on Sunday, Feb.10, 2013. Continue reading…

Two weeks ago I got a message from a friend of mine, Iris Buzi, fourth-year student from Albania, asking me for help regarding a situation with her Bulgarian ID card.

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Innovation that matters and the people behind it were the main topics of discussion at the IBM presentation that took place on Wednesday, Feb. 6, in Andrey Delchev Auditorium. The event was facilitated by the Business Club. Continue reading…

Almost seven months after the terrorist bomb attack at the Bulgarian airport in Burgas – ”Sarafovo”, Hezbollah was pointed out as a prime suspect. The organization based in Lebanon was finally announced by the Bulgarian Vice President and Interior Minister Cvetan Cvetanov after a thorough investigation on the case. Stanimir Florov, the head of the Bulgarian directorate for fighting against organized crime, announced that the accident in Burgas was due to a mistake of the bomber.  Continue reading…

A number of controversial events shook up Bulgaria in the period between Jan. 19 and Jan. 29, 2013. Ranging from an assassination attempt, referendum voting, to an awakening debate over the British discrimination against Bulgarian and Romanian citizens – we had it all.  Continue reading…