Customs officials seize 900,000 cigarette box blanks near Vidin

Customs officials near Vidin seized nearly 1 million cigarette box blanks during a road stop on the E79 international highway. The shipment, traveling from Bulgaria to France, was disguised as empty plastic packaging. Upon X-ray inspection, authorities discovered 18 pallets containing 926,640 cardboard blanks bearing a well-known brand logo. The seizure was conducted due to suspected intellectual property violations and the potential use of the blanks in illegal tobacco production.

Separately, Bulgarian political and economic experts are debating government anti-crisis measures aimed at rising fuel prices and inflation. Progressive Bulgaria MP Todor Dzhikov noted that social compensation measures are arriving late and should have been established sooner. Meanwhile, economists and councilors have criticized a proposed 50 euro one-time aid package, arguing it provides only about 16 euros of monthly relief and fails to address the underlying volatility of fuel markets and energy policies.