Energy & EU funds: Prime Minister Rumen Radev told EU leaders in Brussels that Bulgaria is pushing anti-corruption and rule-of-law reforms to unlock suspended EU money, with Ursula von der Leyen saying progress could free about €370mn and that the key August 2026 deadline is looming. Coal transition: Radev also said Maritsa Iztok Mines and TPP Maritsa Iztok 2 will keep operating until 2038 after the European Commission accepted Bulgaria’s energy-sector reforms, including worker protection and reclamation plans, and he flagged a delayed environmental assessment for the Yadenitsa Dam. Water governance: Experts warn Bulgaria’s water problems go beyond climate change, pointing to poor management, aging infrastructure and weak coordination, while the government prepares a risk analysis for water-shortage hotspots. Climate policy fight: Bulgaria joined other EU states in urging the Commission to freeze free ETS carbon permits for heavy industry, arguing energy costs and instability could push strategic production out of Europe. Public oversight with AI: Bulgaria’s National Audit Office will use an AI assistant (ODIS) to boost procurement checks and detect irregularities. Weather alert: NIMH issued a yellow warning for strong winds and hail storms in 11 regions. Biodiversity: WWF released 30,000 critically endangered sturgeons into the Danube near Vidin.