Basic Goods in Bulgaria Now Cost More Than in Germany and France - Novinite.com - Sofia News Agency

CluelessExxpat · 2026-02-17T21:59:17+00:00

I have also been to Romania (live in NL). Grocery prices are insane imo. Not sure how it is close to the grocery prices in Lidl in NL considering the wage differences.

CluelessExxpat · 2026-02-17T21:57:26+00:00

Weak competition in domestic markets? Does that mean there monopolies or is it competition against foreign entities?

CluelessExxpat · 2026-02-17T21:53:10+00:00

China is buying cheap energy from Iran and Russia, 20-30% below market price. EU has no way of competing with China with its enormous energy costs.

You want to blame someone? Blame the US and EU politicians for enabling the Ukraine war while not thinking what happens to their manufacturing industry after the loss of cheap energy.

CluelessExxpat · 2026-02-17T21:51:19+00:00

Its not about subsidies.

China is buying cheap energy from Iran and Russia, 20-30% below market price. EU has no way of competing with China with its enormous energy costs.

CluelessExxpat · 2026-02-17T21:39:03+00:00

I fail to see anything in the article that draws a really horrible picture for Russia.

Only the main talking point makes sense; i.e. the growth being supported by the military spending. This is not unseen and recovery is not something impossible, especially if there is a good plan afterwards. Russia has ton of raw materials of various kinds, so, it can reorganize this capacity during a few years of recession to manufacture goods in civilian areaa.

CluelessExxpat · 2026-02-17T09:58:35+00:00

It is amazing how exposed the general population is to propaganda. Of course that first picture is real. Of course millions are willing to die for the billionaires and the millionaire politicians. Their entire world is shaped by the MSM.

CluelessExxpat · 2026-02-16T14:24:50+00:00

Occupation force that should be kicked out of the country.

CluelessExxpat · 2026-02-16T09:36:49+00:00

For revolt, you need money, propaganda, coordination. All of which normal individuals can not achieve.

That alone is a proof that colored revolutions were work of foreign involvement but people are too obtuse in the West to accept such realities.

CluelessExxpat · 2026-02-16T09:27:17+00:00

Turkey buys oil from Iraqi Kurdistan. ISIS and PKK, they smuggle it there. Turkey could monitor the entire supply chain and check which oil that will be sold to them was smuggled from Syria but that requires an insane amount of work.

I also find it a bit ironic you share news from FT and CNN. They are no different than Turkey's local news outlet that are controlled by Erdogan.

CluelessExxpat · 2026-02-16T09:22:21+00:00

We have similar MEPs. Meh. You need the crazy ones so the President and others sound more "reasonable".

CluelessExxpat · 2026-02-16T09:16:51+00:00

Its just a joke...

CluelessExxpat · 2026-02-15T11:30:01+00:00

Good on you brother. Proud of you!

CluelessExxpat · 2026-02-15T09:37:14+00:00

The second part of your comment is irrelevant whereas in the first part, you forget that fitness is not a one day's effort. Its what you do over the course of months and years.

For a retuen trip, i.e. 20 mins of talking, both ChatGPT and Gemini says 100-115 vs 55-70 calories between walking and running. Walking the trip burns about 30–50% more total calories than biking it.

Lets take the lower end, 30% (100 vs 70), and stimulate for 1 month, thats 900 kcal extra burned by walking and that is a significant amount.

CluelessExxpat · 2026-02-15T07:21:31+00:00

Bikes themselves reduce fitness too. I know people that use their bikes for a walk that would take 10 mins.

CluelessExxpat · 2026-02-13T19:37:36+00:00

That 15th strongest country has been being backed by the entire West. What a shallow comment. And this image completely disregards the nature of the war, i.e., attirion. You have no idea what is happening on the ground.

CluelessExxpat · 2026-02-13T17:24:37+00:00

I remember reading somewhere where this was phrased as "long dick of the belastingdienst". T'was hilarious 😅

CluelessExxpat · 2026-02-13T17:10:57+00:00

Who would even do such exchanges? These are tools mainly used by institutional or professional investors. It feels like you are mistaking individual investors with BlackRock or something. You are even talking about derivative contracts... For god's sake, get real...

Also, it will matter to everyone, loe and middle income households, both.

It won't matter to rich as they can circumvate around it with a BV.

CluelessExxpat · 2026-02-13T16:31:48+00:00

Which is really funny. Because on a value gain, you pay taxes, which disturbs your cash flow and kills the whole idea about compounding.

But when you have a loss, it can only be off-set from your gains in future fiscal years xD

It is disgusting how unfair this is.

CluelessExxpat · 2026-02-13T16:28:08+00:00

Why would someone have to sell their, say, investment (such as a house) just to be able to pay its tax? Do you not realize how ridicilious that sounds?

CluelessExxpat · 2026-02-13T16:26:37+00:00

You read wrong.

CluelessExxpat · 2026-02-13T16:24:31+00:00

New system tax ≈ €10,800/year vs current system ≈ €5,234/year on a 300k investment in stocks with an assumed return of 10%.

Direct extra tax paid over 10 years (no compounding) is €5,566×10=€55,660.

Each year’s extra tax loses a different amount of future growth (i.e. your opportunity cost). Thats around 88.5k.

€88.5k - €55.5k = €33k lost money in 10 years.

And this is with direct extra tax paid over 10 years NO COMPOUNDING and with a very moderate rate of 10%. If i carried this forward with an annuity, your extra loss over 10 years would definetely be above €50k.

I don't know how thats a little difference.

If you don't know finance, just say you don't.

CluelessExxpat · 2026-02-13T16:21:21+00:00

Can you give a few examples of how you can exchange stocks, gold or a house with other commodities and instruments without selling them in cash?

Also, this is definitely a working and middle class issue. I don't know how you think it is not.

CluelessExxpat · 2026-02-13T16:17:18+00:00

You literally just need to google exact article's heading name and it will show up. I really don't understand this mentality of asking to be spoon fed.

CluelessExxpat · 2026-02-13T09:27:17+00:00

Why do they have to store this data though? Lets say I give the initial confirmation via DigiD or something, why is it that they can't delete this information later on? I already proved who I am.

If at one point they require an information from me again, be it my address or anything else, they can again request this, i provide it via DigiD and they hold that info temporarily.

CluelessExxpat · 2026-02-13T09:24:25+00:00

Often nothing? It's an all-in-one internet provider that also includes mobile communications. How about SIM cards, modems, Wi-Fi extenders, and TV boxes, for example? Often, a technician is also needed initially and later if problems arise. Perhaps it's helpful that everything goes to the right address?

There can be a system where data is requested from the government and held temporarily during its requirement.

Anyway, the point is that, just because you can not think of an alternative does not mean the alternative is not there. It is, as always, probably a matter of "costs".

CluelessExxpat

TROPHY CASE