Bulgarian Press Review September 8, 2009

Press Review
Sofia, September 8 (BTA)


BULGARIA-EU

"Dnevink" informs that the Justice Ministry has planned 57 steps acting on 21 European Commission recommendations regarding Justice and Home Affairs. Justice Minister Margarita Popova spoke about the measures after meeting with the EU ambassadors on Monday. The action plan contains two sections: judicial reform and counteracting organized crime and corruption. The plan will have to be implemented within three or four months.

The implementation schedule will be tabled for approval at the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, so that the measures can be presented during the forthcoming first visit to Brussels of Boyko Borissov in his capacity as Prime Minister. Popova tells "Dnevnik" that it may prove that not all EU recommendations will entail legal amendments but that it must be clear that constant monitoring is in place.

Commenting the topic, "Troud" says in a leading report that three permanent special units are being set up, one each for counteracting misuse of EU funding, high-level corruption and organized crime. "Troud" also notes that changes are likely in the forfeiture of property acquired by criminal means. The daily quotes Popova as saying that the model of the old Property Act where unaccounted for incomes could be taken without a court sentence, was a good one.

"All Unaccounted for Riches Confiscated" caps a front-page report on the topic in "24 Chassa". The new thing in the latest measures is that they will not only target suspected bandits but also politicians, business people, and members of the public who cannot prove their incomes. "Klassa" says that illegally acquired property will be confiscated without a court ruling. "Telegraph" and "Monitor" writes that property of criminals will be taken without court rulings.

* * *

All of the Tuesday dailies inform of the decision due on September 10 of the European Commission on whether or not to unblock 140 million euros in frozen funding for Bulgaria under SAPARD, the pre-accession instrument for agriculture and rural development.

Quoting Agriculture and Foods Minister Miroslav Naydenov, "Zemya" writes that 19 million euros form the blocked funding under SAPARD will be released once the procedural steps are completed. Another 90 million euros as potential subsidies remain too, and Sofia has until the end of the year to apply for them, or otherwise, lose them, "Standart News" says.

* * *

"Troud" says that at the first big EU exam Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, who departs to Brussels shortly, will ask the EU to give a chance to the new government of Bulgaria to prove that it can cope with corruption and with the management of EU funds. The trump card of the visit may well prove the charges that are to be pressed Wednesday against former agriculture minister Valeri Tsvetanov, "Troud" writes. "Telegraph" says in a front-page headline that Tsvetanov is being taken to court.

* * *

Professor Steve Hanke writes in a report in "Troud" that he had warned President Peter Stoyanov (1997-2002) that corruption is Bulgaria's biggest weakness back in the time when the economist was Stoyanov's advisor. Hanke says that in June 2000 he insisted on the conduct of a strong anti-corruption campaign but unfortunately, not a single Bulgarian government launched such a campaign, which, according to the expert, is the reason why the poverty index of the Bulgarian economy has still so high values. Hanke says Bulgaria has to cover a lot of in this direction because it ranks 45th among 181 countries in the Doing Business 2009 report of the World Bank.

ECONOMY

"Dnevnik" informs of a new bill on consumer loans currently in the making which will require a fee for early repayment of such loans if their interest is fixed. The fee is expected to be between 0.5 per cent to 1 per cent depending on the term of the loan.

* * *

"Sega" writes that banks have started to reduce lending rates, although very cautiously, by between 0.25 per cent to 2 per cent. For the time being this is evident only with regard to newly approved mortgages loans, the report says.

* * *

Deputy Chairman of the Financial Supervision Commission Neno Pavlov tells "Dnevink" that reducing the personal contribution for retirement will harm the pension system.

ENERGY

"Klassa" runs an interview with Economy, Energy and Tourism Minister Traicho Traikov who says that the cabinet will reduce the state stake in the construction of the Belene nuclear power plant. Traichev says that during a recent visit to the Kozloduy n-plant energy workers raised the questions of building a new generating unit, which will be the seventh reactor, in it. The Minister thinks this is an attractive option given that the infrastructure is already there, "Douma" writes in a front-page report on the topic.

French State Secretary for European Affairs Pierre Lellouche gives an interview to "Troud" capped, "Belene Nuclear Power Plant May Become Model". The French official says that the Bulgarian cabinet should decide by itself on its strategy in the area of energy. He says that with its 62 reactors and 80 per cent of energy from nuclear sources, France has a favourable attitude towards the rapid development of nuclear energy in Europe. Lellouche says that combining Russian technology which offers reactors in the medium size (1,000 MW) with French technology for the control rooms, makes it possible to provide the best possible equipment for new nuclear power plants, as is seen everywhere today in Eastern and Central Europe.

Former economy minister Peter Dimitrov tells "Douma" that giving up on the project for the Belene n-plant will be against Bulgaria.



DEADLY ACCIDENT IN LAKE OHRID

The newspapers continue to follow the developments after the September 5 deadly accident in Lake Ohrid in Macedonia which killed 15 Bulgarians. In a front-page story "Troud" says that the victims drowned for just five minutes. The report goes on to quote Bulgarian Tourist Chamber Chairman Tsvetan Tonchev who told a news conference on Monday that some 800 tour operators are officially registered and as many are operating in the grey economy.

Interviewed by "24 Chassa" Health Minister Bozhidar Nanev says that Bulgaria will pay for the treatment in the hospital in Ohrid of the Bulgarian tourists who sustained injuries during the accident. The daily also interviews Transport Minister Aleksandar Tsvetanov who says that the captain of the deadly tourist boat is fully responsible for the the fact that the vessel was overloaded.

"Dnevnik" writes that "sparks flew" between President Georgi Purvanov and Prime Minister Boyko Borissov over the management of crisis situations. Borissov indirectly accused the President for the delay of the return flight of a Bulgarian aircraft the Prime Minister had sent to Ohrid to help the survivors of the deadly accident and take them home.

SOCIETY

"Klassa" reports on a donation by Japan of specialized equipment for the conservation and restoration workshops, equipment for a photo workshop and audio-video equipment to the National Art Gallery in Sofia, worth 345,000 euros. On Monday Japanese Ambassador here Tsuneharu Takeda and Foreign Minister Rumiana Jeleva exchanged agreements on the donation.


Links to some Bulgarian info websites in English:

• http://www.bta.bg/site/en/indexe.shtml
• http://www.novinite.com/index.php
• http://www.focus-fen.net/


Most discussed topics of the day – September 8, 2009

• Bulgaria's budget deficit has reduced five times to BGN 105 M in August from BGN 564,3 M in July, the finance minister Simeon Djankov announced confirming earlier reports.

• Former agriculture minister Valeri Tsvetanov has been summoned for interrogation at the National Investigation Service, deputy city prosecutor of Sofia Roman Vasilev announced. Former chairperson of the State Forestry Agency Stefan Yurukov has been summoned, too.
There is a pre-court proceeding initiated against Valeri Tsvetanov, on which the work of the Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office is still underway.

• Some Romany people started throwing stones at police officers in the Gorno Ezerovo residential district in coastal town of Burgas. The reason for the aggression is still not know and there is no information whether any of the police officers got hurt.