Bulgarian Press Review, November 18, 2009

Press Review
Sofia, November 18 (BTA)

THE HOME SCENE

In an interview to "Dnevnik" political analyst Roumyana Kolarova advises the President to take off the red glasses. Red is the colour of the Bulgarian Socialist Party who was led by Georgi Purvanov before he was elected president. Kolarova argues that at then of his second term in office President Georgi Purvanov questions the Bulgarian democratic project of the past 20 years. According to Kolarova, in the past four years Purvanov acted as an arbiter, public corrective and mediator who pushed through political deals and compromises behind the scene. The President immersed himself in the problems of the executive and looked for and found solutions to the conflicts in the three-party coalition which governed the country until the July 5 regular elections for Parliament. Inevitably, the public opinion started to associate him with the corruptive practices that made possible the conciliation between the leftist programme of the Bulgarian Socialist Party and the rightist economic priorities of the National Movement for Surge and Stability. This is why today when Purvanov openly criticizes the one-party rule of GERB, this looks like defence of the behind-the-scene corruptive coalitionist mindset.

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The article President Georgi Purvanov published on his website prompted by a recent statement of the finance minister that the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) was "a Stalinist product" staffed with "feudal oldsters" is one of the most commented topics in the Wednesday newspapers. In the article entitled, "It is not science or the economy, but science for the benefit of the economy and society" Purvanov argues that science is always a factor of development, and even more so at a time of crisis. Purvanov described Finance Minister Simeon Djankov's statement as a sign of "aggressive ignorance". Moreover, Djankov said that "science is not a priority" at a time of crisis. The Prime Minister generally backed this view, notes Purvanov.

In the article the President says that BAS is ahead of many research institutes in Southeastern Europe in the ranking of leading scientific organizations in Europe. He also suggests that science should not be financed solely along free-market principles, but should draw on all three major sources of financing: public appropriations, financing from businesses and EU programmes.

In an interview to "Standart News" the science and research secretary of BAS, Valdimir Dimitrov, says that for young scholars BAS is a jumping board for work abroad. He confirms that there are many senior scientists in BAS but stresses that they work very well and continue to generate ideas and projects which bring money to BAS. According to Dimitrov, the problem lies elsewhere: few young people come to work in BAS since there is nothing to attract and motivate them. He argues that Bulgaria has good scientists and researchers but notes that regretfully, the quality level in higher education and in science is dropping very quickly.

"Zemya" quotes newly appointed Education Minister Sergei Ignatov as saying that that more than 500 people will be laid off from BAS. Ignatov said also that BAS is a national treasure but the question is not to leave it become a museum treasure. He said that BAS needs a serious reform and modernizatiom.

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Interviewed by "Novinar" leader of the Order, Lawfulness and Justice party Yane Yanev says that more than ten politicians have been in contact with the notorious lobbyist Krassimir Georgiev. Yanev says that the ten politicians include MPs of the parliamentary groups of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms and, probably, the Union of Democratic Forces.

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"Troud" interviews Professor Stoyan Koushlev who chairs the Commission for Establishing of Property Acquired from Criminal Activity, also known as the Koushlev Commission. The interviewee says that whenever he sees a 18-year-old girl to drive a super car, he notes the number plate. Koushlev says that in a normal country one would rarely see a young girl that is not a celebrity driving a million euro car whereas in Bulgaria this is a common occurrence. Koushlev says the new bill on the forfeiture of criminally acquired property will put an end to such sightings. According to the bill, the Koushlev Commission, and not just the Interior Ministry and the State Agency for National Security, will be able to check alerts about criminally acquired property.

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In an interview to "Sega" Deputy Environment and Waters Minister Rvdokia Maneva says that mayors will be left without subsidies if they obstruct the work of the regional landfills. She says that the Environment and Waters Ministry has reached an agreement with the National Association of Municipalities in Bulgaria for the setting up of partnerships to manage regional landfills. The landfill will be owned by the municipality on whose territory it is. A mayor of a municipality which owns a landfill who creates problems to neighbouring municipalities will be deprived of all state subsidies, she warns.

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"24 Chassa" interviews Georgi Kadiev, member of the Executive Bureau of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and former runner in the mayoral by-elections in Sofia. Kadiev argues that BSP is the only alternative to the current governance. BSP should not try to consolidate around a given individual; instead, its members should be prepared to make their small concessions and stand united as a party. In-party fighting gives a strong weapon in the hands of GERB who does not miss to point to it, says Kadiev.

ECONOMY

"24 Chassa" says in a front-page headline that "the best budget in the EU" - the 2010 national budget of Bulgaria as it was described by Finance Minister Simeon Djnakov, was voted on a first reading without a debate. For the first time in many years, the voting was not preceded by debates. The only MP to take the floor was leader of the Democrats for Strong Bulgaria Ivan Kostov. After several invitations by National Assembly Chairperson Tsetska Tsacheva for other MPs to take the floor, the bill passed on 135-44 votes with no abstentions.

"24 Chassa" quotes Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov as saying that this was the first such passing of the annual budget since 1989 meaning that the opposition admits the legacy it left to the incumbents. The priorities in the expenditure side of the budget are education, health care, the social sector, environment and road infrastructure.

The forecast of a real decline of the economy next year stands at 2 per cent. Inflation next year is projected at 2.2 per cent.

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"Troud" reports that the Blue Coalition managed to push for the provision of additional 450 million leva for health care. On Tuesday the Blue Coalition, GERB and Finance Minister Simeon Djankov signed a memorandum for the provision of additional 60 million leva for the treatment of cancer patients, 10 million leva for new hemodialysis equipment and 30 million leva for emergency medial aid while another 350 million leva will be made available for hospital treatment of patients.
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"GERB Leads the People with High Excise Duties to High Incomes" caps a comment in "Sega" of the cabinet's governance programme released to mark its 100 days in office. The author says that the 150-page programme contains too much "general talk". The comment notes that a new pension fund especially for farmers is to be found in the programme, as well as a mysterious health care reform and an additional Physical Education class in schools.

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A comment in "Troud" says that the small and medium-sized business expects clear anti-crisis measures. The author argues that GERB's governance programme contains too much wishful thinking and many slogans which sound good but fail to generate any real money. The programme needs to be urgently improved to include concrete deadlines and financial commitments. The business is confused by the opposing messages about the revision of the 2009 budget which was subsequently called off, and other such ideas that never materialized. Equally unclear is the idea about the reduction of the social security contributions which were set to drop first by 5 per cent, then by 2 per cent, until the issue was postponed.

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All of the dailies write that the State Energy and Water Regulation Commission (SEWRC) drafts amendments to the ordinance on the way prices of natural gas are determined under which the guaranteed commercial surcharge of Bulgargaz will be reduced. The surcharge currently stands at 3 per cent. An analysis of SEWRC has shown that the percentage may be cut by at least one per cent, says "Klassa".

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 – November 18, 2009

• The European Commission confirmed it has unblocked EUR 82,563 M in EU funding for Bulgaria under PHARE program, which was suspended last year for the country's failure to adequately tackle corruption. “The Commission is lifting the suspension of payments for the accession-related programmes PHARE and the Transition Facility in Bulgaria,” European Commission spokesman Mark Gray said. In his words the decision is the result of the considerable efforts made by the Bulgarian authorities in close liaison with the Commission, to identify previous irregularities and to offer proposals for corrective action.