Bulgarian press review, November 2, 2009

Press Review
Sofia, November 2 (BTA)

HOME SCENE

The government did the most it could do in its first 100 days, although it was never left alone for a single day, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov says in "24 Chassa". The ministers and the prime minister had to parry attacks from all quarters, Borissov also says. Borissov views the Blue Coalition, Ataka and Order, Lawfulness, Justice (OLJ) as the real opposition. There is a working cabinet favourably regarded both by Brussels and the United States, he adds.

"Troud" says Borissov gave the cabinet the second highest mark of achievement for its performance in the first 100 days. Its top achievements were that forest swaps were stopped and EU financing was resumed. He recalled that the government took office at a difficult time. "We did not know they had run the country so atrociously," he said. He stated support for Prosecutor General Boris Velchev, but also warned him that if his every 100 days were counted, he would realize why the authorities were in a hurry like "a fire brigade". On Sunday Borissov inspected the site of a processing installation near Sofia.

"Troud" says the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) has called for a purge in the administration. UDF leader Martin Dimitrov criticized GERB's performance in the first 100 days by saying: "The octopus of the Bulgarian Socialist Party and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms is still active."

"Sega" comments that 100 days are enough and the prime minister should now back up words with deeds. In the three months since he took office, Borissov managed to show that he did well in times of crisis. It is a big plus that he reacted promptly when there were gaffes in his party or the government. He is also very skilfully handling the smaller right-wing parties - the UDF, the Democrats for Strong Bulgaria, Ataka and OLJ, which support the minority cabinet. He has managed to keep them at a distance, all the while encouraging one or another of them and boosting their importance. However, the prime minister cannot govern just for the sake of dealing with his thieving predecessors - he must do something for the electorate too.

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"Monitor" says many civil servants will have to give up their chauffeured cars because Boyko Borissov wants to save taxpayer money. Only employees who need a car to perform their official duties will be entitled to one.

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"Troud" reports that GERB won three out of eight mayoral seats in the second round of by-elections around the country. Two of the elected mayors are independents.

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"Troud" quotes Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov as saying that the State Agency for National Security (SANS) will stay because it can help the Interior Ministry, among other things. This was his input in the debate on the Agency's future. Talking on Bulgarian National Radio, he said the Agency should be rehabilitated to start working in the right direction.

"Dnevnik" says GERB is expected to draft a national security strategy in the next six months. Given that SANS has continued to generate insecurity and scandals despite emergency rehabilitation, GERB may rethink the draft in the direction of a thorough reform of security.



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In a "Sega" interview Deputy Agriculture Minister Georgi Kostov says the State will claim back all forests returned to Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. So far only 452 hectares were to be claimed back due to an error made by the land commission in Samokov. The claim will be filed on Wednesday at the latest, with the State challenging the restitution of all 1,600 ha in Mt Rila. Saxe-Coburg-Gotha will be allowed to prove in court that he holds title to them.

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Yordanka Fandakova, GERB's mayoral candidate in Sofia, says in "Novinar" the war between the government and Sofia Municipality is over. She says strategic objectives are needed and calls for dynamic European-style development instead of just solving problems as they crop up. Fandakova says she is in favour of partnership, which would allow the capital to attract large financing outside the operational programmes, and Sofia is the top beneficiary of these programmes for now.

"Monitor" writes that GERB expects a landslide victory Sofia. Its candidate, backed by the other right-wing parties, wants to accomplish a mandate it has already won with the voters' support, and can rely on strong support from the government and Parliament. Still, Fandakova will have to mobilize right-wing voters, some of whom still have reservations about GERB.

THE ECONOMY

"Troud" says that the government introduced the budget into the National Assembly right before the end of its first 100 days. The budget, described as "a small bland pizza" by Finance Minister Simeon Djankov, could trigger a major row in Parliament if the key participants did not lack the energy and influence to reach out to large social groups. The Bulgarian Socialist Party is morally feeble and nothing it can say will be heard. The Movement for Rights and Freedoms has kept silent about the budget. Ataka seems to have forgotten its radical messages and its members have turned into quiet nationalists who blend into the status quo. OLJ has stated firm support for the budget. Only the Blue Coalition can be expected to show some zest for argument because it has enough principled and tactical reasons to enter such a debate.

"Monitor" has interviewed Menda Stoyanova MP (GERB), Chair of the Parliamentary Budget and Finance Committee, who says an administration should be effective and spend as much as is needed to provide quality services. "We are making cuts in the administration, which actually does not generate GDP. I think this is the right thing to do," Stoyanova says. Commenting on a proposed ban on gambling, she says she is against it because it would push gambling into the grey sector.

"Troud" has interviewed Regional Development Minister Rosen Plevneliev, who says his predecessor, Asen Gagaouzov, signed contracts under which 300 million leva are to be paid in the future. To this must be added the contracts signed by the Road Infrastructure Agency, bringing the total to 500 million leva. The Ministry's deficit in 2009 is 52 million leva, and the Road Agency's deficit is 130 million leva - this 180-million-lev deficit for 2009 is more than the Ministry's capital expenditures planned for 2010. It turns out the Ministry must work to pay for Gagaouzov's contracts in the next four years, Plevneliev says.

FOREIGN POLICY

"Troud" provides extensive coverage of Bulgaria's upcoming withdrawal from Kosovo. In a month the Engineers platoon will leave Europe's youngest country, leaving behind just a few officers in KFOR HQ Zone South. After nearly 10 years, the 20th 50-strong Bulgarian contingent in Prizren will also be the last.


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 2, 2009


· I am optimistic after today’s meeting with officers from the State Agency for National Security (SANS), said Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov after the meeting organized at the agency. Borisov attended the meeting together with Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov. In Borisov’s words, the staff is highly motivated and there is a will for work. The Prime Minister also stated that the Bulgarian government has crafted a new draft law on the SANS and has distributed it to its employees, who are supposed to give their feedback by the end of the week.
Borisov has said recently that if SANS did not start working property, he might move to shut it down in a couple of months. However, his government has set upon restructuring and reforming the agency instead.

· Flu epidemic was declared in several Bulgarian municipalities. These are Burgas, Vratsa, Gabrovo, Yambol, Varna and Samokov, Healthcare Minister Dr. Bozhidar Nanev announced at a news conference. Up to now, flu epidemic has been declared only in coastal Nikopol and Targovishte. There are 305 cases of people infected with A(H1N1) virus registered so far.

· The Director of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), Rumyana Todorova, has announced her resignation Monday. Todorova stated that a lack of confidence in her and the NHIF board from the current government was the reason for her resignation. She added that political pressure has been placed on her to resign for over a year and that Bulgaria PM Boyko Borisov had not shown any faith in her work.