Bulgarian press review, November 25, 2009

Press Review
Sofia, November 25 (BTA)

HOME SCENE

Nearly 80 per cent of the land of the state stock was cultivated without contracts and the municipal services did not charge rent, "Dnevnik" says. Of 300,000 hectares managed by the State, 230,000 ha were used without contracts by people not chosen by tender, the Agriculture Ministry found in a probe spanning the period from 2006 to 2008.

"24 Chassa" reports that a minister, who was a member of two previous governments, will be charged soon. He allegedly caused detriment through deals worth millions of leva. Interesting details have emerged about his negotiating habits. He had a crystal cigar ashtray on his desk, in which he used to burn notes specifying the sum a businessman or an administrative employee had to pay for a favour. At least four witnesses told anti-Mafia officers about the odd ritual, which started with a warning from the minister about bugging devices, followed by an explanation of what the supplicant had to do. Then the minister scribbled the sum that was to be paid monthly. He also used a shredding machine because he feared eavesdropping, even when he imparted important information for free.

Jenny Zhivkova, granddaughter of former communist leader Todor Zhivkov, won at least 4 million leva selling her designer clothes to state departments while the Socialists were in office, "Monitor" says.

"Ataka" reports that former energy minister Roumen Ovcharov will be the fourth member of Stanishev's cabinet who will be probed by prosecutors. The daily says Ovcharov caused over 2,000 million leva in damage to the State by signing an additional agreement with Russia's Gazprom.

"Douma" says the National Audit Office (NAO) does not comply with the Public Disclosure of Senior Public Officials' Financial Interests Act. The law stipulates that within two months of the declaration of property and incomes by the MPs, the Audit Office President must publish the statements and the names of those who failed to submit them on the NAO website. The MPs had until August 14 to declare their assets, and the deadline for the prime minister and his deputies, for the ministers and their deputies was August 27. The President had not fulfilled his obligation until November 24.

"Zemya" writes that the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) suggested an alternative budget for 2010 with an increase in revenues of 1,620 million leva and 150 million leva more in spending on agriculture.

"Troud" says the BSP is recovering and its first targets are Finance Minister Simeon Djankov and GERB floor leader Iskra Fidossova, who is also Chair of the Parliamentary Legal Committee. The two angered the opposition with their confrontational language, sharp-worded statements and mistakes made due to inexperience or due to trying too hard. They would have been forgiven these mistakes unless political confrontation had reached such heights, the daily writes.

In "Troud" Sliven Mayor Yordan Lechkov says that at least one or two more parties should be helping GERB, and calls on the Prime Minister: "I want changes, Boyko! You are the king and master of the State now. Assign responsibilities - you cannot do everything yourself."

An analysis in "Sega" says that President Purvanov is touting his plans for a new party the way Boyko Borissov carried on about GERB in the past.

In "Klassa" Vassil Tonchev, Director of the Sova Harris polling agency, says President Georgi Purvanov has potential to continue big time in politics. Tonchevalso says GERB has started assimilating Ataka, which will lose its identity in the next four years.

EDUCATION

"Troud" gives frontpage prominence to the news that a test will replace the exams in the humanities at Sofia University from the next academic year. The aim is to stop students from sitting for many exams in a row. A test will replace the traditional essays on history, geography and literature. A test for the natural sciences will be devised afterwards. "Troud" comments that this is a new blow on private schools, which have just started to pay taxes, and on teachers who declared their incomes from private tuition.

THE ECONOMY

"Pari" leads with a story headlined "Bulgartabac Sell-Off: Mission Impossible", which says the favourable window of opportunity is about to close. Bulgartabac is headed for hard times, what with the higher excise duty on tobacco products, the forthcoming bans on smoking in public places and its falling market share. The holding company will try to optimize its spending and collect the debts of its subsidiaries ahead of privatization. Its first-half share of the domestic market is 52 per cent.

According to "Klassa", Bulgaria is in 95th place among 183 countries in a PricewaterhouseCoopers report on tax systems, down from 94th place among 181 countries in the previous report. The worst result was registered for the time companies have to comply with tax requirements, where Bulgaria slipped from 167th to 172nd place. Companies spend 288 hours a year to pay VAT input tax in Bulgaria, as against 22 hours in Finland. Managers spend an average of 616 hours waiting in queues to sort out administrative issues and make 17 payments.

In "Sega"Kamen Kolev, Vice President of the Bulgarian Industrial Association says that now is the best time for e-government, which would cut expenses and make things easier for businesses and individuals.

FOREIGN POLICY

"Troud" covers President Purvanov's meeting with his Greek counterpart Karolos Papoulias. Purvanov called for new checkpoints on the border with Greece and for faster work on the Stara Zagora - Dimitrovgrad - Komotini natural gas system interconnection.

Covering Foreign Minister Rumiana Jeleva's visit to the United States, "24 Chassa" says US State Secretary Hillary Clinton was satisfied with the cases against former ministers.

"Troud" quotes European Commission President Jose Barroso as saying that former Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev and his government had always been loyal partners of the European institutions. He was answering a question by Martin Schulz, President of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, who asked Barroso about his impressions of his work relationships with the Stanishev cabinet. Schulz also asked Barroso to comment on Prime Minister Boyko Borissov's statement that the BSP should have been banned. Barroso said that Bulgaria has proved it is a democratic country and all parties have a place in it.

Hungarian Ambassador Judith Lang says in "Novinar" that it takes 60 years to change society. She notes two peculiarities of the Bulgarian transition: its relative delay and the treatment of minorities by the Zhivkov regime.

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 25, 2009

· Bulgaria’s Prime Minister, Boyko Borissov, has asked the Members of Parliament to reconsider the motion for increasing the excise tax on hard liquor. Borissov himself announced this after Wednesday’s meeting of the cabinet. Last week the Budget Committee of the Bulgarian Parliament voted to increase the excise on hard liquor starting January 2010 – a measure which was going to affect the homemaking of traditional Bulgarian brandy – or “rakia”.

· Bulgaria police have arrested three men Wednesday over an acid attack on two young women in Blagoevgrad. The two students from Gotse Delchev, aged 24 and 26 respectively, were attacked outside their student’s accommodation. The incident occurred late Tuesday when a man, who was allegedly not known by the women, splashed acid into their faces.