Bulgarian press review, November 9, 2009

Press Review
Sofia, November 9 (BTA)

JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS

Abductions increased more than twofold in 2009. Since January, organized crime investigators have investigated 23 such cases, and at least seven of them were abductions for ransom; in 2008, the cases of kidnapping were 10, Criminal Police Director Angel Antonov says in "24 Chassa." According to Interior Ministry data, a criminal group extorts an average of 600,000 euro per abducted person. In the last few months, the units for counteracting organized crime have rescued a kidnapped girl from Sofia and a man from Blagoevgrad. The cases of kidnapping cleared so far are 15. Almost every day businessmen residing in different parts of this country complain that they receive calls for huge amounts of money and threats that if the money is not paid, some member of their families will be abducted, Antonov says.

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Police records show that a close relative of the Gouninski family was involved in an abduction case more than 11 years ago, "Troud" was told by criminal investigators. The "family" theory has been examined during the investigation into the kidnapping of university student Roumen Gouninski Jr. on October 20, 2009. The theory is that Gouninski may have fallen victim to relatives who seek business shares or inheritance.

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"Cell telephone printouts should be made by the Interior Ministry and not by the GSM operators because to be effective, we need a 100 per cent access to such information in real time; when the question is about an abduction or murder, the printouts should reach us immediately," Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Kalin Georgiev says in an interview for "Monitor." Now it takes 23-28 days to acquire cell phone information.

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"The police should first clear the abduction cases and the imposition of severer punishment ton abductors should be considered after that," lawyer Marin Markovski says in "Troud." In his view, graver sanctions would lead to raising the amounts abductors extort. If kidnappers know that they will have to spend the rest of their lives behind bars, they may kill the persons abducted.

"Novinar" runs an interview with Bulgarian Helsinki Committee President Krassimir Kunev who says that it is absurd to punish abduction as if it were a brutal murder.

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Interior Ministry experts propose to extend by six month the identity cards and driving licences of over 300,000 Bulgarians which are valid until December 31, 2009 and March 31, 2010; the reason is that the production of such documents embedded with chips has not started yet, "24 Chassa" writes. However, the documents with extended validity would be unusable abroad. The extension should be approved by the Council of Ministers first.

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The government cracks on the "passport mafia," "Troud" writes. The prime minister has instructed Justice Minister Margarita Popova to dismiss all officials who have allowed the issue of Bulgarian passports to foreign bandits. Investigations are underway at the Interior Ministry and the Justice Ministry to identify the offenders. A bill amending the Bulgarian Citizenship Act is being drafted to prevent the issue of Bulgarian passports to foreign criminals. The number of foreign criminals holding Bulgarian passports is not known as the relevant documents have not been made available or have been forged. A Bulgarian passport costs 5-6,000 euro, a Bessarabian Bulgarian told "Troud." He has been waiting to be granted Bulgarian citizenship for more than six or seven years now. "You are put off endlessly if you don't pay," an ethnic Bulgarian from Moldova said. Notorious foreign criminals such as drug lords Ismet Shaban and his son Fatik Ismet Shaban, drug and arms dealer Stepan Rybakov and drug producer Adel Sarkis had Bulgarian passports.

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"There Is No War for Power at SANS Any More," "Troud" says in the headline of an interview with Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov. The new leaderships of the two institutions have implemented measures to have the leakage of information stopped, he says.

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The director of the Chief Directorate for Combatting Organized Crime, Stanimir Florov, says in an interview for "Telegraf" that the drug trade underworld is in chaos as "there are processes of redistribution of territories." The Interior Ministry has identified the major players, as well as the person willing to climb to the top of the criminal hierarchy.

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A Stara Zagora prosecutor, Peter Vassilev, has reprieved a killer, "Standart News" says. He was not punished for it and was even allowed to take part in a competition for a senior position, Ana Karaivanova, Head of the Inspectorate with the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC), says in an interview given to "Standart News." Krassimir "Krassyo" Georgiev, a Pleven-based building contractor and disco owner, is suspected of influencing the SJC in appointing judiciary members across the country.

HOME SCENE

All dailies comment on the snappy remarks exchanged between President Georgi Purvanov and Prime Minister Boyko Borissov. Here is but a sample of headlines on the topic: "Purvanov, Borissov Play Star Wars Again" ("Sega"); "Why Sergei [former PM Sergei Stanishev] Should Be Put Behind Bars but Not the Thugs" ("Standart News"); "Purvanov: Criminal Bosses Are Untouchable" ("Klassa"); "An Iron Fist Will Not Take Us Out of the Crisis" (subtitle, "Zemya").

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"There is a wish for a strong-hand rule," European Commissioner Meglena Kuneva says in an interview granted to "Troud." "In my view, there will be a balance if democracy is combined with respect for the individual. Force without law is lawlessness, and law without force is impotence," she says. Kuneva says she is concerned over the fact that in the democracy ratings of Freedom House Bulgaria comes after Botswana by freedom of the media.

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Sergei Tsurnakliiski, former chief secretary of the Maritime Administration Executive Agency (MAEA), who is under investigation on suspicion of embezzlement and conflict of interest, has been appointed Executive Director of the Agency, "Klassa" writes referring to the MAEA web site. Transport Minister Aleksandar Tsvetkov has confirmed the news presenting his report on the first 100 days of the new team of the Ministry. Tsurnakliiski replaces Nikolai Apostolov who was removed from his position ten days ago over irregularities in renting the Perun rescue ship.

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Based on their memories, Bulgarians give a 4.06 mark to the socialist rule of this country, which compares with 3.51 during the transition period, "24 Chassa" writes reprinting the results of a survey conducted among 1,060 respondents in 23 regional centres. One in four respondents is nostalgic about that time; 45.8 per cent say they live worse now. Compared with four years ago, the number of those displeased with their lives after the establishment of democracy has dropped by 20 per cent, and the respondents who say they do well have increased from 19 to 28 per cent. One in seven respondents does not see any difference in their lives now and before. One in three respondents says the greatest accomplishment after November 10, 1989 is the opening of the borders. About the same number of respondents describe Bulgaria's membership of the EU as a success. Corruption and crime are considered to be the worst failure, 38.8 and 36.6 per cent respectively; 33 per cent say it is low wages, and 30 per cent say it is unemployment. Respondents believe that an average income of 892.94 leva per capita can make people feel happy they live in a democracy.

ECONOMY

The Association of Banks in Bulgaria suggests that the Traffic Police ban their bad debtors to use their cars, "Sega" writes. Seeking protection against bad and non-performing debts, the banks propose amendments to seven acts which they have drafted and sent to the Finance Ministry, the Justice Ministry, the National Bank of Bulgaria and Parliament for consideration.

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Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Simeon Djankov says in an interview held with "24 Chassa" that the pension system must be reformed by all means. There will be news about the reform in the state administration within a few days. All ministries have submitted their proposals for staff downsizing of 15 per cent.

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One of the most serious challenges this country faces is the huge amount of expenditures of the pension system - now 65 per cent of the expenditures on pensions are covered by the national budget or through taxes; a portion of only 35 per cent is financed from social insurance contributions, former prime minister Lidia Shouleva, who was also labour and social policy minister, writes in "Troud." Given the lack of enough revenues, she approves the decision of the cabinet for drastic reduction in expenditures and for the closure of some state agencies which she describes as "a put-up job."

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There is reason to hope that the interest on deposits has reached its ceiling and will go back to its normal levels, Asen Yagodin, Executive Director of Postbank and Vice President of the Association of Banks in Bulgaria, says in "24 Chassa." It is impossible to have an inflation of 0.2 per cent in September 2009 compared with September 2008, and pay interest on deposits as high as 9 or even 10 per cent, he observes. If the interest on deposits is back to normal, the interest on loans will drop.

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The prices offered by the Bulgarian winter resorts are higher than those in Austria and yet hotels are expected to be booked 100 per cent, "Novinar" says quoting Tsvetan Tonchev, Chairman of the Bulgarian Tourist Chamber. According to Tonchev, foreign tourists have made 5 per cent more bookings for the winter season this year. The largest numbers of visitors are expected to come from Russia, Serbia and Macedonia. Bansko is leading by bookings already made, followed by Borovets and Pamporovo.


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 9, 2009


· Bulgaria's Chief Epidemiologist, Dr. Angel Kunchev, has reported that 150 000 people are currently ill from the A(H1N1) virus – swine flu – in Bulgaria. Dr. Kunchev stated that there are regions of the country where 400 out of every 10 000 people have the virus. A 52-year-old man and a 15-year-old teenager were reported to have died of swine flu Monday in Petrich and Kavarna respectively.

· Bulgarian lorry driver Zhivko Roussev was sentenced to life imprisonment by an Iranian court on accusations for ferrying 135kg of heroin. Roussev (55) pleaded not guilty and can appeal his sentence. If the verdict is confirmed at the next two court instances, he would most probabaly not be able to serve the sentence in Bulgarian jail as Bulgaria and Iran do not have a bilateral agreement on transfer of prisoners.

· Police have thwarted an attempted bank robbery in the Bulgarian village of Novo Delchevo, near Blagoevgrad. A signal was made to police by a local security guard, who reported that unknown men had descended from a van and headed towards the bank at 5:00 am Monday, the Interior Ministry reported.