Bulgarian press review, January 14, 2010

Press Review
Sofia, January 14 (BTA)


FOREIGN POLICY

A political deal will decide Rumiana Jeleva's fate, "Dnevnik" writes. Her fiasco at the confirmation hearing at the European Parliament on Tuesday is about to trigger a crisis in the approval of the entire European Commission, which is voted en bloc, the daily says. That is why there was talk in Brussels all day Wednesday of shuttles between the two largest groups - the European People's Party (EPP) and the Party of European Socialists - in an effort to find a solution.

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"Telegraph" says Jeleva's fate is in Barroso's hands.

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"Zemya" runs a story headlined "3 Million Victims of Haiti Quake; 8 Million Disgraced by Jeleva Scandal". The daily compares the Commissioner-designate's performance at her confirmation hearing at the European Parliament on Tuesday to that of a bottom-of-the-class student.

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"Ataka" offers a different take on the situation: "Jeleva Attacked with Discrediting Material about Corporate Interests; Yotova [from the Socialist Party] and Purvanova [from the National Movement for Surge and Stability] Tried to Discredit Bulgarian Commissioner-Designate".

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"Sega" writes that Jeleva was an MEP in breach of the law for two years, and claims that the Bulgarian government has been under strong pressure from Brussels to come up with a different candidate for the post.

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Prime Minister Boyko Borissov has a back-up candidate for EU Commissioner in case Foreign Minister Rumiana Jeleva fails to win approval, "Troud" and "24 Chassa" write. Still, Borissov believes things will not come to this and the final decision will be in Jeleva's favour. "I talked last [Tuesday] night until very late with people from the EPP who believe she did well. They said that given the trap she was forced into, she did her best," Borissov told "Troud". Asked if he made a mistake by nominating her, the prime minister says in "Troud": "I don't think so." "Let's commend the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) on its subversive activity, it has always been good at it, as in bombing churches, opening forced labour camps," he also says, implying that he considers the Socialists the main culprits for the scandal during Jeleva's hearing in the European Parliament. However, "Troud" says there are serious discrepancies in the statements of her financial interests.

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"24 Chassa" speculates that the possible candidates for a Commissioner's portfolio are Defence Minister Nickolay Mladenov, Yuliana Nikolova, Secretary of the Council on EU Funds Management, and Andrei Kovachev, leader of the Bulgarian delegation to the EPP group in the European Parliament.

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An opinion piece in "Douma" says Jeleva's failure at the hearing was not caused by a plot but was a sad consequence of Boyko Borissov's smugness. The writer adds that as it often happens in Bulgaria, people in power do not want to see the truth.

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"24 Chassa" says there was a plot, unlike at the election of Irina Bokova as UNESCO Secretary General. No right-wing group plotted against Bokova, while now the Communists and the Liberals conspired against Jeleva. The gist of the issue is that Jeleva concealed significant circumstances: that she was discharged of responsibility for the company in question in March 2009, while she claims that this happened in 2007, says political analyst Evgenii Dainov.

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Antonia Purvanova MEP (National Movement for Surge and Stability) says in "Troud" Jeleva's nomination is a major failure for Borissov. Purvanova says in "24 Chassa" that it was not she that opened the eyes of the foreign media - Jeleva's problem is in her own documents.

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In "24 Chassa", Jeleva's husband Krassimir Jelev says: "How am I to take the headline 'A Gangster Bride for the EC?' [a reference to a story in the German newspaper Die Welt]. What piques me most is the question mark. I am asking this as a lawyer. Is the question mark intended as a safeguard against possible legal action against the journalists? I am in consultation with several German law firms about taking legal action and I want to know if I stand a chance to win."

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Bulgaria has until the end of January to submit a report on the steps it has taken to ensure regularity and effectiveness of the investment projects financed under Operational Programme Environment, or else the European Commission will stop the overall financing, Dirk Ahner, Director General of the Commission's DG Regional Policy, said in a letter to Finance Minister Simeon Djankov of January 8, "Klassa" reports. The letter which analyses the absorption of EU funds was sent to 11 more senior officials at ministries and departments. The problems will be discussed at the meeting of the Monitoring Committee of the National Reference Strategic Framework in Sofia on Thursday and Friday. Ahner said DG Regional Policy had already expressed concern about the quality of many of the 29 investment projects for the environment and 157 projects for technical support for the environment.

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"I want every German to feel he or she is among friends," Mariana Cholakova, the new German honorary consul, says in "24 Chassa".

HOME SCENE

"If the steps we have taken start working, I hope unemployment will not top 11.4 per cent," Labour and Social Policy Minister Totyu Mladenov says in "Troud".

"Troud" writes that the Europeanization of Bulgarian prisons will cost at least 90 million euro. A new prison in Sofia will cost at least 100 million euro, and a new prison in Varna will cost nearly as much, says Peter Vassilev, head of the Directorate General of Implementation of Penal Sanctions. Bulgaria must improve prison conditions by 2012. At present 9,000 prisoners live in 12 prisons and 23 closed- and open-type prison facilities.

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Commenting on the first day of the National Assembly's second session, "Ataka" writes that Borissov called on the majority to work hard to pull the country out of the crisis. The power-holders' priorities include the fight against crime and improving the business climate.

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Quoting a municipal councillor, "Klassa" reports that there will be a new law on Sofia by mid-year. Councillor Andrei Ivanov says that if residents want the capital to be twice as clean as now, the litter collection fee must double.

JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS

"Troud" reports that prosecutors and the State Agency for National Security (SANS) are conducting an investigation into SAPARD funding triggered by suspicions of contacts between Paying Agency employees and consulting firms. Agriculture State Fund Chair Kalina Ilieva says the investigation is targeting people under suspicion or people involved in proven irregularities. The Fund's new leadership alerted SANS last October.

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 – Sofia, January 14, 2010

· Up to now the only thing my colleagues in Brussels and I agreed on is to wait for the jurists to announce their decision on the case – whether there is a conflict of interest. Rumyana Zheleva believes there is not, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov says in an interview with Bulgarian National Television, commenting on the row around Rumyana Zheleva’s hearing in the European Parliament. I hope she has checked everything, he said. I rely on Ms. Zheleva’s doing what the law states, pointed out Borisov. Asked what will happen is she did not do what the law states, he said: “She will not receive my support.”

· Bulgaria Chief Prosecutor Boris Velchev has stated that those arrested from the major kidnapping gang in two successful special operations codenamed “The Impudent” will be charged. The high-profile kidnappers’ gang is believed to be responsible for 19 cases of kidnappings of rich Bulgarians. It was busted in December 2009. A total of 30 people were arrested initially, 10 were left behind bars.

· Over 300 people gathered outside the Bulgaria Parliament to protest against the center-right GERB government’s proposed changes to the Electronic Communications Act. Representatives of the National Movement for Stability and Progress joined the protest. They are carrying large flags of their party and the EU flag. MPs from the Union of Democratic Forces, including party chairman Martin Dimitrov, also joined the protest.

· Bulgaria’s had 0,5% inflation in December 2009, according to latest data provided by the National Statistical Institute.The average annual inflation for January-December 2009 is estimated at 2,8% compared to the same period of 2008.