Bulgarian Press Review, March 8, 2010

Press Review
Sofia, March 8 (BTA)


HOME SCENE

The national dailies give prominence to the scandal between President Georgi Purvanov and the Government. Last Friday Purvanov received Finance Minister Simeon Djankov at the latter's request in connection with Djankov's controversial statement in a TV entertainment show on March 1 regarding the President's property status. In the show on Nova Television, the anchors asked Djankov whether he had any evidence to prove his earlier claim that the President was "a young billionaire" and that he owned upscale estates in the US, Europe and Dubai. The Finance Minister denied recollecting having ever said anything of the kind. "Still, is he [Purvanov] or isn't he a young billionaire?" the anchors insisted. "Definitely, he isn't young," Djankov said.

"Standart News" publishes an interview with Prime Minister Boyko Borissov under the headline "Purvanov Is Young But He Is Not a Billionaire". According to Borissov, if someone feels insulted from another person's statement he should sue this person in court rather than attacking the Government's policy. "With all our actions we have shown that we do not seek a conflict," says Borissov. "When we formed a Government of the minority, I relied on the statesmanlike attitude of the party leaders and of the President, inclusive, because I have taken up the whole risk of leading the country out of the crisis. Now it turns out that I have to take over all the liabilities of the three-party coalition, masterminded by him [Purvanov]," the Prime Minister also says in the interview.

According to "24 Chassa", in the first hours after the bursting out of the scandal with the transcript of the talk between President Georgi Purvanov and Finance Minister Simeon Djankov, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said he is ready to tender his resignation, if President Georgi Purvanov makes an analogous move. Such scenario was reportedly discussed in a very closed circle. The paper further refers to what are described as well informed sources as saying that the Prime Minister even appealed for "such fair play" ending in early elections in a telephone conversation with Purvanov. At a discussion held Sunday, however, GERB decided that the triggering of early elections should not be on the agenda now.

"Troud" refers to magistrates as saying that, if the Constitutional Court ends the term of President Purvanov, there will be no early presidential elections. It would be Vice President Angel Marin that would take up his duties for the remaining two years of the incumbent President's term of office. This clarification is provided by former Constitutional Court members Pencho Penev and Dimiter Gochev. The two comment on the case with the publicized transcript and the incumbent accusations that, by doing so, the President violated Article 32, Paragraph 2 of the Constitution prohibiting the recording of persons without their consent. If the Constitutional Court is petitioned on the matter, it will have to clarify what the nature of the talk held was and whether legal or moral requirements for observing of confidentiality could be associated with it.

Georgi Markov, also former Constitutional Court member, comments the case for "24 Chassa". In his opinion the attempted impeachment of President Purvanov will fail for two reasons: first, there would be hardly seven Constitutional Court members to vote for Purvanov's removal and, second, it is highly disputable whether there has been violation of the Constitution. Markov explains that four of the Court' members have been appointed by Purvanov while the Court's President used to be his personal advisor.



"Troud" publishes commentaries on the Purvanov-Djankov scandal. Order, Lawfulness, Justice (OLJ) leader Yane Yanev is quoted as saying that a demand for impeachment should be supported by two thirds of the MPs or at least 161 votes. This means that the votes of GERB, Ataka and the Blue Coalition would not suffice. "Georgi Purvanov's reaction is a preventive counter-attack against the risk of surfacing of his links with businessmen from the underground world. We have always said that he is not worthy of the position he holds and with his conduct he is becoming dangerous about the stability of the state," Ataka leader Volen Siderov says. In his view the Head of State is trying to discredit the Government and the reforms, which it has been implementing. According to Socialist Tatyana Doncheva, Djankov made a gaffe, which he then tried to cover up in his talk with the President but was highly unsuccessful. The paper also cites Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) leader Sergei Stanishev as saying that when a Finance Minister has a formal meeting with the President, he should be aware that the talk is public.

"Standart News" publishes the opinion of four political analysts under the headline "Transcript as Boomerang". According to Yulii Pavlov, rather than requesting a meeting with the President, Djankov should have stated the facts in a public declaration. As far as the published transcript is concerned, it presents Purvanov as petty-minded and quarrelsome person, Pavlov states. Vassil Tonchev predicts that clashes between the President and the Government will become more frequent with a view to the presidential and local elections due next year. Miroslava Radeva describes the scandal as a possibility for Purvanov to reap dividends for his political future. Zhivko Georgiev is categorical that this is only a waste of public energy. In his view getting rid of the Finance Minister would be a successful move for the incumbents.

"It is madness to make a drama from a show," Prof. Dragomir Draganov says in an interview for "Troud". In his view Purvanov's reaction was inadequate. "He [the President] was either angry with the Government and was seeking a way to say what the reason for his anger was or he was desperate for not being heard. It is not fair on the part of Djankov to carry out the tricks of the World Bank, while the private business waits for the payment of 2,000 million leva in outstanding obligations from the state."

"Is it time for a war between institutions," "Pari" asks. The case made Prime Minister Borissov begin talking again about early elections. "Yet, who would win, if such elections are held?", the author asks. The public support for GERB has dropped by 13.3 per cent. The fight with Purvanov may prove dangerous for the Prime Minister and the Government and divert the Cabinet's attention from its most important objective - preserving the country's financial stability.

ECONOMY

The Cabinet is secretly preparing a plan for quick overcoming of the crisis, "Sega" writes. The said measures have been drafted for a month now by a taskforce and will be adopted within a special law on recovery of the Bulgarian economy, the paper says referring to Deputy Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov. The package of measures includes accelerated repayment of the state debts to the business, reduction of the social security burden, etc. The plan will rely on privatization as a quick source of revenues for the Treasury in the conditions of exhausted economy. The bill will be ready in two or three weeks, the paper says.

***

Bulgaria loses 133 million leva from the 15 per cent drop of imports, "24 Chassa" writes. The paper refers to data of the Customs Agency showing that in the first two months of the year imports decreased by 15 per cent year-on-year. This was the reason for the drop of revenues from customs, excise duties and VAT. In January-February 2010 the Customs Agency collected 913.8 million leva, 12.7 per cent down from the like period of 2009. The excise duties gathered were 575.4 million leva marking a decrease of 13.8 per cent. The revenues from VAT dropped by 7.4 per cent while the ones from customs duties halved.

***

Last year the real estate market saw its biggest ever decline as of the beginning of the democratic changes, "Troud" writes. About 200,000 transactions were signed then, which is by over one third down compared to 2008. In the 2006-2008 period the transactions struck annually were not less than 300,000, the paper recalls.

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In an interview for "Sega" Rositsa Steliyanova, Executive Director of the Employment Agency, says that 52,000 unemployed will undergo re-training and will be offered new jobs. As she put it, nothing unexpected has happened on the labour market. "We even expected that January unemployment was slightly higher but it remained below 10 per cent. We expect it to be over 10 per cent in the first quarter of the year. What matters for us are the offers for seasonal workers that would be made in the beginning of April." Steliyanova said that the Agency is absolutely certain for the time being that the average annual unemployment would remain within 11.4 per cent as projected.

***

Pharmacies insist that patients pay a fee for having their prescriptions fulfilled as is the practice in the other EU Member States, "Troud" writes. This transpired at the 3rd Congress of Bulgarian Pharmacists. In the United Kingdom this fee is allegedly three pounds.

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 – March 08, 2010

• The President's administration has sent to Parliament Chair Tsetska Tsacheva an audio recording and a hard-copy transcript of Georgi Purvanov's conversation with Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Simeon Djankov of March 5 when the two met at Djankov's request.

• Gold jewellery worth over 50,000 leva was intercepted by customs officers at Kapitan Andreevo border checkpoint. Two Polish citizens were attempting to smuggle it across the border.

• President Georgi Purvanov conferred the Order of the Balkan Range, First Class, on the outgoing Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, Kim Myong-jin, for his great contribution to the development and strengthening of bilateral relations. Purvanov said that there had been different periods in the two decades of official diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and the Republic of Korea, but that the last few years were seeing a boom in political dialogue, economic contacts and cultural interaction.

• The money for dentists and general practitioners for January will be paid on Monday and 100% of the payment for February for pre-hospital aid will be paid regularly, while on Wednesday some BGN 350 million will be poured into the healthcare system, said Dr. Vanyo Sharkov, chairperson of the Bulgarian Dental Association, announced in interview to BNR, after the meeting between the medical organizations and the Prime Minister.

• Bulgarian government will propose 2% increase of health insurances, government’s press office announced. On Wednesday, the Council of Minister will decide to allocate extra BGN 350 million to the National Health Insurance Fund and will propose 2% increase in the health insurances.