Bulgarian Press Review August 26, 2009

Press Review
Sofia, August 26 (BTA)


HOME SCENE

"Troud" reports that the Regional Development and Public Works Ministry has suspended the transfer of money for construction projects to 43 municipalities. "Douma" reports that the Ministry has suspended the implementation of 60 big projects. "We are applying crisis management," Regional Development and Public Works Minister Rosen Plevneliev told "Troud." By July 31, the Ministry had spent 87 per cent of the money budgeted for capital expenditures, which is 87 million
leva for 2009. Each one of the projects will be analyzed and the ones which are vital for the lives and health of the population will be completed.

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The promotion of Bulgaria and Bulgarian-made goods round the world will cost about 50 million leva, "Dnevnik" writes referring to Economy, Energy and Tourism Minister Traicho Traikov. The money comes from Operative Programme Competitiveness of the European Fund for Regional Development. Traikov has signed contracts with the Executive Agency for Promotion of SMEs and the Bulgarian Investment Agency which applied for funding submitting projects under Priority Axis 4 УStrengthening the international market positions of Bulgarian economy.Ф The budget for this axis totals 55 million leva, including 26 million for popularizing the investment climate in Bulgaria and 25 million for the successful presentation of Bulgarian enterprises on the international markets; the rest is designed for improvement of the standardization system.

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The results of a poll on the first month in office of the incumbent government show that 43 per cent of respondents trust it and 31 per cent do not. The poll, conducted by Gallup International, was commissioned by "Klassa."
Prime MInister Boyko Borissov has delivered on his promise to work in full transparence and as of Tuesday deciphered shorthand transcripts of the cabinet's meetings are available from the Council of Ministers' information system in the Internet - something which no one of the previous governments dared to do," 24 Chassa" notes.

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"We have absorbed only 1.5 per cent of [the funds from] Operative Programme Transport," Transport, IT and Communications Minister Aleksandar Tsvetkov says in "Klassa." "It is our ambitious task to eliminate the black market in driving licences," he says.
According to incomplete data about the situation of the National Road Infrastructure Agency (NRIA), as at July 30 it had a deficit of 60 million leva, NRIA Executive Director Dimiter Ivanov says in "Dnevnik." In his words, the previous management of the agency had stipulated discriminating conditions in the tender documents for the Trakiya motorway.

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Politicians should better not intervene in the State Fund Agriculture, the new executive director of the Fund, Kalina Ilieva, warns in an interview for "Troud."

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"We are drafting an effective strategy for tourism until 2025," Economy, Energy and Tourism Deputy Minister Ivo Marinov says in "Monitor."

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As many as 99 per cent of cultural landmarks in Bulgaria do not have title deeds for property, Deputy Culture Minister Todor Chobanov says in "Sega."

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The Podkrepa Labour Confederation proposes that everybody receiving a monthly income in excess of 5,000 leva be levied an additional tax, "Standart News" writes in its leading story. Podkrepa also demands the imposition of a one-time tax on yachts, aircraft and other expensive acquisitions of the rich.

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The statutory requirements for issuing licences and permits and coordination of economic activities should be drastically reduced, Prof. Borislav Borissov, Rector of the University of National and World Economics, says in "24 Chassa." There are 500-600 such requirements in Bulgaria, while they are only 50-60 on the average in the other EU member states. In his opinion, all statutory acts should specify timeframes for the performance of all activities they regulate, envisaging sanctions for not observing the deadlines.

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The findings of the prosecution magistracy show that the most serious and frequent offences during the July 5 parliamentary elections were committed by the district electoral commissions in Turkey, "Dnevnik" reports. Last week a massive investigation was launched reacting on an alert by the Foreign Ministry. Prosecutors will conduct a second investigation into possible double voting - once in Turkey and then in Bulgaria.

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Enyo Petrov, deputy manager of the municipal enterprises Gradini i Parkove (Gardens and Parks) in Plovdiv, drives an Audi Q7 which costs 150,000 leva, "24 Chassa" says. Until recently
local leader of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms and municipal councillor, Petrov gets a monthly salary a little over 600 leva, as the manager of the enterprise, Stanka Stamatova said. The Audi jeep has been registered in the name of Shtastliva Zvezda EOOD, a company owned by Petrov's wife. In 2005 the company bought at an auction a municipal pavilion of 176 sq m for 12,100 leva.






ECONOMY

Economy, Energy and Tourism Minister Traicho Traikov proposes that the 250 million euro loan received from BNP Paribas for the construction of the Belene Nuclear Power Plant Project be repaid from the fiscal reserve, "Pari" says in an item headlined "The Lamia Belene." "Klassa" also gives prominence to the issue.

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"Now that I know Dimiter Angelov is going to be the new executive director, I do not worry about the future of the [Kozloduy nuclear] power plant," Ivan Genov, until recently holder of this position, says in an interview for "Troud." "We sold the electricity at the best prices," he says.

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The price of heating and cogenerated electricity will not be changed as of October 1 if the request of Bulgargaz for a 4.4 per cent increase of the price of natural gas is preserved, "Monitor" says referring to State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission Chairman Konstantin Shoushoulov.

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The airport of Turgovishte has been sold for 480,000 leva to a 20-year-old man as third-grade farming land, "Telegraf" and "Troud write. The new owner of the airport is Ivo Petrov from Dobrich, manager and single owner of the company Airport Turgovishte 2009 registered on August 7, 2009. The tender for the land was held only two weeks later, on August 20.

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A plot of 315 sq m opposite the National Opera House in Sofia has been sold for 3,255,000 euro, "Troud" reports. Such prices are rare even in world centres such as London and Paris, the daily observes. The price of 10,333 euro per square metre has broken the record for most expensive plot in Sofia. The previous one was 8,355 euro per square metre for a plot in Todor Alexandrov Blvd. sold to a Greek company.

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Referring to the Real Estate Bulgaria agency, "Express" writes that the prices of real estates in Bulgaria's coastal areas have fallen by 30 per cent for those near the beach to 70 per cent for property that is farther from the beach. "Troud" says that a studio of 25 sq m in Sunny Beach can be purchased for 9,750 euro, or 390 euro per sq m, as a check in the Internet showed.

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There was a drop of 35 per cent in wine sales on the domestic market, Branimir Botev, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Rozova Dolina Winery, says in "Pari."

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A super computer will show where and what structure should be built so that it is not damaged by quakes, "24 Chassa" reports. The IBM Blue Gene/P hardware was purchased by the government late last year; the software is nearly ready. It is at the State Agency for Information technologies. Thanks to a detailed undersoil map, the system will show where to construct power plants, dams and gas storages and how to refurbish old buildings so as to sustain quakes.



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 – August 26, 2009

• The National Assembly Wednesday re-elected Ivan Iskrov Governor of the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) for a six-year term of office, effective October 10, 2009. The motion was carried, 195 voting in favour, 1 Blue Coalition MP voting against, and another 12 Blue Coalition MPs, 1 Coalition for Bulgaria MPs and 1 Movement for Rights and Freedoms MP abstaining.

• Next year, there will be BGN 720 million more money for pensions. This is our will, this is what I have ordered to the minister of finance and this is the request of the minister of social policy”, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said after today’s sitting of the Council of Ministers, FOCUS News Agency reporter informs. Boyko Borisov declared that in the first month after the new government came into power there is 9% increase in the pension, which is some BGN 48 million, and will reach BGN 288 million by the end of the year.

• 11.4% unemployment rate is expected for next year, Minister of Labor and Social Policy Totyu Mladenov announced, FOCUS News Agency reporter informs.The minister explained there will be increase in the minimum working salaries, pensions and social payments after June 15, 2010. Minister Mladenov added no cuts in the unemployment compensations are envisaged in the fiscal framework of Budget 2010-2013.

• The pine wood of the St. Vlas seaside holiday resort is on fire, the Interior Ministry press office announced. According to initial information, around 300 decares of coniferous trees are on fire. The firefighters managed to master the flames and stop fire’s spreading to the villa area. The signal over the incident was filed at around 10.45 a.m. The Varna-Burgas road in the section near the St. Vlas resort is closed over the smoke.