Press Review
Sofia, November 12 (BTA)
THE HOME SCENE
"Troud" reports on Prime Minister Boyko Borissov's evolving response to calls for impeachment of President Georgi Purvanov. While in Brussels on Tuesday evening Borissov threatened to back the motion for Purvanov's impeachment. However, back in Sofia on Wednesday morning, Borissov stepped back and said that it was not time yet to bring down the President. Earlier, Purvanov had refused to recall Bulgaria's ambassadors to the US and Turkey over election irregularities on the proposal of the government. Subsequently, the Ataka party and Democrats for Strong Bulgaria threatened to move for Purvanov's impeachment. The parties forming the parliamentary majority, GERB, the Blue Coalition, the Order, Lawfulness, Justice party (OLJ) and Ataka, had begun consultations to remove Purvanov from office, said Wednesday parliamentary Legal Affairs Committee Chair Iskra Fidossova (GERB). In a statement read out in Parliament on Wednesday, OLJ leader Yane Yanev called for impeachment of the entire state and political system of the last 20 years, which has been put in place under a communist scenario. Ataka leader Volen Siderov still thinks that Purvanov should resign over the matter with the ambassadors' recall.
***
"Standart News" holds a panel of social scientists on the topic. According to Kolyo Kolev of the Mediana agency, there is no way Purvanov will kiss Borissov's hand. The motion for impeachment would look scary, if taken seriously, but the whole thing is more of a display and clowning. It will be, however, a different matter, if this clowning turns into a loosely written play and will discredit the government. Mira Radeva of MBMD says that the time is wrong for playing with public attitudes. The President is above any parties and the attack on him may be seen as an attack on democratic freedoms.
***
In a commentary for "Troud", former foreign minister Solomon Passy (2001-2005) says that the recall of an ambassador is like a nuclear bomb in diplomacy. Passy notes that the US and Turkey are among Bulgaria's key partners and since 2004 have been among Bulgaria's allies. Traditionally, these are two destinations where the best ambassadors. This is how things were under the Third Bulgarian Kingdom, under the communist regime, despite all its flaws, and in the past 20 years. Ambassadors are recalled only as a last resort. According to Passy, the raging debate has missed on one principal argument: how would a recall affect Bulgaria's relations with the US and Turkey. In this respect, Passy proposes a revision to the Constitution under which ambassadors will be appointed by the government instead by the president.
***
A "Sega" interview with Justice Minister Margarita Popova caps "Scandal over Trade in Influence Won't Purge Judicial System." Of changes to the penal code, Popova says that provisions branded as "disciplining" were dropped, which in effect prevented the state from punishing every single crime. Popova adds that cases drag on forever because of investigating officers' failure to collect enough evidence. No country gives up its right to collect evidence and to punish over the sloppy work of an investigating body, says Popova.
***
In an interview for "Pari", parliamentary Health Committee Chair Luchezar Ivanov says that reforms have to be carried out despite the economic crisis. In his words, actual reforms in the health care system will be launched in 2010 with the accreditation of health establishments. At this first stage the question is how to transform hospitals for active treatment into facilities for long-term care. The other thing is the introduction of the second and third pillar of health insurance: compulsory complementary health insurance and voluntary health insurance. According to Ivanov, these reforms will decide the future of the health care system.
***
In an interview for "Troud", Culture Minister Vezhdi Rashidov says that he is determined to carry out reforms in the area of culture. For the first time Rashidov presents an analysis of the activities of the ten Bulgarian cultural centres abroad under the ministry. Although the centres cost millions of euro to run, they report minimal activities. Rashidov says that with the money for the centres' upkeep he could book Carnegie Hall, the Paris Opera and the Grand Palais multiple times to showcase Bulgarian opera singers and artists. The Culture Minister adds that he is full of ideas. He goes back to the time when he first moved from the country to Sofia and vowed that he would be winner.
***
In a "24 Chassa" interview, former MP General Atanas Atanassov [Democrats for Strong Bulgaria] and former head of the National Investigative Service says that MPs of the Bulgarian Socialist Party and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms should be brought to justice. Atanassov states that if the scandal with the Road Fund is properly investigated, former ministers of the Stanishev cabinet Plamen Oresharski, Assen Gagaouzov and Petar Moutafchiev should be tried. Atanassov's list goes on include former Environment Minister Djevdet Chakurov, former Agriculture Minister Valeri Tsvetanov and his predecessor Nihat Kabil. Atanassov also says that the National Intelligence Service and the Military Information Service are run by officers all trained at KGB schools, who have been granted access to classified information in a misjudged move.
ECONOMY
Financier Emil Hursev says that the cabinet should be the conductor of the orchestra of banks. In a "Klassa" interview, Hursev admits that Finance Minister Simeon Djankov is right to forecast a 3 per cent fall of interest rates. Hursev says that although rates may fall, it is still not clear when and he is doubtful that this will take place soon. Hursev says that the cabinet is conducting an orchestra, where musicians are competing against each other and they will take long to decide to decrease rates, if the decision is left with them.
***
"Treasury Owes 400 Million Leva for Untaken Leave," writes "Troud". Some 300-400 million leva [roughly 150-200 million euro] have to be paid to ministerial officials for untaken holiday leave, said Wednesday Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Simeon Djankov. Second-level budget spending units [agencies and services under the ministries] are being audited too for how much they owe for untaken holiday entitlements. Djankov reported on the budget performance by the end of September. According to his report, the budget was 552 million leva in the red. However, the budget in October was balanced.
***
In a front-page report "Sega" writes that 85,000 people lost their jobs in nine months. Some 85,306 jobs were axed in the private sector between January and September. In September alone, 36,513 people were laid off. Despite promises for streamlining and cuts in the administration, public officials increased by 109, reported the National Statistical Institute. Education is only sector which is hiring new people. Nationwide, Sofia is the only region where average monthly wages exceed 700 leva [350 euro].
***
Interviewed for "Novinar", parliamentary Budget committee Chair Menda Stoyanova confirms that the administration will be down to its normal size.
***
In a "Troud" interview, Labour Minister Totyu Mladenov promises that benefits will not be touched. Mladenov confirms that student mothers whose children are of up to one year in age will receive a lump sum of 2,880 leva. The news that these benefits will be removed is due to a technical error in the 2010 draft budget which will be corrected, said Mladenov. One-time benefits for twins of up to one year of age to the amount of 1,200 leva for each child will be kept too.
***
Under the headline "Where Did Robin Hood Go?", "Sega writes that the cabinet has decided to keep the benefit entitlements for twins and student mothers. The newspaper says that this move shows the new government as inconsistent and casts doubt over its election promises.
BULGARIA - EU
"Troud" reports that the government has nominated Foreign Minister Rumiana Jeleva for EU commissioner. Speaking to reporters, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said that Enlargement will be the best portfolio for Jeleva and that Jeleva's nomination had been discussed informally with EC President Jose Barroso.
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 12, 2009
· President Georgi Purvanov said on Thursday that "the secret coalition has come into the light" in connection with the current debate on his possible impeachment. "I intended not to make any statements, but the game has become too rough lately - and I am referring not only to the sharp, unacceptable tone of speaking," he told journalists.
The idea to impeach the President emerged when Purvanov dismissed a Government proposal to remove from office the Bulgarian ambassadors to Turkey and the US over irregularities committed during the latest parliamentary elections. Purvanov demanded more information to support a possible decision to remove the ambassadors.
In his statement, Purvanov said that the attack against him is absurd in legal and political terms.
Reacting to accusations that he has not reported to Parliament on his performance, Purvanov recalled that he addressed Parliament annually. "Parliament is the work place of the MPs, not the President," he said.
"What has happened is a good lesson in constitutional law for the incumbents," he said. He declined to predict whether a possible impeachment motion in Parliament will be supported by enough votes to pass.
"This debate will become more and more political, a debate about this country's governance," he said. According to him, the incumbents were irritated by his disagreement with them and by his ambition to act as a corrective force.
fredag den 13. november 2009
tirsdag den 10. november 2009
Bulgarian Press Review, November 10, 2009
Press Review
Sofia, November 10 (BTA)
HOME SCENE
"Troud" reports that two parties in Parliament - Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB) and Ataka - have called for President Georgi Purvanov's impeachment for different reasons. DSB leader Ivan Kostov, co-leader of the Blue Coalition, said the party would move for impeachment if it was proved that in his previous capacity as leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party Purvanov asked Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein for assistance. As to Ataka, it claims that the President failed to obey the Constitution and update Parliament on his performance, and that he impeded Bulgaria's Europeanization. Purvanov's office said this campaign was completely beside the point.
"24 Chassa" says that commenting on the impeachment threats, former premier Sergei Stanishev said that after Purvanov criticized the government, the "rapid reaction groups" in GERB, DSB and Ataka snapped into action. They were joined by Finance Minister Simeon Djankov, who proposed a cut in the President's budget by 1 million leva. "The authoritarian nature of Borissov's regime is becoming increasingly prominent," Stanishev says.
An analysis in "24 Chassa" says that Purvanov and Borissov are actually good for each other. Both Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and Purvanov are democrats. As such Borissov cannot do without opposition, but there is none of it on the political scene now. Purvanov also knows that a government needs opposition and has taken it upon himself to act as a corrective. He can afford this because this is his second term and he is not running for re-election. However, the two most stable institutions would do well to draw the match instead of engaging in a fierce fight.
"Troud" comments that in Round 2 of the fight between the President and the Prime Minister, things are taking a dramatic turn. The cabinet wants to recall the ambassadors to Turkey and the US for violations of the elections last summer, while Purvanov refused to recall them. Unless Boyko Borissov cancels his decision, the ambassador will be recalled and the cabinet will appoint a replacement, but the President will not issue a decree, so the level of Bulgaria's representation in one of the great powers will be lowered. Neither the state nor the government leader can afford to do this, the only thing they can do is reach agreement.
***
In "24 Chassa" four sociologists say that between 300,000 and 400,000 people will vote in Sofia's mayoral election on November 15. MBMD's Mira Radeva says people are tired and lack interest, hence the lack of a campaign. Vassil Tonchev from Sova Harris says the outcome seems predictable: the question is if GERB candidate Yordanka Fandakova will win with 4:1 or a 5:1 margin. Yulii Pavlov of the Centre for Analysis and Marketing expects Fandakova to win 200,000 votes and Socialist candidate Georgi Kadiev to win 60,000 votes. Tsvetozar Tomov of the Scala polling agency says he would be surprised if voter turnout exceeded 400,000.
***
"Troud" says senior administration officers will be checked for abuse in the absorption of EU funding for the strengthening of administrative capacity. Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov stressed that the persons in question were not ministers. He unveiled an Integrated Strategy for Prevention and Suppression of Corruption and Organized Crime, which will go before the Council of Ministers by mid-November and is designed to "win back public confidence in the state bodies".
***
"Troud" reports that Hristo Monov, the former director of Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ), has been charged with signing a loss-making contract with Arwex of Switzerland. Last November he signed a deal for 30 sleeping cars, causing detriment to the amount of 9,990,000 euro - the balance between the selling price of 550,000 euro and the real cost of 217,000 euro per sleeper.
***
In "Standart News", Ataka leader Volen Siderov says: "Boyko didn't disappoint me." Siderov's party has been GERB's staunchest supporter of all right-wing parties. He calls for joint lists with GERB and the other right-wing parties in the next parliamentary elections. All should make a compromise for the good of the country, he says. Siderov adds that the new cabinet has Europeanized Bulgaria and is the first to have called the previous power-holders to account.
GERB is a party without memory, former prime minister Sergei Stanishev, recently re-elected Socialist Party leader, says in "Troud". He says GERB has engaged in farcical politics in the last four months, running the country on discrediting materials. All the power-holders are doing is "revision", which is clearly politically motivated, Stanishev claims. Neither Borissov nor most people in GERB know what democracy is. Unlike the Left or the Right, they were not part of the processes of building democracy in Bulgaria.
***
The dailies highlight the 20th anniversary of the end of the communist regime in Bulgaria, marked on November 20. In "Sega" political analyst Ivan Krustev comments that while corruption supported communism through the redistribution of goods as well as of power, the exchange of favours bestowed power on the little man. After the revolution he was free to talk, travel and consume, but he lost his leverage on the elite, says Krustev. Now the grocer may earn more but he lost his well-connected friends.
In "Monitor", former BTA journalist Petko Bocharov says that Bulgaria stood in one place for 20 years, and now GERB has a will to change things. Commenting on the fall of the communist regime, he says: "They manipulated the change under our noses." It is GERB's task to bring Bulgaria back to the place from which it was diverted 20 years ago.
In "Douma" Georgi Pirinski, Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly, says: "We should not revel in empty nostalgia." Asked when the ideals of 1989 died, he says the ideals were seriously eroded by the inability of the new democratic forces to prove that the new society will be more just and the democracy will lend a new quality of life.
THE ECONOMY
"Troud" quotes an UniCredit Group analysis showing that interest will fall by 2 per cent by 2012. The January-September lending interest for households in Bulgaria was 11.67 per cent on
average, while the average interest rate in 2012 is projected at 9.80 per cent, says Kristofor Pavlov, Chief Economist at UniCredit Bulbank. Deposit interest is expected to fall from 5.22 per cent now to 3.94 per cent in 2012.
"Pari" says the 2010 budget is based on the worst-case scenario. The budget parameters reflect the most pessimistic scenario, former prime minister Stanishev says. The Finance Ministry projects a 2 per cent drop in GDP, while the Bulgarian National Bank expects 0.5 per cent growth. Stanishev views this as a buffer that would allow the government to boast higher revenue collection in 2010.
"Troud" reports that the mothers of twins will see their allowance halved from 1,200 leva to 600 leva a year in 2010, while student mothers will lose their allowance of 2,880 leva for the child's first year, the Present and Future Mothers Association said, commenting on the draft budget. The saving is expected to top 1.5 million leva.
Desislava Taneva, Chair of the Parliamentary Agriculture Committee, says in "Dnevnik" that the decrease in aid to farmers will not be too damaging. Last week the Committee approved the draft budget on first reading. Farmers criticized it for the reduction in national complementary payments and state aid. This year agriculture received 211 million leva, while the appropriation for 2010 is 150 million leva. If revenue collection exceeds the target, farmers will get another 150 million. Taneva says the projected subsidies reflect the ongoing slump.
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 10, 2009
• Regions in southwestern Bulgaria are reeling from sustained torrential rains that have causes extensive flooding in villages in the Municipality of Kyustendil. The villages of Dolno Selo, Garlyano, and Rasovo have been heavily affected by a combination of heavy precipitation and the Bistritsa river which over-flooded. Once the river burst its banks, the surge of water has threatened, and damaged infrastructural installations, residential and administrative buildings in the area, as well as the hydro-electric power plant situated in proximity to the village.
• A man who presented himself as a court judge in Sofia's court palace, promised people to help them solve their legal disputes. The imposter, who had not yet been identified, dressed himself in the black robes of court judges and walked around the court house taking money from people, promising them help in solving their cases.
Sofia, November 10 (BTA)
HOME SCENE
"Troud" reports that two parties in Parliament - Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB) and Ataka - have called for President Georgi Purvanov's impeachment for different reasons. DSB leader Ivan Kostov, co-leader of the Blue Coalition, said the party would move for impeachment if it was proved that in his previous capacity as leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party Purvanov asked Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein for assistance. As to Ataka, it claims that the President failed to obey the Constitution and update Parliament on his performance, and that he impeded Bulgaria's Europeanization. Purvanov's office said this campaign was completely beside the point.
"24 Chassa" says that commenting on the impeachment threats, former premier Sergei Stanishev said that after Purvanov criticized the government, the "rapid reaction groups" in GERB, DSB and Ataka snapped into action. They were joined by Finance Minister Simeon Djankov, who proposed a cut in the President's budget by 1 million leva. "The authoritarian nature of Borissov's regime is becoming increasingly prominent," Stanishev says.
An analysis in "24 Chassa" says that Purvanov and Borissov are actually good for each other. Both Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and Purvanov are democrats. As such Borissov cannot do without opposition, but there is none of it on the political scene now. Purvanov also knows that a government needs opposition and has taken it upon himself to act as a corrective. He can afford this because this is his second term and he is not running for re-election. However, the two most stable institutions would do well to draw the match instead of engaging in a fierce fight.
"Troud" comments that in Round 2 of the fight between the President and the Prime Minister, things are taking a dramatic turn. The cabinet wants to recall the ambassadors to Turkey and the US for violations of the elections last summer, while Purvanov refused to recall them. Unless Boyko Borissov cancels his decision, the ambassador will be recalled and the cabinet will appoint a replacement, but the President will not issue a decree, so the level of Bulgaria's representation in one of the great powers will be lowered. Neither the state nor the government leader can afford to do this, the only thing they can do is reach agreement.
***
In "24 Chassa" four sociologists say that between 300,000 and 400,000 people will vote in Sofia's mayoral election on November 15. MBMD's Mira Radeva says people are tired and lack interest, hence the lack of a campaign. Vassil Tonchev from Sova Harris says the outcome seems predictable: the question is if GERB candidate Yordanka Fandakova will win with 4:1 or a 5:1 margin. Yulii Pavlov of the Centre for Analysis and Marketing expects Fandakova to win 200,000 votes and Socialist candidate Georgi Kadiev to win 60,000 votes. Tsvetozar Tomov of the Scala polling agency says he would be surprised if voter turnout exceeded 400,000.
***
"Troud" says senior administration officers will be checked for abuse in the absorption of EU funding for the strengthening of administrative capacity. Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov stressed that the persons in question were not ministers. He unveiled an Integrated Strategy for Prevention and Suppression of Corruption and Organized Crime, which will go before the Council of Ministers by mid-November and is designed to "win back public confidence in the state bodies".
***
"Troud" reports that Hristo Monov, the former director of Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ), has been charged with signing a loss-making contract with Arwex of Switzerland. Last November he signed a deal for 30 sleeping cars, causing detriment to the amount of 9,990,000 euro - the balance between the selling price of 550,000 euro and the real cost of 217,000 euro per sleeper.
***
In "Standart News", Ataka leader Volen Siderov says: "Boyko didn't disappoint me." Siderov's party has been GERB's staunchest supporter of all right-wing parties. He calls for joint lists with GERB and the other right-wing parties in the next parliamentary elections. All should make a compromise for the good of the country, he says. Siderov adds that the new cabinet has Europeanized Bulgaria and is the first to have called the previous power-holders to account.
GERB is a party without memory, former prime minister Sergei Stanishev, recently re-elected Socialist Party leader, says in "Troud". He says GERB has engaged in farcical politics in the last four months, running the country on discrediting materials. All the power-holders are doing is "revision", which is clearly politically motivated, Stanishev claims. Neither Borissov nor most people in GERB know what democracy is. Unlike the Left or the Right, they were not part of the processes of building democracy in Bulgaria.
***
The dailies highlight the 20th anniversary of the end of the communist regime in Bulgaria, marked on November 20. In "Sega" political analyst Ivan Krustev comments that while corruption supported communism through the redistribution of goods as well as of power, the exchange of favours bestowed power on the little man. After the revolution he was free to talk, travel and consume, but he lost his leverage on the elite, says Krustev. Now the grocer may earn more but he lost his well-connected friends.
In "Monitor", former BTA journalist Petko Bocharov says that Bulgaria stood in one place for 20 years, and now GERB has a will to change things. Commenting on the fall of the communist regime, he says: "They manipulated the change under our noses." It is GERB's task to bring Bulgaria back to the place from which it was diverted 20 years ago.
In "Douma" Georgi Pirinski, Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly, says: "We should not revel in empty nostalgia." Asked when the ideals of 1989 died, he says the ideals were seriously eroded by the inability of the new democratic forces to prove that the new society will be more just and the democracy will lend a new quality of life.
THE ECONOMY
"Troud" quotes an UniCredit Group analysis showing that interest will fall by 2 per cent by 2012. The January-September lending interest for households in Bulgaria was 11.67 per cent on
average, while the average interest rate in 2012 is projected at 9.80 per cent, says Kristofor Pavlov, Chief Economist at UniCredit Bulbank. Deposit interest is expected to fall from 5.22 per cent now to 3.94 per cent in 2012.
"Pari" says the 2010 budget is based on the worst-case scenario. The budget parameters reflect the most pessimistic scenario, former prime minister Stanishev says. The Finance Ministry projects a 2 per cent drop in GDP, while the Bulgarian National Bank expects 0.5 per cent growth. Stanishev views this as a buffer that would allow the government to boast higher revenue collection in 2010.
"Troud" reports that the mothers of twins will see their allowance halved from 1,200 leva to 600 leva a year in 2010, while student mothers will lose their allowance of 2,880 leva for the child's first year, the Present and Future Mothers Association said, commenting on the draft budget. The saving is expected to top 1.5 million leva.
Desislava Taneva, Chair of the Parliamentary Agriculture Committee, says in "Dnevnik" that the decrease in aid to farmers will not be too damaging. Last week the Committee approved the draft budget on first reading. Farmers criticized it for the reduction in national complementary payments and state aid. This year agriculture received 211 million leva, while the appropriation for 2010 is 150 million leva. If revenue collection exceeds the target, farmers will get another 150 million. Taneva says the projected subsidies reflect the ongoing slump.
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 10, 2009
• Regions in southwestern Bulgaria are reeling from sustained torrential rains that have causes extensive flooding in villages in the Municipality of Kyustendil. The villages of Dolno Selo, Garlyano, and Rasovo have been heavily affected by a combination of heavy precipitation and the Bistritsa river which over-flooded. Once the river burst its banks, the surge of water has threatened, and damaged infrastructural installations, residential and administrative buildings in the area, as well as the hydro-electric power plant situated in proximity to the village.
• A man who presented himself as a court judge in Sofia's court palace, promised people to help them solve their legal disputes. The imposter, who had not yet been identified, dressed himself in the black robes of court judges and walked around the court house taking money from people, promising them help in solving their cases.
mandag den 9. november 2009
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.
* * *
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.
* * *
"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.
* * *
"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.
* * *
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.
* * *
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.
* * *
"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.
* * *
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.
* * *
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").
* * *
"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.
* * *
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.
* * *
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.
* * *
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.
* * *
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."
* * *
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.
* * *
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.
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.
* * *
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.
* * *
"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.
* * *
"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.
* * *
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.
* * *
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.
* * *
"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.
* * *
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.
* * *
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").
* * *
"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.
* * *
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.
* * *
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.
* * *
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.
* * *
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."
* * *
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.
* * *
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.
fredag den 6. november 2009
Bulgarian press review, November 6, 2009
Press Review
Sofia, November 5 (BTA)
THE HOME SCENE
"Troud" quotes Prime Minister Boyko Borissov as saying Thursday at a roundtable on the reforms and the future of the State Agency for National Security (SANS): "Ninety six million leva are budgeted for SANS. A lot of money is allocated, and 92 per cent are spent on salaries. As a result, only scandals have been generated over the last three months. This is the tangible output of SANS Inc." The PM was categorically that the Agency receives a "vote of confidence" but it should produce, say, proactive information on energy security and whether a gas crisis is likely. According to Borissov, the worst damage inflicted on SANS is the loss of its credibility with the foreign partner services. SANS Chairman Tsvetlin Yovchev noted that "the stability of the national security system against external destructive elements is below the critical minimum." "Unauthorized access to classified information is not infrequent," Yovchev admitted. Prosecutor General Boris Velchev recommended to the SANS Chairman to form a strong legal team.
Former SANS Special Actions Department director Velin Hadjolov says in a "24 Chassa" interview that Deputy Prime Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov is misleading Prime Minister Borissov by taking over control of SANS. In this way, the PM forfeits the statutory responsibility and he is deprived of the role of a leading factor in the management of crisis situations relevant to the protection of national security and statehood. "The adoption of the proposed revisions of the SANS Act completely ruins a modern special service, which has been granted autonomy and powers to act effectively for the detection, prevention and frustration of crimes threatening national security," Hadjolov argues.
* * *
Under the headline "Borissov Fires Passport Mafia," "Troud" reports that the Prime Minister has ordered Justice Minister Margarita Popova to dismiss the bureaucrats who granted Bulgarian citizenship to criminals. At the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, a row reportedly erupted over amendments to the Bulgarian Citizenship Act proposed by Minister without Portfolio Bojidar Dimitrov. Popova objected to part of the provisions. The PM ordered a commission to reformulate the provisions within a couple of weeks and Popova to conduct a audit in the meantime. He was adamant that "everybody who took part in those commissions and who gave citizenship to criminals must go."
* * *
"Sega" quotes a progress report of the prosecuting magistracy according to which prosecutors have dismissed another 70,958 cases by reason of lapse of time. Now these crimes will go unpunished because all limitation periods for their completion and referral to court have expired. In practice, the perpetrators are thus amnestied. And they were known to prosecutors under 1,675 of the dismissed cases, or 2.4 per cent of the total. Last year 235,659 cases were dismissed by reason of lapse of time. At the end of June 2009, 672,616 investigations were halted, mainly because the investigating police officers were unable to detect the perpetrator. The prosecuting magistracy wants a new regulation of these case files: they insist that the Interior Ministry do not send them these cases unless the perpetrator of the offence has been detected.
* * *
"Troud" comments on "How Ataka Became GERB's Closest Ally." "One possible explanation is that the two parties' leaders found common ground and respect each other. The mutual respect between [Boyko] Borissov and [Volen] Siderov, however, does not lay sufficiently solid foundations for partnership between the two parties." The author describes as "unique" the history of the increasing political closeness between the two formations. "It is part of the process of transformation of Bulgarian politics from minority action into leader conduct. That is why the present link between GERB and Ataka is rather a personal symbiosis rather than a serious intention to enter into political marriage. Ataka could not pretend to be a pro-government party too long and trouble-free, nor can GERB rely on its sustained support," political scientist Dimiter Avramov reasons.
* * *
"Troud" runs an interview with National Assembly Deputy Chairman Georgi Pirinski headlined "BSP Is Bunch of Thieves? Stop Slander!" Pirinski argues that beyond any doubt a wholesale campaign is being launched to oust the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) from meaningful participation in politics. "This is a ruinous and myopic policy. The incumbent power-holders do not rely on arguments but on insinuations presented effectively, and the public proved susceptible to such a campaign." The interviewee acknowledges that leftist dispositions ever less find their exponent in the BSP. "Instead, a sort of vacuum is beginning to emerge and the question is whether the BSP will manage to convince the people who want to see a Left alternative that it is capable of offering it or will continue to bog itself down in infighting and political feebleness."
* * *
"Sega" reports that, surprisingly, the Cabinet decided to keep the ceiling on pensions until December 31, 2011 instead of lifting it for newly granted pensions as from next year. The daily asks: "How long we will be lying to people that the ceiling on pensions is going?" Assoc. Prof. Yordan Hristoskov, former governor of the National Social Security Institute, argues that the keeping of the ceiling will only lead to a loss of Bulgarians' trust in the social security system. "To avoid such a negative effect, the entry into force of such provisions in the law, which is justified from the point of view of social insurance principles, must be observed and by no means must be delayed. Moreover, they do not exert excessive fiscal pressure, i.e. they do not cost much to the public purse," according to Hristoskov.
* * *
"The transition in Bulgaria has ended," Dr Zhelyu Zhelev, this country's first democratically elected president, writes in "Sega." He is categorical that the Bulgarian transition is not stage-managed, because such sweeping processes and the replacement of one socio-political system by another cannot be stage-managed. "If stage management implies borrowing the experience of the Western democracies, then we have sought this ourselves." Zhelev notes that the transition from totalitarianism to democracy has been completed. But there are other transitions as well: to full-fledged economic integration into the EU etc.
ECONOMY
"Bankers Back Djankov for Low Interest Rates," "24 Chassa" says. On Thursday bankers declared themselves in favour of the initiative of Deputy Prime Minister Simeon Djankov for lowering interest rates in Bulgaria. On Wednesday Djankov met with representatives of the Association of Banks in Bulgaria (ABB) to discuss measures for improvement of lending, lowering of interest rates, assisting business for a faster recovery of the economy from the crisis. One of the measures discussed was the issuing of Eurobonds by the Government. According to First Investment Bank Executive Director Maya Georgieva, this would be an "exceedingly smart move." ABB Executive Board Chair and DSK Bank Chief Executive Director Violina Marinova sees a positive effect in the release of resources. Another contemplated idea is to scrap the requirement that banks guarantee by government securities 100 per cent of the assets on on-budget accounts they manage.
"Central Bank Expects 0.5% Growth in 2010," writes "Pari." "Bulgaria has the most stable fiscal policy of all European countries," Finance Minister Simeon Djankov told members of the National Assembly Economic Policy Committee and Budget and Finance Committee, who approved the 2010 draft budget on first reading. The Minister's thesis was backed by central bank Governor Ivan Iskrov. "We are one of the few EU Member States which will have a balanced budget next year," Iskrov said. He told the MPs that the central bank has developed a best-case and a worst-case scenario for the development of the Bulgarian economy in 2010. According to the best-case scenario, the gross domestic product will grow between 0 and 0.5 per cent and the inflation rate will approximate 2 per cent. The worst-case scenario is identical with the macroeconomic parameters set by the Government in the budget: 2 per cent contraction of GDP and 2.2 per cent inflation.
Interviewed for "Standart News," Democrats for Strong Bulgaria leader Ivan Kostov sayd that financial expert Simeon Djankov, who evokes very ambivalent reactons, managed to do two exceedingly complicated things during the first 100 days in office of the new Government. "First, he managed to press expenditures down to the limits of expected revenues without updating the budget, which was the easier way but he probably does not feel enough support in his subordinate administration. Secondly, in an emergency situation he managed to produce a budget bill on time, considering that the process was interrupted and sabotaged by the previous government." Kostov, who is a former finance minister and prime minister, describes the 2010 national budget as "intelligent and creative."
Sova Harris Executive Director Vassil Tonchev argues in an interview for "Novinar" that now that it is 100 days old, the Government must come up with an anti-crisis plan. In his opinion, from now on the Government is expected to present to the public its measures and a plan for the country's anti-crisis development. "It is already clear that we are now at the peak of the crisis which will probably continue for as long as until the middle of next year, or probably even until the end of 2010. What is seen, however, is that things in this respect are lagging behind or are not sufficiently convincing," Tonchev says.
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 6, 2009
· Bulgaria confirmed the sixth A (H1N1) flu death of 53-year-old man with cirrhosis, the chief health inspector Dr. Tencho Tenev stated today. The man has stayed sick at home and went to see a doctor very late. Flu pandemic will be declared Monday in Sofia over the increasing rate of flu cases.
· Police officers in the Chief Directorate Combating Organized Crime have taken immediate action together with their colleagues from the Ministry of Interior Regional Police Department in the town of Pleven after they have received signal that two 19-year-old girls have been forced to get into a car. The girls were found Friday locked in a house in the village of Barkach. Three mеn have been detained over kidnapping. Later it became clear that the kidnappers have taken a ransom at the amount of BGN 30 000.
· The prosecuting magistracy proposed to Prosecutor General Boris Velchev that former labour and social policy minister and current Socialist MP Emilia Maslarova be stripped of immunity. Maslarova will be investigated for alleged abuse of funding under the Beautiful Bulgaria Programme. Maslarova handed the Parliament Chair a written consent to give up her immunity as MP, because she does not want to obstruct the investigation.
Sofia, November 5 (BTA)
THE HOME SCENE
"Troud" quotes Prime Minister Boyko Borissov as saying Thursday at a roundtable on the reforms and the future of the State Agency for National Security (SANS): "Ninety six million leva are budgeted for SANS. A lot of money is allocated, and 92 per cent are spent on salaries. As a result, only scandals have been generated over the last three months. This is the tangible output of SANS Inc." The PM was categorically that the Agency receives a "vote of confidence" but it should produce, say, proactive information on energy security and whether a gas crisis is likely. According to Borissov, the worst damage inflicted on SANS is the loss of its credibility with the foreign partner services. SANS Chairman Tsvetlin Yovchev noted that "the stability of the national security system against external destructive elements is below the critical minimum." "Unauthorized access to classified information is not infrequent," Yovchev admitted. Prosecutor General Boris Velchev recommended to the SANS Chairman to form a strong legal team.
Former SANS Special Actions Department director Velin Hadjolov says in a "24 Chassa" interview that Deputy Prime Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov is misleading Prime Minister Borissov by taking over control of SANS. In this way, the PM forfeits the statutory responsibility and he is deprived of the role of a leading factor in the management of crisis situations relevant to the protection of national security and statehood. "The adoption of the proposed revisions of the SANS Act completely ruins a modern special service, which has been granted autonomy and powers to act effectively for the detection, prevention and frustration of crimes threatening national security," Hadjolov argues.
* * *
Under the headline "Borissov Fires Passport Mafia," "Troud" reports that the Prime Minister has ordered Justice Minister Margarita Popova to dismiss the bureaucrats who granted Bulgarian citizenship to criminals. At the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, a row reportedly erupted over amendments to the Bulgarian Citizenship Act proposed by Minister without Portfolio Bojidar Dimitrov. Popova objected to part of the provisions. The PM ordered a commission to reformulate the provisions within a couple of weeks and Popova to conduct a audit in the meantime. He was adamant that "everybody who took part in those commissions and who gave citizenship to criminals must go."
* * *
"Sega" quotes a progress report of the prosecuting magistracy according to which prosecutors have dismissed another 70,958 cases by reason of lapse of time. Now these crimes will go unpunished because all limitation periods for their completion and referral to court have expired. In practice, the perpetrators are thus amnestied. And they were known to prosecutors under 1,675 of the dismissed cases, or 2.4 per cent of the total. Last year 235,659 cases were dismissed by reason of lapse of time. At the end of June 2009, 672,616 investigations were halted, mainly because the investigating police officers were unable to detect the perpetrator. The prosecuting magistracy wants a new regulation of these case files: they insist that the Interior Ministry do not send them these cases unless the perpetrator of the offence has been detected.
* * *
"Troud" comments on "How Ataka Became GERB's Closest Ally." "One possible explanation is that the two parties' leaders found common ground and respect each other. The mutual respect between [Boyko] Borissov and [Volen] Siderov, however, does not lay sufficiently solid foundations for partnership between the two parties." The author describes as "unique" the history of the increasing political closeness between the two formations. "It is part of the process of transformation of Bulgarian politics from minority action into leader conduct. That is why the present link between GERB and Ataka is rather a personal symbiosis rather than a serious intention to enter into political marriage. Ataka could not pretend to be a pro-government party too long and trouble-free, nor can GERB rely on its sustained support," political scientist Dimiter Avramov reasons.
* * *
"Troud" runs an interview with National Assembly Deputy Chairman Georgi Pirinski headlined "BSP Is Bunch of Thieves? Stop Slander!" Pirinski argues that beyond any doubt a wholesale campaign is being launched to oust the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) from meaningful participation in politics. "This is a ruinous and myopic policy. The incumbent power-holders do not rely on arguments but on insinuations presented effectively, and the public proved susceptible to such a campaign." The interviewee acknowledges that leftist dispositions ever less find their exponent in the BSP. "Instead, a sort of vacuum is beginning to emerge and the question is whether the BSP will manage to convince the people who want to see a Left alternative that it is capable of offering it or will continue to bog itself down in infighting and political feebleness."
* * *
"Sega" reports that, surprisingly, the Cabinet decided to keep the ceiling on pensions until December 31, 2011 instead of lifting it for newly granted pensions as from next year. The daily asks: "How long we will be lying to people that the ceiling on pensions is going?" Assoc. Prof. Yordan Hristoskov, former governor of the National Social Security Institute, argues that the keeping of the ceiling will only lead to a loss of Bulgarians' trust in the social security system. "To avoid such a negative effect, the entry into force of such provisions in the law, which is justified from the point of view of social insurance principles, must be observed and by no means must be delayed. Moreover, they do not exert excessive fiscal pressure, i.e. they do not cost much to the public purse," according to Hristoskov.
* * *
"The transition in Bulgaria has ended," Dr Zhelyu Zhelev, this country's first democratically elected president, writes in "Sega." He is categorical that the Bulgarian transition is not stage-managed, because such sweeping processes and the replacement of one socio-political system by another cannot be stage-managed. "If stage management implies borrowing the experience of the Western democracies, then we have sought this ourselves." Zhelev notes that the transition from totalitarianism to democracy has been completed. But there are other transitions as well: to full-fledged economic integration into the EU etc.
ECONOMY
"Bankers Back Djankov for Low Interest Rates," "24 Chassa" says. On Thursday bankers declared themselves in favour of the initiative of Deputy Prime Minister Simeon Djankov for lowering interest rates in Bulgaria. On Wednesday Djankov met with representatives of the Association of Banks in Bulgaria (ABB) to discuss measures for improvement of lending, lowering of interest rates, assisting business for a faster recovery of the economy from the crisis. One of the measures discussed was the issuing of Eurobonds by the Government. According to First Investment Bank Executive Director Maya Georgieva, this would be an "exceedingly smart move." ABB Executive Board Chair and DSK Bank Chief Executive Director Violina Marinova sees a positive effect in the release of resources. Another contemplated idea is to scrap the requirement that banks guarantee by government securities 100 per cent of the assets on on-budget accounts they manage.
"Central Bank Expects 0.5% Growth in 2010," writes "Pari." "Bulgaria has the most stable fiscal policy of all European countries," Finance Minister Simeon Djankov told members of the National Assembly Economic Policy Committee and Budget and Finance Committee, who approved the 2010 draft budget on first reading. The Minister's thesis was backed by central bank Governor Ivan Iskrov. "We are one of the few EU Member States which will have a balanced budget next year," Iskrov said. He told the MPs that the central bank has developed a best-case and a worst-case scenario for the development of the Bulgarian economy in 2010. According to the best-case scenario, the gross domestic product will grow between 0 and 0.5 per cent and the inflation rate will approximate 2 per cent. The worst-case scenario is identical with the macroeconomic parameters set by the Government in the budget: 2 per cent contraction of GDP and 2.2 per cent inflation.
Interviewed for "Standart News," Democrats for Strong Bulgaria leader Ivan Kostov sayd that financial expert Simeon Djankov, who evokes very ambivalent reactons, managed to do two exceedingly complicated things during the first 100 days in office of the new Government. "First, he managed to press expenditures down to the limits of expected revenues without updating the budget, which was the easier way but he probably does not feel enough support in his subordinate administration. Secondly, in an emergency situation he managed to produce a budget bill on time, considering that the process was interrupted and sabotaged by the previous government." Kostov, who is a former finance minister and prime minister, describes the 2010 national budget as "intelligent and creative."
Sova Harris Executive Director Vassil Tonchev argues in an interview for "Novinar" that now that it is 100 days old, the Government must come up with an anti-crisis plan. In his opinion, from now on the Government is expected to present to the public its measures and a plan for the country's anti-crisis development. "It is already clear that we are now at the peak of the crisis which will probably continue for as long as until the middle of next year, or probably even until the end of 2010. What is seen, however, is that things in this respect are lagging behind or are not sufficiently convincing," Tonchev says.
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 6, 2009
· Bulgaria confirmed the sixth A (H1N1) flu death of 53-year-old man with cirrhosis, the chief health inspector Dr. Tencho Tenev stated today. The man has stayed sick at home and went to see a doctor very late. Flu pandemic will be declared Monday in Sofia over the increasing rate of flu cases.
· Police officers in the Chief Directorate Combating Organized Crime have taken immediate action together with their colleagues from the Ministry of Interior Regional Police Department in the town of Pleven after they have received signal that two 19-year-old girls have been forced to get into a car. The girls were found Friday locked in a house in the village of Barkach. Three mеn have been detained over kidnapping. Later it became clear that the kidnappers have taken a ransom at the amount of BGN 30 000.
· The prosecuting magistracy proposed to Prosecutor General Boris Velchev that former labour and social policy minister and current Socialist MP Emilia Maslarova be stripped of immunity. Maslarova will be investigated for alleged abuse of funding under the Beautiful Bulgaria Programme. Maslarova handed the Parliament Chair a written consent to give up her immunity as MP, because she does not want to obstruct the investigation.
torsdag den 5. november 2009
Bulgarian press review, November 5, 2009
Press Review
Sofia, November 5 (BTA)
HEALTH CARE
A national flu epidemic will be officially declared on Monday, write "Monitor" and "Telegraf". The number of people sick with the H1N1 flu virus will probably reach 200 per 10,000 population by the end of the week, which is the target threshold for closing schools and calling off scheduled surgeries. "Sega" writes that all schools will be closed if flu cases reach the critical threshold. The daily also informs that a fifth H1N1 flu fatality was reported.
"24 Chassa" warns that face masks are running short. Of the 170,000 masks ordered by pharmacies, 50,000 will be delivered by Friday and the rest within a week. "24 Chassa" quotes parliamentary health committee deputy chair Vanyo Sharkov as saying that of all EU countries Bulgaria is trailing behind by failing to order vaccines for the H1N1 swine flu virus. The daily publishes a verbatim record of a May 8 cabinet meeting where former health minister Evgenii Zhelev's demand for an extra 3.78 million leva in connection with the swine flu was turned down.
THE HOME SCENE
"24 Chassa" reports that the government has pledged to raise wages. Increasing incomes tops the governance programme of the cabinet unveiled on Wednesday, provided there are "fiscal possibilities". The government will change the ratio of insurance contributions between the state, employers and employees and reduce the insurance burden from 12:10:8 per cent for 2009 to 12:8.9:7.1 per cent for 2010. It will also promote collective labour agreements. With the completion of the administrative reform and the removal of doubling functions and units, part of the economized funds could go towards increasing wages of public servants, says parliamentary Budget Committee Chair Menda Stoyanova in an interview for "24 Chassa". She also says that it is better for Bulgaria to tighten its belt and join the Euro area so it could be less of a risk for investors.
***
"Troud" reports that Prime Minister Borissov has set himself 157 goals to achieve by 2013. Under the 153-page governance programme of the cabinet, Bulgarians will become richer, will live safer lives and will have better roads. The cabinet has also vowed to give jobs to 300,000 people in 2010.
***
"Troud" runs an article by former state administration minister Nikolai Vassilev in which he criticizes the 2010 draft budget for making unreasonable expenditures, allowing a deficit, lack of reforms in the public sector and undermining the pension system in the long run. "Douma" quotes former finance minister Plamen Oresharski as saying that the budget does not set out priorities.
***
Prime Minister Boyko Borissov (70 per cent) enjoys the highest approval ratings among East European leaders, beating Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev (69 per cent) by 1 percentage point, writes "24 Chassa", citing a survey of the US Pew Research Centre. Twenty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Bulgarians find themselves among the most disappointed. Of 76 per cent in 1991, approval for democratic changes and transition to market economy fell to 52 per cent
***
"They dumped the "Communist Manifesto" to Keep the "Capital", headlines "24 Chassa" an interview with former Bulgarian president Petar Stoyanov (1997-2001). According to Stoyanov, November 10, 1989 [former communist leader Todor Zhivkov was overthrown on that day] is not a cause for celebration or national pride because it is the only date in recent East European history, which has nothing to do with widespread anti-communist attitudes among other East European nations. Stoyanov says that November 10 simply brought the news that Zhivkov was overthrown by his own associates of the leadership of the Bulgarian Communist Party. Stoyanov says that "20 years after the initial euphoria, we have to admit that the main reason for the fall of communism was neither the rage and protests of the East Europeans, nor the opposition of people like Vaclav Havel, Lech Waleca or Bulgaria's Iliya Minev, whose courage deserve our deepest respect, but the readiness of "those in the know" to "bankrupt" the system to secure "unprecedented economic gains".
***
In an interview for "Troud" former Bulgarian president Zhelyo Zhelev [1990-1997] says that one of the biggest mistakes of Bulgaria's transition period was that former communist leader Todor Zhivkov and the leadership of the ruling communist party had not been tried for treason. According to Zhelev, the most successful cabinet of the transition period was that of prime minister Dimiter Popov, as it carried out the monetary economic reforms, denounced the agreement with the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, signed the agreement for the disbanding of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance and had as ministers the most prominent members of the Union of Democratic Forces and the Bulgarian Socialist Party.
***
In an interview for "Monitor", Podkrepa Labour Confederation President Konstantin Trenchev said that the transition period is far from over. Trenchev adds that totalitarianism taught people to be double-faced.
***
Interviewed by "Pari", the Bulgarian Socialist Party candidate for Sofia mayor Georgi Kadiev sets the municipal budget as his priority, whereas GERB mayoral candidate Yordanka Fandakova places the underground and the waste top on her agenda.
ECONOMY
The banks and the government will work towards lowering interest rates, writes "Dnevnik". Within a week banks will put forward measures to the government on improving the conditions in which they work and if applied, they will pave the way for reducing interest rates on loans, bankers said after a meeting with Finance Minister Simeon Djankov. Later, the banks and the Finance Ministry will draw up a joint plan on how to alleviate conditions. Interviewed by "Dnevnik", Violina Marinova, DSK Bank CEO and Chair of the Managing Board of the Association of Banks in Bulgaria, said that the meeting discussed ways to secure financial resources cheaper than on the external markets and to improve absorption of EU funds. Banks will set out specific measures on how to improve the economic environment. Among the suggestions are better legal protection for banks against defaulting clients and a revision of a requirement for a 100 per cent guarantee in government bonds of funds from the budget with the commercial banks, according to Postbank CEO Assen Yagodin.
***
One million companies need to re-register by the end of 2010 if they want to continue operation, says Acting Registry Agency Director Atanas Georgiev in an interview for "Novinar". It is then when deadline for companies to register with the Agency expires under the Commercial Register Act.
***
Data of the Bulgarian Construction Chamber show that nearly 28 per cent of construction companies have put an end to their activities and orders have declined by 30-35 per cent, report "Klassa" and "Douma", citing Foros CEO Dobromir Ganev.
INTERIOR, JUDICIARY
Police officers run the contraband of cigarettes, reports in an extensive coverage "24 Chassa". According to figures of tobacco manufacturer Bulgartabac, the state loses 600 million leva [roughly 300 million euro] every year from the illegal import of cigarettes.
***
Former State Agency for National Security [SANS] Chairman Petko Sertov will be charged on two counts over a leaked classified report and eight misplaced secret papers, writes "24 Chassa".
A new classified SANS report was leaked on Spiegel Online, reports "24 Chassa". Journalist Renate Flottau details key points in a new secret SANS report for the first half of 2009. The e-zine claims that it has its hands on a report exposing EU funds embezzlement in agriculture, drawn up in the middle of 2009.
***
"Standart News" reports that Agriculture and Foods Minister Miroslav Naydenov submitted Wednesday a claim with the Sofia District Court for recovery to the state of all of the 1,600 ha of forests restituted to former prime minister and Bulgarian ex-monarch Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. The state wants 5 million leva for the logged timber from the forests.
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 5, 2009
· A special unit of Russian police force stormed the premises of the Bulgarian Industrial Centre in Moscow although it is protected by diplomatic immunity, Bulgarian National Radio reported today.
The raid happened without any notice and explanation from police and, according to Bulgarian-language Dnevnik daily who quoted sources at the Bulgarian embassy in Moscow, policemen acted in such a way that contravened normal protocol.
Russian Interfax news agency quoted Bulgarian embassy employees as saying that 23 police officers stormed one of the residential buildings at the centre.
Police officers had a warrant issued by prosecutors against a Bulgarian national living in the building. Police had to perform a search of his apartment in relation to an investigation of illegal production of CDs, Interfax said.
The raid prompted the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry to issue a statement expressing serious concern about the Russian police action and to say that it had asked the Bulgarian ambassador to intervene. This led to the police operation being halted.
The raid technically breached the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The centre is administered by the Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism and is one of the biggest Bulgarian state-owned properties abroad. It is home to a number of Bulgarian companies that rent offices there.
Sofia, November 5 (BTA)
HEALTH CARE
A national flu epidemic will be officially declared on Monday, write "Monitor" and "Telegraf". The number of people sick with the H1N1 flu virus will probably reach 200 per 10,000 population by the end of the week, which is the target threshold for closing schools and calling off scheduled surgeries. "Sega" writes that all schools will be closed if flu cases reach the critical threshold. The daily also informs that a fifth H1N1 flu fatality was reported.
"24 Chassa" warns that face masks are running short. Of the 170,000 masks ordered by pharmacies, 50,000 will be delivered by Friday and the rest within a week. "24 Chassa" quotes parliamentary health committee deputy chair Vanyo Sharkov as saying that of all EU countries Bulgaria is trailing behind by failing to order vaccines for the H1N1 swine flu virus. The daily publishes a verbatim record of a May 8 cabinet meeting where former health minister Evgenii Zhelev's demand for an extra 3.78 million leva in connection with the swine flu was turned down.
THE HOME SCENE
"24 Chassa" reports that the government has pledged to raise wages. Increasing incomes tops the governance programme of the cabinet unveiled on Wednesday, provided there are "fiscal possibilities". The government will change the ratio of insurance contributions between the state, employers and employees and reduce the insurance burden from 12:10:8 per cent for 2009 to 12:8.9:7.1 per cent for 2010. It will also promote collective labour agreements. With the completion of the administrative reform and the removal of doubling functions and units, part of the economized funds could go towards increasing wages of public servants, says parliamentary Budget Committee Chair Menda Stoyanova in an interview for "24 Chassa". She also says that it is better for Bulgaria to tighten its belt and join the Euro area so it could be less of a risk for investors.
***
"Troud" reports that Prime Minister Borissov has set himself 157 goals to achieve by 2013. Under the 153-page governance programme of the cabinet, Bulgarians will become richer, will live safer lives and will have better roads. The cabinet has also vowed to give jobs to 300,000 people in 2010.
***
"Troud" runs an article by former state administration minister Nikolai Vassilev in which he criticizes the 2010 draft budget for making unreasonable expenditures, allowing a deficit, lack of reforms in the public sector and undermining the pension system in the long run. "Douma" quotes former finance minister Plamen Oresharski as saying that the budget does not set out priorities.
***
Prime Minister Boyko Borissov (70 per cent) enjoys the highest approval ratings among East European leaders, beating Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev (69 per cent) by 1 percentage point, writes "24 Chassa", citing a survey of the US Pew Research Centre. Twenty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Bulgarians find themselves among the most disappointed. Of 76 per cent in 1991, approval for democratic changes and transition to market economy fell to 52 per cent
***
"They dumped the "Communist Manifesto" to Keep the "Capital", headlines "24 Chassa" an interview with former Bulgarian president Petar Stoyanov (1997-2001). According to Stoyanov, November 10, 1989 [former communist leader Todor Zhivkov was overthrown on that day] is not a cause for celebration or national pride because it is the only date in recent East European history, which has nothing to do with widespread anti-communist attitudes among other East European nations. Stoyanov says that November 10 simply brought the news that Zhivkov was overthrown by his own associates of the leadership of the Bulgarian Communist Party. Stoyanov says that "20 years after the initial euphoria, we have to admit that the main reason for the fall of communism was neither the rage and protests of the East Europeans, nor the opposition of people like Vaclav Havel, Lech Waleca or Bulgaria's Iliya Minev, whose courage deserve our deepest respect, but the readiness of "those in the know" to "bankrupt" the system to secure "unprecedented economic gains".
***
In an interview for "Troud" former Bulgarian president Zhelyo Zhelev [1990-1997] says that one of the biggest mistakes of Bulgaria's transition period was that former communist leader Todor Zhivkov and the leadership of the ruling communist party had not been tried for treason. According to Zhelev, the most successful cabinet of the transition period was that of prime minister Dimiter Popov, as it carried out the monetary economic reforms, denounced the agreement with the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, signed the agreement for the disbanding of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance and had as ministers the most prominent members of the Union of Democratic Forces and the Bulgarian Socialist Party.
***
In an interview for "Monitor", Podkrepa Labour Confederation President Konstantin Trenchev said that the transition period is far from over. Trenchev adds that totalitarianism taught people to be double-faced.
***
Interviewed by "Pari", the Bulgarian Socialist Party candidate for Sofia mayor Georgi Kadiev sets the municipal budget as his priority, whereas GERB mayoral candidate Yordanka Fandakova places the underground and the waste top on her agenda.
ECONOMY
The banks and the government will work towards lowering interest rates, writes "Dnevnik". Within a week banks will put forward measures to the government on improving the conditions in which they work and if applied, they will pave the way for reducing interest rates on loans, bankers said after a meeting with Finance Minister Simeon Djankov. Later, the banks and the Finance Ministry will draw up a joint plan on how to alleviate conditions. Interviewed by "Dnevnik", Violina Marinova, DSK Bank CEO and Chair of the Managing Board of the Association of Banks in Bulgaria, said that the meeting discussed ways to secure financial resources cheaper than on the external markets and to improve absorption of EU funds. Banks will set out specific measures on how to improve the economic environment. Among the suggestions are better legal protection for banks against defaulting clients and a revision of a requirement for a 100 per cent guarantee in government bonds of funds from the budget with the commercial banks, according to Postbank CEO Assen Yagodin.
***
One million companies need to re-register by the end of 2010 if they want to continue operation, says Acting Registry Agency Director Atanas Georgiev in an interview for "Novinar". It is then when deadline for companies to register with the Agency expires under the Commercial Register Act.
***
Data of the Bulgarian Construction Chamber show that nearly 28 per cent of construction companies have put an end to their activities and orders have declined by 30-35 per cent, report "Klassa" and "Douma", citing Foros CEO Dobromir Ganev.
INTERIOR, JUDICIARY
Police officers run the contraband of cigarettes, reports in an extensive coverage "24 Chassa". According to figures of tobacco manufacturer Bulgartabac, the state loses 600 million leva [roughly 300 million euro] every year from the illegal import of cigarettes.
***
Former State Agency for National Security [SANS] Chairman Petko Sertov will be charged on two counts over a leaked classified report and eight misplaced secret papers, writes "24 Chassa".
A new classified SANS report was leaked on Spiegel Online, reports "24 Chassa". Journalist Renate Flottau details key points in a new secret SANS report for the first half of 2009. The e-zine claims that it has its hands on a report exposing EU funds embezzlement in agriculture, drawn up in the middle of 2009.
***
"Standart News" reports that Agriculture and Foods Minister Miroslav Naydenov submitted Wednesday a claim with the Sofia District Court for recovery to the state of all of the 1,600 ha of forests restituted to former prime minister and Bulgarian ex-monarch Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. The state wants 5 million leva for the logged timber from the forests.
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 5, 2009
· A special unit of Russian police force stormed the premises of the Bulgarian Industrial Centre in Moscow although it is protected by diplomatic immunity, Bulgarian National Radio reported today.
The raid happened without any notice and explanation from police and, according to Bulgarian-language Dnevnik daily who quoted sources at the Bulgarian embassy in Moscow, policemen acted in such a way that contravened normal protocol.
Russian Interfax news agency quoted Bulgarian embassy employees as saying that 23 police officers stormed one of the residential buildings at the centre.
Police officers had a warrant issued by prosecutors against a Bulgarian national living in the building. Police had to perform a search of his apartment in relation to an investigation of illegal production of CDs, Interfax said.
The raid prompted the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry to issue a statement expressing serious concern about the Russian police action and to say that it had asked the Bulgarian ambassador to intervene. This led to the police operation being halted.
The raid technically breached the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The centre is administered by the Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism and is one of the biggest Bulgarian state-owned properties abroad. It is home to a number of Bulgarian companies that rent offices there.
onsdag den 4. november 2009
Bulgarian Press Review November 4, 2009
Press Review
Sofia, November 4 (BTA)
HOME SCENE
Prosecutor General Boris Velchev submitted to Parliament Tuesday the demand of Sofia City Prosecution that the immunity of former Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev as MP be lifted, "Troud" writes. Velchev received a proposal by Sofia City Prosecutor Nikolai Kokinov that Stanishev be stripped of his immunity. The motives behind the proposal involved loss of documents containing state secret and incautious causing of leakage of classified information. "I have never hesitated whether to demand lifting of immunity, when this is in the interest of justice," Velchev is quoted as saying. On his part, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said that he does not interfere into the affairs of the judiciary. Also on Tuesday Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov said that two Interior Ministry reports, received personally by Stanishev, are missing. The materials that have disappeared concern smuggling, abuses in the customs and transactions with Iraq. "I am interested that the truth be revealed," Stanishev said adding he voluntarily gives up his immunity in connection with the investigation. The prosecution authority and the judicial system are submitted to unprecedented pressure on the part of the Prime Minister and the Interior Minister, Stanishev commented.
***
Every prime minister should know how to keep a secret, Tsveta Markova, Chairperson of the State Commission on Security of Information, says in an interview granted for "Troud". Once the Commission receives information from the Council of Ministers and the State Agency for National Security (SANS), it will make an analysis so as to establish the reasons having led to that situation, says she. "Stanishev has either received the report personally or through an employee. Such a procedure is applicable to the return of documents as well. The law requires from everyone handling classified information to sign a declaration that he is familiar with the rules for its usage," Markova also says.
***
Assessments of the Cabinet's first 100 days in office came from all directions on Tuesday, the "Troud" paper says. The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) was most critical as expected. According to the Socialists, these have been 100 days of lies. They blame the incumbents for alleged refusal to update the national budget and to reduce the tax burden by five per cent. The 2010 draft budget is a budget of impoverishment, unemployment and social insecurity, BSP says. On their part, Democrats for Strong Bulgaria did not spare praise for the Cabinet, which has reportedly managed to keep and even enlist higher confidence on the part of the people. However, according to this party, at the same time the incumbents have failed so far to show in depth the damage caused by the ruling of the three-party coalition (BSP - National Movement for Surge and Stability - Movement for Rights and Freedoms, MRF). "The most important thing about these 100 days is that Bulgaria is not governed by the Red oligarchy on the mandate of a Turkish party," Ataka leader Volen Siderov is quoted as saying.
According to a survey of the Alfa Research polling agency, the mark, which the Cabinet deserves for its hitherto performance is Good 4.13. A commentary in "Dnevnik" says that the overall credit of confidence in the Cabinet remains high but signs of growing criticism have been observed. There are high expectations about actions while what has been done so far is assessed by the society as inadequate and rather contradictory. The followers of the parties, which support the Cabinet, become more reserved.
According to a commentary in the "Sega" paper, GERB is settling into the same virtual world, inhabited by the previous governments. Should the SANS scandals or how often Stanishev and MRF leader Ahmed Dogan attend parliament sittings be the top state concern," the author asks. Obviously, such scandals are aimed to divert the attention. However, if GERB does not want that its rating remains solely institutional, it should turn to real life, the author of the commentary states.
"24 Chassa" publishes the results of an opinion poll conducted by the MBMD agency in late October and early November. A total of 63.6 per cent of the interviewed back Prime Minister Borissov. "24 Chassa" draws a comparison with the support for previous prime ministers as at the 100 day of the tenure of their governments: Stanishev was supported by 34 per cent, Ivan Kostov by 58 per cent and Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha by 51 per cent.
***
"Withdraw from the Barricade, if It Is Not Too Late," reads a commentary in "Troud". Rather than identifying the strategic goals for the next 20 years, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov has been preoccupied with current issues. In the last days of its tenure the previous cabinet mapped out a strategy for a post-election war. Borissov accepted to wage this war thinking that he would win easily, the author writes. According to him, Prime Minister Borissov got involved into an exhausting PR campaign employing the full resources of power. Thus he is diverted from the main front line - the management of the crisis, the author says.
***
In an interview for "Standart News" Health Minister Bozhidar Nanev says that at least six million leva will be additionally allocated for antiviral medications with a view to the epidemic declared in several regions. Additional six million are expected to be spent on vaccines. All doctors have been instructed regarding the treatment of the flue. The Minister recommends to those who are unwell to visit a doctor rather than resort to self-treatment.
***
"Sega" reports about draft amendments to the Criminal Code publicized by the Justice Ministry on Tuesday. Under the draft amendments employees of private companies would be held liable for abuse of office. Another proposed amendment envisages lifetime imprisonment for kidnapping. The Ministry also suggests prison sentence for entering lower prices in documents on the sale of corporeal immovables or cars.
***
"24 Chassa" writes that two policemen and a Defence Ministry employee worked for a car theft ring. While patrolling the streets, the policemen would chose target cars that would then be returned in exchange of a ransom or re-sold. They would receive 800 leva for each car sold. The paper quotes Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov as saying that the operation has been perfectly organized.
ECONOMY
According to "Standart News", Prime Minister Borissov urged the banks to reduce interests on credits. He allegedly did this at informal meetings as the Government may not interfere into the banks' affairs. Tuesday the Cabinet held what was the fourth annual meeting with business representatives. Bulgarian National Bank chief Ivan Iskrov predicted that the crisis in this country would reach its climax in the last months of the year.
BULGARIA - EU
Brussels predicts that Bulgaria would be in recession for another year, "24 Chassa" writes. Bulgaria is among the eight EU Member States, the economies of which will continue to be in recession during the following year as well, the paper says referring to the European Commission. According to the Commission, the prolonging of the tough period would distance the country from the rest of the member states. Bulgaria's future would largely depend on the degree of recovery of the world economies and the country's ability to restore the interest of foreign investors and to absorb EU funds. Catching up with the other EU countries and preserving the macroeconomic stability are outlined as main challenges for the next 24 months.
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 4, 2009
• Bulgaria's Health Ministry has reported the fifth swine flu death in the country. In the southwestern town of Petrich a man 27 years of age stayed sick at home for 10 days and did not went to see a doctor, Healthcare Minister Dr. Bozhidar Nanev announced at a press conference today. More than 130 people per every 10,000 have tested positive for swine flu in Bulgaria, the rate necessary for declaring a nation-wide epidemic emergency being 200 per 10,000.
• Two persons have been arrested for Wednesday morning’s incident in which a young man was forced to get into a car in downtown Sofia, Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov stated. It took the police five hours to identify the people involved in the incident he says and added that the probable reason is an unpaid debt.
Sofia, November 4 (BTA)
HOME SCENE
Prosecutor General Boris Velchev submitted to Parliament Tuesday the demand of Sofia City Prosecution that the immunity of former Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev as MP be lifted, "Troud" writes. Velchev received a proposal by Sofia City Prosecutor Nikolai Kokinov that Stanishev be stripped of his immunity. The motives behind the proposal involved loss of documents containing state secret and incautious causing of leakage of classified information. "I have never hesitated whether to demand lifting of immunity, when this is in the interest of justice," Velchev is quoted as saying. On his part, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said that he does not interfere into the affairs of the judiciary. Also on Tuesday Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov said that two Interior Ministry reports, received personally by Stanishev, are missing. The materials that have disappeared concern smuggling, abuses in the customs and transactions with Iraq. "I am interested that the truth be revealed," Stanishev said adding he voluntarily gives up his immunity in connection with the investigation. The prosecution authority and the judicial system are submitted to unprecedented pressure on the part of the Prime Minister and the Interior Minister, Stanishev commented.
***
Every prime minister should know how to keep a secret, Tsveta Markova, Chairperson of the State Commission on Security of Information, says in an interview granted for "Troud". Once the Commission receives information from the Council of Ministers and the State Agency for National Security (SANS), it will make an analysis so as to establish the reasons having led to that situation, says she. "Stanishev has either received the report personally or through an employee. Such a procedure is applicable to the return of documents as well. The law requires from everyone handling classified information to sign a declaration that he is familiar with the rules for its usage," Markova also says.
***
Assessments of the Cabinet's first 100 days in office came from all directions on Tuesday, the "Troud" paper says. The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) was most critical as expected. According to the Socialists, these have been 100 days of lies. They blame the incumbents for alleged refusal to update the national budget and to reduce the tax burden by five per cent. The 2010 draft budget is a budget of impoverishment, unemployment and social insecurity, BSP says. On their part, Democrats for Strong Bulgaria did not spare praise for the Cabinet, which has reportedly managed to keep and even enlist higher confidence on the part of the people. However, according to this party, at the same time the incumbents have failed so far to show in depth the damage caused by the ruling of the three-party coalition (BSP - National Movement for Surge and Stability - Movement for Rights and Freedoms, MRF). "The most important thing about these 100 days is that Bulgaria is not governed by the Red oligarchy on the mandate of a Turkish party," Ataka leader Volen Siderov is quoted as saying.
According to a survey of the Alfa Research polling agency, the mark, which the Cabinet deserves for its hitherto performance is Good 4.13. A commentary in "Dnevnik" says that the overall credit of confidence in the Cabinet remains high but signs of growing criticism have been observed. There are high expectations about actions while what has been done so far is assessed by the society as inadequate and rather contradictory. The followers of the parties, which support the Cabinet, become more reserved.
According to a commentary in the "Sega" paper, GERB is settling into the same virtual world, inhabited by the previous governments. Should the SANS scandals or how often Stanishev and MRF leader Ahmed Dogan attend parliament sittings be the top state concern," the author asks. Obviously, such scandals are aimed to divert the attention. However, if GERB does not want that its rating remains solely institutional, it should turn to real life, the author of the commentary states.
"24 Chassa" publishes the results of an opinion poll conducted by the MBMD agency in late October and early November. A total of 63.6 per cent of the interviewed back Prime Minister Borissov. "24 Chassa" draws a comparison with the support for previous prime ministers as at the 100 day of the tenure of their governments: Stanishev was supported by 34 per cent, Ivan Kostov by 58 per cent and Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha by 51 per cent.
***
"Withdraw from the Barricade, if It Is Not Too Late," reads a commentary in "Troud". Rather than identifying the strategic goals for the next 20 years, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov has been preoccupied with current issues. In the last days of its tenure the previous cabinet mapped out a strategy for a post-election war. Borissov accepted to wage this war thinking that he would win easily, the author writes. According to him, Prime Minister Borissov got involved into an exhausting PR campaign employing the full resources of power. Thus he is diverted from the main front line - the management of the crisis, the author says.
***
In an interview for "Standart News" Health Minister Bozhidar Nanev says that at least six million leva will be additionally allocated for antiviral medications with a view to the epidemic declared in several regions. Additional six million are expected to be spent on vaccines. All doctors have been instructed regarding the treatment of the flue. The Minister recommends to those who are unwell to visit a doctor rather than resort to self-treatment.
***
"Sega" reports about draft amendments to the Criminal Code publicized by the Justice Ministry on Tuesday. Under the draft amendments employees of private companies would be held liable for abuse of office. Another proposed amendment envisages lifetime imprisonment for kidnapping. The Ministry also suggests prison sentence for entering lower prices in documents on the sale of corporeal immovables or cars.
***
"24 Chassa" writes that two policemen and a Defence Ministry employee worked for a car theft ring. While patrolling the streets, the policemen would chose target cars that would then be returned in exchange of a ransom or re-sold. They would receive 800 leva for each car sold. The paper quotes Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov as saying that the operation has been perfectly organized.
ECONOMY
According to "Standart News", Prime Minister Borissov urged the banks to reduce interests on credits. He allegedly did this at informal meetings as the Government may not interfere into the banks' affairs. Tuesday the Cabinet held what was the fourth annual meeting with business representatives. Bulgarian National Bank chief Ivan Iskrov predicted that the crisis in this country would reach its climax in the last months of the year.
BULGARIA - EU
Brussels predicts that Bulgaria would be in recession for another year, "24 Chassa" writes. Bulgaria is among the eight EU Member States, the economies of which will continue to be in recession during the following year as well, the paper says referring to the European Commission. According to the Commission, the prolonging of the tough period would distance the country from the rest of the member states. Bulgaria's future would largely depend on the degree of recovery of the world economies and the country's ability to restore the interest of foreign investors and to absorb EU funds. Catching up with the other EU countries and preserving the macroeconomic stability are outlined as main challenges for the next 24 months.
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 4, 2009
• Bulgaria's Health Ministry has reported the fifth swine flu death in the country. In the southwestern town of Petrich a man 27 years of age stayed sick at home for 10 days and did not went to see a doctor, Healthcare Minister Dr. Bozhidar Nanev announced at a press conference today. More than 130 people per every 10,000 have tested positive for swine flu in Bulgaria, the rate necessary for declaring a nation-wide epidemic emergency being 200 per 10,000.
• Two persons have been arrested for Wednesday morning’s incident in which a young man was forced to get into a car in downtown Sofia, Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov stated. It took the police five hours to identify the people involved in the incident he says and added that the probable reason is an unpaid debt.
tirsdag den 3. november 2009
Bulgarian press review, November 3, 2009
Press Review
Sofia, November 3 (BTA)
HOME SCENE
According to 63 per cent of Bulgarians the activities of the incumbent government raise hopes, 23 per cent say they are disappointing, showed the results of a poll reprinted by "Troud." Voters' attitudes almost mirror the situation of eight years ago but now Boyko Borissov is in the role of the then prime minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Sergei Stanishev appears in that of Ivan Kostov, then opposition leader in parliament, sociologists Andrei Raychev and Kuncho Stoychev say.
"The greatest achievement of the government in its first 100 days is that it has returned the names in politics to the places they belong and quickly translated the catastrophe caused by Stanishev's governance in figures," political scientist Evgenii Daynov observes in "24 Chassa." In his opinion, one of the incumbents' problems is that they do not know what to do with the secret services and the Russian projects.
MBMD Director Mira Radeva expresses the view that the strengths of the incumbent government include broad parliamentary and public support and regained confidence of the European institutions and funds; the bad thing is, she notes however, that the incumbents' focus is rather on their media image than on the battle for survival of the economy.
"The incumbents are energetic but their allying with Ataka and distancing themselves from the Blue [Coalition] is a mistake," Andrei Raychev of Gallup International says.
* * *
"From European point of view, I have not heard anything negative about the Bulgarian government so far - if it goes on along its pro-European road, the government will enjoy support," German MEP Elmar Brok of the European People's Party says in an interview for "Troud."
* * *
"Standart News" headlines an interview with Prime Minister Boyko Borissov "Europe Got Me Ready for the Power." In his words, the Commission for Identifying Criminal Assets Acquisition (popularly known as the Koushlev Commission after the name of its chairman Stoyan Koushlev) should have a legal instrument allowing it to seize property acquired by criminal means. "The GERB candidate for Sofia mayor [Yordanka Fandakova, currently Education, Youth and Science Minister] should go on working for what is within her competence - education," Borissov says.
* * *
"We are planning extensions and construction of schools on money from the budget and from European programmes," Fandakova says in an interview for "24 Chassa." Opening 2-3,000 vacancies in kindergartens over the next two or three years can resolve the problem with kids, she says.
* * *
There is a big hole in Sofia Municipality's budget - about 180 million leva in taxes and fees will remain uncollected this year, "Douma" quotes Georgi Kadiev as saying. Kadiev is the candidate of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) for mayor of Sofia.
* * *
"Economic circles have been trying to work their way to the government and become factors in determining the global economic trends by bringing under their control the most dangerous zones of public governance," Order, Lawfulness, Justice leader Yani Yanev says in "Standart News." In his words, there is a group seeking to provoke a monetary crisis.
INTERIOR MINISTRY, JUSTICE
"In the aftermath of mass layoffs stemming from the economic crisis, abductions of high-positioned officials are expected," "Novinar" writes referring to the international association for self-defence, bodyguard and security services. Former employees may vengeance for being left without incomes by kidnapping their ex-bosses. The association recommends that attention be paid to the new motives for abduction in applying measures for its prevention. Starting Monday, the "Prepared Is Protected" campaign is aimed to inform people about the types of and motives for abduction and the risk groups. The association warns that subject to abduction are not only the reach but people of the middle class, too.
* * *
Bulgaria is placed third by tax evasion in the EU, "Sega" says referring to a grading of the Association of Italian Taxpayers. The association got the data from the tax authorities in the EU member states. According to the data, 39.3 per cent of Bulgarians are tax evaders. Italy is first, with 51.2 per cent tax evaders, Romania is next.
ECONOMY
The stock exchange has got to quickly change its delisting rules, Financial Supervision Commission (FSC) Deputy Chair Ralitsa Agayn-Guri says in an interview for "Pari."
* * *
Foreign investments in Bulgaria will shrink by 50 per cent in 2009 compared with the previous year when they totalled 6,500 million euro, analysts forecast in "Pari" based on data for the first half of the year released by the National bank of Bulgaria (BNB).
* * *
As much as 1,400 million leva would enter Bulgaria's economy if it had an electronic government. The introduction of such services will cost several hundred million leva but the investment will help pull this country out of the economic crisis, Bulgarian Industrial Association President Bozhidar Danev is quoted as saying by "Klassa."
* * *
"The establishment of the National Revenue Agency and the institutionalization of the tax administration have been appreciated as a very good step by the World Bank. That is why [Finance Minister] Simeon Djankov is in the difficult position to criticize areas which the institution he used to work for described as well reformed," former finance minister Plamen Oresharski says in an interview for "Troud."
* * *
Erhard Busek, former Special Co-ordinator of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, commends in an interview granted to "Telegraf" to give up the Belene nuclear power plant project. In his view, Bulgaria should construct hydroelectric power plants and wind parks for which there are excellent conditions in it.
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 3, 2009
· It can be said Bulgaria's state budget is already balanced as a surplus of BGN 52 M has been achieved for October 2009. This was announced Tuesday by Prime Minister Boyko Borisov during the Fourth Annual Meeting of Government and Business organized together with the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria (CEIBG). Borisov declared that securing financial stability by reducing the deficit that emerged in the summer of 2009 and balancing the budget is the most crucial achievement of the government in its first 100 days.
As another major achievement of his first 100 days in office he pointed to the unblocking of frozen EU funds.
Borisov stressed the importance of financial stability and security as a top priority of his government, and announced that he had formed a special council of economy experts to advise him on financial matters. The newly formed council includes Kristalina Georgieva, Vice-President of the World Bank; Lyubomir Hristov, former advisor of the World Bank President, and Professor Iliyan Mihov.
"The Ministers have had it really tough with what they have discovered in their ministries. They cannot stop talking about that because either there is no money, or there are contracts leaving their institutions deeply in debt,” the Prime Minister said.
· The Sofia City Prosecutor's Office is going to demand that one Member of Parliament be stripped of his immunity over the investigation of a recently leaked top secret intelligence report. This was announced Tuesday by the Sofia City Prosecutor, Nikolay Kokinov. He did not mention explicitly the name of the former Prime Minister but Stanishev is the only Member of Parliament who has been interrogated over the secret intelligence report which disappeared in October 2008.
· Police detained a criminal group over carjacking last night in the capital, Chief Prosecutor Nikolay Kokinov stated today. In the crime were involved not only a civil citizens but also a policemen and one military man. They were detained in a stolen car last nigh in Sofia.
Sofia, November 3 (BTA)
HOME SCENE
According to 63 per cent of Bulgarians the activities of the incumbent government raise hopes, 23 per cent say they are disappointing, showed the results of a poll reprinted by "Troud." Voters' attitudes almost mirror the situation of eight years ago but now Boyko Borissov is in the role of the then prime minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Sergei Stanishev appears in that of Ivan Kostov, then opposition leader in parliament, sociologists Andrei Raychev and Kuncho Stoychev say.
"The greatest achievement of the government in its first 100 days is that it has returned the names in politics to the places they belong and quickly translated the catastrophe caused by Stanishev's governance in figures," political scientist Evgenii Daynov observes in "24 Chassa." In his opinion, one of the incumbents' problems is that they do not know what to do with the secret services and the Russian projects.
MBMD Director Mira Radeva expresses the view that the strengths of the incumbent government include broad parliamentary and public support and regained confidence of the European institutions and funds; the bad thing is, she notes however, that the incumbents' focus is rather on their media image than on the battle for survival of the economy.
"The incumbents are energetic but their allying with Ataka and distancing themselves from the Blue [Coalition] is a mistake," Andrei Raychev of Gallup International says.
* * *
"From European point of view, I have not heard anything negative about the Bulgarian government so far - if it goes on along its pro-European road, the government will enjoy support," German MEP Elmar Brok of the European People's Party says in an interview for "Troud."
* * *
"Standart News" headlines an interview with Prime Minister Boyko Borissov "Europe Got Me Ready for the Power." In his words, the Commission for Identifying Criminal Assets Acquisition (popularly known as the Koushlev Commission after the name of its chairman Stoyan Koushlev) should have a legal instrument allowing it to seize property acquired by criminal means. "The GERB candidate for Sofia mayor [Yordanka Fandakova, currently Education, Youth and Science Minister] should go on working for what is within her competence - education," Borissov says.
* * *
"We are planning extensions and construction of schools on money from the budget and from European programmes," Fandakova says in an interview for "24 Chassa." Opening 2-3,000 vacancies in kindergartens over the next two or three years can resolve the problem with kids, she says.
* * *
There is a big hole in Sofia Municipality's budget - about 180 million leva in taxes and fees will remain uncollected this year, "Douma" quotes Georgi Kadiev as saying. Kadiev is the candidate of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) for mayor of Sofia.
* * *
"Economic circles have been trying to work their way to the government and become factors in determining the global economic trends by bringing under their control the most dangerous zones of public governance," Order, Lawfulness, Justice leader Yani Yanev says in "Standart News." In his words, there is a group seeking to provoke a monetary crisis.
INTERIOR MINISTRY, JUSTICE
"In the aftermath of mass layoffs stemming from the economic crisis, abductions of high-positioned officials are expected," "Novinar" writes referring to the international association for self-defence, bodyguard and security services. Former employees may vengeance for being left without incomes by kidnapping their ex-bosses. The association recommends that attention be paid to the new motives for abduction in applying measures for its prevention. Starting Monday, the "Prepared Is Protected" campaign is aimed to inform people about the types of and motives for abduction and the risk groups. The association warns that subject to abduction are not only the reach but people of the middle class, too.
* * *
Bulgaria is placed third by tax evasion in the EU, "Sega" says referring to a grading of the Association of Italian Taxpayers. The association got the data from the tax authorities in the EU member states. According to the data, 39.3 per cent of Bulgarians are tax evaders. Italy is first, with 51.2 per cent tax evaders, Romania is next.
ECONOMY
The stock exchange has got to quickly change its delisting rules, Financial Supervision Commission (FSC) Deputy Chair Ralitsa Agayn-Guri says in an interview for "Pari."
* * *
Foreign investments in Bulgaria will shrink by 50 per cent in 2009 compared with the previous year when they totalled 6,500 million euro, analysts forecast in "Pari" based on data for the first half of the year released by the National bank of Bulgaria (BNB).
* * *
As much as 1,400 million leva would enter Bulgaria's economy if it had an electronic government. The introduction of such services will cost several hundred million leva but the investment will help pull this country out of the economic crisis, Bulgarian Industrial Association President Bozhidar Danev is quoted as saying by "Klassa."
* * *
"The establishment of the National Revenue Agency and the institutionalization of the tax administration have been appreciated as a very good step by the World Bank. That is why [Finance Minister] Simeon Djankov is in the difficult position to criticize areas which the institution he used to work for described as well reformed," former finance minister Plamen Oresharski says in an interview for "Troud."
* * *
Erhard Busek, former Special Co-ordinator of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, commends in an interview granted to "Telegraf" to give up the Belene nuclear power plant project. In his view, Bulgaria should construct hydroelectric power plants and wind parks for which there are excellent conditions in it.
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 3, 2009
· It can be said Bulgaria's state budget is already balanced as a surplus of BGN 52 M has been achieved for October 2009. This was announced Tuesday by Prime Minister Boyko Borisov during the Fourth Annual Meeting of Government and Business organized together with the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria (CEIBG). Borisov declared that securing financial stability by reducing the deficit that emerged in the summer of 2009 and balancing the budget is the most crucial achievement of the government in its first 100 days.
As another major achievement of his first 100 days in office he pointed to the unblocking of frozen EU funds.
Borisov stressed the importance of financial stability and security as a top priority of his government, and announced that he had formed a special council of economy experts to advise him on financial matters. The newly formed council includes Kristalina Georgieva, Vice-President of the World Bank; Lyubomir Hristov, former advisor of the World Bank President, and Professor Iliyan Mihov.
"The Ministers have had it really tough with what they have discovered in their ministries. They cannot stop talking about that because either there is no money, or there are contracts leaving their institutions deeply in debt,” the Prime Minister said.
· The Sofia City Prosecutor's Office is going to demand that one Member of Parliament be stripped of his immunity over the investigation of a recently leaked top secret intelligence report. This was announced Tuesday by the Sofia City Prosecutor, Nikolay Kokinov. He did not mention explicitly the name of the former Prime Minister but Stanishev is the only Member of Parliament who has been interrogated over the secret intelligence report which disappeared in October 2008.
· Police detained a criminal group over carjacking last night in the capital, Chief Prosecutor Nikolay Kokinov stated today. In the crime were involved not only a civil citizens but also a policemen and one military man. They were detained in a stolen car last nigh in Sofia.
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