JUNE 21, 1995
"Bulgaria and Greece confirm their determination to work together for the strengthening of peace, stability and security in the Balkans, for the social and economic development of the region as a whole and of their own peoples," it is said in a joint statement signed by Bulgarian Prime Minister Zhan Videnov and his Greek counterpart Andreas Papandreou in the villa of the Papandreou family in Athens. The Bulgarian Prime Minister arrived on an official visit to Greece at the invitation of Prime Minister Papandreou yesterday. The sides agreed to promote the exchange of information concerning the European Union and the programmes of the Western European Union and NATO. They attached much importance to cooperation in defence and to the implementation of specific, coordinated projects within the framework of NATO's Partnership for Peace plan. Sofia and Athens repeated their shared position that the efforts for finding a political seettlement of the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina should be parallel to the lifting of UN sanctions against the Federal republic of Yugoslavia. The governments of the two countries confirmed their readiness to implement the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourly Relations, Cooperation and Security signed in 1991 and to fulfil all the bilateral agreements.
"The sides pointed out the necessity of studying all suggestions and ideas about new land and sea arteries that would connect the Danubean countries and Central Europe with the Aegean Sea, the Mediterranean and the Middle East," the statement says. According to the document, the governments of Bulgaria and Greece reached an understanding to sign the agreement on the Mesta River waters and the agreement on the opening of new border checkpoints before the end of 1995. Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations Kiril Tsochev gave a news conference, the participants in which were told that three Greek banks had been granted licenses to operate in Bulgaria. Another four banks are on the waiting list, including the Commercial Bank of Greece, which is the second largest one after the National Bank of Greece. The Bulgarian side raised the question of licensing the operation of Bulgarian banks in Greece. Only First Private Bank has applied for such a license so far. Greek banks are interested in taking part in the privatization process in Bulgaria. "The Greek side confirmed its support for Bulgaria's accession to full membership in the EU," Kiril Tsochev stated. "The question is not about setting up an axis in the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula, but about national security," he said. After the visit by Greece's Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias to Bulgaria at the end of March 1995, Bulgarian businessmen may get one-year visas for Greece. "At the talks in Athens the sides expressed their desire to abolish visa requirements; Greece said it was ready to provide assistance in removing Bulgaria from the Schengen black list," Tsochev said. The agreement on seasonal workers is under discussion and it will probably be signed soon. "The agreement is not linked with the agreement on the repatriation of Bulgarian migrant workers from Greece," the Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister added.
This morning Prime Minister Videnov laid a wreath at the Unknown Soldier Monument. Later he had a luncheon with Apostolos Kaklamanis, President of the Greek Parliament.
June 20 - On his arrival from a two-day official visit in Greece, at the Sofia airport Prime Minister Zhan Videnov described his visit as very successul. "The same view is shared by our Greek colleagues and old partners," the Bulgarian Prime Minister said. According to Mr Videnov, what is most important is the fact that the visit ensures a "stage of stable, highly intensive relations between Bulgaria and Greece, directed towards the future, rather than to the past." Mr Videnov described the bilateral relations as "a most decisive factor for the stability in the Balkans." Mr Videnov believes that the joint political declaration which the two prime ministers signed today, is a confirmation of this fact. He also said that the declaration focuses on those initiatives for cooperation and integration in the Balkans, which aim economic prosperity and intensive contacts between the Balkan nations and provide real guarantees for the security and stability in the region. "I believe that this visit, together with the other visits today to other Balkan and Central European states, will secure a central place for Bulgaria in the initiatives for peace, stability, cooperation and security in the Balkans and in Europe," Zhan Videnov said, referring to the visits of Foreign Minister Georgi Pirinski to Belgrade, of Interior Minister Lybomir Nachev to Luxemburg and of Defence Minister Dimiter Pavlov to Slovakia. Replying to a reporter's question, Videnov said that the two parties have confirmed in the declaration their strong interest in the realization of the Bourgas- Alexandroupulis oil pipeline project. "I believe this is not only economic and infrastructure issue, but also a matter of geopolitical stability," Mr Videnov said.
Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Stefan Meller handed today a personal message from Polish President Lech Walesa to the Bulgarian Head of State Zhelyu Zhelev. "The presidents of Poland and Bulgaria and particularly persons such as Dr Zhelev and Lech Walesa cannot but exchange occasional letters, as they have no time to travel," the Polish guest said after the meeting. As regards the contents of the letter, he said that there is secrecy of correspondence. Mr Meller said there are a number of common issues between the two states and identified among them the period of transition, the associated membership in the European Union and the common foreign policy priorities.
President Zhelyu Zhelev called on today to the Government to refrain from applying anti-constitutional provisions until the decision of the Constitutional Court on the Land Act enters into force, the President's Spokesman said after today's meeting between Dr Zhelev, Deputy Prime Minister Svetoslav Shivarov and Minister of Agriculture and Food Processing Vassil Chichibaba. The Constitutional Court decided yesterday that 19 articles in the Agricultural Land Tenure Act violate the Constitution. The decision was taken on two legal proceedings, launched at the request of the opposition Union of Democratic Forces and President Zhelyu Zhelev and challenging the constitutionality of certain amendments in the law. President Zhelev said that the application of the suspended provisions may increase the tension and provoke new conflicts, which would further delay the land reform. During the hour's talk the President insisted that the implementing regulations for the Land Act be amended in compliance with the decision of the Constitutional Court. Mr Shivarov and Minister Chichibaba said that since they have not yet been familiarized with the exact decisions and motives of the Constitutional Court, it is difficult to predict the effects of the decisions on the progress of the land reform. Mr Chichibaba said that the Government's programme envisages that 88 per cent of the land be returned to its previous owners by the end of the year.
In connection with the ruling of the Constitutional Court, the parliamentary groups of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and its coalition partners, of the Union of Democratic Forces and of the Popular Union came up with declarations, which were read on the National Television tonight. "There is nothing to worry about, the land reform in Bulgaria will proceed," says the declaration of the BSP. "The future of the land reform depends on land owners and any attempt to break their will, is doomed to failure. The application of the clauses, which the court declared anti- constitutional, will be halted on the day the Constitutional Court's decision comes into force and the law will not be restored in its original form. The parliamentary group of the Democratic Left will promptly come up with new texts and prevent suspension of the process of land return. The entire responsibility for the possible delay of the land reform in the country lies with the President and the Constitutional Court," the declaration of the parliamentary group of the Democratic Left says. "The UDF did its best to stop the violation of the Constitution during the vote on the Land Act amendments," reads the declaration of the UDF. "The Socialist majority tried to impose its political will in contradiction with Bulgaria's basic law. The invalidation of the anti-Constitutional amendments to the Land Act gives a chance to all honest Bulgarians to join their efforts for the speedy return of the land and completion of the land reform," the declaration says. In their declaration, the coalition Popular Union, Bulgarian Agrarian National Union, Democratic Party, says, that they were not surprised by the decision of the Constitutional Court. "The decision may only come as a surprise to those, who are not familiar with the Constitution's orders on the inviolability of private property. The invalidation of the anti-constitutional clauses is a victory of democracy and the separation of powers encoded in the Constitution," the declaration says.
Bulgaria's permanent representative to the Council of Europe, Svetlozar Raev, sent letters to the permanent representatives of the Council of Europe member-states, to Daniel Tarschys, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, to Miguel Martinez, President of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly, and to Romeo Della Chiesa, Chairman of the Governing Board of the Council of Europe's Social Development Fund, informing them abour Bulgaria's demarches concerning the losses arising in connection with the application of sanctions against Serbia and Montenegro, presented to the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and supported by the other countries affected by the sanctions. Ambassador Raev expresses his assurance that the Council of Europe will show understanding for Bulgaria's position and will provide active assistance to overcome the negative economic and social effects of the Yugoembargo on third countries, a press Foreign Ministry press release says.
The preparations for the Partner for Cooperation '95 exercise, which is to be conducted in the Black Sea and will be hosted by the Bulgarian Naval Forces, have already started. A working meeting of a group of NATO's command Allied Forces Southern Europe and representatives of the Bulgarian and of the Romanian naval forces started today in Varna and will last until June 23, the public relations department with the naval forces said. The final planning will be made in July in Naples. The exercise will take place between September 11 and 16. Six NATO ships, two Romanian and three Bulgarian warships are expected to participate.
Three banks will service the loans extended by the European Union to Bulgaria's small business, Deputy Industry Minister Plamen Dimitrov says, interviewed by "Douma". The Industry Ministry is the coordinating institution of the PHARE programmes on state-owned enterprises' adjustment and privatization and small and medium-sized enterprise growth, worth 20 million ECU, small and medium-sized businesses growth and regional development, worth 22.5 million ECU, and management training, worth 1.5 million ECU. Dozens of projects are being implemented under these programmes, most of which have to do with institutions outside the Ministry, Dimitrov says. The small and medium-sized business loans will be initially distributed by three financial intermediaries, Expressbank, the Bulgarian Post Bank and the Central Cooperative Bank. The Industry Ministry delegated the National Bank of Bulgaria with the right to hold the funds along this credit line, Dimitrov says.
The 1995 revenue of the Sofia Municipality is set at 10,980,006,000 leva, which is 3,163,390,000 leva up the 1994 figure, the "Pari" and "Douma" dailies say. Most of it, 6,160,120,000 leva, will come from taxes. Fees account for 1,842,840,000 leva, and municipal property transactions, fines and interests account for 1,167,794,000 leva of the 1995 revenue. The Sofia Municipality appropriations for education amount to 2,650,172,000 leva, for culture 256,465,000 leva, for health care - 2,578,674,000 leva, for utility services - 1,061,000,000 leva. The Municipality budget appropriations for water-supply and water-treatment facilities total 554,840,000 leva, for the Sofia underground - 400 million leva, and for the one of the major boulevards which joins the Northeastern trunk road - 250 million leva, "Pari" says.