News from Bulgaria / Nov 28, 1995

From: bulgaria@access1.digex.net (Embassy of Bulgaria)

Bulgarian Telegraph Agency Directory

EMBASSY OF BULGARIA - WASHINGTON D.C.

BTA - BULGARIAN TELEGRAPH AGENCY

BULLETIN OF NEWS FROM BULGARIA

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENT ZHELEV VISITS ORPHANS, BRINGS GIFTS

[02] EU INTERGOVERNMENTAL CONFERENCE

Sofia, November 27 (BTA) - Following last week's talks in Brussels, today Deputy Foreign Minister Irina Bokova briefed journalists on Bulgaria's expectations about the expansion of the European Union, of which Bulgaria is an associate member. "In spite of some disagreements the opinion that the Conference should take a firm political decision on the eastward and southward EU expansion prevailed," Deputy Minister Bokova said. In Brussels she conferred with Carlos Westendorp, Chairman of the Reflection Group on the 1996 Intergovernmental Conference (ING) and took part in the sessions of the Centre for European Political Studies. The ING is expected to end in late 1997. Ms Bokova said the Brussels talks left her with the impression that the Conference will be immediately followed by negotiations on the integration of all EU associated countries and not only of Cyprus and Malta. "This is extremely important for Bulgaria because it means that all associated countries will be treated on equal footing," Irina Bokova stated.

[03] BULGARIA SIGNS CE LEGAL ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT

Strasbourg, November 27 (BTA) - Bulgarian Justice Minister Mladen Chervenyakov signed in Strasbourg today the Council of Europe (CE) agreement on the procedure for applying for legal aid, a CE press release said. The purpose of the agreement is to remove financial barriers impeding access of natural persons to the legal institutions of the CE. This document makes it possible for every citizen of the signatories to apply for legal assistance on civil, trade and administrative issues on the territory of another country signatory to the agreement. The agreement signed by Justice Minister Chervenyakov is in force in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom. It has also been signed by Lithuania.

[04] VISIT OF BULGARIAN INDUSTRY MINISTER VOUCHEV

During Vouchev's visit to Japan, the sides are expected to sign the letters of guarantee and lending contracts on the loans which the Japanese government extended to Bulgaria for environmental projects at the non-ferrous metal works in Plovdiv (Southern Bulgaria) and the Eliseina copper production works (Northwestern Bulgaria).

The soft-term loans, which amount to a total of nearly US$ 80 million, were extended at low interest rates and long grace and maturity periods.

[05] GERMAN AND SPANISH WEU MILITARY TEAMS TO REMAIN IN ...

Rousse, November 27 (BTA Correspondent) - Vincenzo Basso, leader of the Western European Union (WEU) mission on the Danube, a group of Spanish and British WEU military experts and other officers and diplomats recently inspected the WEU contingent in Rousse (on the Danube). At a news conference today they said that the aim of their inspections was to see the sites of the WEU teams along the Danube and talk with the authorities in the respective countries about the further stay of the military units under the recent developments related to the U.N. sanctions against former Yugoslavia. On November 29 the group will arrive in Sofia to hold talks with Foreign Ministry officials. The talks will analyze the WEU teams' stay in Bulgaria so far but it is unlikely that there will be a clear view about the changes of the WEU control mission since it is yet unclear whether there will be a Serb signature of the accord at the Paris peace conference, the Spanish representative said. The Spanish guard units and the German border troops will remain in Rousse for an indefinite period of time, it emerged at the news conference. The WEU representatives stressed that they do not discuss issues of the losses resulting from enforcement of the U.N. sanctions, but said that while some countries sustained economic losses only, others had casualties as well. These issues will be discussed at the meeting of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council in Brussels due to be held by the year's end, the WEU officials said.

[06] BULGARIA INVITED TO PARIS AND LONDON CONFERENCES

[07] MADE IN BULGARIA UNION CALLS "CHOOSE BULGARIAN"

More than 150 Bulgarian companies and joint ventures are taking part in the exposition which is held under the motto: "Choose Bulgarian! " It is organized by the Made in Bulgaria Union, the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Bulgaria Business Centre.

By the end of the year Bulgaria is expected to report a trade surplus of 500 million US dollars, Gechev stated. However, the Government intends to proceed with its protectionist policy towards production in Bulgaria. A reduction of profits tax from 40 percent down to 36 percent is set in 1996 draft budget, Deputy Prime Minister Gechev stated. He also told the participants about expected changes in the import and export regulations, aiming to limit the import of products, which can be manufactured in Bulgaria.

The goal of the exposition is to shorten the way from producer to consumer. Yordanka Chavdarova of the Bulgaria Business Centre said that the organizers were pleasantly surprised by the high interest of foreign merchants to the forum: the exposition was visited by representatives of all trade missions in Bulgaria. The organizers plan to turn it into a traditional exhibition of Bulgarian industry.

[08] BUSINESS PRESS

Sofia, November 27 (BTA) - A deposit of gas and oil was found in Northeastern Bulgaria, says a front-page story in "Pari". The story quotes an expert as saying the deposit has a good debit and potential. This daily further says the presence of foreign companies in Bulgaria stirred up domestic geology and improved the professionalism of local experts.

With the private sector's 45% share in the GDP Bulgaria is lagging behind the advanced countries, central bank Under-Governor Mileti Mladenov tells an interviewer of "Pari". Mladenov is also alternative governor for Bulgaria at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The like figure is 70% in the Czech Republic and 60% in Albania, the interviewee also says. Mladenov gives a poor mark for Bulgaria's performance in the privatization of big enterprises, promotion of competition, development of market for securities and non-banking institutions. As for the liberalization of the prices, the central bank Under-Governor believes a satisfactory mark should be given because of the progress in the prices decontrol including energy prices. Satisfactory are also the scope and effectiveness of investment-related legislation. Mladenov evaluates as good, i.e. most successful in comparison with the other parameters, Bulgaria's commercial and foreign exchange systems. He says all quantitative and administrative barriers have been removed for export, with agricultural produce being the only exception. It is good that none of the parameters in given a zero mark, Mladenov says in conclusion.

The Gasprom joint stock company of Russia, the Greek Depa, Latis Group and Kopelousos Group, and experts of Bulgaria are going to launch a feasibility study for the construction of an oil pipe line from Bourgas, on the Black Sea, to Alexandroupolis, on the Aegian Sea, in the first quarter of 1996, "24 Chassa" writes quoting Vladimir Rezunenko of the Gasprom Governing Board. By March the partners are expected to sign a final agreement on their obligations in the implementation of the project, the daily writes.

[09] MONDAY NEWS BRIEFS

Bulgaria will present its observations side on the markings of ships carrying dangerous goods along the Danube at a meeting of the Danube Commission technical experts in Budapest, December 4 to 8, the BTA correspondent in Rousse (on the Danube) reported, quoting Georgi Georgiev, Chief of the Danube Waterway Maintenance Administration. The plans for remodelling of the low bridges over the Danube, prevention of water pollution and other problems concerning Danube shipping will be on the agenda of the meeting.

Two train carriages caught fire at the Mezdra railway station (Northwestern Bulgaria) yesterday, the BTA local correspondent reported. The local fire service put out the fire. No one was injured, and the damage to property is still being assessed.

More than 20 complaints have been filed to the Armed Forces Prosecutor's Office by people beaten in the special services raids in Sofia last Thursday, Armed Forces Prosecutor Nikolai Kolev told BTA. He referred the complaints to the Sofia District Armed Forces Prosecutor's Office. The Interior Ministry press release on the incident says that during a raid the members of an organized crime control task force were compelled to resort to force.

"Parliament has been working and will work for normalization of relations with our western neighbour," National Assembly Chairman Blagovest Sendov said, asked by the BTA correspondent in Vidin (Northwestern Bulgaria) about the future actions of the National Assembly to restore relations with former Yugoslavia, now that the Yugoembargo has been lifted. "Parliament will seek the shortest cut to this normalization and will work actively for Bulgaria's inclusion into the initiatives of EU, the Council of Europe and other European structures. I think that Parliament will not lag behind and will make its best so that Bulgaria take advantage of the pacification of the region," Mr Sendov said. His visit to Vidin today was the first leg of a tour of all Bulgarian municipalities.

The leadership of the Kingdom of Bulgaria Federation launched a sign-in campaign for the return of the exiled Bulgarian monarch, King Simeon II, as head of state. The Federation's Leader Hristo Kourtev said that "only the King can unite the nation after five years of political and economic confusion."

The extraparliamentary Bulgarian Social Democratic Party (BSDP) will field its own candidate in the presidential elections, BSDP leader Peter Dertliev said, declining to name the possible nominees.

"We are going to organize a trade union survey to find out how many diabetics and people having special diets work in enterprises," Roumyana Kraleva, an expert at the CITUB Institute for Trade Union and Social Studies told a news conference today. Employers should undertake to pay part of the diabetics' food spending when collective agreements are negotiated, according to Mrs Kraleva.

An English teaching support centre has been set up with the assistance of the British Council Office in Sofia at the largest library in Sliven (Central Bulgaria), the local BTA correspondent reported today.

A third customs officer has been arrested at Plovdiv Airport (South Central Bulgaria) in connection with simulated cigarettes export, the local BTA correspondent reported, quoting a press release of the city's investigative service. The three customs officers were detained in connection with some 80,000 t of cigarettes which a company was supposed to export to Hungary but were actually sold wholesale in Bulgaria. Plovdiv Customs Chief Dimiter Tolev said the case involved gross violations by all ground services within the airport's perimeter and not just Customs.

Dimiter Savov, Chairman of the Democratic Party and Co-Chairman of the Popular Union, today conferred with the Turkish Ambassador in Sofia Mehmet Ali Irtemcelik. BTA learnt from the Democratic Party press centre that questions concerning bilateral relations, Bulgaria's integration into Europe and into NATO structures were discussed.

Deputy Prime Minister Svetoslav Shivarov today received the Iraqi Ambassador in Sofia Mohammed Amin Ahmad, the Government Press Office said. They considered the state of bilateral relations, as well as opportunities for their development after the lifting of the UN embargo against Iraq.

The Sofia City Organization of the Bulgarian Socialist Party this evening met in a plenum behind closed doors to discuss the results of the local elections held in late October. The Chairman of the BSP City Organization Alexander Marinov delivered a report on the work of the BSP campaign centre in the city, his deputy Luchezar Kostov told reporters. According to Mr Marinov, compared to the general elections last year BSP has lost 750,000 votes in the country and about 100,000 in Sofia. In percentage terms, the difference between the Union of Democratic Forces and BSP in the capital city is gradually melting, the report claimed.