. THE WORLD FAMOUS MACDONALDS FAST FOOD CHAIN IS SHOWING INTEREST IN TWO COMMERCIAL FACILITIES IN SOFIA.
. KONIS LTD. (A FORMER MILITARY PLANT, SPECIALIZING IN THE PRODUCTION OF CAPACITORS) IS WINNING MARKET POSITION IN THE WEST.
Giwrgos Kapodistrias
From: bulgaria@access4.digex.net (Embassy of Bulgaria)
Subject: BTA inf/ Mar. 31, 95
Sofia, March 30 - An agreement on the regulation of mutual liabilities between Bulgaria and the Russian Federation actually settled some $ 1,000 million of this country's debt to the London Club creditors. The agreement was signed yesterday in the last day of the Moscow visit of Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Economic Cooperation Kiril Tsochev. Under this agreement, Bulgaria will receive from Russia $ 100 million- worth goods. Half of them will be equipment and spare parts for the aviation and the rest, equipment for the ferrous metallurgy expected to come this year. Deputy Prime Minister Tsochev returned from Moscow late last night.
Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin confirmed his visit to Bulgaria on May 18 and the third session of the intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation in Sofia on May 15 through 17, Kiril Tsochev told journalists.
A joint governmental commission will work in Sofia from May 12 to 15 to draft 15 agreements on bilateral cooperation, providing for, among other things, Russian supplies of oil, natural gas and military equipment. A sitting of the Black Sea Economic Zone scheduled for May 23 will focus on the transport links between Bulgaria and Russia. Kiril Tsochev said the Russian Prime Minister stresses on the importance of the two-way transport links for the bilateral economic cooperation.
Meeting Kiril Tsochev, Chernomyrdin reiterated Russia's stand in favor of lifting the trade barriers between the two countries. The Russian Prime Minister sees the Black Sea Economic Zone as a chance to liberalize bilateral trade and overcome the serious transport hurdles.
Sofia, March 30 - Bulgarian Foreign Minister Georgi Pirinski and his Greek counterpart Karolos Papoulias, who arrived this afternoon on a two-day official visit, had an hour and a half tete-a- tete talk this evening.
"We discussed the situation in the Balkans, the two states' shared views on the crisis in Yugoslavia and the joint initiatives which Bulgaria and Greece could launch seeking to find a solution to the tragedy in former Yugoslavia," Minister Papoulias told reporters after the meeting. The two foreign ministers also discussed issues concerning the bilateral relations.
"We had a really open and productive dialogue," Greek Foreign Minister said after the meeting. "Between friends there are always topics for discussion," he said. The two officials said that the foreign ministries of the two states should maintain constant dialogue and contacts. According to Mr. Pirinski, the talks focused on the integration processes in Europe and the efforts for ensuring a lasting stability on this continent, the situation in the Balkans and the bilateral relations. "The positions we shared concern also the conviction that a solution to the Yugoconflict should be found as soon as possible on a balanced and secure basis, which would lead to prompt lifting of the Yugoembargo," Minister Pirinski said. "The shared positions and views provide a sufficient basis for taking coordinated and probably joined efforts in that respect before the United States and its Secretary General, the Security Council and the states of the contact group on the conflict in Yugoslavia," Minister Pirinski said. Replying to a question, Minister Pirinski said that Macedonia was not on the agenda. The two ministers are expected to continue their talks tomorrow morning.
Sofia, March 30 - A deficit of 47,000 million leva is projected in the final version of 1995 national budget bill, which was approved by the Council of Ministers today and will be presented to the National Assembly tomorrow. This deficit represents 5.6 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP), estimated at 800,000 million - 850,000 million leva. The budget deficit is 5,000 million leva larger than an earlier version considered at the previous cabinet meeting because of an intervening increase of allocations for army and police logistics, health, science, culture and infrastructure projects. Up to 20 per cent of the budget deficit (down from 30 per cent in previous years) will be financed by direct borrowing from the National Bank of Bulgaria (BNB, the central bank), Finance Minister Dimiter Kostov told reporters. In his view, the proposed draft budget successfully balance the urgency of problems with the possibilities for their settlement. The budget bill will go before the National Assembly together with a package of legislation for revenue collection. According to the Finance Minister, vigorous privatization and attraction of foreign investments will be another source of budget funding. Passage of the bills on the National Accounting Office and on financial control will ensure efficient control over the utilization of the budget.
"Army Gets 19,800 Mln Leva Budget" caps a story in "Standart News". A subtitle says aircraft will be held to the ground by funds shortages. The military's demands for a budget of no less than 30,000 million leva are unfeasible, says this daily. "(Defense) Minister Pavlov Wants 52,000 Mln Leva for Army" headlines a story in "Troud". According to estimates of the military, 36,000 million leva is the minimum to keep an army. If this money is not made available now, next year it will take several times more to avoid a collapse of the armed forces, writes "Troud".
Sofia, March 30 - Today the Council of Ministers approved a draft agreement between the governments of Bulgaria and Russia on mutual aid in customs activity. The ministers endorsed a draft agreement on cooperation in antimonopoly policy with Russia, which would serve as a basis for further negotiations.
The Government approved a draft agreement on cultural cooperation with the Republic of Korea and a draft treaty of friendship with Mongolia.
The Council of Ministers issued a decree lifting the arms embargo and all other restrictions and sanctions against the Republic of South Africa, imposed in compliance with the respective resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.
The Cabinet decided to propose to the President to issue a decree dismissing Stefan Dimitrov as Director of the National Security Service.
The Council of Ministers appointed Lyubomir Kolarov, MP of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), Chairman of the Posts and Telecommunications Committee. He will replace its former chairman Venko Markov.
The Cabinet appointed Valentin Karamfilov Chairman of the Forestry Committee.
Sofia, March 30 - Today the Parliament took a second vote on the amendments to the Environmental Protection Act, returned for reconsideration by a presidential decree, and adopted them again. The Socialists, who command a majority in Parliament, made no changes in the amendments and passed them in the form they were voted on March 8, 1995. The amendments give the Government the right to implement projects of special importance for the meeting of vital requirements of the population only on the basis of an expert opinion, approved by the Minister of Environment. As happened on March 8, the parliamentary groups of the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF), the Popular Union and the ethnic Turks' Movement for Rights and Freedoms voted against the amendments.
The MPs extended their working time to vote at first reading the bill amending the Act Restoring Ownership in Nationalized Immovable Property. The amendments concern the compensation of tenants or owners of dwellings subject to restitution. The amendments motion was made by the Socialist majority in Parliament. The opposition UDF and the Popular Union protested against their adoption.
Sofia, March 30 - From a professional point of view, we are satisfied, but I am greatly worried about what are we in for, having in mind the recommendations which the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are expected to make, Krustyu Petkov, President of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB), told reporters at the Sofia airport today. He attended the conference of trade union leaders from Central and Eastern Europe in Baden-Baden, Austria, together with the President of the Podkrepa Labor Confederation, Konstantin Trenchev. The basic conclusion, made by the participants in the conference, is that "except for the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the reforms have not made the progress they have been expected to". According to the methodology used by the International labor Organization, Bulgaria shows the worst poverty, unemployment and inflation indicators - they are worse even than those in Albania. It lags behind all other countries in the implementation of structural reform, which the IMF measures by its progress in banking and enterprises. The public sector share in Bulgaria's economy is the smallest compared with that in the other monitored countries. The IMF promised transparency for its talks with the Bulgarian Government and regular meetings with the trade unions, Mr. Petkov said. The IMF and the World Bank did not raise the problem of incomes restriction, which provides us with a serious argument we will set forth at the negotiations with the Government, the leaders of CITUB and Podkrepa said.
"Dr. Zhelev Facing Hard Choice" caps a signed article in "Standart News" saying that Prime Minister Zhan Videnov and President Zhelyu Zhelev have launched an open war. According to the author, the presidential campaign has already started. The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) take for granted their victory in the local elections but fear they might lose the presidential ones in 1997. "When President Zhelev returned to Parliament the third amended law, the Socialists accused him of impeding their lawmaking activity. It is difficult to predict how the President-BSP relations will develop in the future. Even if he chooses not to run for a second term , it will be enough for the Head of State to trumpet that the Socialists are restoring the old totalitarian system," this daily says. "In the meantime, the split between the BSP party apparatus, parliamentary group and Videnov's cabinet is growing. Apart from this, the cabinet stumbled over the White Paper," the author further says. "Continent" carries a signed commentary on this matter under the headline "Bickering Between President, PM: Unnecessary Muscle Flexing".
All dailies report of a draft decision submitted to the cabinet by Interior Minister Lyubomir Nachev, proposing to President Zhelyu Zhelev to issue a decree relieving Colonel Stefan Dimitrov from the post Director of the National Security Service. The private "24 Chassa" daily quotes Col. Dimitrov as saying that "Nachev has not informed me of his intentions to dismiss me, and this was the least he could do." The story says further that three regional directors of the interior were sacked yesterday for incompetence. Inquiries resulted in personnel changes in three other Regional Directorates of the Interior, "Troud" says.
Sofia, March 30 - Salvatore Zecchini, Deputy Secretary General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and Director of the Center for Cooperation with European Economies in Transition (CCEET) is on a visit to Sofia. Mr. Zecchini had meetings with Roumen Gechev, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development, Mariela Nenova, Chief of the Agency for Economic Cooperation and Development, Stefan Staykov, First Deputy Foreign Minister, as well as with experts of a number of ministries and departments. Mr. Zecchini defined the purposes of his visit to Sofia in the following way: "to take into account the new economic policy orientation of the Bulgarian Government" and "to decide in which direction to invest the increased amount of human and other resources that the OECD has decided to devote to Bulgaria." The conclusions made by Mr. Zecchini after his meetings with the Bulgarian officials are that the new Government seems committed to the goals that were pursued by the previous cabinets and that it wishes to develop cooperation with the Organization in a number of fields, which critical for the success of the new policy orientation. Mr. Zecchini stated that the opportunities to establish a meaningful policy dialogue between Bulgaria and OECD would depend on the progress in the reform and transformation of the Bulgarian economy. "Without more commitment in the going ahead with the process of transformation and reform, there is no opportunity for expanding the range of cooperation with our Organization," the OECD Deputy Secretary General said. According to him, the OECD member-countries are very much interested in the success of reforms in Bulgaria.
Mr. Salvatore Zecchini was received by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development Roumen Gechev today. Mr. Gechev outlined the parameters of the Government's macroeconomic policy. "One of the requirements of market economy is a developed infrastructure," he said. "The international institutions can be Bulgaria's active partners in this area, as well as in the compensation of its losses suffered as a result of the application of UN sanctions," Mr. Gechev stated.
Sofia, March 30 - In connection with Bulgaria's participation in the Partnership for Peace plan, we would like to focus interaction in the following areas: communications - equipment and methods; language training; unification, as much as possible, of topographic and cartographic methods and signs and symbols, Anthony Craig, NATO Assistant Secretary General in charge of defense and planning policy, told reporters today. He arrived on a two-day visit to Sofia at the head of a delegation yesterday. Bulgaria joined the Partnership for Peace plan in February 1994 and has taken part in several joint events, including military exercises, since then. Visits of top military officials were also exchanged. At a meeting with Deputy Minister of Defense Dimiter Mitkov today, the guest expressed his satisfaction with Bulgaria's active participation in the Partnership for Peace initiative and the good work of Bulgaria's representatives at the coordination center in Mons, the Defense Ministry told BTA. At the talks with Dimiter Mitkov and at the meeting with Stefan Staikov, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, the sides discussed the situation in the Balkans and Europe. Special attention was paid to Bulgaria's self-sacrifice made in the
interest of international solidarity by observing the Yugoembargo and the sanctions against Iraq. Today Mr. Craig was received by Nikolai Dobrev, Chairman of the parliamentary National Security Committee. The Bulgarian side pointed the necessity of providing guarantees for the country's national security. Working groups of the two delegations are considering a document entitled "Partnership for Peace: a Review and Planning; Plans for and Assessment of Bulgaria". Besides technical assistance and know- how, this year Bulgaria will receive financial aid in connection with the NATO initiative as well.
"Demokratisya" runs an interview with Former National Security Advisor to President Jimmy Carter, Zbigniew Brzezinski. According to the interviewee, Bulgaria should be a democratic and stable country to enter NATO and Europe. NATO's admission criteria are stable democracy and fully-fledged market economy. NATO members cannot have territorial or ethnic conflicts with their neighbors that might cause confusion in NATO, said Brzezinski.
"24 Chassa" carries a signed commentary on the quality of water in Sofia. The author says that "the manganese genocide for Sofianites continues", for months, or may be years, the water flowing in Sofia's water mains has been dangerous for the health of those who drink it. And the most astonishing thing is that nothing is being done even though the Pancharevo water treatment facility near Sofia has the capacity to clear the water of iron and manganese components, concludes the author.
Sofia, March 30 - A total of $ 730 millions have been invested in Bulgaria since 1990, Ms Daniela Bobeva, member of the Foreign Investment Commission with the Council of Ministers, says in an interview for the "Troud" daily today. It is necessary to set up a powerful institution to make decisions, bear responsibility and help foreigners wishing to do business in Bulgaria, Bobeva says. Germany is still the largest foreign investor in Bulgaria, accounting for 46% or 217,841,000 dollars of the invested foreign capital. The Netherlands come second, followed by Switzerland, Belgium, Greece, the US, Austria, Britain and France. European investment prevails which is an important precondition for this country's integration into European markets, Bobeva says.
The world famous MacDonalds fast food chain is showing interest in two commercial facilities in Sofia, "Standart News" reports. Applications for buying these facilities have been received by the leaseholders of both facilities. Under the Bulgarian law leaseholders enjoy preferences in the purchase of such facilities, according to the Supervisory Board of the Privatization Agency. According to the Board, the new owners of the facilities will probably try to sell them to MacDonalds at double their price, this daily writes.
Konis Ltd. (a former military plant, specializing in the production of capacitors) is winning market position in the West, "Standart News" reports. At an exhibition in Munich the plant will display its latest security alarm signal products through the mediation of an Austrian company. Konis Ltd. is trading with Thailand and has signed contracts with Britain, Canada and Ukraine. Several days ago Konis received the FED prestigious German high-quality award for its filter capacitor, "Standart News" writes.