Sofia, September 25 - Bulgarian President Zhelyu Zhelev today departed for Southwestern Bulgaria. The aim of President Zhelev's two-day visit to this part of the country is to familiarize him with the socioeconomic conditions in the Western Rhodope Mountains and the Mesta River Valley.
In the town of Dospat, President Zhelev will meet with representatives of the Rhodope municipalities association, while in Gotse Delchev he will meet with officials of the Mesta - Western Rhodope Mountains municipalities association.
Parliament and the cabinet owe much to the Rhodope Mountains because of the still absent policy for this region and the bill on the mountain and semi-mountain areas that is yet to be passed by Parliament, the national radio quoted President Zhelev as saying to local leaders at the start of his tour.
Sofia, September 25 - Bulgarian River Lines abrogated its leasing contract with Vidin River Lines Ltd. because of the detained Ruen ship. The vessel was arrested at the Romanian port of Calafat on charges of violation of the embargo against former Yugoslavia, Bulgarian River Lines CEO Dimiter Stanchev told journalists in Rousse (on the Danube). Property of the Bulgarian River Lines, the detained ship was leased to the Vidin River Lines company, BTA correspondent in Rousse said. Later today Ruen sailed for Rousse, this BTA correspondent said quoting local officials of State Shipping Directorate. The Romanian customs authorities have not yet made an official statement on the matter, the deputy chief of the Vidin Customs Office told the BTA correspondent.
Two thousand residents of Lovech will be soon issued health passports as part of the Sindy program implemented in this North Bulgarian city by the World Health Organization, BTA correspondent in Lovech reports. Sindy marks the beginning of the comprehensive medical service for the two thousand people who were selected by a sociological sample. The medical examinations will show the health condition of the population in the area, as well as the health hazards. The examinations' results will serve as the basis for formulating of the public health policy in the region.
The teachers' trade union with the Podkrepa Labor Confederation (one of this country's most influential amalgamations) today demanded that the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology convene the branch council of the tripartite cooperation. Kroum Kroumov, Chairman of the teachers' trade union with the Podkrepa Labor Confederation, told a news conference here today that the Education Ministry violates the labor legislation and hinders the tripartite dialogue.
A blessing ceremony marked the start of the new school year for the 130 students of the Department of Eastern Orthodox Theology with the Konstantin Preslavski University of Shoumen. Twenty seven students, 17 out of which under a state contract, were admitted at the University this year. The departments' first alumni earned their degrees in 1995.
A British parliamentary delegation, on a visit to Bulgaria since yesterday, met today with Foreign Ministry representatives, the Committee of Tourism President, and with the Vinimpex executive director.
A multinational consortium of 14 experts and inspectors of the Committee for Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy tomorrow begin a comprehensive checkup of Power Unit One of the Kozlodui Nuclear Power Plant, on the Danube, after an overhaul, the BTA local correspondent said citing a press release of the power plant. Special attention will be paid to the metal body of the reactor, the press release reportedly said.
The Sofia mayoral candidate of the united opposition, Steffan Sofianski, today publicized his election program for the October 29 local elections. Sofianski's program has three focal points: creating normal living conditions for Sofianites; changing Sofia's image by making it cleaner and adopting a new city plan; improving the management of municipal property.
Sofianski further envisages the setting up of specialized municipal structures to ensure public peace, upgrading the transport network, etc. The municipality will approach international financial institutions and private foreign investors for financing, Sofianski also said. He described as a very serious rival the Socialists' mayoral nominee, banker Ventsislav Yossifov and said his nomination was a wise move on the part of the ruling Socialist party.
Bulgaria will propose the setting up of a Sofia-based European regional education center for human rights, BTA learned today from the dean of the UNESCO Department with the St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia, Assoc. Prof. Roumen Vulchev. At a five-day international seminar on this matter that started today in Primorsko, on the Black Sea, Bulgaria will propose the setting up in the Balkans of a network of departments on human rights and launch of academic exchanges.
The Vidin customs authorities today failed an attempt for smuggling into Serbia 1 million leva worth of cigarettes, said the spokesman of the local police administration. Over 10 smugglers of cigarettes and petrol were caught within a month on Bulgaria's western border, the BTA local correspondent learned from the commander of the border troops that control the area.
The President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Zoran Lilic today received a delegation of the Socialists-led parliamentary group of the Democratic Left visiting Yugoslavia, said TANJUG. The delegation is led by Democratic Left floor leader Krassimir Premyanov. "Bulgaria seeks stability in the Balkans and there are tangible conditions for accomplishing this goal. Promoting friendship, confidence and all-embracing cooperation between the two countries could contribute a lot," Premyanov is quoted as saying at the meeting. Lilic reportedly stressed that Yugoslavia appreciates highly the neutrality of Bulgaria, its parliament, cabinet and people, on the Yugoconflict.
Bulgaria will enter the EU and NATO nearly simultaneously, the former secretary general of the Western European Union (WEU), Willem van Eekelen told an interviewer of the Sofia Express Radio. The interviewee believes this is likely to happen in the first three years of the new century. He said the participation in the regular WEU sittings offers a chance for Bulgaria but according to him its leaders fail to use this chance adequately for promoting this country and its problems, and seeking assistance.
Dobrich, Northeastern Bulgaria, this morning woke up with Romanian nationalistic inscriptions on the monument to the Soviet army. Inscriptions like that, both in Bulgarian and in Romanian, and with many spelling mistakes, get increasingly frequent in this part of Bulgaria. The culprits remain unknown, said the BTA local correspondent.
Children and ladies' shirts produced by the Vida Stil local producer of ready-made clothes were donated by the Vidin, on the Danube, organization of the Red Cross to Zaicar in Serbia. The donation was made within a campaign for collecting humanitarian aid for children refugees of Serb Krajina, organized by the Serb Red Cross.
For the sixth time Dobrich celebrated September 25, the day on which 55 years ago Bulgarian troops entered the town after Bulgaria got back Southern Dobdroudja, said the local BTA correspondent.
The celebrations were attended by guests of Hungary, Romania and Dobrich's twinned city in Macedonia, Kavadarci.
Sofia, September 25 (BTA) - A concert of Verdi's music opened yesterday the 68th season of the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra. The announced participation of the prominent Bulgarian singer Gena Dimitrova did not take place because of Dimitrova's health problems. Despite her busy schedule on the world opera stages, Dimitrova will sing in two other concerts in this country. On November 5, the musicians of the Sofia Philharmonic will play Puccini, while on December 3 they will give the first performance in Bulgaria of Hector Berlioz's "Cleopatra's Death". The November 5 concert is part of the Peace on the Balkans program which will be carried out under Dimitrova's auspices.
The Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra will pay a visit to Britain, where it will give 19 concerts which include pieces by Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Mahler and Rakhmaninov. In a Westminster Abbey hall, which opens for extremely special occasions only, and before an aristocratic audience, the Sofia Philharmony will play pieces written by the now popular in Europe composer of Russian descent Karamanov. The London choir society will also take part in the concert.
Bulgarian singer Dimitrova will make a recording of Verdi's "The Troubadour" opera with the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Emil Tabakov and with soloists whom she has performed the opera with but who, like her, do not have an LP recording of it.
The Bulgarian National Opera will open its season in October with a mini-festival which will mark the 40-year career of Bulgarian basso Nikolai Gyaurov. Gyaurov will sing in Verdi's "Don Carlos" and Rossini's "The Barber of Seville", while his wife, soprano singer Mirella Freni, will perform in Puccini's "La Boheme". The selection of the titles in the National Opera's repertoire for its new season takes into account both its international tours and the 11th international competition for young opera singers "Boris Hristov". Despite the fact that the competition will take place in June 1996, the cast has to prepare some ten classical pieces, as for instance Verdi's "Rigoletto", "The Troubadour", and "A Masked Ball". The National Opera's orchestra will participate in the tenors' festival in Germany, while its choir will sing in the performance in Zurich of Glinka's "Ivan Susanin" opera.
The National Opera will give a first-night performance of Borodin's "Prince Igor". Mascagni's "Friend Fritz" opera will be performed for the first time on a Bulgarian stage in a Bulgarian-Swiss co-production. The ballet of the National Opera, managed by former director of the Rousse Opera Hikmet Mehmedov, will prepare Lorca Massine's "The Streets" ballet. On a tour to Germany, the National Opera's ballet will perform Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake". The National Opera's plans for its 1995-96 season include another 10 concerts which feature the jubilee concert marking the 90th anniversary of the prominent Bulgarian teacher of music Hristo Brumbarov, and the 100th anniversary of Bulgarian composer Petko Stainov. Ana Tomova Sintova and Nikola Gyuzelev will give recitals.
Sofia, September 25 (BTA) - Ivo Karamanski, the alleged mafia boss who was arrested on Friday night, was accused of racketeering. The National Radio today broadcast a statement to that effect was made by Sofia City Prosecutor Nestor Nestorov. Nestorov has told journalists earlier today he was not aware why and under whose orders Karamanski had been arrested. This prosecutor would not comment the only official statement issued by the Interior Ministry saying that Karamanski was arrested "after an incident"; nor speculations that the arrest was part of a planned police operation.
Numerous press stories over the past few days speculated on the reasons for the arrest of the notorious businessman, released on bail only five months ago after spending 2 years in a remand center. Karamanski was charged of armed robbery which the public believes triggered a gangland war in this country.
The press suspects the arrest is linked with involvement in murder, or pending cases in which Karamanski's name is involved. Dailies also recall the assistance Kramanski offered to the victims in a truck crash in August near Sofia that killed 14 soldiers. Karamanski with his bodyguards was driving immediately after the truck before it was hit by a gunner and crashed head-on with a tractor.
None of the press speculations has to date been confirmed by official sources.
Sofia, September 25 (BTA) - Bulgarian Prime Minister Zhan Videnov tomorrow leaves for New York to attend the 50th session of the UN General Assembly. An address to be delivered by him is item one on the agenda of the sitting for the day after tomorrow.
The need for compensating the losses Bulgaria is sustaining as a result of the strict implementation of the UN sanctions against rump Yugoslavia and opportunities for this country to participate in the post-conflict recovery of the Balkans will be focal issues in Zhan Videnov's address. He will brief the participants in the sitting on Bulgaria's initiatives for stabilizing the region. The Bulgarian delegation will draw the attention of the international community to the need for economic assistance for countries not involved in the conflict but hit by the sanctions. Bulgaria keeps filing resolutions to that effect at the UN for three years now.
Bulgaria backs the US initiative for a peaceful solution to the conflict in former Yugoslavia and particularly Point Seven envisaging assistance in the reconstruction and restoration of sites damaged by the war. The Prime Minister will voice Bulgaria's desire to participate actively in the restoration work. Once again, he will bring to the fore the initiative for a stage-by-stage suspension of the sanctions going parallel with the progress of the efforts to reach a negotiated solution to the Yugoconflict.
The Head of Bulgarian Government will further voice Bulgaria's stand for enhancing the role of the UN Security Council.
In a discussion on the sanctions introduced by the Security Council Bulgaria will speak in favour of adequate reactions to the dynamically changing situation in the world. Zhan Videnov will voice support for the expansion of the Security Council to include, besides Japan and Germany, some major developing countries as permanent members.
On September 27 Videnov is expected to be received by UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali and the Chair of the session of the UN General Assembly. A meeting with the leader of the World Jewish Congress, Edgar Bronsman is scheduled for the same day. Videnov's programme also includes a lunch with Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Vacaroiu.
On September 28 Videnov is expected to have a working breakfast with leaders of the Bulgarian-American Cooperative Fund, and a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen.
On September 29, the last day of his stay in New York, the Bulgarian Prime Minister will meet German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel and the President of the US Jewish Committee. At all meetings he will be accompanied by Bulgarian Foreign Minister Georgi Pirinski.
Sofia, September 25 (BTA) - Prime Minister Zhan Videnov opened today the 51st International Technical Fair in Plovdiv in which more than 1,500 companies are taking part. Overcoming the years of stagnation, Bulgarian production is gradually picking up and is in a quest for good partners, the Prime Minister said, wishing the participants success.
The participants were also greeted by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade Kiril Tsochev. Though Bulgaria is still only an associated country of the European Union, I would like to believe that in its business contacts with companies of the European Union it will be treated as an equal partner, Tsochev said. He expressed the hope that the fair would convince foreign partners that Bulgaria's economy is open to the world.
This year's autumn edition of the Plovdiv Fair displays the output of 1,508 companies of 37 countries on an area of 82,000 square meters. There are 16 official representations of countries of Europe, America and Asia. Bulgarian companies make up 47% of the total number of participants. The mechanical engineering and metallurgy sector account for most of the Bulgarian and foreign participants, followed by electronics and electrical engineering.
In line with tradition, the major foreign participants are once again companies in the field of mechanical engineering, power engineering and metallurgy, telecommunications, electronics, transport, construction, chemistry and medicine. The participants are distributed in 12 main branches. The companies represented at this year's Plovdiv Fair account for 87% of Bulgaria's imports and 81% of its exports.
Specialized exhibitions, first held at last year's fair, have been further developed. These are of information and telecoms and office equipment, of construction materials and technologies and of transport and garage equipment. The latter is the largest of the three and is attracting the greatest interest.
The Information Exchange, organized for the fifth time, will also include a forum on International Economic Cooperation. The Exchange will acquaint companies with tax and financial legislation, customs and foreign exchange regulations and investment opportunities. A total of 26 institutions have applied for participation.
The Plovdiv Technical Fair will continue for a week. The Plovdiv Fair has two editions a year - a spring fair for companies of the light industry and an autumn fair for companies of the heavy industry.
"Bulgarian Exporter of the Year" awards were presented by Deputy Prime Minister Kiril Tsochev on the occasion of the opening of the 51st Plovdiv Technical Fair.
Bulgartabac Holding Inc was awarded the best exporter prize and Neftochim Inc was proclaimed producer of the best export parameters.
The winners were determined by export volume and growth, degree of processing of the exported products, international recognition and funds spent on advertising abroad.
Sofia, September 25 (BTA) - Bulgarian Agriculture Minister Vassil Chichibaba today departed for Brussels to take part in the meeting of European Union (EU) agriculture ministers, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Processing said. The meeting between the EU Agriculture Council and the agriculture ministers of the EU-associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the Baltic states and Slovenia is the first one within the framework of the structural dialogue on these countries' Europe agreements.
At the meeting, Bulgaria will present its stand on the medium-term and long-term prospects for trade in agricultural produce between the associated countries and the EU. The forum will discuss and assess the reports drawn at the initiative of the European Commission on the progress and prospects of agriculture in the associated countries with a view on their future EU integration.
Sofia, September 25 (BTA) - Prime Minister Zhan Videnov opened today the 51st International Technical Fair in Plovdiv in which more than 1,500 companies are taking part. Overcoming the years of stagnation, Bulgarian production is gradually picking up and is in a quest for good partners, the Prime Minister said, wishing the participants success.
The participants were also greeted by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade Kiril Tsochev. Though Bulgaria is still only an associated country of the European Union, I would like to believe that in its business contacts with companies of the European Union it will be treated as an equal partner, Tsochev said. He expressed the hope that the fair would convince foreign partners that Bulgaria's economy is open to the world.
This year's autumn edition of the Plovdiv Fair displays the output of 1,508 companies of 37 countries on an area of 82,000 square meters. There are 16 official representations of countries of Europe, America and Asia. Bulgarian companies make up 47% of the total number of participants. The mechanical engineering and metallurgy sector account for most of the Bulgarian and foreign participants, followed by electronics and electrical engineering.
In line with tradition, the major foreign participants are once again companies in the field of mechanical engineering, power engineering and metallurgy, telecommunications, electronics, transport, construction, chemistry and medicine. The participants are distributed in 12 main branches. The companies represented at this year's Plovdiv Fair account for 87% of Bulgaria's imports and 81% of its exports.
Specialized exhibitions, first held at last year's fair, have been further developed. These are of information and telecoms and office equipment, of construction materials and technologies and of transport and garage equipment. The latter is the largest of the three and is attracting the greatest interest.
The Information Exchange, organized for the fifth time, will also include a forum on International Economic Cooperation. The Exchange will acquaint companies with tax and financial legislation, customs and foreign exchange regulations and investment opportunities. A total of 26 institutions have applied for participation.
The Plovdiv Technical Fair will continue for a week. The Plovdiv Fair has two editions a year - a spring fair for companies of the light industry and an autumn fair for companies of the heavy industry.
Sofia, September 25 (BTA) - "Bulgaria's involvement in the post-war reconstruction of the Balkans and its inclusion in European projects for building the infrastructure of this continent will be the focal point of my speech at the opening of the regular session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (P.A.C.E)," Bulgarian National Assembly Chairman Blagovest Sendov said upon his departure for Strasbourg today.
Sendov will also stress the importance which Bulgaria attaches to the P.A.C.E. and will insist for more substantial aid for the reforms in this country. Sendov will attend the session at the invitation of P.A.C.E. President Miguel Martinez. The schedule of his visit provides for meetings with with other parliamentary chiefs in Strasbourg. /ND/ 15:00:03 25-09-1995 -0-
Sofia, September 25 (BTA) - The IMF Mission Leader for Bulgaria, Russel Kincaid, is quitting his post, says 'Standart News' quoting National Bank Governor Todor Vulchev, who declined to name Kincaid's replacement. The Vice Governors of the National Bank said they were surprised at the news, 'Standart News' says.
'The replacement of the Mission leader will not influence the talks on the [fourth] standby agreement,' Vulchev said. However, financial experts recall that similar reshuffles have always had an adverse effect on this country, 'Standart News' says.
Unit one of the Kozlodoui nuclear power plant (on the Danube) is ready to be linked to the national grid, the plant's Director Kozma Kouzmanov is quoting as saying in 'Standart News'.
The Moscow-based Hydropress designers, who designed the 440-MW unit, guarantee its safety. The reactor is safe according to a team of the Institute of Nuclear Physics with the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. In its analysis it used some of the findings of Russian nuclear experts from Dubno.
'The analysis will prove that the G7 countries have no grounds to pressure Bulgaria to close down what they claim to be a dangerous unit,' 'Standart News' says. At a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Kiril Tsochev last week the Ambassadors of the G7 countries in Sofia insisted that unit one should not be started up.
The International Atomic Energy Agency also believes that the decommissioning of unit one would leave five towns with a population of 100,000 each without electricity, says 'Standart News'.
Imbalances in the supply of raw materials, ruinous tariffs on new equipment and exorbitant taxes impede the development of Bulgaria's industry, Industry Minister Kliment Vouchev said in an interview in 'Troud'. He said that the 1996 budget should be drawn up according to a new scheme because 'industry is second in importance only to the army'.
Bulgaria and Russia will set up a joint venture for the refurbishing of the interior of airplanes, 'Pari' quotes Deputy Transport Minister Stanislav Velinov as saying. Poland is the only former socialist country in this business.
"The traditions of the Council of Europe provide enough justification to believe that Macedonia will be accepted as CE member despite a possible opposition from Greece," comments MP Luchezar Toshev of the largest oppositional formation the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) in connection with the CE's Parliamentary Assembly's discussions on granting membership to Macedonia due on Wednesday. "Bulgaria will be the first country to greet Macedonia with its joining the family of European states on September 27," Toshev says in conclusion.
"To my mind Russia's foreign policy has lost all chances of influencing the situation in the Balkans," says the leader of the oppositional fraction "Yabloko" in Russia's state Douma Grigorii Yavlinski, interviewed for "24 Chassa".
According to Yavlinski, the Russians who are now coming to the Balkans, speculate with certain expansionist ideas in order to shift aside Russia's real problems. "Moscow does not pursue any policy towards the Balkan states, Bulgaria included," the Russian MP emphasizes.
Asked why Russian President Boris Yeltsin attacked the West so severely in connection with NATO expansion and the airstrikes in Bosnia, Yavlinski said that in this case Yeltsin managed to react adequately to the mood of the Russian people, who cannot put up with the failure of the Russian policy in the Balkans and with the fact that Russia did not manage to realize its peacekeeping operation in the region.
"According to Agca, western secret services had made him get the Bulgarians involved [into the assassination attempt against Pope John Paul II] already two years after the incident. He accepted because he was offered freedom in exchange," says Cinzia Molinaro, lawyer of Mehmet Ali Agca, who in 1981 shot at Pope John-Paul II.
"The bridge must be built near Vidin," "24 Chassa" states categorically in a short editorial commentary in connection with the projects for the construction of a second bridge across the Danube between Bulgaria and Romania. "Any retreat to the east in the negotiations on the Danube bridge will be a betrayal of the national interests," says the daily. "We need the bridge as a link with Europe, rather than with Moldova."
The socialist Cabinet of Zhan Videnov may be brought before the International Court of Justice in Hague over the case of the financial pyramids, the dailies say.
The committee of the victims of pyramid schemes is preparing the necessary papers to file legal procedures against the Cabinet, "24 Chassa" says. The daily emphasizes that the victims blame the Government for the unprecedented tragedy of thousands of Bulgarian investors.
At the same time the committee of the victims of the pyramid schemes sent a complaint to the Commission of Human Rights with the Council of Europe, "24 Chassa" says. The complaint said that "the pharaohs" are but puppets, manipulated by those in power and the special services.
According to the daily, the victims will seek assistance from Bulgarian emigrants in the U.S. and Canada.
"We make fools of ourselves every time we threaten to take someone to the international court in Hague. In that particular case, even if he is to blame in connection with the pyramid structures, Prime Minister Videnov is not under the jurisdiction of the UN....The court in Hague considers only arguments between states. When asked to rule on domestic squabbles, it politely forwards the case to the national judiciary authorities," says an editorial commentary in "24 Chassa".
"Turkey and Greece Press NATO over Bulgaria," reads a front-page headline in the private daily "Continent" capping a report which says that at consultations among NATO members about a potential eastward expansion of the organisation, Greece and Turkey had insisted that Bulgaria be taken into consideration in all such plans. The daily quotes a diplomatic source as saying that the two southern NATO members threatened to veto the organisation's resolutions unless it considers their requests.
The results of the consultations will be officially announced on Thursday in Brussels before the participants in the Partnership for Peace Programme. According to an official source of the NATO headquarters, the consultations seek to answer questions like "when" and "why", rather than "who" is to join the Union.
The daily cites diplomats as saying that Greece and Turkey, which found themselves geographically isolated from NATO, feared that they will be set further apart if some central European countries join the union and Bulgaria and Romania are left outside.
"Continent" emphasizes that now that Serbia is losing its hegemony over the Balkans, Bulgaria increasingly gains central importance in the Balkans and in Southern Europe.
Experts in Sofia however say that every diplomatic step towards NATO should be preceded by delicate consultations with Russia, which for the time being does not seem to favour any NATO expansion towards its borders, the daily says.
According to "Continent", the support of Greece, which shares Russia's stand on the conflict in former Yugoslavia, and that of Turkey, with which Moscow seeks to establish special relations because of the threat of Islamic radicalism in Middle Asia, may prove an important stepping stope for Sofia in its efforts to get at least equal treatment with the Visegrad Four on part of NATO and Moscow.
"If in the great bluff, called NATO expansion, anyone, whether a Greek or a Turk, stakes on Bulgaria, we should applaud him, but not fawn on him," says a signed commentary in "Continent". According to the author, Bulgaria must reassure "the Russian bear" that the Bulgarian army (in case it gets into NATO), will not take part in plans against Moscow.
All central dailies today report a number reasons for the arrest of Ivo Karamanski, who is described in the press as "the Godfather of Bulgarian mafia"
Karamanski was detained on Friday night in a Sofia pizzeria, the dailies recall. According to witnesses, cited in the press, Karamanski put up no resistance.
According to the dailies the charges against Karamanski are expected to be unveiled today. The dailies suggest more than 10 different versions, ranging from murder complicity to Karamanski's old affairs. "The detainment is a result of an incident," the private "Standart News" recalls the only official statement of the Interior Ministry on the case.
The Police in Varna (on the Black Sea) detained two Chechens attempting to place a detonating device under a Mercedes car in the resort of Zlatni Piasatsi (near Varna), "Standart News" says. According to the daily, the policemen found one more detonating device in another Mercedes car in the same parking place.
Three other citizens of the former Soviet Union have been detained on suspicions of complicity, "Standart News" says.
According to the daily, one of the versions for the failed assault cites a revenge against Varna businessmen for unsettled accounts.
"Bulgarian Mafia Gets International Dimensions," comments the oppositional daily "Demokratsiya" in a banner front-page headline. According to the daily, a criminal gang for contract bombings is paralysing the Bulgarian seaside resorts.
"Police's inability to cope with the rising crime, as well as the obvious unwillingness of Zhan Videnov's Government to take measures and bring the grave situation under control created ideal grounds for entry of foreign mafia into Bulgaria," "Demokratsiya" comments.