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Bulgarian Telegraph Agency (BTA), 96-11-08Bulgarian Telegraph Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Embassy of Bulgaria <bulgaria@access1.digex.net>EMBASSY OF BULGARIA - WASHINGTON D.C.BTA - BULGARIAN TELEGRAPH AGENCY8 November, 1996CONTENTS
[01] US PRESIDENT CLINTON CABLES CONGRATULATIONS TO BULGARIA'S PRESIDENT-ELECT STOYANOVSofia, November 11 (BTA) - The President of the United States Bill Clinton sent today his congratulations to the President-elect of Bulgaria Peter Stoyanov in a cabled message which says:"Please accept my congratulations and best wishes upon your decisive election victory. Bulgaria's peaceful and orderly exercise of democracy stands as a model for emerging democracies around the world. On behalf of the American people, I wish you success as you lead Bulgaria along the difficult road ahead. You may rely on the good will and support of the United States as Bulgaria undertakes essential economic reforms and strengthens its ties with the West." [02] PRIME MINISTER VIDENOV TO ATTEND C.E..I. MINISTERIALSofia, November 7 (BTA) - Bulgarian Prime Minister Zhan Videnov is leaving for Graz tomorrow to attend the meeting of prime ministers and foreign ministers of the member countries of the Central European Initiative (CEI), the Government Press Office said. Questions related to CEI's role in the accession of the East European countries to the European Union and to Bosnia's post-war reconstruction will be on the agenda.For the first time, Bulgaria will take part as full member of the organization, the press release emphasizes. This country was admitted to the CEI in June 1996. [03] BULGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTER AT COUNCIL OF EUROPE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERSSofia, November 7 (BTA) - Bulgarian Foreign Minister Georgi Pirinski attended a two-day meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, which ended in Strasbourg today.In a press release, the Information Department of the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry said that addressing the meeting, Mr Pirinski stressed the importance which Bulgaria attaches to cooperation within the framework of the Council of Europe. The chief Bulgarian diplomat stressed Bulgaria's readiness to assist the process of integration of recently admitted member countries from Southeastern Europe with the organization's purposes and ideals. Mr Pirinski familiarized the participants with the decisions and results of the Balkan Conference on Stability, Security and Cooperation in South-Eastern Europe, which was held in Sofia in July. The Bulgarian Foreign Minister stressed the role which the Council of Europe may play for implementation of the accords reached at that meeting. Bulgaria's participation in the activities of the Council of Europe, as well as the Council's capabilities to facilitate the process of stability and cooperation between the countries of Southeastern Europe, were on the agenda of a meeting between Mr Pirinski and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Daniel Tarschys. The chief Bulgarian diplomat also held bilateral talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Hennadii Udovenko, the German Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Klaus Kinkel and representatives of other member countries of the Council of Europe. [04] COUNCIL OF MINISTERS DECISIONSSofia, November 7 (BTA) - Meeting today, the Cabinet decided to allow the duty-free import of 10,000 t of propane-butane gas for household uses over five months, the Government Press Office said. Four thousand tonnes of gas will be imported this year.The Government approved an agreement between Bulgaria and Lithuania on visa-free entry, signed in Sofia in April 1996. Under the agreement, citizens of either country will not need a visa for a stay of up to 90 days on the territory of the other. Visas and other relevant documents will be required for visits exceeding this period. At the request of the Algerian Embassy in Sofia, the Cabinet allowed the holding of a referendum on amendments to the Algerian Constitution between November 23 and 28, 1996. The Government gave its consent to the opening in Sofia of an Honorary Consulate of Ghana and to the appointment of Gospodin Gospodinov as Honorary Consul. In connection with the forthcoming visit of a Chinese government delegation (expected in Bulgaria on Sunday), the Council of Ministers approved an agreement on technological cooperation with the Government of China constituted by an exchange of letters. China is expected to donate a 200-line telephone exchange and a language lab for the Centre for Oriental Languages at the St Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia. [05] GERMAN, BULGARIAN INTERIOR MINISTRIES SIGN AGREEMENTMunich, November 7 (BTA exclusive by Bulgarian National Television correspondent Simeon Vassilev) - In Munich today, Bulgaria and Germany signed an agreement between their interior ministires on transiting third countries' citizens as an addition to the recently concluded treaty of readmission. The agreement was signed by Prof. Dr Kurt Schelter, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of the Interior, and Major General Georgi Lambov, Chief Secretary of the Bulgarian Interior Ministry.Earlier in the day, the Interior Minister of the Free State of Bavaria Dr Guenther Beckstein, Major General Lambov and heads of department of the two interior ministries held consultations. "We specified practical aspects of our joint work in combatting drug trafficking, car theft and above all illgeal immigration," General Lambov said. Asked by BTA to assess cooperation between Bavaria and Bulgaria in organized crime control, the Bavarian Interior Minister said that the Bulgarian police is very good at this specialized work, especially at detecting narcotics. Dr Beckstein described today's agreement as a very important and positive step. [06] EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO PROVIDE GRAIN AID TO BULGARIASofia, November 7 (BTA) - The European Commission is ready to meet Bulgaria's request for grain aid in exchange for stepped up reforms in agriculture. This emerged yesterday in Brussels and was publicized by world news agencies. A representative of the European Commission, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Commission is ready to help but its decision depends on Bulgaria's will for reform.The Commission insists that Bulgaria liberalize the prices of agricultural produce, carry out privatization in agriculture and launch structural changes in the sector. The urgent need for grain imports to Bulgaria was discussed at a late September meeting of the Bulgarian Minister of Agriculture Krustyu Trendafilov and of Trade and Foreign Economic Cooperation Atanas Paparizov with the Sofia-based ambassadors of the 15 European Union member states and EU Ambassador Thomas O'Sullivan. The meeting was held after Prime Minister Zhan Videnov asked European Commission President Jacques Santer for assistance in handling the grain crisis. Last September Parliament ratified a contract on delivery of US wheat under the GSM 102 programme. The contract envisaged the extending of a USD 25 million credit with a 3-year grace period. It was never implemented as the Bulgarian foreign trade bank, Bulbank, refused to open a credit line over unacceptable clauses in the contract. Bulgaria has also negotiated grain imports with Ukraine and Kazakhstan. In late September Agriculture Minister Trendafilov announced that Bulgaria has imported 130,000 tonnes of wheat but they don's eliminate the problem. He also said the country relies heavily on the EU assistance for getting soft-term credits for purchase of grain with a period of payment at least three years. The Commission will not answer Bulgaria's request immediately because its estimates show that this country's grain stock will be sufficient till February 1997. Commission representatives, though, believe there will be very severe problems unless something is done before this spring. [07] INTERIOR MINISTRY ACT AMENDEDSofia, November 7 (Ani Parmaksizian of BTA) - Amendments to the Interior Ministry Act concerning wages, pensions and other social insurance entitlements passed on second reading today and are to enter into force on January 1, 1997. They are sponsored by Georgi Dilkov, MP of the Bulgarian Business Bloc.The base monthly salary of Interior Ministry officers is set at twice the average wage. Non-commissioned officers will get 1.3 times the average wage which, according to the social affairs minister, stands at 12,000 leva (48 dollars). They will receive monthly bonuses for continuous service and occupational hazards. In 1995 half of the officers dismissed from the Interior Ministry were relieved at their request. Eighty per cent of them quit the police force citing low pay and high risks, the latter being a consequence of the rise in crime in recent years. Half of those officers and NCOs had served for up to ten years, the Ministry said. In July the Cabinet issued a decree establishing a fund to ensure social protection to crime victims including Interior Ministry officers, citizens helping the Ministry and their relatives. Today's amendments provide for income-tax exempt compensation paid on leaving the police force, with the exception of officers dismissed on disciplinary grounds. At present officers are paid one to 12 monthly salaries, depending on their length of service. The amended Act provides for a one-time compensation of as many gross average salaries as the years of service, but not more than 20. The amendments envisage annual provision of uniforms or their money equivalent exempt from tax. Food allowances are also exempt from income tax. Interior Ministry officers are provided with free travel on public transport. Under the amended Act they are to have a 40-hour working week. Interior Ministry officers are barred from trade, participation in company boards and working under a contract of services except as teachers or researchers on terms set by the Interior Minister. The amendments are expected to partly compensate officers for their hard working conditions. About one million crimes were committed in Bulgaria in the last five years. Some 500 murders were committed in the last three years. Armed robberies are showing an upward trend. About 200 blasts are registered every year. Four police were killed and 39 wounded in shoot-outs with criminals in 1995. There are many vacancies around the country. In 1995 alone, more than 1,500 officers were dismissed for abuse of office or corruption. The armed forces' prosecutors of the Sofia district said 108 suits were filed against policemen in 1995. [08] PARLIAMENT PASSES LAW ON POPULAR VOTESofia, November 7 (BTA) - Parliament today passed at second reading a law on popular vote regulating the direct participation of the public in deciding on national and local matters. The passage of the law was prompted by the need for a statutory act to provide for the holding of a local referendum and general assembly required in the institution of a new municipality or district. Passed in 1983, the effective law is inapplicable with the present division of powers.The new law envisages that the public participates directly in the government of the state and municipalities through national and local referendum, general assembly and petition. All Bulgarians eligible to vote have the right to participate in the above forms of direct democracy. National referenda are called on matters that - with very few exceptions - are within the powers of Parliament. A referendum may not concern matters of the competence of the Grand National Assembly, the bodies of the judiciary and the Constitutional Court; for amendments to the Constitution and the national budget and tax questions. A national referendum is held on the proposal of the President, the government and at least a quarter of sitting MPs. The motion for holding a referendum is submitted to Parliament which takes a final decision on whether a referendum will be held or not. The parliamentary decision also formulates the question concerned so that the public may give a "yes" or "no" vote. The referendum is held no later than 30 days after Parliament's decision. The Central Electoral Commission in general elections acts as a Central Commission in the referendum. The public vote will be enforced when more than half of the eligible Bulgarians have participated and the "yes" or "no" vote shall prevail when it has been backed by more than half of the participants. Within seven days after the referendum, the public vote may be challenged before the Supreme Court be the persons who have the right to propose a referendum. A local referendum is held only on local matters, that are of the competence of the local government bodies in a municipality, district or population centre. The referendum may not concern the municipal budget or local taxes and fees. A local referendum is held on the motion of mayors, one quarter of municipal councilors or one quarter of voters. The requirements for enforcing the public vote in a national referendum apply to local referenda as well. A general assembly is held in population centres with less than 2,000 residents. The public vote is given in an open ballot. Local residents may also sent a petition to the municipal council on questions of local significance. [09] OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATION ORGANIZES CHARITY CAMPAIGNNovember 7 (BTA) - The Open Society Foundation has collected about 18 tons of clothes, shoes, teaching aids and food for children of the orphanages, a news conference was told today. Representatives of the 14 Open Society clubs based in Sofia and other population centres in the country took part in the charity campaign. The grant aid will be distributed among 48 orphanages.The Open Society Foundation was set up on April 5, 1990. Open Society receives 75 percent of its funds from Mr George Soros. In 1991 the Foundation exerted active assistance to the establishment of the American University in Blagoevgrad (Western Bulgaria) and the New Bulgarian University in Sofia. In the course of five years the Foundation donated 13 million US dollars to Bulgarian education, art, libraries and book publishing. The Foundation spent the total of 63 million US dollars in the past five years. Open Society granted 2,056 scholarships to students and post-graduate students for training in Bulgaria and abroad. The Foundation has supported 560 projects in the area of culture and set up a number of bookshops, clubs and information centres nationwide. The Foundation's programmes, "Education", "Scholarships" and "State and Civil Society", are being successfully implemented. This year larger attention is paid to the Europe Fund designed to assist the efforts for Bulgaria's integration into the European structures. [10] 79 PRIVATIZATION FUNDS LICENSEDSofia, November 7 (BTA) - So far 79 privatization funds have received licenses for participation in the mass privatization, Hristiyan Tanoushev, Chairman of the Securities and Stock Exchanges Commission (SSEC), told a news conference today.The capital raised by the funds totals 60,209 million leva given that 11 of the funds have more than 2,000 million leva each. Expenses on the funds' establishment equalled about 1,659 million leva of which 837 million were spent on the awareness campaigns, according to SSEC figures. Unlike the Czech Republic and Russia where privatization funds numbered 450 and 600, respectively, in Bulgaria their number is considerably smaller. Eighty one privatization funds have raised 70 million leva, the minimum capital needed to be given a license. Two of the funds which did not present all necessary documents were not granted licenses, Tanoushev said. At a sitting yesterday the Commission decided to licence the Bulgarian-Dutch Privatization Fund. The Fund was set up by Bulgaria's Post Bank and the ING Bank of the Netherlands. It is the third largest fund with more than 160,000 shareholders and a capital exceeding 4,000 million leva. The Fund's founders failed to meet a requirement to publish a public notice of subscription. This is why there were doubts on whether the SSEC will give it a license. "The licensing of the Bulgarian-Dutch Privatization Fund is legal and is in the interests of the investors," Plamen Nikolov of the Commission said today. The first centralized auction of the mass privatization was given the go-ahead in early October. It marked the beginning of the second stage of denationalization of the Bulgarian economy. The first one involved the cash privatization launched three years ago. The mass privatization started in early January 1996. Some 1,000 enterprises with a total capital exceeding 200,000 million leva have been put up for sale. About 80,000 million leva of their capital will be privatized through voucher books, another part through the cash privatization and a third part will remain state-owned. More than three million people stated they will take part in the mass privatization through privatization funds or independently. The total of 6.5 million Bulgarians were eligible to register for participation. [11] BULGARIA EXPANDS INTERNATIONAL TELECOMS COOPERATIONSofia, November 7 (BTA) - France Telecom wishes to pursue mutually advantageous economic, technological and financial partnership with the Bulgarian Telecommunications Company (BTC), Mr Jean-Michel About (name most probably misspelt), in charge of Central and Eastern Europe and the Baltics at the French national public telecommunications network operator, told the President of the Committee of Posts and Telecommunications Lyubomir Kolarov.The sides agreed that the two countries' national telecoms operators have enhanced their cooperation over the last two years, putting into operation 120 digital telephone connections and increasing the phone traffic in 1995 and 1996. Mr About commended highly the requirements and critieria which the Committee sets in the selection of a long-term strategic partner in the forthcoming partial privatization of BTC. An emphasis was laid on the boost which Bulgaria's geographical location and the launch of the North-South and East-West Trans-European Telecommunication Networks due before the end of 1996 give to Bulgaria's standing on the European and world telecoms market. Also at the Committee of Posts and Telecommunications today, Bulgarian human resources experts held a working meeting with experts of the TDS Company of Portugal, headed by Mr Manuel Fres, leading human resources consultant and member of the Portuguese Parliament, the Committee said in a press release. The participants heard an exploratory report on the presentation of medium-term and long-term planning and projections for BTC's development in regard of personnel training needs, prepared jointly by Bulgarian and Portuguese experts. The report is part of a PHARE Programme-financed project for restructuring of the personnel training and retraining system for the national communications system. An analysis was made of the state of human resources at the BTC and recommendations were presented to the leaderhip of the Committee and to the BTC management concerning the problems of human resource planning, the need of personnel training, the advent of new occupations in the sector and personnel retraining. [12] BULGARIA, SWITZERLAND CARRY OUT ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTHaskovo, November 7 (BTA correspondent) - For three years a Bulgarian-Swiss biodiversity conservation programme has been carried out in Bulgaria. It includes the Rhodope Mountains. It includes a project for the protection of rare and endangered birds of prey in the Eastern Rhodope Mountains.The Eastern Rhodopes are the habitat of 33 of the 36 birds of prey species that breed in Europe. Environmentalists helped preserve 12 pairs of griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus), but so far their activity has been often spontaneous and limited to certain localities. The Eastern Rhodopes project is implemented in the area between Svilengrad and Kurdjali (Southern Bulgaria), along the Bulgarian-Greek border. Representatives of the Bulgarian Society for the Ptotection of Birds reached an understanding with the regional authorities in Haskovo (Southern Bulgaria) to conclude an agreement on joint activities in carrying out the project. Efforts are aimed to create a kind of crossborder reserve of wildlife in the area. It is planned to raise additional funds under PHARE Interreg or from the National Environmental Protection Fund for this purpose. Experts believe that this will open an excellent opportunity for ecotourism. Bulgarian Telegraph Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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