News from Bulgaria / Nov. 27, 1995

From: [email protected] (Embassy of Bulgaria)

Bulgarian Telegraph Agency Directory

EMBASSY OF BULGARIA - WASHINGTON D.C.

BTA - BULGARIAN TELEGRAPH AGENCY

BULLETIN OF NEWS FROM BULGARIA

CONTENTS

[01] BULGARIAN GOVERNMENT SUSPENDS TRADE SANCTIONS

The suspension concerns bans, restrictions and special measures connected with the imports, exports and transit transportation of commodities and products across the territory of Serbia and Montenegro, which were regulated by four Government's decrees in 1992, 1993 and 1994. The suspension of the sanctions is to enter into force on the date of its gazetting.

Strictly observing the latest resolutions of the UN Security Council, Bulgaria will continue to enforce order No 16 of the Council of Ministers of 1991, imposing embargo on the deliveries of arms, ammunitions and military equipment for the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the Government's press centre said.

[02] BUSINESS NEWS BRIEFS

Sofia, November 26 (BTA) - Foreign tourists estimate highly the Bulgarian "Sunny Beach" resort (on the Black Sea), according to an opinion poll, conducted by Gallup International in the high tourist season. According to the study, the conditions which the Bulgarian resort offers, are up to the expectations of 97 per cent of the respondents. Every third is categorical to come again and spend another holiday in Bulgaria and 57 per cent are hesitant. Seeking to attract larger number of holiday makers of the middle class, the managers of the Sunny Beach resort have undertaken an ambitious investment programme.

The Parliamentary Committee Against Corruption heard the President of the Foreign Investment Agency Daniela Bobeva. She familiarized the MPs with the main difficulties of the Agency, connected with foreign investors' complaints about corruption in the local administration. Another thing the foreign businessmen consider an impediment, according to Mrs Bobeva, is the unyielding administration. The Committee asked the Agency to report the major cases of corruption on a regular basis.

Deputy Finance Minister Ivan Radev presented before the Parliamentary Finance and Economic Committee the macroeconomic frame of the 1995 budget bill and provided estimates of the 1995 budget utilization. Deputy Minister Radev reported a 2.5 per cent growth of the GDP, inflation below 35 per cent given projections of 45-50 per cent, stable foreign exchange rates and projections for 4 per cent revenue undercollection.

160 Bulgarian companies are taking part in a "Europartnership '95" exhibition in Lisbon this week, organized by the European Union.

The Haskovo region (Southern Bulgaria) and regions in Romania, Greece and Austria will take part in a joint project for energy efficiency in residential and public buildings. The project is financed by the European programme "Ecos-Ouverture" in the framework of the PHARE programme. It is to be realized within a year and the Haskovo region will receive ECU 75,000 to this end.

15 businessmen from the Greek town of Volos visited Pleven (Northern Bulgaria) at the invitation of the local Chamber of Commerce and Industry. They held negotiations with companies from the region and met with Pleven's mayor. The Chairmen of the commercial chambers of the two towns signed a cooperation agreement. The two business associations decided to move to the Greek Embassy in Sofia a request for relaxing the visa requirements which would facilitate the economic contacts.

The management of the "Ericsson" concern took a principal decision to provide to the Bulgarian-Greek JV "Bulphon" licenses for the manufacture of digital telecommunications equipment in Bulgaria. These are the first licenses for the production of such equipment granted to Bulgaria. According to Valentin Kolev, chief expert at the telecommunications company, over the next 15 years the system will attract 3,000 million US dollars in investment, open thousands of jobs and lower the dependability of telecommunications on imports.

The brewery in Zaichar (Serbia) offered cooperation to the Bulgarian beer-bottler in Vidin (on the Danube). The Bulgarian enterprise provides with great bottling capacities and the Serbian factory is among the high quality breweries.

[03] PRESS REVIEW

Sofia, November 26 (BTA) - "One does not need to be a political scientist or astrologer to predict Bulgaria's position in 1996," reads a political commentary in "Demokratsiya", the daily of the largest opposition formation, the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF). According to "Demokratsiya", Bulgaria will not be included in Europe's plans. It will however be part of the massive expansion of Russia, which will seek to use Sofia to revenge for its failure in Belgrade, which is seeking the support of Washington and Paris.

The different Bulgarian governments and parliaments have pursued ideological, rather than pragmatic policy since the beginning of the war in former Yugoslavia and this explains Bulgaria's surprise at the suspension of the embargo, reads a commentary in the private daily "Standart News".

The Ministry of the Interior used the counter-terrorism commandos to punish the small fry as an example to the others, the private "24 Chassa" comments on the force actions of the special police units in Sofia on Thursday. According to the paper, following the police actions, about 20 victims of beating sought medical assistance and the lives of two are in danger. Let the next in turn get ready, says a signed commentary on the same matter in "Demokratsiya". According to the author, after the demonstration actions, Interior Minister Lyubomir Nachev will hardly stop going to football matches or sing in public while the country is being plagued by murders, thefts and rapes.

Sofia does not give asylum to Islamic integrists, however many of them have illegally entered the country due to the relaxed border control, "24 Chassa" quotes Egyptian Ambassador to Bulgaria Mrs May Aboul-Dahab as saying before the "Al Hayat" newspaper in connection with the shooting at the building of the Egyptian Embassy in Sofia on Tuesday. The extremist group, which claimed responsibility for the assault against the Embassy of Egypt in Pakistan are reported to have acclaimed the shootings in Sofia, "24 Chassa" and "Standart News" say, quoting a news release of France Presse.

The three Bulgarian fishermen, who disappeared 10 days ago in the Black Sea, have been rescued by a Turkish ship in the Bosporus the dailies say. "24 Chassa" quotes experts as saying that this is quite a long period for castaways to have survived without food and water.

In a declaration to the leadership of the ethnic Turks' Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) activists of the movement describe its leader Ahmed Dogan as "a cynic and a liar", "Standart News" quotes excellently informed sources as saying. The authors of the declaration insist that Dogan's morals be discussed in public and that he be held responsible before the party, the report says. In another story the paper says there are 300 people to have been invited to what is Dogan's second wedding.

The under-15 girls who gave birth to a child out of wedlock numbered 606 in 1994, reads a report in a collection of stories on the problems of obstetrics in "Demokratsiya". 9,778 of the young mothers are aged between 15 and 19. According to the daily this is the age of nearly 10 per cent of the young mothers since 1991.

The party headquarters achieved what they wanted in the local elections early this month, but the people are getting increasingly sceptical about the chances of gaining anything in their own benefit through voting, even the most democratic one, says the author of a signed article about the elections in "24 Chassa".

78.5 per cent of the juvenile delinquents have been abetted in crime by their parents, according to studies of the Council for Criminological Studies of the Uncontrolled, quoted by "Standart News" in a collection of stories about juvenile delinquency. According to the daily, 33.5 per cent of the prostituting children have been forced to that by their parents. The paper recalls that Bulgaria has yet to adopt legislation for the protection of the child.

A German company bid 1,000 Deutschemarks for one/fourth of the Bulgarian Telecommunications Company, "24 Chassa" quotes yesterday's statement by MP Alexander Bozhikov, who declined to name the source of the offer. The Cabinet is not inclined to sell telecommunications at this stage, the daily quotes informed sources as saying.

The fashion show of the world-famous Italian fashion designer Gianfranco Ferre, probably featuring Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell, which is scheduled for tonight in Sofia, costs 250,000 US dollars, "Standart News" says in a front-page story.

[04] CULTURAL NEWS BRIEFS

Sofia, November 25 (BTA) - An international festival of classical guitar was opened this week in Shoumen (Northern Bulgaria). Among the participants are Bernard Hebb of the U.S. and Leszek Potaszinski of Poland. The first national competition for young guitarists will be held in the framework of the event. The competitors will be assessed by an international jury.

On Monday in the Sofia city library was opened the first one-man exhibition of Metodi Petrov of the western outlands (a territory now in Southeastern Serbia which Bulgaria lost in 1919 under the Treaty of Neuilly). The exposition features 100 works, unfamiliar to the Bulgarian public, including water paintings, drawings and caricatures from the private collection of the artist's wife. Metodi Petrov was born in 1920 in the village Zhelyusha near Caribrod and died in early 1995. He made illustrations to more than 100 books and textbooks for the Bulgarians in Yugoslavia. Petrov used to work as journalist, illustrator and cartoonist in the "Nova Makedonia" paper.

The Days of St Kliment, the patron of the Sofia University, started on Tuesday in Sofia with the opening of two exhibitions: of Tsvetana Gruncharova's paintings and of Ivan Boshnakov's art photography. The Days of St. Kliment will continue until December 8. On the programme are discussions, readings and concerts. The day of St. Kliment of Ohrid, November 25, was marked with a holy liturgy at the "St Alexander Nevski" cathedral.

An exhibition "Still Life in Slovak Art" was opened on Wednesday in Sliven (Southern Bulgaria). The exhibition features 46 works of 26 Slovak artists, selected from the fund of the gallery in the Slovak town of Trencin. The exhibition is in Bulgaria in connection with the Meeting of European Environment Ministers and was also staged in Sofia.

The private cable TV network "Globo" will be switched into operation on March 1, 1996. The 24-hours channel of the new television will come to rival the state-owned programmes. The channel will broadcast news releases, movies, sports events and music. Globo's programmes will be received in 12 towns round Bulgaria.

[05] SATURDAY NEWS BRIEFS

Sofia, November 25 (BTA) - The prompt establishment of business contacts on all levels providing priority in the reconstruction of the war-stricken areas in former Yugoslavia was discussed at meetings in several Bulgarian towns of representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia with Bulgarian businessmen and societies for friendship between the peoples.

"Someone in Hungary wants to save money without any sense," commented the Director of Hungary's Culture Centre in Sofia Mr Gyorg Arato on a letter by the Hungarian Culture Ministry of early October. In the letter the Ministry says that financial reasons necessitate the closure of 3 of the 14 such centres round the world, one of them being the centre in Sofia. The Sofia-based centre is one of the least money-consuming, Mr Arato says. In his view, it is strange that the problem arose at a time when both countries have Socialist governments. The decision of the Hungarian Ministry of Culture was met with astonishment by the Society for Bulgarian-Hungarian friendship, the organization's Chairman Prof. Dr. Stoyan Radev told BTA.

President Zhelyu Zhelev, his Holiness the Bulgarian Patriarch Maxim, National Assembly Chairman Blagovest Sendov, MPs, ministers, foreign guests, scientists and university students attended today the ceremony on the Day of the Sofia University "St.Kliment of Ohrid". Patriarch Maxim officiated a ceremonious liturgy in the "St.Alexander Nevski" cathedral.

This year another 16 scientists of the Sofia University became professors, 27 associate professors. The degree Philosophy Doctor was conferred to 15 persons and Master of Arts - to 24.

The University authorities congratulated the excellent graduates, who number 588 this year and announced a number of various awards to be granted to students and young scientific workers.

The Secondary Muslim School in Rousse (on the Danube) will be the first secondary school in Bulgaria to teach Arabic language, BTA's local correspondent said, quoting the local mosque's board of trustees. The school plans to launch courses in business Arabic for interested merchants.

A memorial in honour of the 67 MPs, ministers, king's advisors and three regents, including Prince Kyrie, who were executed in 1945 following a sentence of the so-called People's court after the establishment of the Communist regime, was opened today in the Sofia cemetery. The ceremony was attended by MPs of the opposition Union of Democratic Forces, relatives of the victims and other citizens. The monument was constructed on funds, provided by heirs of the dead persons. Among the donors is the King's family.

Reports on the genesis of Fascism in Bulgaria, on the contemporary aspects of anti-Fascism and other related topics were read at the national meeting on "Fascism, Neo-Fascism: Essence and Manifestations, Forms of Counteraction," organist at the headquarters of the Bulgarian Socialist Party by the Youth Commission with the Central Council of the Bulgarian Anti- Fascist Union.

"The Fatherland Party of Labour (FPL) pledges that Bulgaria forms a military and political alliance with Russia - this is our fate," FPT leader Mincho Minchev told reporters today. In his view, otherwise Bulgaria will not be able to prosper and get guarantees for its national security.

The Movement for New Culture held today its first congress under the motto "Bulgaria - Venue Point of East and West, of Past and Future." The forum launches the programme "Integration of Cultures - the Only Safe Transition to the New Epoch," which the Movement wants to realize until 1999. "Since the politicians and the business circles would not settle the spiritual problems of the humanity and of the epoch, then the intelligentsia should take up this task," Chairman of the movement Koubrat Tomov said in his opening address.

"The Union of the Victims of Repressions in Bulgaria after September 9, 1994 (the time when the Communists took the power) should become an open organization and attract young people so that it fights more efficiently with the BSP," union leader Ivan Stanchev recommended today to members of the organization in Silistra (Northern Bulgaria), BTA's local correspondent said. According to Mr Stanchev, the government of the Democratic Left coalition (the BSP, the "Alexander Stamboliiski" Bulgarian Agrarian National Union, the "Eco- Glasnost" political Club) cannot cope with the problems of the country and parliamentary elections are soon to be held.

A delegation of the Serb party "Nova Demokratsiya" was on a visit to Pleven (Northern Bulgaria). The visit is at the invitation of the extra-parliamentary Civic Alliance for the Republic. Nova Demokratsiya Chairman Dushan Mihailovic, Deputy Chairman of the Serb Parliament Voislav Voic and the other members of the delegation had meetings with businessmen from the Pleven region. They discussed the prospects for widening the economic contacts after the suspension of the Yugosanctions.

[06] SUNDAY NEWS BRIEFS

Sofia, November 26 (BTA) - At an irregular meeting today the Council of Ministers went on discussing the 1996 Budget Bill and the related next year's draft programme of the Privatization Agency, the Government's press centre said. The State Budget Bill is expected to be adopted by the Government and moved to the National Assembly by December 1.

The General Assembly of the Union of Bulgarian Foundations elected today new governing bodies. The session is a continuation of a November 5 meeting, which elected Prof. Todor Vulchev Chairman of the formation.

The Union incorporates 125 foundations and societies. One of its goals is to unite all non-profit and non-governmental organizations, which number some 2,500 in Bulgaria, the Union's Executive Director Plamen Peikov told BTA.

The Fourth Congress of the Association for Balkan Cooperation of Women ended its work today. The three-day forum was held under the motto "Woman, Business, Tourism". With the establishment of peace in former Yugoslavia, the immediate goal of the Bulgarian Women Society for Balkan Cooperation will be to make Sofia a centre for contacts between the women in the Balkans, particularly economic ones, Society's Chair Mrs Emilia Maslarova told the forum.

The pine-tree massifs in the Tryavna Balkan range (central Bulgaria) have started perishing from an unknown virus, BTA's local correspondent said. The usual age at which trees wither is only 20-30 years. Experts attribute the infection to industrial pollution, the report says.

Stanimir Penev, a 78-year old doctor from Pleven (Northcentral Bulgaria) received a letter from U.S. President Bill Clinton who extends his thanks for Penev's contribution in fighting smoking, BTA's local correspondent said. More than 30 years ago Dr Penev invented an original method of early prophylaxis. He applied it on more than 2,000 children and none of them took up smoking as an adult. The method was banned during the totalitarian regime but Dr Penev recently had the chance of applying the method on American children and Bill Clinton saw a film about the treatment.

Top models Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell did not arrive at the time they were expected (3 p.m.) at the Sofia airport VIP. Reporters and body guards waited for over two hours the arrival of the two fashion stars. Four Mercedes cars, one Chaika, two Nissan jeeps and a dozen of strong young men from a private security company were ready to take the two models to the fashion show of the world-known designer Gianfranco Ferre at 7.30 in the evening. Fans complained that ticket prices went up to 5,000 leva (1 US dollar exchanges for nearly 70 leva).