News from Bulgaria / Jan 22, 96

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] WEEKLY ROUNDUP OF EVENTS

Stockholm, January 13 - 14

The Chairman of the Committee of Posts and TelecommunicationsLyubomir Kolarov visited Sweden at the invitation of SwedishTransport and Communications Minister Ines Uusmann.

Sofia, January 15 - 16

Visit by Yugoslav delegation, led by the deputy chairman of the Chamber of the Republics of the Federal Assembly Radomilo Bogdanovic.The delegation was received by President Zhelyu Zhelev, Prime Minister Zhan Videnov and Foreign Minister Georgi Pirinski.

Zagreb, January 17 - 18 President Zhelyu Zhelev made a formal visit to Croatia. The sides signed a Treaty for Friendship and Cooperation.

Bucharest, January 18 - 19

Defence Minister Dimiter Pavlov made a formal visit to Romania.

Sarajevo, January 19

President Zhelyu Zhelev made a brief working visit to Bosnia.

Sofia, January 20 (BTA) -

Lionel Stolereau, former French secretary of state for planning (in the government of Michel Rocard) arrived in Bulgaria today. He will be received by National Assembly Chairman Blagovest Sendov and Culture Minister Georgi Kostov. His schedule also includes meetings with MPs of the foreign policy, budget and finance and economic committees.

A parliamentary delegation today left for Strasbourg to attend the regular session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

The Bulgarian Agrarian National Union, allied with the Democratic Party in the parliamentary Popular Union coalition, will put up a candidate for the presidency at a meeting on March 23 and 24, its leaders decided today. In the meantime it will negotiate with other opposition forces for a common presidential candidacy. According to the party's leader Anastassiya Mozer, the most appropriate contender is incumbent President Zhelyu Zhelev.

"Sociology and the Media on the Eve of, and during, Elections" was the topic of a seminar in Bankya near Sofia today. It was organized by the Bulgarian Sociological Association and co-financed by the Open Society Fund.

[02] CANDIDATES FOR MINISTERS OF TRADE, AGRICULTURE NAMED

The Democratic Left will urge Parliament to vote on the nominees by secret ballot. On Tuesday Parliament will hold an extraordinary sitting to vote changes in the Zhan Videnov Cabinet, after the Prime Minister last week accepted the resignations of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade and Foreign Economic Cooperation Kiril Tsochev and Agriculture Minister Vassil Chichibaba.

The final structure and staff of the two ministries should be announced within two weeks, according to today's decision.

"There is a need for structural, functional and personnel changes," Shivarov, the 51-one year-old leader the Socialists' Agrarian ally, today told a national radio reporter, who asked what he would first do after heading the ministry. "I could hardly say [what I would do] before meeting the people and talking with the present minister. I will be able to answer this question within the two-week deadline," said Paparizov, 44, ex-foreign trade minister, in answer to the same question.

Sofia, January 21 (BTA) - German MP Gernot Erler, member of the Bundestag foreign policy and defence committees and chairman of the Germany-Bulgaria friendship group, arrived here today. Erler will participate in an international conference on "European Social Democracy and the Bulgarian Left". "I will present Social Democratic ideas of the expansion of Europe. We will discuss the situation in Bulgaria after the signing of the Dayton peace accords," Erler said upon his arrival. The latter issue will be discussed at his meetings with President Zhelyu Zhelev, National Assembly Chairman Blagovest Sendov, Prime Minister Zhan Videnov, Foreign Minister Georgi Pirinski and political leaders. According to Erler, other objectives of his visit are to form a more specific idea of the government's performance in its twelve months in office, and of the preparations for the March visit to Bulgaria by German President Roman Herzog.

[03] SENDOV- INTERVIEW

The floor leader of the Democratic Left parliamentary group Krassimir Premyanov announced the faction will hold an extraordinary sitting Tuesday to discuss the candidacy of central bank Deputy Governor Lyubomir Filipov for Governor. Parliament will probably vote on the candidacy Wednesday.

[04] NEW GREEK PREMIER COSTAS SIMITIS

He also says he is planning to visit Sofia.

Prime Minister Simitis describes as "secondary" the unresolved problems in bilateral relations, such as the use of the Maritsa, Mesta and Strouma rivers and the opening of new border checkpoints. "The most difficult part is to realize that we have a common future and that we should be working to promote a new culture of bilateral relations, in order to more fully realize our potential in the Balkans," the Greek prime minister says.

According to Simitis, development in the Balkans is only possible through joint efforts. "That is why we should cooperate with each other [...], prioritizing transport and other infrastructure projects," he says.