 |
| 6 Mar 2012, Issue 3336 · USD: 1.47945 EUR: 1.95583 · Sofia: min 0°, max 8° Varna: min -1°, max 4° · |
| BUSINESS POLITICS WORLD SOCIETY SPORTS FORUM |
Witness Links Bulgaria's Octopus and Impudent OC Cases
 Plamen
Ustinov, former employee of Bulgaria's National Security Services, NSO,
testified in Court Monday that Alexey Petrov had assigned him to murder
Litex CEO, Grisha Ganchev.
read |
Ireland's Ex PM Ally behind EUR 60 M Bulgarian Wind Project - Report
 A
close ally of Ireland's corruption-tainted former prime minister is
behind the launch of a major windfarm project in Bulgaria, according to
media reports.
read |
Bulgarian PR Expert Maxim Behar: Freedom of Speech Is the Mother of All Freedoms
 Media
must be completely independent because the freedom of speech is the
mother of all freedoms in a modern democracy, according to Bulgarian PR
expert Maxim Behar.
read |
||
 | ||||
BULGARIA'S RULING PARTY GRADUALLY LOSING SUPPORT - POLL
Bulgaria's ruling centrist-right GERB party is gradually losing support, according to a poll conducted by Alpha Research at the end of February. GERB has lost 2% of its supporters as compared with December 2011, reaching 23.9%. The approval rating of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov remains higher than that of his party – 38%, according to the poll. The support for GERB is decreasing mainly among citizens who live in larger cities and among the more highly educated. Among 1015 Bulgarians surveyed, 22% assess the work of the government positively, while 36% are on the opposite opinion. Even though Interior Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov remains the most popular cabinet member, negative assessments on his activity prevail over the positive ones, the pollsters have found out. Bulgarians generally disprove of shale gas research and the controversial ACTA agreement. Both issues recently triggered protests that forced GERB to impose a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing in the country and freeze ACTA's ratification. A mere 4% support ACTA, while 47% are against it. 65% of the surveyed citizens are against shale gas exploration and 21% are in favor. A month after his inauguration, Bulgaria's new President Rosen Plevneliev enjoys an approval rating of 43%, while 16% disprove of his performance, the poll also shows. 
ROMANIAN ROMPETROL EXPANDS BUSINESS IN BULGARIA The Romanian oil company Rompetrol is opening ten new gas stations in Bulgaria by the end of April, 2012. The news was reported Monday by the company's press office. With the new gas stations, there total number in Bulgaria will grow to 70. According to Rompetrol's management, there is increased interest from owners of smaller, independent gas stations in Bulgaria (the so-called "white" stations, which are not part of the large chains) to join the Romanian business as franchise partners, meaning its network in the country could expand even further. "The share of independent gas stations is about 70% of all gas stations. In order to operate according to amendments in Bulgarian legislation, smaller fuel merchants need to be in partnership with the large chains. We expect a significant market movement and promise that Rompetrol is ready to react and work under the new conditions," says the Commercial Director of Rompetrol Bulgaria, Stanimir Smilkov, cited by the Bulgarian Dnevnik daily. The company's goal is to reach an 8% share of the gas retail market in the country in the next several years. IRELAND'S EX PM ALLY BEHIND EUR 60 M BULGARIAN WIND PROJECT - REPORT A close ally of Ireland's corruption-tainted former prime minister is behind the launch of a major windfarm project in Bulgaria, according to media reports. Nial Ring, a member of the famous St Luke's inner circle that surrounded Bertie Ahern, is launching a major windfarm project in Bulgaria, the Irish Independent newspaper reported. In a EUR 55 M reverse takeover deal to list on the PLUS market later this month, Captive Audience Display Solutions plc (CADS), a media-buying company, acquired Proventus Energy, a British renewable energy company. Ring will be vice-chairman of the new entity, and plans are in place to develop a large windfarm in Bulgaria's northern wind corridor. Ring predicts that annual income of EUR 60 M is possible from generating 84,000 megawatts of electricity mainly for export. Funding through a Japanese bank and planning and licensing are set up for phase one. The former Fianna Fáil leader is currently facing expulsion from his party if the Mahon Tribunal finds he was involved in corruption. A report on political corruption is expected to be published soon and it is understood will be critical of Ahern's financial dealings while he was both taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader. BULGARIAN AGRICULTURE MINISTER MOVES TO INVESTIGATE EGG PRICE HIKE Bulgaria's Agriculture and Food Minister Miroslav Naydenov will investigate the reasons why egg prices in the country doubled in the course of just ten days. "Egg producers came to me when they had problems – unfair competition from Poland, Bulgarian producers that had not fulfilled the requirements. I helped them cope with these problems. Back then, they told everyone that egg prices won't rise. Now the opposite is happening," Naydenov reminded on Monday, as cited by the Focus news agency. While Naydenov agreed that certain factors like higher fodder and energy costs may justify increased prices, he stated that the increase should have been by a certain percentage instead of double as much as the previous prices. "If they do not succeed at convincing me what the reason is or if I suspect a cartel agreement, I will ask the Commission on Protection of Competition to launch an investigation," Naydenov threatened, referring to egg producers. FURIOUS CLIENTS GIVE SOFIA HEATING UTILITY UGLY FACELIFT Bulgaria's capital has seen an unusual protest against the extremely high heating bills that shocked subscribers and triggered mass indignation. On Sunday, disgruntled clients of Toplofikatsiya Sofia pasted their inexplicably high bills all over the fence, encircling the building of the heating utility office in Borovo district. The total sum of the charges on the bill towered to BGN 10 000. Bills for the first month of 2012 are higher by 20-30% than the previous month, although most people did not change their consumption. Some elderly protestors argued that they are forced to pay more than BGN 100-150 per month although their radiators haven't really been working. This happens when some of the residents in a block of flats disconnect from the heating system altogether, officials explained. In this case the rest of the residents have to cover a bigger chunk of the block's overall heating expenses. Toplofikatsiya's problems with the management and its clients started when the company was found to be in tatters and its head Valentin Dimitrov tried on charges of embezzlement and money laundering. BULGARIAN RIGHTIST PARTY SEEKS MONEY LAUNDERING PROBE AT LUKOIL Bulgaria's right-wing Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB) have demanded that the State Agency for National Security (DANS) should check the money flows of the Lukoil company and investigate the business it for alleged money laundering. Speaking at a Monday press-conference, DSB Deputy Chair Svetoslav Malinov insisted that the ministries of economy and of transport ought to analyze the high prices of fuels sold by the Lukoil Neftochim refinery on the domestic market. Dimitar Bachvarov, a member of the national governing body of DSB, argued in turn that it was the duty of the state "to shed light on such anomalies". Citing data published on energy.eu, Europe's energy portal, he emphasized that prices of gasoline and diesel in Bulgaria contained the biggest industry margin of all 27 EU Member States. The industry margin indicator shows what is left for the producer and the distributor of the duel once VAT, excise duty and the price of crude oil are deducted. Bachcvarov drew attention to the fact that Lukoil was registering a loss for a fourth year in a row, despite the high industry margin. To illustrate his point, he told journalists about a Swedish refinery which he said won EUR 10 from the processing of a ton of crude oil against the backdrop of one of the lowest industrial prices of diesel and gasoline on the local market. "Meanwhile, Lukoil reported a loss of EUR 10," the right-wing MP stressed. "This is both impossible and unacceptable. The average monthly wage in Bulgaria is eight times lower than in Sweden," Bachvarov commented. "What is more, corporate tax , which is at 10% here, is almost three times lower than in Sweden," he added. "It is obvious that the things that are going on at Lukoil need to be brought out into the light so that the actual reasons behind the high prices can come out," the DSB MP stated. Svetoslav Malinov suggested that the checks conducted at the company by the respective institutions were an instrument for exerting pressure and that the doubts that had arisen could not be left unattended by the state. Commenting on last week's talks with Alexei Miller, Chair of the Board of Directors of Russian Gazprom, Bachvarov said that they had failed to yield a result and that the parties had "negotiated to negotiate". The right-wing MP explained that Bulgaria had been put into a week position by the fact that it could not rely on gas grid interconnections as an alternative source of gas supplies. Bachvarov insisted that Bulgarian society had the right to know what parameters the two sides had agreed upon during the talks. On February 29, DSB Chair Ivan Kostov accused Lukoil of monopoly abuses, which he said had long gone unpunished by the Commission on Protection of Competition (KZK). "12 months ago, following waves of protest by Bulgaria's civil society, a moratorium was imposed on fuel prices with the agreement of the government. Lukoil made this "gesture" because it was concerned by the protests. It turns out that now Lukoil holds a monopoly over almost 80% of the warehouses for liquid fuels and has so far failed to install measuring devices allowing the monitoring of liquid fuel flows," Kostov said in Parliament. On the following day, Lukoil responded with an open letter, saying that the rightist leader had distributed a number of false claims. The fuel retailer said that the campaign spearheaded by Kostov was actually a campaign against control and transparency in the fuel sector. BULGARIAN NGO REPORTS HUGE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AGAINST HEATING UTILITIES As many as 437 anti-monopoly trials were initiated in 2011 in Bulgaria, while the total number of complaints and tip-offs about monopoly abuse was 21 000, according to representatives of the non-governmental Movement for National Unity and Salvation (DNES). In a Monday statement, DNES members said that 1/5 of all cases had been won by the citizens. The largest number of cases against monopoly abuse was registered in Kysudtendil (82), followed by Sofia and Dobrich with 57 cases each, DNES members reported. As much as 50% of the complaints filed in 2011 were against heating utilities, DNES announced, adding that 18% of the complaints against heating utilities concerned Toplofikatsiya Sofia. 13% of the complaints filed at DNES in 2011 were against power distributors, the majority of them against E.ON, and the least number of complaints against EVN. The representatives of the civil movement also warned about an uptick in signals about unfair practices concerning banks' loan policies. DNES members said that a large number of consumers were complaining about the services provided by mobile operators but no case had so far been won against them. Galya Nikolova, chief coordinator of DNES, explained that in its first year in existence the organization had managed to rekindle social energy and to open representations all over the country. Apart from that, a petition against monopoly abuse initiated by DNES had attracted 700 000 supporters, Nikolova boasted. What is more, amendments proposed by DNES to legislation in the spheres of energy and electronic communications had already been approved, she noted. On Tuesday, DNES will open a number of offices all over the country where it will offer free legal consultations and low-cost litigation services to citizens whose interests have been injured by monopolies. 
UK BROKERS: HUGE MONEY CONVERTED BACK INTO STERLING FROM BULGARIA Bulgaria is among the countries, from which UK foreign-currency brokers are reporting a staggering amount of money being converted back into sterling. Most transactions back to sterling in recent months come from Spain, Bulgaria, France and the USA, according to data of Currency Index, as cited by The Telegraph Weekly. "With Bulgaria, property investors who bought in the boom years, before the credit crunch in 2008 have had their fingers burnt. Even though Bulgaria is outside the eurozone, most property transactions are in euros," the article comments. British expats, holiday homeowners and pensioners, living in Bulgaria, are selling up and come home in droves – or at least sending foreign money back to the UK. Experts, interviewed by The Telegraph Weekly, say the reasons for the return are myriad, the most important being the inability to fund their lifestyle given the depreciation of sterling from its heights of EUR 1.50/GBP 1 to less than EUR 1.20/GBP 1. Many pensioners who settled for a life in the sun have seen the purchasing power of their UK pensions plummet as the pound weakened and the cost of living soared in their new homes, making it too difficult for many to afford to stay. In the past 12 months, currency broker HiFX has seen the amount of euros converted back into sterling rocket by 155%, despite the euro weakening recently. During the past three years, there's been a 25% increase, year on year, in funds being sent back to the UK, according to Smart Currency Exchange. The money coming back to the UK from the eurozone in just the last three months of 2011 went up 41%, according to World First, compared with the end of 2010. It has also seen double the amount of Australian dollars being changed into pounds over the same period, as expats cash in on the best exchange rates in nearly 27 years. Owning a second home abroad was once the preserve of the super-wealthy, but in the past decade a heady combination of TV property shows and cheap mortgages has convinced an estimated half a million Britons to buy their own place in the sun. The value of UK-owned foreign property investments peaked at GBP 58 B in 2008, up from GBP 10 B in 2000. Now however British owners of second homes overseas, including Bulgaria, are elling up due to falling rental income and the sliding value of their overseas properties. BULGARIAN PRESIDENT CONGRATULATES PUTIN ON VICTORY Bulgarian President, Rosen Plevneliev, has sent a congratulations letter to Russian President-elect Vladimir Putin on the occasion of his Sunday election victory. "I believe that together we will be able to contribute to the further development of the friendly Bulgarian-Russian relations and partnership, which have their roots in the historical and cultural closeness between our two people," the President, cited by his press office, writes. "I am convinced that we will work in the interest of the long-term relations between Bulgaria and Russia in all areas, based on a pragmatic dialogue, partnership, and mutual benefit," the letter reads. On Sunday, Putin won 64% of the vote, enough to give him a first-round victory over nearest rival Gennady Zyuganov, who polled about 17% The other three candidates were in single digits. The turnout was about 63%. BULGARIAN PM CONGRATULATES PUTIN ON VICTORY Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has sent a congratulatory telegram to Russian President-elect Vladimir Putin on the occasion of his Sunday election victory. "I believe that you will continue paying serious attention to the development of the friendly Russian-Bulgarian relations and keep contributing actively to the broadening and deepening of the mutually beneficial cooperation between Bulgaria and Russia in all its dimensions," the Bulgarian Prime Minister has declared. "I would like to express my confidence that, based on the excellent relations we have developed, we would continue seeking and finding the right decisions to the questions of mutual interest for our two countries and nations through an open and pragmatic dialogue," he has added. On Sunday, Putin won 64% of the vote, enough to give him a first-round victory over nearest rival Gennady Zyuganov, who polled about 17% The other three candidates were in single digits. The turnout was about 63%. ESTONIA TO CLOSE EMBASSY IN BULGARIA BY END-2012 The Estonian Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria, will be shut down by the end of this year due to lack of interest in business and trade relations between the two countries, the foreign ministry has decided. The cancellation of contracts and staff reduction will gradually take place over the course of this year. There are some 50 Estonians residing in Bulgaria, whose needs will be covered by an honorary consul in Sofia. Estonia's embassy in Bulgaria was opened in 2007, while Bulgaria's embassy in Estonia was closed in November 2011 due to budget cuts. The current Estonian Ambassador to Bulgaria Toomas Kukk presented his credentials to President Georgi Parvanov in October 2011. BULGARIAN MEPS FORETELL NEW SCHENGEN FAILURE IN SEPTEMBER Bulgaria will probably fail to enter the Schengen Agreement in September, too, according to Bulgarian MEPs from all parties oppositional to the country's ruling GERB. On Friday, it was made clear that no decision on Bulgaria and Romania's bids to enter the Schengen Agreement will be taken earlier than September. There are no guarantees that Bulgaria's Schengen accession issue will be resolved in September, Filiz Hyusmenova, a MEP with the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms, told the Bulgarian National Radio on Sunday. Bulgaria's Schengen membership is an aim the country's government has failed to reach, according to Kristian Vigenin, a MEP with the left-wing Bulgarian Socialist Party. Vigenin has stated that the centrist-right GERB's biggest mistake was letting the Co-operation and Verification Mechanism be tied with Bulgaria's Schengen bid. "Bulgaria has a problem with trust, not with its technical preparedness," Svetoslav Malinov from the right-wing Democrats for Strong Bulgaria Party has commented. Malinov said the European stance on Bulgaria's Schengen entry may change to positive before September if Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov is replaced. Bulgaria and Romania were expected to enter Schengen in the spring of 2011, but their entry was blocked by countries such as France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland, who had worries that problems with organized crime and corruption might jeopardize safety in the Schengen Area. The Netherlands will continue opposing the two EU newcomers' Schengen aspirations until its sees two consecutive positive CVM reports. FORMER PRESIDENT TO RUN FOR CHAIR OF BULGARIAN SOCIALIST PARTY One month and a half after his second term in office expired, former President Georgi Parvanov confirmed that he would run for Chair of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) at the upcoming congress in May. Parvanov announced his plans on Monday during a meeting with BSP activists from the Black Sea city of Burgas, saying that his aim was to bring the socialist party back into shape for the parliamentary elections in 2013. He made it clear that he would not engage in leadership battles within BSP. "My battle is with Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and the ruling party GERB, and I keep demonstrating this with every word and every remark I voice," Parvanov stated. "I am here because I feel that I can contribute with my experience as a successful BSP Chair. I would like to remind you where BSP was in 1997 and where I left it in 2001," he boasted. "I could also help with my experience as head of state for two terms in office. This experience could back BSP in its aspirations to rise to the status of a leading power again, Parvanov added. Parvanov was BSP Chair until the autumn of 2001, when he was elected President. During his two terms in office he repeatedly denied allegations that he would return to the socialist party. He even tried to launch his own political project, the Alternative for Bulgarian Renneisance (ABV) movement, which was declared "frozen" less than a year after its inauguration. Several months before leaving office, Parvanov started making hints about his return to BSP but remained evasive about his ambitions for the leadership post. "Georgi Parvanov needs to first and foremost clarify his attitude towards center-right ruling party GERB and towards Prime Minister Boyko Borisov because one year ago he termed Borisov the most decisive Prime Minister and now he calls him the weakest. This is why I am bringing up the question of credibility and continuity in his stance," BSP Chair Stanishev said in response, as cited by Dnevnik daily. He went on to invite the former President to speak up about the ABV project. The current BSP Chair suggested that he was not worried by the rivalry between people and ideas and said he was eager hear Parvanov offer concrete ideas. "Parvanov must unambiguously declare whether he will be running for BSP Chair because these tours he has been making with unclear motives and agenda are distracting our supporters," the socialist leader added. Stanishev also noted that BSP had performed well at the presidential elections in end-October 2011, which had gone unnoticed by Parvanov, who had also fail to state his views on the widespread reports of electoral fraud. ALL BULGARIAN POLITICAL OFFICIALS RETURNED BONUSES All Bulgarian officials on political positions have returned the first part of the bonuses they received in 2011, according to Rumyana Bachvarova, PM Boyko Borisov's Chief of Staff. An official announcement on how many officials have given up on their bonuses will be released after Wednesday's Council of Ministers sitting, Bachvarova clarified in an interview for the private Btv channel. She refused to mention specific names or sums. However, she hinted that no ministers or deputy ministers will have to be fired because of failure to return their bonuses. Bulgaria's government has been recently rattled by bonus scandals, with former National Health Insurance Head Neli Nesheva and Violeta Nikolova, former Executive Director of Bulgaria's Registry Agency, both removed after it was revealed they received hefty bonuses in times of austerity. Last week, Boyko Borisov, gave an ultimatum to all ministers, their deputies, heads of political cabinets, regional governors and their deputies to return or donate by Friday all bonuses they have received. BULGARIA'S EX EU COMMISSIONER RANKS IN TOP 3 OF MOST TRUSTED POLITICIANS - POLL Bulgaria's center-right ruling party GERB is gradually losing support but still retains its advantage over its political rivals, according to a poll conducted by Alpha Research at the end of February. If the trend persists, the issue of GERB's coalition partner will occupy center stage in the period leading up to the parliamentary elections, the pollsters argue. Alfa Research's poll, conducted among a national representative sample of 1015 respondents in the period February 22-29, shows that newly-formed organizations and associations are still not seen as a real political alternative by the voters. Meglena Kuneva, former EU Commissioner and founder of the Bulgaria for Citizens movement, boasts an approval rating of 26%, which places her among the three most trusted politicians in the country after Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and former President Georgi Parvanov. The score of Bulgaria's current EU Commissioner, Kristalina Georgieva, (57% positive, 13% negative, 30% neutral) and current President Rosen Plevneliev (43% positive, 16% negative, 41% neutral) have been presented in a separate category from the approval ratings of politicians. Alpha Research notes that Kuneva's approval rating indicates a significant electoral potential which, however, still remains under question. Some 10% of the respondents say they are interested in the Bulgaria for Citizens movement, but only 2% have a firm intention to vote for it. The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) has increased its base of supporters by 1% to 17%, the pollsters say, adding that the approval rating of the party could spike or plummet, depending on the outcome of the leadership battle. Georgi Parvanov , who was head of state for two terms in office and is said to be once again eyeing the post of BSP Chair, retains a confidence level of 33%, but the past few months also bring a slight improvement in the approval rating of the current BSP Chair Sergey Stanishev from 17% to 20%. According to Alpha Research, the two alleged contenders for the post of BSP Chair have a relatively equal impact on the adherents of the left-wing party, but Stanishev, who is failing to make good use of the fact that he is Chair of the Party of European Socialists (PES), faces stronger criticism than Parvanov. The electoral potential of the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) party and the confidence level of its leader Ahmed Dogan remain at the traditional level of 5% of the voters. The right-wing Blue Coalition retains its position with 2.9% of support and the confidence in the Co-Chairs, Martin Dimitrov and Ivan Kostov, is 7% and 6% respectively. Public approval of nationalist party Ataka and its leader Volen Siderov continues to subside, with 1.9% support for Ataka and 4% support for Siderov. BULGARIAN PM EXTENDS BONUS RETURN DEADLINE Bulgarian Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, has extended to Wednesday the deadline for ministers, their deputies, heads of political cabinets, regional governors and their deputies to return or donate all bonuses they have received The news was reported in the Parliament on Monday by Borisov's Deputy and Interior Minister, Tsvetan Tsvetanov. "In the last days the PM and I have been talking about this issue and he extended the deadline. I am certain that all colleagues will voluntarily return the money. After the cabinet's press center published the short-hand notes of the Wednesday Council of Ministers meeting Saturday, it emerged that beginning Monday, Tsvetanov will be proposing changes in the structure of the cabinet if it is established that there are senior officials, who failed to return bonuses received in the last two years. During the meeting, Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, had explained that until Friday, the task of calculating and collecting these bonuses is assigned to his other Deputy, Finance Minister, Simeon Djankov, while with the start of the new week Tsvetanov will be the one to plan the said changes. "In this case, you have until Friday to deal with the "good" Djankov, otherwise on Monday the "bad" Tsvetanov will step forward," the PM had declared. The Finance Ministry was supposed to announce by the end of the workday Friday how much money had been transferred to the special account opened by Djankov for the return of the bonuses, however, such announcement was not made. Instead, at the last moment it was decided to first analyze "the action" for the return of the bonuses at the next meeting of the cabinet and disclose the results after it. Meanwhile, in a Monday interview for the private bTV channel, Borisov's Chief of Staff, Rumyana Bachvarova, declared that all Bulgarian officials on political positions have returned the first part of the bonuses they received in 2011. An official announcement on how many officials have given up on their bonuses will be released after Wednesday's Council of Ministers sitting, Bachvarova clarified during the interview. The bonus scandal flared when it was revealed that senior officials are pocketing huge for Bulgarian standards bonuses while their regular wages are more than modest, and Borisov's ruling Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party, GERB, and the opposition began exchanging mutual accusations of who has gotten what and more. In recent days, the Head of the National Health Insurance Fund, NZOK, Neli Nesheva and the CEO of the Registry Agency, Violeta Nikolova, parted with their posts after it emerged that they have received huge bonuses in the amount of BGN thousands. 2ND 'BULGARIAN EVENT OF YEAR IN US' CONTEST OPEN FOR VOTING The contest "Bulgarian Event of the Year in the US" is entering its final stage since it is now open for the online vote, which will determine the top finalist. At the end of January, the editorial team of EuroChicago.com, with the support of the Bulgarian Embassy in Washington DC and all Bulgarian Consulate offices in the US, announced the launch of the second edition of the contest. The online vote is open to all Bulgarians regardless of their country of residence. The 10 finalists to compete for the title are: The Forum of Bulgarian schools in the US, held in the spring of 2011 in Chicago with the participation of Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, Georgi Pirinski, Education Minister, Sergey Ignatov, members of the Board of the Association of Bulgarian Schools Abroad (ABUCH), diplomats, journalists, clergy, and representatives of Bulgarian schools across the globe. Bulgarian gathering in Chicago at the beginning of June with 6 000 attending The premiere of the oratorio "Melancholic Beauty," telling the story of the salvation of Bulgarian Jews from the horrors of the Holocaust – it had three great performances in the US. 300 Bulgarian and American musicians and singers went on stage to glorify Bulgaria. Bulgarian evening at the Grammy Museum in Los Angelis on April 9, 2011 – a first ever concert of Bulgarian talents on this stage The hoisting of the Bulgarian national flag in downtown Chicago to mark Bulgaria's National Holiday, March 3. The festivals of the Bulgarian-American Association in Chicago The concerts of Theodosii Spassov in the frame of his North America Tour '2011 The concert of the folk ensemble "Bulgarians" from Montreal, Canada in Chicago, which was their first performance abroad The crowning of Bulgarian girl as Miss Teen Maryland, Stephanie Chervenkov, who told the jury she is 100% Bulgarian. The evening of Bulgarian archeology at the Field Museum in Chicago The vote is open until March 30, and one lucky participant could get as a prize a Gateway NV 15.6" HD LED laptop. The "Bulgarian Event of the Year in the US" and the prize winner are going to be announced on March 31 at the Second Bulgarian Dance Festival VEREA '2012 in Chicago. The Bulgarian news agency BTA is the main partner in the initiative. The Eurochicago.com editors voice conviction the contest will enjoy the support of all main Bulgarian media in the country and abroad. The initiative aims at media publicizing of US events with Bulgarian participation and of everything great that is connected with Bulgaria in order to make them more popular and attract the attention of the Bulgarian diaspora in America and across the globe. The proposals for events for the 2012 contest can already be sent to the editorial email address - eurochigaco.com@gmail.com. The editorial team of EuroChicago.com, which is a free portal in Bulgarian, ranked number one in America by Google and Yahoo, is thanking all media that supported them, including Sofia News Agency – Novinite.com & Novinite.bg An estimated 100 000 Bulgarians live in Chicago, which makes it the city with the largest Bulgarian population outside Bulgaria. BULGARIANS UNTOUCHED BY SENIOR CLERGY COMMUNIST SPY PAST The opening of the files of Bulgarian senior clergy and their exposure as agents and collaborators of the former Communist State Security, DS, failed to impress or outrage the majority of Bulgarians. According to a poll of the Alfa Research Agency, only 17% are deeply scandalized by the files, while another 36% answered they did not like the fact, but did not find the revelations important anyway. 14% of the respondents have not even heard the news and 33% state that it does not interest them at all. Among those who describe themselves as deeply religious, 36% felt outraged; 19% said they are ready to refuse having church services for their families performed by a priest, who has been exposed for ties with DS, and 34% would close their eyes for his past if they knew well and trusted the said priest. In mid-January, Bulgaria's so-called Files Commission – a panel investigating the Communist era secret files, revealed that eleven out of a total of fifteen Bulgarian Metropolitan bishops were former DS agents. So far, only Vratsa Metropolitan Kalinik has asked his congregation for forgiveness, if they felt affected. Ruse Bishop Neofit said he does not feel guilty because he had been forced to collaborate. DISASTROUS BULGARIAN FLOOD REVEALS ROMAN BUILDING REMNANTS - REPORT A floor surface from Roman times has been allegedly discovered in the river dike in the Bulgarian village of Biser that was recently destroyed by a disastrous flood. The discovery is probably a part of a Roman public building or a shrine. It has been discovered by local museum workers after the flood has wiped away sand and dust from the river dike. According to Todor Spiridonov, head of the Historical Museum in the nearby town of Haskovo, treasure-hunters have tried to study the discovery, as drill holes could be seen on the floor surface. A cant column has also been discovered in the disaster-stricken village, according to haskovo.info. The massive flood in the southeastern Bulgarian village took place on February 6 and claimed ten victims. On February 9, the wall of an ancient building, most likely from Roman times, emerged in Sarafovo, near the Balck Sea city of Burgas. The discovery happened in the vicinity of the vacation home of the Bulgarian army in Sarafovo, after the stormy sea dragged away part of the land around it. BULGARIAâ��S MALE TENNIS STAR DROPS OUT OF ATP TOP 100 Grigor Dimitrov, Bulgaria's highest-ranked male tennis player, has dropped out of the ATP ranking list's top 100, reaching the 102nd spot. Dimitrov, 20, recorded three consecutive losses - against Nicolas Almagro at Australian Open, Kevin Anderson in San Jose and Donald Young in Memphis. The youngster had become only the second male Bulgarian player to have reached top 100 after Orlin Stanoychev who was No. 95 in 2000. Grigor Dimitrov's highest ranking was No.52 (August 22, 2011). BULGARIA TO FACE CYPRUS, TURKEY IN FOOTBALL FRIENDLIES Bulgaria's national football team will play friendly games against Turkey and Cyprus ahead of its World Cup 2014 qualification campaign, the Bulgarian Football Union has announced. The game against Turkey will take place on May 29 at the Red Bull Arena stadium in Austria's Salzburg. As it has been already announced, the Bulgarians will face the Netherlands in another friendly at Amsterdam Arena three days earlier. The match between Bulgaria and Cyprus is scheduled for August 16 at the Vasil Levski national stadium in Sofia. Bulgaria's national football team is in a World Cup qualifying groups together with Italy, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Armenia and Malta. The team's last friendly against Hungary ended in a 1:1 draw away at Gyor on February 29. WITNESS LINKS BULGARIA'S OCTOPUS AND IMPUDENT OC CASES Plamen Ustinov, former employee of Bulgaria's National Security Services, NSO, testified in Court Monday that Alexey Petrov had assigned him to murder Litex CEO, Grisha Ganchev. Ganchev is a petrol businessman and owner of Litex football club. In recent days, Bulgaria launched the mass production of cars under the Chinese Great Wall badge by Ganchev's Litex Motors near the northern city of Lovech. Petrov – a former employee of the State Agency for National Security, DANS, murky businessman and alleged crime boss, together with five other people, is facing charges of racketeering and extortion in another case. He was arrested on February 10 2010, in a special operation codenamed "Octopus." Ustinov was called to the witness stand in the high-profile organized crime trial codenamed "The Impudent." He said he was going to be paid EUR 170 000 to murder Ganchev, but declined the offer and warned the latter about Petrov's plans. During the conversation "the Octopus" had also mentioned the possibility of kidnapping someone close to Ganchev. Ustinov said he presumed this person was Angel Bonchev – one of the victims of The Impudent. The witness further voiced conviction that he was forced to leave NSO in 2008 because he had refused to fulfill Petrov's order. The judge, however, declined attorney Iliyan Vasilev's request to interrogate Bonchev again on grounds Ustinov only presumed that Bonchev was kidnapped. Svetlozar Kostov, leading prosecutor in the "Octopus" case, was present in the Courtroom for this particular testimony. The Bulgarian elite were terrorized for about 2 years by the kidnappers back in 2008-2009, who are believed to have made several million euros from the ransoms. The high-profile criminal case followed a special police operation entitled "The Impudent", cracking down on the alleged gang which had kidnapped important businessmen and/or their relatives. The operation was carried out in Sofia and in the cities of Veliko Tarnovo and Montana. A total of 27 people were detained by the police on December 18, 2009.The special operation was conducted jointly by the Interior Ministry, the State National Security Agency DANS and the Prosecutor's Office. At the time, the Interior Ministry announced all had long rap sheets, including robberies and murders. Among the 9 accused in the trial, Ivaylo Evtimov AKA Yozhi, and Prokopi Prokopiev AKA The Bodybuilder, are charged with racket and with organizing a kidnap gang. Daniel Dimitrov AKA The Relay, Lyubomir Dimitrov AKA The Rower, brothers Radoslav and Mitko Lebeshevski, Pavel Petkov, Kiril Kirilov, and Tsvetozar Slavchev, are all charged as accomplices in a total of 11 high-profile abductions over the last years. Many commentators in Bulgaria connect notorious Alexey Petrov to The Impudent, though such link remains unproven. During interrogations, several gang members had been afraid to mention Petrov's name. The Rower, when asked who is the kidnap's gang mastermind and the detainee had replied: "He is not just an ordinary tug." In September, the Sofia City Court started the civil trial of businessman, Angel Bonchev, and his wife Kameliya against the breast cancer foundation Tomorrow for Everyone. Angel Bonchev and his wife, Kameliya, were both abducted for ransom in 2008, allegedly by "The Impudent." One day before Kameliya Boncheva was released, her husband announced he is donating the sum of EUR 157 000 to the Tomorrow for Everyone Foundation. The family insists they were forced to donate the money. BULGARIAN ANTI-MAFIA POLICE RESCUE HUNDREDS OF PRECIOUS COINS Employees of Bulgaria's Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime, GDBOP, seized Monday hundreds of precious coins in an operation against illegal trade of historical valuables. The probe, preceding the operation, and the operation were conducted in the regions of Ruse, Veliko Tarnovo, and Plovdiv. The investigators began the probe on information that cultural and historical valuables were being offered for sale through an internet site. The authorities have raided 6 addresses and one store in the Danube city of Ruse, used by two men, 24 and 28, and seized 8 gold antique and medieval coins, 5 computers and cell phones. Their colleagues in the second largest city of Plovdiv seized 119 antique coins and computers. The raid in the central city of Veliko Tarnovo ended with the confiscation of one computer. BULGARIANS BUSTED TRYING TO HELP AFGHAN KIDS SNEAK THROUGH BORDER Three Bulgarians, two men and one woman, have been arrested by border police at the so called Danube Bridge between Bulgaria and Romania for trying to help two Afghan children sneak through the border. The three Bulgarians were busted in a car driven by one of the men, a 45-year-old from the northeastern town of Strazhitsa. It turned out that the 34-year-old woman from the southwestern town of Simitly pretended that the children, a boy and a girl aged 12 and 8 respectively, were her own. She showed her real children's passports, but the police became suspicious. The woman later admitted that she and the two men had taken the boy and the girl from Greece the previous day, promising their Belgium-based father to transport them to him in exchange of EUR 720. The police are still investigating the case. STABBED BULGARIAN MMA FIGHTER REGAINS CONSCIOUSNESS Blagoi Ivanov, the Bulgarian MMA fighter who was recently stabbed in a brawl in downtown Sofia, has regained consciousness. Ivanov is now in a stable condition and is under a milder treatment regimen, doctors have told the BGNES news agency. The fighter's main problem is with one of his lungs and not with his heart, according to the experts that treat him. A week ago, Ivanov and two of his friends had just occupied their places in a bar on Graf Ignatiev Str., when a group of 8 persons armed with bats and knives, including the suspect, allegedly came in and attacked them. At 5.10 am police came in to find the attackers escaped and Ivanov with a deep stab wound under his armpit. On his record, Blagoi Ivanov aka Bagata has the gold medal in the 2008 World Sambo Championships and the bronze in the 2006 world contest. In March 2011, he signed a contract with Bellator Fighting Championship to take part in the mixed martial arts heavyweight division. In Bellator MMA fights, Blagoi Ivanov has never lost a match, having won 6 of his 7 games this far, and tied one. BRAZIL-JAILED BULGARIAN CHAMP'S MUM CONFIDENT OF ACQUITTAL The mother of Bulgaria's former Olympic weightlifting champion Galabin Boevski, who was detained in Brazil and charged with drug trafficking offenses, has fervently defended him in a rare media appearance. "I believe tomorrow the Brazilian court will rule that he is innocent. In my last letter to Galabin I wrote that God will help him, the truth will win and he will be back home soon," Stela Boevska said in an interview for TV 7 channel on Monday morning. Bulgaria's former Olympic weightlifting champion Galabin Boevski, allegedly recruited as a mule to smuggle cocaine from Brazil to Western Europe, faces 15 years in jail if convicted of drug charges. The first hearing of the trial will be held on March 6. Boevski, who was detained at the end of October in Brazil and accused of carrying 7,2 kilos of cocaine in his luggage, was officially charged in the middle of December with drug trafficking offenses. He has vehemently denied to have been involved at any point in his life with people, dealing with drugs trafficking. At the end of February a Brazilian supreme court ruled to keep the former champion in jail and rejected the defense request to release the client under house arrest. According to Boevksi's mother the huge amount of drug found in the suitcases upon his arrest prevents the court to release him under house arrest. "We hired a flat for six months as requested by the court, but this was not enough for the court to release him under house arrest. Apparently the judges feel hindered to take the step because of the big amount of drug found in the suitcases," explained Stella. She denied reports that Boevski's family is in dire straight and is forced to sell property to cover their expenses. "This is a lie. We have no financial difficulties," Stela Boevska said. The 36-year-old Boevski won the gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics in the 152-pound category. He was banned for eight years by the International Weightlifting Federation for doping in 2004. BULGARIA'S REVIVAL Click here to read the story: www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=137246 QUO VADIS? - Minister Djankov, quo vadis? What shall we do when the fiscal reserve gets reduced down to zero? - Well, I personally know where I will be going. There are many other countries left in need of rescue. PUTIN'S OPPONENTS CRY FOUL OVER 'GRANDIOSE ELECTION FRAUD' Vladimir Putin claimed victory in Sunday's presidential elections, but opposition-party members said mass vote rigging marred the process. The electoral commission said that with 98% of the votes counted, Putin won 64%, enough to give him a first-round victory over nearest rival Gennady Zyuganov, who polled about 17% The other three candidates were in single digits. In a news conference after the polls closed, Zyuganov described the elections as "unfair and unworthy". But he said that with increasing public anger, Putin "would not be able to rule like he used to". "These elections cannot be considered legitimate in any way," said Vladimir Ryzhkov, one of the leaders of the street protest movement, which was not represented in the election. Chess champion-turned-opposition activist Garry Kasparov accused Putin's supporters of "massive fraud" early Monday by packing the polls with additional voters. The election was held against a backdrop of popular discontent, sparked by allegations of widespread fraud during December's parliamentary elections in favour of Mr Putin's United Russia party. The alleged fraud came despite the presence of thousands of independent observers and web cameras at polling stations. Opposition blogger and anti-corruption campaigner Alexey Navalny told the BBC: "Grandiose scale of falsifications, especially in Moscow... mass use of carousel voting." WAVE OF PROTESTS SWEEPS MOSCOW IN ELECTION AFTERMATH A large opposition rally, the first after Vladimir Putin's landslide victory in Russia's presidential elections, is underway in Moscow Monday. According to official police reports about 5 500 are attending the approved protest rally on Pushkin Square, a short walk from the Kremlin, but western media, including BBC, list the number at 14 000. They have gathered in front of a stage, wrapped in a sign reading "For Fair Elections." The Coalition of the Russian opposition demands snap presidential elections and calls Putin's Sunday victory a "farce." Over 12 000 police are deployed to ensure order. Some 120 arrests have been reported at rallies against Putin in Moscow and in his home city of St Petersburg. Another 50 people were arrested at a separate protest on Moscow's Lubyanka Square, where the headquarters of the Federal Security Service is located, BBC informs. Hundreds of protesters also marched in Yekaterinburg, the main city in the Urals, chanting "Putin thief!" A rally in support of the President-elect is held on Manege Square, beside the Kremlin, with reports of about 14 000 people attending as well, and in a number of Russian cities. On Monday, Russia's electoral commission said that with 98% of the votes counted, Putin won 64%, enough to give him a first-round victory over nearest rival Communist Party leader, Gennady Zyuganov, who polled about 17% The other three candidates were in single digits. MOSCOW BRACES FOR PROTEST AFTER PUTIN VICTORY An oppositional demonstration has been planned for Monday evening in Moscow's Pushkin Square in the wake of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's election win. Some 12,000 police and troops will be on duty to maintain order in Moscow, according to the Russian Interior Ministry. Opposition-party members have already stated that mass vote rigging marred Sunday's electoral process. Meanwhile, RIA Novosti informs that two mass rallies by Putin's supporters are scheduled for Monday, the first one on Moscow's Manezhnaya Square expected to bring together as many as 20,000 people. On Monday, Russia's electoral commission said that with 98% of the votes counted, Putin won 64%, enough to give him a first-round victory over nearest rival Gennady Zyuganov, who polled about 17% The other three candidates were in single digits. TEARFUL PUTIN: WE HAVE WON! GLORY TO RUSSIA! His eyes brimming with tears, Vladimir Putin and his supporters celebrated victory in Russian elections, that gave him a third presidential term after spending the last four years as the country's PM. Tens of thousands of supporters of Putin - with Russian flags and banners - took part in a concert outside the Kremlin to celebrate his victory late on Sunday. Making a brief appearance with current President Dmitry Medvedev, Putin thanked his supporters from "every corner" of the country. "I promised you we would win, and we won," he shouted, his eyes watering. "Glory to Russia!" "We have won in an open and honest battle. We proved that no one can force anything on us." Slogans on the banner included "Putin - our president" and "We believe in Putin", but there were indications that some participants had been ordered to attend. The electoral commission said that with 98% of the votes counted, Putin won 64%, enough to give him a first-round victory over nearest rival Gennady Zyuganov, who polled about 17% The other three candidates were in single digits. The turnout was about 63%. Putin, who supported Medvedev in the Kremlin race in 2008 and became prime minister because of a constitutional ban on a third consecutive term as president, will now be in office until 2018. He could then run for another six-year term. There was tight security around the capital, with 6,000 extra police brought in from outside. VTB BANK DEPUTY PRESIDENT YURI SOLOVIEV: BULGARIA IS PERFECT FOR STARTING OPERATIONS IN THE BALKANS Click here to read the story: www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=137245 BULGARIAN PR EXPERT MAXIM BEHAR: FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS THE MOTHER OF ALL FREEDOMS Click here to read the story: www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=137243 CATCH 22 OR BULGARIA'S BONUS WAR Last Wednesday, Bulgarian Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, gave an ultimatum to senior officials to return or donate all bonuses they have received. Borisov vowed to fire everyone who fails to comply, saying his "good" Deputy, Finance Minister, Simeon Djankov, will collect the money until the end of the workweek, while the "bad" Deputy, Interior Minister, Tsvetan Tsvetanov, will step forward Monday to implement "structural changes." "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly..." became the latest internet pun. The move came on the heels of scandals with the Head of the National Health Insurance Fund, NZOK, Neli Nesheva and the CEO of the Registry Agency, Violeta Nikolova, parting with their posts after it emerged that they have received huge bonuses. There is also a raging war between Borisov's ruling GERB and the opposition over who has gotten more while in power. The new week began with the PM's Chief of Staff boasting that everyone had returned the ill-fated bonuses and no one will be fired. The PM graciously extended the deadline to Wednesday, March 7. The entire affair triggered heated debates if State servants should receive bonuses since it emerged that the system is severely crippled – those from the administration work for dismal pay, which often generates corruption, and then award themselves huge bonuses. Changes in how their wages are formed are pending. So far so good. But there is something bad and ugly in this move coming on the backdrop of wide-spread poverty, a dangerously shrinking fiscal reserve, and upcoming general elections, prompting many to suspect a new bout of populism. If Borisov, indeed, did not know until now anything about the notorious bonuses, then what kind of handle has he got on his administration? If he knew, why is he ready to sacrifice some of his own people? Populism is not just Borisov's trademark though - the opposition, especially the ethnic Turkish party and the Socialists, are the most vocal in crying foul and wanting sackings – as they haven't done the same and more only until two years ago... But political memory in Bulgaria is short. In addition, the issue prompts a long list of questions: Are we ever going to know who has gotten what and who has returned it; what is going to happen to those who failed to declare the bonuses and how are they going to return them; if Nesheva donated her money for charity should she be reinstated at the post or shouldn't everyone who has gotten large amounts and returned them follow her fate; if the bonuses are legal (and they are – they are based on texts from 50! Acts) why should beneficiaries return them now; if senior officials were to be fired, what would happen to the stability of the system and who would replace them, considering the already depleted staff capacity of GERB after several waves of dismissals and some missing college diplomas? The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly in a mix with so many Catch(es) 22... |
Catch 22 or Bulgaria's Bonus War
VTB Bank Deputy President Yuri Soloviev: Bulgaria Is Perfect for Starting Operations in the Balkans
see photo
