| Bulgaria in Brief: |
Bulgaria PR Experts Query Berbatov's Blogging Debut Bulgarian PR experts have labeled the blogging debut of Manchester United and Bulgaria star Dimitar Berbatov as a "mistake".
Berbatov opened his new blog on Monday with an entry titled 'Haters', which targets his many critics at home in Bulgaria, who criticize his play and especially his performances for the national team.
He ended his blog with the words "I am very high to be able to see you.... |
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| Danish Budget Airline Starts Sofia ServiceThe Danish budget airline Cimber Sterling begins regular service of the Sofia-Copenhagen line on March 28.
The twice-a-week flights are included in the company's summer schedule, but will be extended to a year-round service.
Cimber Sterling becomes the sixth budget carrier to offer regular, year-round flights to and from Sofia.... |
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| German Prosecutor: Bulgarian Politician Had No ImmunityThe leader of the Bulgarian far-right nationalist Ataka party, Volen Siderov, did not have diplomatic immunity during his scandalous trip on board a "Lufthansa" flight.
The news was reported Tuesday by Bulgarian internet media, citing the Prosecutor's Office in Frankfurt and Deutsche Welle.
After conducting a probe and collecting evidence, the German Prosecutor has concluded that Siderov had no immunity despite being in possession of a diplomats passport because he had been on a private trip.
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| Bulgaria Investors Wary of Financial Supervision ReformThe investment community in Bulgaria has not supported the Finance Minister Simeon Djankov's plan to reform the financial supervision system in the country.
This became clear at a round table held Tuesday for all the institutions involved in any way with the stock market in Bulgaria. Business representatives raised doubts about Djankov's plans and sated that they at least need careful analysis and discussion before any action is taken.
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| International Travel Trade Show Opens in BerlinThe largest tourist expo - International Travel Trade Show, ITB, is opening in Berlin Tuesday with the participation of over 11 000 companies from 187 countries.
Bulgaria is represented by 32 tourist businesses and organizations with an exhibit displayed on 520 square meters. The motto of the 2010 presentation is - "Bulgaria - Modern, Year-Round Tourist Destination.... |
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| Bulgaria Minister: Beach Concessions Costs Will Drop 30%Bulgaria's government will shortly approve a new strategy for development of the country's beaches, and will lower the cost of concessions and rentals.
Rosen Pleveneliev, Minister of Regional Development, has made this announcement on Tuesday, at a meeting with the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria.
Plevneliev said government approval would be within 10 days and that the first new concession procedures would start within one month.... |
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| Bulgaria Mulls Creating National Water CompanyBulgaria is considering the establishment of a National Water company (NWC) similar to the existing electric one (NEK), according to Regional Minister, Rosen Plevneliev.
Plevneliev spoke Tuesday during the meeting with the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria (CEIBG)
The aim is to consolidate the water sector whose network is now too fragmented, leading to water losses of 55% to 70%.... |
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| Finance Ministry: Stanishev Govt Shattered Bulgaria's Fiscal ReserveBulgaria's former government spent an enormous amount of money from the country's budget surplus and fiscal reserve at the end of 2008, according to the Finance Ministry.
The Ministry issued the statement Tuesday on the heels of a Monday announcement that the ex cabinet of the Three-Way Coalition spent the unprecedented BGN 1,2 B in the first half of 2009. The left-wing countered that it was an attempt of the Ministry to find excuses for its failure to collect revenues.
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| Bulgaria Gambling Regulator Finds Mass Casino ViolationsBulgaria's Gambling Commission found violations of the gambling laws in over half of the casinos it inspected last month, the regulator reported Tuesday.
A total of 99 casinos were inspected in a 1 month period from February 8 - March 8, with 45 of them showing violations of the gambling laws and other irregularities.
The violations included gaming equipment and jackpot systems that were not listed in the permit for the facility and casinos allowing entry to people without requesting identity documents.
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| Turkey PM: US Genocide Resolution Is Ineffective ComedyTurkey has announced that it is not ready to return its Ambassador to Washington, until the recent US Congress Committee resolution to recognize Armenian genocide is clarified.
"As long as the situation is not clarified, we will not return our Ambassador to Washington. The US must not let go of a strategic partner like Turkey because of such an issue," Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan told the press on a visit to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
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| Bulgaria Rightists Draft Anti-Crisis ProgramBulgaria's Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) party, which is part of the rightist Blue Coalition, put on the table Tuesday their own package of 13 anti-crisis measures.
UDF warned the ruling Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) party and its leader, Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov that the number 13 would become a fatality only if those measures are not implemented.
UDF leader, Martin Dimitrov, says real steps to improve the economic situation include the establishment of National Crisis Headquarters, reducing mandatory insurance contribution for businesses that manage to keep jobs, immediate halt of the project to build a second Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in the Danube town of Belene, and a quick launch of an administrative reform.
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| Irish Police Arrest 7 over Plot to Kill 'Mohammed Cartoonist'Seven people have been arrested in the Irish Republic over an alleged plot to kill a Swedish cartoonist for depicting the Prophet Mohammed, police say.
The four men and three women are all Muslim, according to media reports, though a police statement did not confirm this.
Cartoonist Lars Vilks had depicted the Prophet Mohammed with the body of a dog in the Nerikes Allehanda newspaper.
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| Agriculture Minister: No GM Crops Will Be Grown in BulgariaBulgaria Agriculture Minister, Miroslav Naydenov, has stated that Geneticaaly Modified foods will not be allowed "to reach Bulgarians' tables".
Naydenov stated Tuesday that all the European requirements will be introduced into the Bulgarian legislation, but added that the amendments to the GMO Act will also ban GM crops from being grown in the country.
"We will give sufficient guarantees to the Bulgarian society, that we will not allow the cultivation of genetically modified crops, as this is the great concern," Naydenov said.
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| Bulgaria Interior Claims Immense Successes against MafiaBulgaria's Interior Ministry has arrested a sizable portion of the top criminals which, in its words, "torture" the country's society.
According to Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov, 40-50 of the top 300 gangsters in Bulgaria have been detained, and the police hope to bust all of the rest by the end of 2010.
Speaking at a news conference Tuesday at which the Sofia Directorate of the Police presented the results of its activities in 2009, Tsvetanov also said that a total of 52 police officers were dismissed and currently faced charges of corruption and abuse of power.
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| Bulgaria Ethnic Turkish Party Opposes President ImpeachmentBulgaria's ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) party broke the silence Tuesday and declared they oppose eventual impeachment of President Georgi Parvanov.
The DPS Deputy Chair, Lyutvi Mestan, said his party does not see any constitutional or legal basis for such move, with the motive the issue is purely moral and for this reason the ethnic Turks do not want to act as moral police.
The topic of Parvanov's impeachment was put on the table after the President published the transcript from his Friday talk with Deputy PM, and Finance Minister, Simeon Djankov.... |
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| Crisis May Lead to Capital Transfers from Greece to BulgariaIt is absolutely certain that Greek-owned banks are not draining liquidity from Bulgaria, according to Dimitar Kostov, Deputy Governor of the Bulgarian National Bank.
This concern was raised by Finance Minister Simeon Djankov last week but was subsequently repudiated officially by the Bulgarian National Bank, including by its Governor Ivan Iskrov, who even criticized the Djankov for his statement.
During a round table in Sofia dedicated to the capital marker in Bulgaria, Kostov declared that the raging financial crisis in Greece has had hardly any negative effect on Bulgaria.
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| Adult Internet XXX Porn Domain ResurrectedA plan to create an internet domain specifically for "adult" web sites is again being considered by regulators.
The planned domain, .xxx , had originally been approved in 2005, but was later withdrawn after US conservative groups had objected on "moral grounds".
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| Bulgaria Bomb Disposal Crews Work to Defuse Dumped Tank MinesBulgarian bomb disposal experts are still working in a bid to defuse 7 powerful anti-tank mines found near a river in South Bulgaria.
The mines were discovered by a vacationing police officer near a dump close to Momchilgrad. They were reported to be large, Russian-made mines.
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| Bulgaria Wants Representation in Macedonian Custody CaseBulgaria is insisting that a country official representative attends the trial of Spaska Mitrova in Macedonia.
The official request has been logged by Bulgaria's Foreign Ministry, the Ministry's spokesperson, Vesela Cherneva, informed Tuesday, cited by the Bulgarian National Radio, BNR.
The Ministry says they want justice for Mitrova and all Bulgarians, but strongly appeal to not politicize the case.
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| Slump in Bulgaria's New Cars Market Slows downBulgaria's new cars market declined by 44% in February 2010 year-on-year.
According to the Association of Car Producers and Authorized Dealers, only 1 248 new cars were sold in Bulgaria in February.
However, the decline is slowing down compared to a drop of 47,6% in January, and of 52% in all of 2009.
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| EC Prepares to Set up European Monetary FundThe European Commission has confirmed that it would consider the proposal to set up an European Monetary Fund (EMF), the Bulgarian National Radio, BNR, reports, citing the BBC.
The EMF will be an EU version of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) aiming at guaranteeing the Eurozone's financial stability.
The measure has been proposed by Germany and France as part of a series of initiatives to help avoid a repeat of the Greek financial crisis.... |
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| Bulgaria Electricity Provider Safeguards Nesting StorksBulgaria's electricity distribution company CEZ has installed over 500 safety platforms for stork nests on its power poles during the past three years.
The company is also monitoring a further 800 nests on its pylons, ready to take safety action should that prove necessary.
Rosen Yardanov, the Director of Maintenance and Operations at CEZ, announced on Tuesday that the birds cause frequent power outages when they settled on electrical cables.
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| Bulgaria Offers Macedonia All-out Friendship TreatyBulgaria has offered Macedonia a draft treaty for good neighborliness and friendship, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Vesela Cherneva has announced.
The Macedonian government in Skopje is still mulling over the proposal, she explained.
The draft document provides for cooperation in a number of spheres including economy, infrastructure, energy projects, and fighting organized crime.... |
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| Bulgarian MP Sells Lucrative Plot in Varna Sea Garden - ReportA Member of the Bulgarian Parliament is selling through a real estate agency a large land plot in the beautiful park in the Black Sea capital Varna, known as the Sea Garden.
The news was reported Tuesday by the local Varna daily "Narodno Delo," citing their own source - a broker from the agency.
The 7-decare plot is near the so-called Dolphin House and the garden center "Mimoza" and has all necessary paperwork for construction of apartments and offices.
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| Bulgaria Set to Double Energy Efficiency in Production by 2020Bulgaria aims at cutting energy use by half for every unit of GDP by 2020, announced the Deputy Minister of Economy Evgeny Angelov.
Angelov participated in Tuesday's opening of a seminar "Renewable energy sources - wind and solar energy" in Sofia.
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| Bulgaria Officially Snubs FitchBulgaria's finance ministry has slammed as "manipulation of the public opinion" Fitch Ratings agency forecast of lowering the country's credit rating to junk.
"Fitch Ratings agency has made an attempt to manipulate the public opinion by saying it will downgrade Bulgaria's rating a month after we informed them of our intention to suspend our contract with them in a bid to cut costs," Deputy Finance Minister Ana Mihaylova said on Tuesday.
She announced that Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Simeon Djankov will raise the issue about the rating agencies assessments at the upcoming Ecofin meeting.
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| Bulgaria Revenue Agency Probes Bring in BGN 24 MBulgaria's National Revenue Agency has collected an extra BGN 24 M as a result of its investigation of football clubs, pop stars and owners of expensive cars.
Krasimir Stefanov, Head of the Revenue Agency (NRA) has announced the results of their successful probe into suspect Bulgarian companies and individuals. He reported that the Agency had retrieved BGN 24 M in unpaid revenues.
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| Bulgaria Court Leaves Car Thieves Ringleader in JailThe Sofia Appellate Court left behind bars Stoyan Yanakiev aka Dalgiya (The Tall), who is the alleged ringleader of the car-thief gang codenamed "The Fakirs."
Three other individuals, who were detained during the special police operation - Alexander Shtiliyanov aka Bezzabiya (The Toothless), Bogdan Kyutukchiev aka Mladezha (The Youth) and Tsvetomir Ivanov aka Sinigera (The Titmouse), were released on bail.
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| EU Extends Minimum Parental Leave to 4 MonthsThe European Union has extended the minimum period of leave for parents to four months each - a benefit separate from maternity leave.
At least one month of the four cannot be transferred to the other parent. The idea is to enable more equal take-up of leave by both parents, the BBC reported.
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| Bulgaria Ex Top Diplomat Denies Plans of Leading New PartyBulgaria's President, Georgi Parvanov, is not going to set a new party, Socialist MEP, Ivaylo Kalfin, declared Tuesday.
Kalfin, who is also a former advisor to Parvanov, and former Foreign Affairs Minister, spoke Tuesday for the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) addressing statements of Kolio Paramov, the ex economic advisor to Bulgaria's Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov that Kalfin will be the leader of a new party set up by his fellow party member - President Parvanov.
"There is no such thing.... |
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| Govt Assuages Fears Bulgaria's Flat Taxes May Be RaisedBulgaria's corporate and income taxes - currently set at flat rates of 10% - will not be increased, according to Deputy Finance Minister Ana Mihaylova.
Mihyalova has repudiated the claims floated in the Bulgarian media that further tax increases might follow after on Monday the government decided to increase the employees' social security payments by 2% to make them 10%.
The Cabinet made this move in order to replace funding in the reserves of the National Health Insurance Fund which will be unblocked in order to make delayed payments to doctors and hospitals.
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| Moderate Quake Rattles South GreeceAn earthquake, measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale, has struck near the Greek southern city of Patras, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injury.
The Athens Geodynamic Institute says Monday's quake occurred at 3:13 p.... |
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| Bulgaria Farmland Subsidy Registration Procedures ClarifiedBulgarian farmers will be clearly and systematically informed, for the first time, of their legitimate eligibility for subsidies for agricultural land they own.
A new scheme has been adopted by the Bulgarian Agriculture State Fund, which should remove previous confusion over which areas of agricultural land are liable for state and EU subsidies.
Kalina Ilieva, Executive Director of the Agriculture Fund, announced the new procedure on Tuesday, in a forum held for representatives of farming organizations.
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| Bulgaria Ups National Health Insurance Fund BudgetThe 2010 budget of Bulgaria's National Health Insurance Fund (NZOK) will be increased by BGN 300 M, the Fund's Monitoring Board informs.
The decision was made late Monday night while the additional resources will be provided by the increased health insurance contributions - from 8% to 10%.
The amendments will be included in the Act for the NZOK Budget which, as expected, will be passed by the end of March and will become effective April 1.
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| Bulgaria's Export Registers Largest Growth in 18 MonthsBulgaria's export increased by 13,1% in January 2010 year-on-year, according to preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute.
Thanks in part to the recovery in Bulgaria's main trading partners from the EU, the country's export has grown for the third month in a row, reaching the highest growth since August 2008 when it increased by 15% year-on-year.
For the first the time since the early 1990s most of Bulgaria's export - 53% - goes to countries outside the EU - which usually takes in about 60%-65% of Bulgaria's exports.
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| Bulgaria Business Calls for Stake Sale in Energy MonopolistsBulgaria's government has been urged to sell on the stock exchange shares in companies, which are part of the Bulgarian Energy Holding, in a bid to put the local capital market back on track.
"The sale of minority state-owned stakes in the energy companies Bulgartransgaz, Kozloduy nuclear power plant, the National Electricity Transmission Company, Bulgargaz and Maritza Iztok through an initial public offering (IPO) will be a catalyst for the restoration of the capital market in Bulgaria," says a letter to the country's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, sent by representatives of business organizations, linked to the stock and financial markets.
According to them this will be the most efficient method for privatization, which will bring fresh money into the budget.
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| Romanian Bus Crashes in Bulgaria, No InjuriesA bus, carrying Romanian nationals, crashed Monday night near the western town of Pernik, after sliding on a slippery road and falling into a by-road gutter. No casualties have been reported.
All forty five Bulgarian citizens were transported and accommodated at a nearby village free of charge.
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| More Suspicions Cast over Bulgarians' Swiss Banks PlanBulgaria's tax authorities will find it difficult to bring to justice those tax evaders, who hold about EUR 200 M in Swiss banks as revealed by a stolen disk of Swiss banking data bought by Germany, a financial expert claims.
"The operation will hardly lead to more money flowing into the state budget. A big part of the deposits of Bulgarian citizens in Swiss banks have been registered as bank accounts of foreigners," Emil Harsev commented.
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| Bulgarian Buy Said to Boost CME 2010 EbitdaCentral European Media Enterprises Ltd., the east European television broadcaster partly owned by Time Warner Inc. expects the acquisition of Bulgarian TV station bTV to help it post positive full-year Ebitda.
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| Moody's: Negative Outlook for Bulgarian Banking SystemThe credit outlook for the Bulgarian banking system is negative, primarily reflecting the adverse impact of the domestic economic recession on the credit quality and net profits of the country's banks, says Moody's Investors Service in its new Banking System Outlook on Bulgaria.
Moody's negative outlook for the Bulgarian banking system expresses the rating agency's view on the likely future direction of fundamental credit conditions in the industry over the next 12 to 18 months. It does not represent a projection of rating upgrades versus downgrades.
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| Fitch Doomsayers Blackmail Bulgaria - AnalystsThe gloomy forecasts for Bulgaria that Fitch Ratings has made over the last few days are in response to the state decision to suspend its contract with the agency, local analysts claim.
Bulgaria, the European Union member boasting the bloc's smallest budget deficit, risks seeing its banks sucked under by the fiscal sins of neighboring Greece, Fitch Ratings and Capital Economics Ltd. warned on Monday.
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| Bulgarian Doctors Pay-Protest ExpandsGeneral practitioners from across the country are joining the strike, launched on Monday, over non-payment of fees by the federal health ministry and lack of reform plans.
Doctors from the capital Sofia, Pazardhik, Haskovo, Targovishte, Yambol, Shumen Razgrad, Dobrich went on strike on Tuesday and there are reports that Varna GPs may also leave their doctor's cabinets for the day.
Bulgaria's National Association of General Practitioners said anyone requiring medical care should visit a hospital emergency department, but they would have to pay cash for treatment,
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| Clinton: Greece Did Not Ask US for Economic AidThe United States says Greece is not looking for financial assistance, but to work within the G-20 to press for additional regulatory changes in the financial markets.
"Neither the prime minister nor Greece has asked the United States for anything," Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said at a press conference on Monday after a meeting with Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou.
Clinton pointed out that the United States supports Greece's efforts to deal with its financial crisis
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| Bulgarian Tracked Down for Sexual Assault Trial in USA man facing attempted sexual assault charges in La Crosse County has been arrested in his native Bulgaria and returned to the United States, local media reported.
For eight months, La Crosse County District Attorney's investigator Bob Muth had worked with federal and international agencies to recapture and return the 62-year-old to the U.S.... |
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| Bulgaria Buried in Snow after Heavy BlizzardAs a reminder that the winter is still very much in full swing, Bulgaria awoke Tuesday morning buried in snow with the mercury far below zero and numerous reports of electricity blackouts or telephone cuts.
The traffic in the Bulgarian capital Sofia is currently impeded, even though the major arteries have been cleaned up. Drivers have been advised to be extra careful because they remain slippery.
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| MIT Professor: Bulgaria Can Count on US Security GuaranteesRealizing the current US plan for a missile shield in Europe, including elements based in Bulgaria, will have a negligible impact on Russian defense, a leading MIT researcher told Novinite.com.
Geoffrey Forden, a member of the Science, Technology and Global Security Working Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, stated in an interview for Novinite.... |
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| MIT Researcher Geoffrey Forden: US Missile Shield in Bulgaria Will Have Little Impact on Russia's DefenseInterivew of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) with Geoffrey Forden, a research associate at the Science, Technology and Global Security Working Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Dr.... |
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| Greece Moves to Attract Bulgarian Tourists to Mount AthosGreek tourism organizations have launched a promotional campaign to attract Bulgarian visitors to the Mount Athos area.
The Mount Athos Tourist Organization in cooperation with the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) Bulgaria have held a special promotional event at the Hilton Hotel in Sofia in order to advertise Mount Athos as a tourist destination.
The detailed presentation of the Mount Athos area was combined with a gala dinner cooked by Monk Epifanios, a chef specializing in the Mount Athos way of cooking.
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| Fake Gay Parade Posters with Bulgarian Politicians Scandalize SofiaPosters advertising what seems to be a fake gay pride parade featuring ex two political leaders and a top singer have appeared all over Sofia.
The posters show former Prime Minister and Bulgarian Socialist Party leader Sergey Stanishev, the leader of the conservative RZS ("Order, Law, Justice") party, and popular pop folk music singer, Azis.
They advertise a gay parade allegedly scheduled for March 10, 2010, to take place from the National Palace of Culture to the National Assembly Square in Sofia.
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| Heavy Snowfall Paralyzes Much of BulgariaLarge parts of Bulgaria are experiencing transportation problems as a result of a snow blizzard lasting the entire day on March 8.
Enormous traffic jams formed in the capital Sofia as well at a number of key roads around the country due to the heavy snowfall.
The southeastern District of Burgas is experiencing the worst problems with hundreds of cars stranded in the snow along the planned extension of the Trakiya Highway.
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| Bulgaria-Bavaria Commission Meets in GermanyThe eleventh session of the Bulgaria-Bavaria Permanent Commission is taking place in Ingolstadt, Germany March 9-10.
The meeting of the Commission on expert level is the first after the 10th session which was convened in Sofia in June 2008.
Bulgaria's Deputy Foreign Minister Marin Raykov and the Bavarian Minister of EU Affairs, Emilia Mueller are Co-Chairs of the Commission.
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| Bulgaria Rightists Call for President's ImpeachmentThe Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB) party, which is part of the rightist Blue Coalition, demands a no-confidence vote for President, Georgi Parvanov, over the "transcript" scandal.
The rightists are appealing to the Members of the Parliament to clearly state their position regarding the unprecedented publishing of the transcript from a Friday meeting between Parvanov and Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Simeon Djankov. They are further requesting from Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, to initiate an impeachment procedure.... |
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| Bulgaria National Bank Adopts Clearstream Direct AccessBulgaria government securities may now be settled free of charge through the National Bank, which now has direct access to Clearstream.
The international central securities depository (ICSD), owned by Deutsche Borse Group, has opened direct links with Bulgaria and Romania, thereby helping investors access these financial markets.
In addition to government securities transactions, debt securities - corporate bonds, mortgage bonds, municipal bonds - as well as equities and investment funds will be settled via the Bulgarian Central Securities Depository (CDAD).
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| Bulgaria Turns Clocks to Daylight Saving Time March 28The summer daylight saving time will be introduced on March 28, the National Metrology Center announced Monday.
At 3 am Bulgarian time on March 28, all clocks will be turned one hour forward until 4 am Bulgarian time on October 31, 2010. So, all who are in Bulgaria on March 28, should not forget to put the hands of their clocks one hour forward.
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| Bulgaria Soccer Trainer Renews Attacks on SA Team SelectorBulgarian soccer coach Hristo Stoichkov has renewed his attacks on the South Africa team selector, Carlos Alberto Parreira.
Stoichkov had already strongly criticized Parreira in February, accusing him of arranging long training camps, which had committed Stoichkov's Sundawns team players "for more than a month".
"My players go to a one-month camp with the national team and return in worse shape.... |
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| Lessons from Eastern Europe's Flat TaxFrom The Global Post
By John Dyer
A theory in the US is reality in Bulgaria and elsewhere in the region.... |
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| Bulgaria President Sends Recording to Parliament, No Word on PermissionBulgaria's Speaker of Parliament, Tsetska Tsacheva, has received a certified copy of the text of the recent meeting between the President and the Deputy Prime Minister.
Tsacehva announced on Monday that the President's office had sent an official certified true copy of the text of the conversation and sound recording of the meeting held on March 5.
She also stated that there was no information as to whether the audiotape of the meeting had been made with the consent of Simeon Djankov, the Deputy PM.
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| Bulgaria Interior Minister Suspects Judicial Council of Mafia LinksBulgaria's Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov has voiced his suspicions that the Supreme Judicial Council might be connected to alleged mafia bosses arrested recently.
Tsvetanov has been in a kind of war with the judiciary in the recent weeks, criticizing the Bulgarian judges over several verdicts they issued.
On Monday, Tsvetanov revealed that on Friday he had a meeting with the Bulgarian Union of Judges which was hosted by the Chief Prosecutor Boris Velchev.
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| Bulgaria Labor Ministry Set to Open Human Resources BidsBulgaria's Labor Ministry will open and present public procurement bids under the EU-funded Human Resources Operational Program.
The tenders will be opened on March 9, the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy has announced.
Funding is available within the project "Support to the General Directorate 'European Funds, International Programs and Projects'", and is targeted specifically at "providing logistics for the organization and conduct of information events, seminars and workshops by December 31, 2012 for the purpose of the Operational Program Human Resources".
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| Pharmaceutical Firm Actavis Sells Major Bulgarian DistributorInternational pharmaceutical company Actavis Group has announced it will sell its major Bulgarian distributor Higia Jsc.
Higia Jsc, one of the largest distributors of pharmaceuticals in Bulgaria, was acquired by the Actavis Group in 2005. Higia has been sold to a private investor for an undisclosed amount.
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| EC Gives Green Light for New Bulgaria EU Funds MinisterBulgaria's Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, informed that the European Commission already gave a stamp of approval for the intentions to appoint a Minister in charge of the EU funds.
In a Monday interview, Borisov says that the EU is very responsive to all measures undertaken by the cabinet, adding the new appointment comes with the goal to have a Minister and a team to summarize the use of the European program funds and communicate daily with Brussels.
The new Minister without Portfolio will report to the PM about the stage of each project, the way the funds are being absorbed, what public tenders are ongoing and how they are conducted, and the coordination between the local municipalities and the State, Borisov says.
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| UK Drugs Boss Aimed to Hide Millions in Bulgaria PropertiesLieutenants of the busted UK crime boss Khalid Malik are reported to have traveled to Bulgaria to find cheap land and property to buy in an attempt to hide his millions.
The UK national Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) reported that a criminal organisation led by Malik has been dismantled from top to bottom after a police investigation spanning six years, the Bradford Telegraph and Argus (thetelegraphandargus.co.... |
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| Bulgaria Ex Coalition Cabinet Squandered BGN 1,2 B at End of TermThe previous cabinet of Bulgaria's so-called Three-Way Coalition approved and spent during the last 7 months of its term an additional BGN 1,2 B, the Council of Ministers informs.
From them, BNG 400 M came from the reserve for emergency and unforeseen expenses that is kept in the budget as a safeguard. The huge amount had been divided without any transparency and in stark discrepancy with the deepening economic crisis.... |
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| Bulgaria Socialists Express Full Support for Striking MedicsBulgaria's Socialist Party (BSP) has come out in full support of striking medical staff, encouraging them to continue their struggle to the end.
The party urged the doctors not to be satisfied with partial promises but to continue to fully assert their rights, in a statement issued by them on Monday.
It is unprecedented for doctors, nurses and all those working in the health sector not to have received their rightfully earned salaries for the fourth consecutive month, the declaration states.
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| IMF Head: Greece Crisis Unlikely to Spread to Eurozone CountriesGreece's financial crisis is unlikely to spread to other eurozone countries with high debt levels, the head of the International Monetary Fund has said.
IMF managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn said "there's no reason" to expect that Spain and Portugal would also need to call for external support.
Strauss-Kahn's comments came after the Greek prime minister met French president Nicolas Sarkozy.
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| Bulgaria President May Call for National Referendum on GMOsBulgaria President Georgi Parvanov has stated that the amendments to the GMO Act should include strict safeguards to protect Bulgaria from contamination.
Parvanov outlined what he believes need to be included in the GMO Act. He confirmed with that he will veto the amendments if they are not stringent enough.... |
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| Bulgaria Ex PM Stanishev: No Way to Impeach PresidentAs the conflict between the Bulgarian President and Finance Minister continues raging, ex PM Sergey Stanishev threw his weight behind the head of state.
"All this noise and warring among the institutions, which is inspired by the GERB government, is a three-ring circus," Stanishev declared at a news conference Monday.
The conflict between President Georgi Parvanov and Finance Minister Simeon Djankov emerged after Djankov's participation in a Nova TV talk show last week in which he hinted that Parvanov was a secret billionaire.
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| Bulgaria Offers Best Eastern European Outsourcing QualityBulgaria is among the leading European countries, in terms of the cost and quality of the outsourcing services the country offers.
A joint analysis by Colliers International and AT Kearney concluded that Bulgaria held the top position for outsourcing possibilities among the 12 European countries surveyed.
The other countries were: the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia and Ukraine.
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| EU Top Fiscal Performer Faces Greek-Led Bank DeclineFrom bloomberg.com (businessweek.com)
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| England Captain Ferdinand Lauds Bulgaria Star BerbatovEngland Captain Rio Ferdinand has backed Mancester United teammate and Bulgaria star Dimitar Berbatov to finish the 'Italian Job' by scoring against AC Milan in the Champions League.
Ferdinand lauded Berbatov's performance against Wolves in the 0-1 United victory on Saturday; ""I wasn't surprised by his work-rate against Wolves. To be honest, if you look at the statistics you'll see that he's one of the hardest runners in our team.... |
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| Bulgaria Govt Meets Doctors' Demands by Upping Health InsuranceThe Bulgarian Doctors' Union has called off its planned strike after the government promised Monday to meet its demands.
Bulgaria's Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, met Monday with Tsvetan Raychinov, Chair of the Doctors' Union. Minister of Finance Simeon Djankov, and Minister of Health, Bozhidar Nanev, were also present at the meeting.
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| Bulgaria Defense Minister Praises Women Militia on March 8Bulgaria Defense Minister Anyu Angelov has praised the contribution made by women militia to the success and strength of the Bulgarian armed forces.
Angelov met with members of the Governing Board of the Bulgarian Armed Forces Women Association on March 8, the ministry press office has announced.
"For us it is very important that more women work in the army," said Minister Angelov.
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| Bulgaria Ex-Secret Agent's Brother Speaks Out - GuardedlyOgnyan, brother of jailed ex-secret agent Aleksei Petrov, has revealed that he only discovered from the media that Aleksei was working undercover as a secret agent.
"I cannot talk because I do not have immunity, but it was from the newspapers I found out that my brother was working undercover," Ognyan Petrov said in a bTV interview on Monday.
"Before that, I knew he had a business but not at all for these things," he commented.
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| Ex Foreign Minister Set to Lead Bulgaria President's New Party - ReportKolio Paramov, the ex economic advisor to Bulgaria PM Boyko Borisov, has stated that former Foreign Affairs Minister Ivaylo Kalfin is set to lead a new party set up by Socialist President Georgi Parvanov.
Finance expert Paramov, speaking on PRO.BG.... |
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| Nigeria Religious Clashes Leave 500 Dead in JosSome 500 people were killed in Sunday's revenge attack after religious clashes near the Nigerian city of Jos, local officials say.
The figure had previously been put at about 100 - it is always difficult to get accurate figures for such clashes in Nigeria, the BBC reported.
Officials say two mainly Christian villages near Jos were attacked from nearby hills by people with machetes.
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| Bulgaria GPs Strike over Delayed Funds, Health ReformsGeneral Practitioners from Kyustendil, Dupnitsa and Razgrad have gone on strike Monday over unpaid funds and the Bulgarian government's health reform plans.
GPs from Sofia, Plovdiv, Veliko Tarnovo and Shumen are set to join the strike on Tuesday, with reports that Varna GPs may also leave their doctor's cabinets for the day.
Bulgaria's National Association of General Practitioners reported on Saturday that they are losing patience with constantly delayed funding and reforms.
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| EC Considers EU-Wide Minimum Carbon TaxThe European Commission is planning an EU-wide minimum tax on carbon as part of the EU's green energy agenda.
The minimum tax would apply to fuel, natural gas and coal.
The EU's new Taxation Commissioner, Algirdas Semeta, is working to revise the EU's existing Energy Taxation Directive, his spokeswoman said.
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| Suicide Attack on Pakistan Anti-Terror Office Kills ManyAt least 11 people have been killed in a suicide bomb attack in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore, police say.
More than 60 others were injured when an explosives-laden car targeted a building housing an anti-terrorist wing of the federal investigative agency, the BBC reported.
The amount of explosives was so large it brought down the two-storey building, correspondents say.
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| Bulgaria PM: President Planned Finance Minister ScandalBulgaria PM Boyko Borisov has slammed the President Georgi Parvanov for his attack on Finance Minister Simeon Djankov.
"What Parvanov did was an act of a small-minded fellow, In fact, he was looking for a pretext to attack the Cabinet." Borisov said in an interview for the Bulgarian daily newspaper Standart.
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| Bulgaria Celebrates International Women's DayBulgarian women celebrate International Women's Day Monday - a holiday that celebrates ladies' economic, political and social achievements.
The International Women's Day established itself as an official holiday in Bulgaria with the arrival of the Socialist regime in Bulgaria in 1944, but its popularity grew immensely in the 1960s. Nowadays the holiday is mostly about paying a tribute to mothers and invloves giving flowers and other gifts.
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| Kathryn Bigelow's 'The Hurt Locker' Sweeps OscarsKathryn Bigelow has become the first woman to win the best directing Oscar, as her Iraq war drama The Hurt Locker took six prizes, including best film.
"It's the moment of a lifetime," said Bigelow - only the fifth woman to be nominated in Academy Awards history.
Jeff Bridges and Sandra Bullock won the top acting Oscars for their roles in Crazy Heart and The Blind Side.
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| 6-Magnitude Earthquake Kills 57 in TurkeyA strong earthquake has struck eastern Turkey, killing 57 people, Turkish authorities say.
The quake had a magnitude of six with a depth of 10km. Its epicenter was at Basyurt-Karakocan, the BBC reported.
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