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BULGARIA WITH MAY DEFICIT, BUDGET SURPLUS DECLINES
Bulgaria registered a deficit of BGN 119,6 in May 2009, and its surplus declined to BGN 555,4 M, according to the latest Finance Ministry data.
Bulgaria's registered a deficit only in May, and the overall balance is still positive thanks largely to the surplus it had in January 2009. In April 2009, the surplus was still at BGN 675 M.
Bulgaria's fiscal reserved amounted to BGN 8,3 B at the end of May 2009, and the budget balance on the consolidated fiscal program (CFP - which includes the state budget, the National Social Security Institute, the National Health Fund, the municipalities and the judiciary) was BGN 555,4 on May 31, 2009.
The CFP income and aid amounted to BGN 11,044 B at the end of May which is 33,9% of the planned amount for 2009. The income is 94% of the income in the same period of 2008 because of considerable decline of export, the decline in the import of energy sources and raw materials, and the dramatic drop in the prices of oil, metals, and other raw materials on the international market, which resulted from the global financial crisis.
Tax income amounted to BGN 8,5 B by the end of May 2009, which is 33% of the plans for 2009. Direct tax income amounts to BGN 2,3 B (39% of the planned for 2009), indirect tax income - BGN 4,02 B (29,1%), social security and health payments - BGN 2,16% (36%).
The non-tax income amounted to BGN 1,8 B, which is an increase of 9,7% compared to the same period of 2008, and is 45,9% of the annual estimates. This increase is mainly due to the transfer of BGN 401 M to the state budget from the Bulgarian Natonal Bank in April 2009, after the Bank's income exceeded its expenditures.
Bulgaria's expenditures on its consolidated fiscal program amounted to BGN 10,5 B at the end of May 2009, which 34,5% of what had been planned for 2009.
Interest payments amounted to BGN 320 M (50,3% of the estimated amount for 2009); the current non-interest payments - BGN 8,407 B (37%); capital expenditures were BGN 1 417,5 (27,2%)
By the end of May Bulgaria has received a total of BGN 803,5 M in aid, mostly advance payments under the Structural and Cohesion Funds of the EU, which is 26,7% of the estimated 2009 amount. Bulgaria has contributed BGN 343,7 M to the EU budget in accordance with regulation 1150/2000 of the Council of the EU.
Several international financial institutions have warned Bulgaria that it had to take measures in order to restrict spending and avoid a budget deficit at the end of 2009.
OPPOSITION GERB KEEPS 10% LEAD AHEAD OF SOCIALISTS - SURVEY
The popular opposition party of Sofia mayor Boyko Borisov manages to keep its 10%-lead ahead of the ruling Socialists four days before the general elections in Bulgaria, a brand new survey shows.
The self-proclaimed centre-right GERB party, which aims at a landslide victory, is expected to garner 33,2% of the votes, while the ruling Socialists are likely to get 22,7% in the general elections on July 5, according to a survey of the Center for Analyses and Marketing.
Were elections for MPs held now and with turnout projected at 58%, the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms, key coalition partner of the Socialists, would gather 13,3% of the votes, followed by their arch rivals, the nationalist Ataka with 8,7%, the polling agency said.
No more than 6,5% of the respondents said they will support the coalition of the two biggest right-wing parties, Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB) and the United Democratic Forces (UDF), while the conservative right-wing Order, Law and Justice Party will collect 3.7% of the votes.
The party of former king and Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg will attract 3.9% of the votes, while Lider party, founded and sponsored by controversial energy tycoon Hristo Kovachki will receive 3,7%.
Calculated on the basis of this survey, GEBR party, which is not currently represented in the 240-seat unicameral parliament, will have between 86 and 103 MPs, 14-9 of them elected individually.
The Bulgarian Socialist Party will come next with a total of 55-68 MPs, out of whom those elected individually will number between 6 -11.
The voters' support, forecast by the survey, means that the ethnic Turkish party DPS will have between 33 and 38 MPs, the nationalists - 9-12, and the right-wing Blue coalition - 13-16 MPs.
The party of Sofia mayor and GERB leader Boyko Borisov may have come out as a winner in the European elections on June 7, but has failed to maintain the energetic momentum that drove it through the last two years and this will clearly rob it of the absolute majority it once claimed capable of achieving.
On the election night it became clear that his first choice as a coalition partner would be the Blue coalition, bringing together the two biggest right-wing parties - the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) and the hard-line Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB).
The other strong possibility for a coalition after the general elections is a leftist one, including the Socialist party, the centrist party of the former king Saxe-Coburg, the ethnic Turkish party and the two parties at the bottom of the ranking - the Lider party and the conservative and scandal - prone Order, Law and Justice.
BULGARIA AT ODDS WITH UKRAINE OVER FERRY LINE TO GEORGIA
The Bulgarian government is seriously concerned by the constant violation of a tri-party agreement for a ferry line between Bulgaria, the Ukraine, and Georgia.
This was declared by the outgoing Minister of Transport, Petar Mutafchiev, who explained that the Ukrainian transport companies would constantly break the existing arrangements for the ferry line Varna (Bulgaria) - Ilichovsk (Ukraine) - Poti/Batumi (Georgia).
The Ukrainian rail and ship companies involved wanted to change the three-way agreement for the ferry line into a series of bilateral agreements.
"We believe that the Ukrainian side must not succumb to the pressure and to the attempt to destroy the balance between the transport companies", Mutafchiev said as quoted by the BTA.
He noted that the ferry line must be serviced by companies from all three countries, taking turns. At the moment, the agreement is being violated because of the corporate interests of the Ukrainian firms, and no Bulgarian ships has been loading goods in an Ukrainian port in one month, the Minister explained.
Mutafchiev believes that the violation of the agreement created tension between Bulgaria and the Ukraine that could worsen the bilateral relations. Bulgaria is insisting that the Ukraine government take measures to enforce the trilateral ferry agreement.
Bulgaria's Prime Minister, Sergey Stanishev, who was born in the Ukrainian city of Kherson back in 1966, has also been involved in the talks with the Ukraine in an attempt to resolve the issue.
BULGARIA ENGINEERS INVENT CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL OF FUTURE
Bulgarian engineers have invented a super light construction material made of concrete and styrofoam.
The material is several times lighter than the ordinary materials used in modern buildings construction.
A square meter of a wall weights 70 kilograms with the new material, compared to 400 kilograms with the old fashioned ones.
The material impresses also with its complete heat isolation characteristics. It is also water impervious, and prevents the formation of mould.
Dew to its weight, the new material significantly decreases transportation expenses. For example, for the transportation of 60 cubic meters of ordinary bricks, six truck are required. 60 cubic meter of the new material can be loaded on one truck only.
The inventors of the material are engineers form the Bulgarian company, Izobeton TM. They have invested in the project nearly BGN 2 M personal money.
There is a factory in the town of Elin Pelin, near the capital Sofia. All the machines in it are designed and constructed by Izobeton TM engineers.
The first contract has already been signed and the new material will be used in the construction of the first big mall in the northern city of Ruse, Grand Plaza.
Buildings, constructed with this material can be freed of paying buildings taxes, as energy losses are 25% less than usual.
The factory is capable of producing 60 cubic meters of the material a day. This is enough for half an apartment house, engineers explain.
BULGARIAN SHIPBUILDERS DEMAND BGN 200 M GOVERNMENT AID
The Bulgarian National Shipbuilding and Ship-repairing Association (BULNAS) is demanding a government bailout aid of BGN 200 M.
BULNAS has sent a letter to Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev protesting against his recent statement that the government would allocate a credit of BGN 50 through the national fund for supporting shipbuilding.
This has been announced by Svetlin Stoyanov, BULNAS Chair, as quoted by the Pari Daily. Stoyanov reminds that the Stanishev government had promised to provide BGN 200 M for the creation of a state guaranteed fund to support shipbuilding, and needed to realize its commitment.
The Bulgarian shipbuilding companies are alarmed that the financial crisis had hit the sector even worse than they expected; the demand for new ships had declined by 90% between October 2008 and March 2009.
According to Stoyanov, a state credit of BGN 200 M would be sufficient for building 14-15 ships over three years - 2009-2011, whereas BGN 50 M would be enough only for a ship and a half.
He also said the interest that the Bulgarian government has determined on shipbuilding credits was 8%, whereas in the rest of the EU it ranged between 2% and 3%.
The shipbuilders hardly expect to get any reply to
their demands before the Parliamentary Elections on July 5.
PART 2 OF BULGARIA'S LARGEST GATED REAL ESTATE COMPLEX OPENED
The second part of "Tsarigradski" Complex, Bulgaria's largest gated community-type complex, was opened in Sofia Thursday.
The first part of the complex, which is located in the Druzhba 2 Quarter in Sofia near the main road called "Tsarigradsko shose" and the Inter Expo Center, was opened in the fall of 2007.
The second part, which was formally opened Thursday, includes 407 apartments and 62 stores with an all-out built-up area of over 43 000 square meters.
The investor in the project, Sofia Building Company, a
Bulgarian firm set up in 2004, announced that 99% of the apartments and 58 of the stores in the second part of the complex had already been sold. The construction of the third part of the "Tsarigradski Complex" is expected to be completed by the end of 2009.
The opening of the second part of the gated complex almost coincided with the launch of the construction of the nearby metro station on Wednesday.
1500 people have moved in the "Tsarigradski" Complex so far, and about as many are expected to do so after the completion of the project. The Sofia Building
Company has announced that it was negotiating the opening of a school, a kindergarten, a medical center, and a supermarket right next to the complex.
The construction of the complex started in 2005. After its completion, its total all-out built-up area will be 160 000 square meters, with a total of 1 223 apartments. The total investment will surpass BGN 105 M.
BULGARIA EMERGENCY TEAMS HELP FOUR FOREIGN TOURISTS
Bulgarian emergency teams have helped four foreign tourists in a total of three accidents in the last 24 hours.
Emergency teams from the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Mountain Rescue Service have helped the tourists in a three separate accidents - two in the mountain, and one at the Black Sea coast.
A Russian family has been found by the emergency teams in the "Soskovcheto" reserve near the Western city of Smolyan. The Russians lost themselves in the forest, and called for help to the reception of their hotel.
The tourists were found around 10 pm Wednesday night frightened but in good health.
The Mountain Rescue Service in the South-West city of Blagoevgrad helped a woman who had a heart attack. The 35-year-old Hungarian was in the "Ribni Ezera" (Fish Lakes) mountain hostel in Rila Mountain.
A team of 13 rescuers passed the woman on to paramedics from the hospital in Dupnitsa.
A 16-year-old girl from the UK was rescued after had fallen in a four meters deep hole somewhere between the resorts Sunny Beach and Nesebar. She was found in good condition, and refused to be hospitalized.
AIR MOLDOVA OPENS REGULAR FLIGHT TO BULGARIA'S VARNA
Air Moldova opens July 4 a regular flight between the capital Chisinau and the Bulgarian Black Sea city of Varna.
The company has scheduled the flight one a week, every Saturday, a press release announced.
The plane will arrive in Varna at 9 am local time, and will departure at 9.50 am local time.
During the summer season, there are fifteen international regular flights from and to Varna.
There are also over a hundred charter flights to the Varna Airport. New charters for this season are the ones to Gdansk (Poland), and Tashkent (Uzbekistan).
BULGARIA'S ENVOY TO IRAQ: IRAN PROTESTS RESULT OF INTERNAL PROCESSES
Only a person who does not know Iran could think that protests of such scale and organized in such a way could be incited from the outside, Bulgaria's ambassador to Iraq Valeri Ratchev said in an exclusive interview for Novinite.com.
"There might be some sort of support from abroad but that could never lead to such a scale, systematic efforts, and organization. No, the Iranian society is just a very different society despite its religious and out clout," the ambassador said.
He pointed out that the events in Iran have an extremely big importance about what is going and will be going on in Iraq.
"The two states are extremely related, and I think that the way the situation in Iran unfolds will have a great influence on certain processes in Iraq," Ratchev said.
According to him the Iranians themselves are reconsidering the Islamic Revolution that was supported 30 years ago by the fathers of today's youngsters.
"They are just rethinking what they have done, and at least the ones who are protesting say, "No, this is not the life that we want; we want another type of government, another society, and another role for our nation in the world."
Full text of the interview READ HERE
EURO AREA UNEMPLOYMENT RECORDS 10 YEAR HIGH IN MAY
The unemployment rate in the Euro area rose to 9,5% in May 2009 from 9,3% in April as companies continue to lay off employees in attempt to survive the global financial crisis.
Data from the Eurostat agency has shown that fifteen million people were out of work, up by 273,000 from April.
It is the highest rate since May 1999.
In the 27-nation EU, the jobless rate was 8.9%, while the number unemployed rose by 385 000 to 21,5 million.
Spain had the highest unemployment rate at 18,7% while the Netherlands had the lowest rate of 3,2%.
"May's sharp increase in Eurozone unemployment demonstrates that the "green shoots of recovery" are not yet showing up in the labor market. It would have been higher still if not for the short-time working schemes in some Eurozone countries such as Germany and the Netherlands, where recent increases in unemployment have been less severe ", Martin van Vliet, an economist at ING, said.
Short-time working is a system that allows companies to work less for up to six months while their loss of earnings is made up by the government.
BULGARIA DESTINATION FOR 3000 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS PER YEAR
Bulgaria is an end destination for illegal immigrants, according to Stefan Hristov, head of the Migration Directorate at the Interior Ministry.
"This has become a trend in the recent years", Hristov said Thursday during a presentation of a project aimed at increasing the efficiency of the Migration Directorate.
"The main immigrant flows to Bulgaria are from the Middle East and North Africa. The illegal immigrants come here either by crossing the border illegally, or by remaining illegally after the expiration of the political asylum arrangements", he explained.
The Migration Directorate has no budget for their extradition, and the money for that comes from the ministerial budget. The Directorate's data shows that between 2 000 and 3 000 illegal immigrants get extradited from Bulgaria every year.
Starting 2009 Bulgaria is included in a five-year program of the EU repatriation fund, which is supposed to help solve issues with illegal immigrants.
TURKEY MOVES TO INFLUENCE BULGARIA'S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS
Turkey has approved an administrative measure in order to urge Bulgarian expats of Turkish origin to vote in Bulgaria's Parliamentary Elections.
The Turkish authorities have announced they would extend the expired documents of Bulgarian citizens living in Turkey illegally. Thus, Bulgarians of Turkish origin, who live in Turkey, could apply for one-year extensions by July 3, Friday, the Bulgarian National Radio announced.
This means that all Bulgarian citizens residing in Turkey illegally would be able to either go back to Bulgaria and vote in the elections on July 5, or just vote in some of the 123 voting sections in Turkey without fearing that they would be fined, arrested, or extradited.
The Chair of the largest organization of Bulgarian expats in Turkey, Emin Balkan, has held a special press conference to urge all Bulgarian citizens in Turkey or all persons with dual citizenship to vote in Bulgaria's Parliamentary Elections on June 5.
Balkan even warned all those who would travel back to Bulgaria to cast their votes to go back to their home places at least 48 hours before the elections in order to avoid tension at the border on the Election Day. The Turkish authorities have made it clear that no one whose documents for staying in Turkey have expired would be fined, and that all those who go to Bulgaria in order to vote would then be allowed to come back.
According to unofficial data, at least 100 000 with dual Bulgarian and Turkish citizenship live in Turkey, and at least half of them vote in each Bulgarian elections.
The large number of Bulgarian expats in Turkey resulted from the campaign of the communist regime in the 1980s to assimilate the Bulgarian Turks and Muslims by renaming them, which led many of them to emigrate.
The fact that the Turkish authorities are encouraging Bulgarian citizens residing in Turkey to vote in the Bulgarian elections is construed in Bulgaria as an attempt to enhance the election results of the ethnic Turkish party in Bulgaria, Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS). This situation has become a big issue in Bulgaria's politics and society to the extent of fueling far-right and extremist sentiments. The lower the voter turnout in Bulgaria, the greater the weight of the votes that come from Turkey, which go for the DPS almost 100%.
PM STANISHEV: BULGARIA SET TO BECOME BALKAN ENERGY CENTER
Bulgaria PM, Sergey Stanishev, has stated that Bulgaria can look forward to becoming the energy center of the Balkans if he is re-elected.
Stanishev, who was speaking before the July 5 Bulgarian General elections, was upbeat that the "strength of the Bulgarian people," will enable the Bulgarian economy to recover over the next few years from the worst of the current financial crisis.
Stanishev added that he looks forward to Bulgaria becoming the energy center of the Balkans if he is re-elected. He pointed out that Bulgaria's role in the Nabucco and South Stream projects will be vital for this.
In an interview for Pari daily, Stanishev concentrated on his government's achievements in the areas of fighting drugs smuggling and keeping the country from the worst of the global financial crisis, by keeping the economy "stable".
Stanishev also stated that by successfully unblocking the EU funds for Transport, his government had been able to help stave off further economic problems.
BULGARIA PM STANISHEV'S SITE HACKED BY "FURIOUS CITIZENS"
Unidentified hackers claiming to be angry ordinary Bulgarians appear to have attacked the personal site of Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev late on Wednesday.
Instead of the name of the prime minister, a sign reading "Officially hacked page", accompanied by a protest letter, could be seen online for a few hours.
"This site has been hacked by a few furious, but otherwise ordinary citizens of the Republic of Bulgaria!," reads the posted message.
It slams the members of the Socialist party, saying they must be "extremely stupid" if they think that their campaign, based on manipulations and lies, can be trusted by anyone but "the uneducated and good for nothing man".
"Are these your supporters?", the letter asks.
Nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack, which led to suspicions of a set-up.
Interestingly the attack was preceded by a warning, posted by the site's administrators on June 19, which said that there is an increasing number of attempted hackers' attacks.
The administrators' letter asks the question "Who is afraid of www.stanishev.bg?", which has also been posted as a poll question to the users.
The proposed answers include Sofia mayor and likely winner in the next general elections Boyko Borisov, die-hard right-winger Ivan Kostov, GERB formal leader Tsvetan Tsvetanov, "those, who want to privatize our factories, hospitals, universities" and all of the above.
PM STANISHEV: BULGARIA PRE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN SANK IN MIRE
Bulgaria's Socialist prime minister has expressed regrets over the lack of meaningful debates ahead of the general elections.
"The pre-election campaign turned into nothing but discrediting exercises and this shows lack of ideas or lack of knowledge how to turn good ideas into reality," Sergey Stanishev said in the morning broadcast of the private bTV channel.
"There was no real debates about what politics stand for, there was no debate between me and the leader of GERB party, which is insulting for the people," Stanishev said, referring to Sofia mayor Boyko Borisov, who is tipped to win the general elections on July 5 and become the country's next prime minister.
According to Stanishev the Bulgarian Socialist Party is the only party, which has committed to concrete promises regarding the amount of salaries, pensions, the creation of new jobs, crediting lines for the small and medium-sized business.
DRUG ADDICTS BROUGHT INTO BULGARIA VOTE BUYING SCHEMES
Drug addicts have also been involved in the schemes for buying votes in the upcoming Bulgarian Parliamentary Elections.
This has been announced by representatives of the Union for Private Economic Enterprise, which has undertaken a campaign against vote buying by offering rewards of up to BGN 10 000 for any information and evidence about this crime.
The drug addicts that get involved in the vote buying industry get paid in kind - they receive small doses of the respective drugs, the UPEE representatives said as cited by the Bulgarian National Radio. Their information, however, is yet to be investigated by the respective authorities.
The UPEE has announced that very "interesting" vote buying schemes seem to be in place. Those included the active involvement who would act as brokers in vote buying deals. The mayors in question, however, would often provide votes for a party different from their own, i.e. their role as brokers seems to be becoming increasing "professionalized."
Before, during, and after Bulgaria's EU Parliament Elections on June 7, the UPEE some 200 signals about vote buying by citizens, journalists, and even people who took part in the schemes.
Novinite.com's interview with the UPEE Deputy Chair Teodor Dechev is available HERE
Novinite.com's featured article on vote buying in Bulgaria is available HERE
FATHER IN BULGARIA-POLAND CUSTODY BATTLE SET TO GIVE OVER SON
A Polish mediator has informed the Bulgarian father, Todor Vasilev, involved in a high profile custody battle that he will have to give his son over to the authorities on July 6.
7-year-old Pavel will now have to be returned to Poland with his mother Barbara Vasilev, who is currently there with their 8-year-old daughter Nikoleta, the Bulgarian daily 24 Chasa informed Thursday.
Machey Tanski, the Polish mediator in the case, who is under contract with the Ministry of Justice, allegedly asked Todor if he agreed with the decision but it is not yet clear what he replied.
The dramatic custody battle between the Polish mother and the Bulgarian father entered the media spotlight on May 28 when the mother attempted to seize the 8-year-old Nikoleta and 7-year-old Pavel from their father.
The parents are separated, but not divorced. The children refused to leave with their father, which led to the involvement of the local police, court authorities and a representative of the social services in the town.
A fight broke out while the authorities attempted to take the children. Pavel managed to escape and his whereabouts remained unknown for a while. He is currently in Asenovgrad with his father and grand-parents.
BULGARIA CAPITAL SOFIA - EUROPE'S 13TH MOST COSTLY CITY TO PARK IN
Bulgaria's capital Sofia is the thirteenth most expensive city to park a car in Europe, according to a parking rate study, conducted by Colliers International.
Sofia overtakes the capitals of Spain and Germany and comes right after Prague, Athens and Budapest. Parking for a day in Sofia comes at the cost of EUR 8-12, while the price for having access to parking anytime during the month ranges between EUR 100-200.
"Despite the global economic and financial crisis parking rates are keeping their last year's levels and even mark an increase in some cities due to the lack of parking lots in the biggest capitals," commented Anton Slavchev from Colliers International Bulgaria
The Bulgarian capital is also suffering from a shortage of parking lots, which explains why fares here are higher than in other European capitals, such as Madrid and Berlin.
"This factor has an impact on office rates, which are higher when the building comes with a sufficient number of parking lots," Slavchev added.
Colliers' second parking rate survey tracks 140 downtown parking districts from around the globe with the aim to provide corporate real estate executives with the relative cost of parking, both on a daily and monthly basis.
Leading the list of most expensive cities to park a car is London: both The City and West End. Monthly parking rates in The City topped the list at EUR 630 with West End in second place at EUR 590. In third place is Amsterdam (EUR 569).
Interestingly three Australian cities again made the top ten: Sydney at number five, Brisbane at number seven and Berth at number nine.
The highest daily parking costs were dominated by European cities with Amsterdam in the top spot at EUR 50 followed by London's City submarket, Vienna, the Hague and Oslo rounding out the top five.
The cheapest city to park in this year's survey is Chennai.
TWO MORE SWINE FLU CASES CONFIRMED IN BULGARIA
There have been a new two confirmed cases of swine flu in Bulgaria, the Health Ministry has reported.
A 12-year-old boy from Stara Zagora was confirmed to have the A(H1N1) virus, following a 22-year-old man who was confirmed to have the virus Wednesday also in Stara Zagora. There have now been 4 confirmed cases in the town.
A 21-year-old woman from Sofia was also confirmed to have swine flu on Thursday, after returning from the UK on June 29.
With these two new cases the Bulgarian Health Ministry has now confirmed a total of 13 cases of swine flu in the country.
BULGARIAN ARCHAEOLOGISTS DISCOVER 7 000-YEARS-OLD SETTLEMENT
Bulgarian archaeologists have discovered a 7 000-years-old settlement close to the northeast city of Shumen.
The village dates back to the Stone-Copper Age, and is located in the locality of Chanadzhik, near the village of Sushina and the Ticha Dam.
The archaeologists have discovered over 300 finds, most of which are made of marble.
"These items are extremely rare. They were worn by very specific people. These are decorations that were not available to the masses. There are also others that are made of clay or bone," explained Stefan Chohadzhiev, an archaeology professor at the Veliko Tarnovo University, as quoted by bTV.
The most valuable find of the archaeologists, however, is a fortification that protected the village mound from the west.
According to Ivan Babadzhanov, an archaeologist from the Regional History Museum in Shumen, the fortification probably consisted of a stone wall; the items discovered there are Chalcolithic (Copper Age) ceramics.
BERLIN WALL EXHIBITION IN BULGARIA'S SOFIA UNIVERSITY
An exhibition, dedicated to the twentieth anniversary of the removal of the Iron Curtain and the fall of the Berlin wall, has been opened in Bulgaria's biggest Sofia University.
The exhibition has been officially presented by the deputy chancellor of the university, Nedyu Popivanov, and the Hungarian Ambassador to Bulgaria, Judit Lang.
The exhibit is situated on the second floor of the History department. It shows posters united by the slogan "Freedom and Democracy".
The Berlin Wall was built by communist authorities, and divided the city for 28 years. Its builders described it as an "anti-fascist protective barrier", and scores of people were killed by East German sentries as they tried to escape across it from east to west.
SOUTH AFRICAN MEDIA CRITICIZES SUNDOWNS' STOICHKOV APPOINTMENT
Former Bulgarian captain and coach, Hristo Stoichkov, has officially become coach of South African team Manmelodi Sundowns.
Stoichkov, now 43, was Europe's footballer of the year in 1994, and has signed a two-year deal with the Pretoria club.
Some South African media have been negative about the appointment with times.za stating: "The Bulgarian has been hired on coaching experience that included a three-year spell with his national team. During that time, they failed to qualify for the 2006 World Cup and he left soon afterwards."
Other South African media noted "Stoichkov's notorious temper was also a hallmark of his tenure as Bulgaria's coach and a few of the regular players retired from international football after clashes with him."
Stoichkov was due to sign up with Iranian club Abu Moslem but decided against it when the political situation in that country deteriorated.
Stoichkov, who was tipped last week to succeed at Sundowns, will take over from interim coach Ted Dumitru.
BULGARIA SET TO SIGN FORMULA ONE RACE DEAL
Formula 1 boss, Bernie Ecclestone, will meet with a delegation from Bulgaria next weekend regarding the possibility of adding the country to the formula 1 calendar.
In March it was announced that the Bulgarian Motorcycle Federation was in talks with Ecclestone and that it was ready to assign funds to build a Formula One circuit.
Representatives of the Bulgarian race organising committee have now been formally invited to the German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring on July 12 to meet with Ecclestone.
It is claimed the race contract may be signed soon and may initially be for 2011 through 2015 and with an option to extend it further.
Ecclestone will reportedly also meet with Baden-Wurttemberg premier Gunther Oettinger at the Nurburgring, in a bid to rescue embattled Hockenheim's Formula One round.
BULGARIA BLOCKS PROPERTY, BANK ACCOUNTS OF WANNABE MAFIA MPS
A district court has ruled that property and bank accounts, owned by two of Bulgaria's alleged mafia bosses, who are running for MPs, and worth nearly BGN 4,5 M, be distrained.
Kyustendil district court ruling came at the demand of the state body, dealing with illegally acquired property. It is expected to file the demand for confiscation of the pair's property within a month.
Plamen Galev and Angel Hristov, who were in custody on charges of torture, prostitution, blackmail, extortion and drugs running, were released in the middle of June on bail of BGN 50,000 each and got down to carrying out their election campaigns.
The investigation against them has consequently been suspended
Should the two make their way to parliament in the general elections next month, they will be free from prosecution during the four-year-term.
BULGARIAN POLICE BUST EU'S LARGEST EVER FORGERY RING
A joint operation between Spanish and Bulgarian police has busted the European Union's largest ever euro forging operation in the Central Bulgarian city of Plovdiv.
Seventeen people were arrested in and around Plovdiv, where police seized EUR 500 000 in fake notes, after a joint investigation between Bulgarian, Spanish and other European police forces, the Spanish media reported Thursday.
Three clandestine facilities printed notes of 100, 200 and 500 euros. The high-quality notes were circulated in several European countries.
Police had been trying to track the ring down since the first fake bills were discovered in Spain in 2007.
Police searched 24 addresses, seizing forging equipment and computer materials.
BULGARIAN COURT CONFISCATES PIMP RAPPER'S PROPERTY, CARS
Bulgarian rapper and pimp Ivan Glavchev aka Vanko 1, best known as the godfather of a scandalous provision for prostitution offenses, heard on Thursday a court ruling for the confiscation of a house and two of his luxurious cars.
Plovdiv district court ordered the confiscation at the request of the Committee for revealing assets acquired through criminal activity.
The house and two cars - a Mercedes and BMW - are believed to have been acquired in this way since its owner could not provide any evidence that he purchased them through legal means.
The ruling is expected to be appealed.
The rapper was sentenced to four years and a half and a fine of BGN 4 500, but had only thirteen months to serve after spending three years and a half in custody. He was released from prison in February 2008.
His sudden decision to peacefully serve his term, however, made lawyers suspect he may have stuck a deal with the legislators, who were desperate to save face after passing a highly controversial bill for prostitution offenses.
The amendment, named after him, changed the sentencing provisions for prostitution offenses, reducing "heavy sentences" and those for more serious offenses: prostitution involving minors, committed by organized criminal groups and involving three or more women.
The changes to the penal code sparked a public outcry in Bulgaria and became a household name as "Vanko 1" amendment.
Adopted just three months before Bulgaria entered the European Union, the changes raised brows across the EU bloc, where legislators are pushing for tougher sentences for prostitution offenses.
The irrational decision of the Bulgarian legislators raised doubts of incompetence and corruption practices and was reversed right after the court delivered its sentence on the rapper with tougher sentences for prostitution offenses reintroduced.
UK JUSTICE SECRETARY REFUSES TO PARDON SHIELDS
UK Justice Secretary Jack Straw has refused an appeal for a pardon by jailed football fan Michael Shields.
Shields was jailed for 15 years in Bulgaria in 2005 for the attempted murder of barman Martin Georgiev, who had a rock dropped on his head in Varna. His sentence was later reduced when he was transferred to a UK prison.
Shields, like a number of Liverpool fans, had broken the journey home from Istanbul following Liverpool FC's European Cup victory in Turkey.
In a provisional decision on Thursday, Straw was unable to conclude the 22-year-old was "morally and technically innocent", a Ministry of Justice spokesman said.
Liverpool city councillor Joe Anderson, who has spearheaded the drive to free the Reds fan, said: "We have only just heard and I am on my way to see Michael's parents to discuss it."
The Ministry of Justice said a High Court judgment in December last year set a "very high" bar for granting what is known as a free pardon.
The Justice Ministry spokesman said: "Straw has made his decision in accordance with the High Court judgment of 17 December 2008 which indicated that, in order to grant a free pardon, he would have to be satisfied that Shields was morally and technically innocent.
BULGARIA CRIME BOSS STAYS BEHIND BARS DESPITE ELECTION TRICK
Sofia Court of Appeals ruled on Thursday to keep in detention alleged mafia boss Zlatomir Ivanov, aka Zlatko Baretata, even though his registration as a MP candidate advocate gives him immunity from prosecution.
Just before the court convened, Ivanov, who is accused of leading a gang group that masterminded and committed contract murders and was involved in weapons and drugs trafficking, commented there were too many speculations about his wish to serve as an advocate.
"I traveled to Bulgaria from abroad to be able to attend the court sitting. There are some things in this trial, which are complete lies," he said.
The Sofia City Court received last week a request from Baretata to change his permanent detention to house arrest over his registration as the advocate for the majority candidate on the ticket of the "Bulgarian Patriots" Union in the Black Sea city of Burgas, Ivaylo Drazhev.
The Prosecutor's Office refused to withdraw its suit against Ivanov over his immunity.
Ivanov's lawyers claim he should have been released on June 24 when he was registered as an advocate of Ivaylo Drazhev.
BULGARIA AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ VALERI RATCHEV: WE ARE DOOMED TO SUCCEED IN IRAQ
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CALLS TO BOYCOTT CRIMINAL SUSPECTS IN BULGARIAN ELECTION
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BULGARIANS VOTE - RESENTFUL OVER POVERTY AND CORRUPTION
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POLITICAL SALE OR VOTE FOR ONE, GET TWO
Pre-election campaigns of the Bulgarian political parties have been extremely amusing to the public. We saw everything. From fights in court, through shady criminal world related individuals, to commercials including Ferraris.
One thing is clear. This has been quite an expensive campaign for some political parties. Countless billboards, prime time commercials, newspaper adds, and many, many others.
The thing that has impressed me most is that, despite the loads of money thrown in elections campaigns and agitation, nothing worth attention appeared before public. Nothing that can really make people go and cast their votes.
This has been quite a boring campaign. It involved the usual suspects, and a couple of new ones. It was marked by the fear of the ruling coalition to lose its power. In this way the only thing that the politicians could think of was the personal fight.
Almost all of the commercials were pure example of "Black PR". "Chose me, not him, because... well, because he is going to ruin your lives". Is that the smartest thing you could think of, dear politicians? If so, your brain capacity is obviously not enough to rule a whole country.
All these "Black PR" campaigns had a common slogan - "If you chose someone, you will get someone else as a bonus". This entertained me the most. These kinds of commercials originally initiated from a small communist party, which joined the ruling Coalition for Bulgaria. Interesting fact is that this very same party took part in the 2005 Parliament elections as an ally of the far-right Ataka party.
My point is that the campaign was started and financed by the ruling BSP party. How they dare to talk about hidden partners? What is DPS? People did not vote for them on the previous elections, but they got them as a bonus. A pretty good bonus, I may say. So, people may have DPS as a bonus, but not Kostov (leader of the opposition DSB party), as a bonus to Sofia Mayor and leader of the GERB party, Boyko Borisov.
Recently, another commercial has been launched. It says that if you chose Kostov, you will get Borisov as a bonus. BSP are trying to scare their electorate, to remind them of old times. If so, why do not they remind the people of the Communism, of the prisons, of the countless young people who disappeared because of their views and ideology.
It is amazing how a socialist party once again interprets history the way it serves them best. They have not frightened anyone with their pathetic commercials. The socialist only reminded people why they chose democracy, and why people said no to socialism.
Yes, you may get someone else to rule you, together with the one you voted for. But these are the risks of democracy and its main principle - PLURALISM. This is what we have fought for. The right to chose. The right to say your opinion, and identify yourself ideologically.
The presence of many parties means that we can pick one and support it. People do not think alike. Democracy gives them the right to form whatever parliament they want. Most of the times, too many parties enter the general assembly. In these cases, consensus is needed. BSP knows that. It has done it before. Whether it was good or not, only history could tell.
The important thing here is that people have choice. They may be voting for one, and getting two, but it is better than Communism. Isn't this better than voting for one over and over again, and do not get anything different for four decades?
You vote for democracy and get pluralism. Yes, sometimes the minority of people chose who will rule the majority. This is a matter of nothing but low voting activity. This is a risk of the democracy. No one has said it is good. Someone, once, did say it was the bet known thing.
The only thing that we have to do is to vote. We may get different things from what we have voted for, but at least we have made our choice. We have the right to control our future, and casting a vote is the only way to do it.
US LAUNCHES "MAJOR OPERATION" IN AFGHANISTAN
US troops have launched a "major operation" against Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan, US military officials announced in Afghanistan early Thursday, CNN reported.
About 4,000 Americans, mostly from the Marines, and 650 Afghan soldiers and police launched Operation Khanjar -- "strike of the sword" -- in the Helmand River valley, the US command in Kabul announced.
The push is the largest since the Pentagon began moving additional troops into the conflict this year, and it follows a British-led operation launched last week in the same region, the Marines said.
It is also the first big move since US Gen. Stanley McChrystal took over as the allied commander in Afghanistan in mid-June.
In Washington, a senior defense official said the size and scope of the new operation are "very significant."
"It's not common for forces to operate at the brigade level," the official said. "In fact, they often only conduct missions at the platoon level. And they're going into the most troubled area of Afghanistan."
Helmand Province, where much of the fighting is taking place, has been a hotbed of Taliban violence in recent months. At least 25 US and British troops have been killed there in 2009.
US SOLDIER CAPTURED IN AFGHANISTAN OFFENSIVE
A United States soldier has been captured Thursday by militants in eastern Afghanistan,
This has been announced by the US military, the BBC reported.
The soldier is believed to be the first seized in either Iraq or Afghanistan for at least two years.
The capture came as US and Afghan forces began a major operation against Taliban forces in southern Helmand province.
The US military says the aim of the offensive is to provide security ahead of presidential elections in August 2009.
OBAMA CALLS FOR END TO RUSSIA COLD WAR APPROACH
US President Barack Obama has said Russia must understand that "old Cold War approaches" to relations with the US belong in the past.
Obama said he would convey this to Vladimir Putin during talks in Moscow next week, the BBC reported.
President Obama said the former Russian president - now prime minister - "still has sway" in Russia.
Earlier Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said he was hopeful of finding new ways to co-operate with the US.
In a media interview Obama said Putin was someone who has "one foot in the old ways of doing business and one foot in the new".
The president said the US was developing a "very good relationship" with Medvedev, who succeeded Putin last year.
US, RUSSIA HEADED FOR PROGRESS IN ARMS REDUCTION TALKS
The USA and Russia are headed for unexpected progress in their talks for a new strategic arms agreement.
According to the Russian newspaper Vremya Novostei, the upcoming summit meeting between the two Presidents, Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev, is very likely to produce a breakthrough leading to reducing the strategic nuclear stockpiles of both states.
The US-Russian negotiations have already had three rounds in May and June, and according to Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergei Ryabkov, by December 2009, the two sides would produce a new solid document on arms limitations.
The Obama-Medvedev meeting is also expected to produce some sort of understanding regarding the situation in the post-Soviet sphere aimed at avoiding conflicts such as the war between Russia and Georgia in August 2008.
US CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR SCHWARZENEGGER DECLARES FISCAL EMERGENCY
The Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, has declared a fiscal emergency in the US state to address a budget deficit of some USD 24,3 B.
The move comes after state legislators missed a 1 July deadline to approve a budget for the coming financial year, the BBC reported.
On Tuesday, the Californian Senate failed to agree on Democratic proposals to shave USD 3,3 B from education and other programs as a stopgap measure to address the shortfall.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered some state offices to be closed on the first, second and third Friday of every month until June 2010, with staff not paid for these days.
California has been one of the US states hardest hit by the recession.
"I will not rest until we get it done. I will not be a part of pushing this crisis down the road - the road stops here", Governor Schwarzenegger said.
In his words, although the legislature had failed to remedy the budget problems, "solving the entire deficit" remained his "first and only priority".
Californian economy is the world's eighth largest economy and generates nearly 13% of US gross domestic product. This means that what happens there matters for the rest of the US.
MIRACLE PLANE CRASH SURVIVOR BACK IN FRANCE
The teenage girl who is the only known survivor of this week's plane crash in the Comoros Islands arrived back in France on Thursday, CNN reported.
Bahia Bakari, the only known survivor from the 153 people aboard the Yemenia Airways flight, arrived at Paris' Le Bourget airport early on Thursday morning on a French government plane.
The girl is reported to have been transferred to an unnamed hospital suffering from shock and a broken collar bone.
Bahia is due to be seen by psychologists on Thursday morning and could be kept in hospital for several days, according to French media reports.
The head of the rescue team in the Comoros told RTL radio the teenager survived astonishing odds to survive. "It is truly, truly, miraculous," said Ibrahim Abdoulazeb. "The young girl can barely swim."
The Airbus A310 went down early Tuesday with 142 passengers and 11 crew members on board on a flight that originated in Yemen's capital, Sanaa.
The jet vanished from radar when it was about 25 kilometers (16 miles) from Comoros' capital, Moroni.
Searchers had recovered three bodies, Qadir said. Bahia's mother was also on the flight, but has not been found.
The 12-year-old was greeted in Paris on Thursday by her father who said he did not believe he would see his wife or daughter again after learning of the crash.
AIR FRANCE FLIGHT 447 BROKE UP ON CONTACT WITH WATER
French investigators trying to find out why an Air France plane crashed in the Atlantic say they believe it broke up on contact with the water, not in the air.
They also found that the plane's speed sensors had been "a factor but not the cause" of the crash, the BBC reported.
All 228 people on the plane were killed when it plunged into the ocean en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris on 1 June.
Teams looking for the plane's flight data recorders will continue operations for another 10 days, Air France spokesperson reported.
Search teams have recovered 51 bodies from the ocean but said last month that finding any more remains was "impossible".
YEMEN AIR PLANE BLACK BOX NOT FOUND, ONLY LOCATED
Rescue workers have located the downed Yemenia Airways plane's distress signals, but not its flight data recorders.
The news has been announced Wednesday by the France's Foreign Ministry, CNN reported.
"The jet distress beacons were found, instead of the black boxes," the ministry said.
The Airbus 310 went down early Tuesday, carrying 142 passengers and 11 crew members on a flight that originated in Yemen's capital, Sanaa.
The French navy and Yemeni authorities expanded search efforts for wreckage and bodies Wednesday, with a French frigate among the ships joining the search.
Searchers had recovered three bodies. Bahia Bakari, a 13-year-old French girl, was the only known survivor. Her mother was also on the flight, but she has not been found.
Passengers on the flight included 66 French citizens, 54 Comorians, one Palestinian and one Canadian, according to Yemeni and French officials. The crew was made up of six Yemenis, two Moroccans, one Ethiopian, one Filipino and one Indonesian.
NORTH KOREA CONDUCTS NEW MISSILE TEST
North Korea has test-fired Thursday two short-range surface-to-ship missiles off its east coast from a base near the port of Wonsan at about 0900 GMT.
This was announced by a spokesman for the South Korea's Defense Ministry, the BBC reported.
Pyongyang had warned shipping to stay out of waters off its east coast.
The UN tightened sanctions against North Korea after it launched several missiles and carried out an underground nuclear test in May.
South Korean media had reported that a missile launch was imminent. Previous North Korean warnings to shipping to avoid its coastal waters have been preludes to test launches.
Japanese and South Korean media have also reported that North Korea may be preparing to launch a long-range ballistic missile.
Such a rocket was launched in May, with Pyongyang saying it was intended to put a satellite into orbit.
There are fears that North Korea is trying to produce nuclear warheads small enough to put on long-range missiles.
CHINESE BABY GIRLS 'SOLD FOR ADOPTION'
Dozens of baby girls in southern China have reportedly been taken from parents who broke family-planning laws, and then sold for adoption overseas.
An investigation by the state-owned Southern Metropolis News found that about 80 girls in one county had been sold for USD 3 000.
The babies were taken when the parents could not pay the steep fines imposed for having too many children, the BBC reported.
Local officials may have forged papers to complete the deals, the report said.
Parents in rural areas are allowed two children, unlike urban dwellers who are allowed one.
But if they have more than that, they face a fine of about USD 3 000 - several times many farmers' annual income.
Nearly 80 baby girls in a county in Guizhou province, in the south of the country, were confiscated from their families when their parents could not or would not pay the fine, Southern Metropolis News said.
The girls were taken into orphanages and then adopted by couples from the United States and a number of European countries.
The adoption fee was split between the orphanages and local officials, the newspaper said.
Child trafficking is widespread. A tightening of adoption rules for foreigners in 2006 has proved ineffective in the face of local corruption.
MICHAEL JACKSON’S WILL FILED IN COURT - REPORT
Michael Jackson's will has been filed in a Los Angeles court, giving his entire estate to a family trust.
The document, dated 7 July 2002, also reveals the star "intentionally omitted" to provide for his former wife, Debbie Rowe, BBC reported.
Jackson's mother, Katherine, is named as a beneficiary of the trust and the guardian of the singer's three young children, who are named in the will.
It estimated Jackson's estate at that time to be more than USD 500 M.
The Michael Jackson Family Trust would benefit his three children, his mother and unnamed charities.
"I have intentionally omitted to provide for my former wife, Deborah Rowe Jackson", the will says.
Rowe married Jackson in 1996 but filed for divorce in 1999. She gave up custody rights to the children but sought them again in 2003.
The singer's youngest son - seven-year-old Prince Michael II - was born to a surrogate mother whose identity has never been revealed.
Long-time friend and singer, Diana Ross, is also named as guardian for Jackson's children in the event that his mother was unable to fulfill her duties.
Katherine Jackson was granted temporary guardianship of Jackson's three children on Monday.
MICHAEL JACKSON MEMORIAL, FUNERAL WON’T BE AT NEVERLAND
Michael Jackson's memorial service and funeral will not take place at the Neverland Ranch.
According to the latest reports of international news outlets, the location of the expected public viewing of Michael Jackson's body and the memorial service is still unclear after on Wednesday Jacko's family spokesperson said the singer would not be buried at Neverland.
The King of Pop's will does not specify where he wished to be buried. The will was filed in court Wednesday and is dated July 7, 2002.
MICHAEL JACKSON ALBUM SALES JUMP 40-FOLD
Michael Jackson had the three best- selling albums in the US last week as sales surged following the singer's death, Bloomberg agency reported, citing Nielsen SoundScan.
"Number Ones" and "Essential Michael Jackson" sold 108,000 and 102,000 copies in the week ended June 28, the New York-based researcher said today in a statement. "Thriller" sold 101,000 copies. All three are on Sony Corp. labels.
Jackson's album sales jumped 40-fold to 422,000 last week, compared with 10,000 in the week ended June 21, Nielsen SoundScan said.
Political Sale or Vote for One, Get Two
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