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News from Bulgaria, 96-08-30Bulgarian Telegraph Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Embassy of Bulgaria <bulgaria@access1.digex.net>EMBASSY OF BULGARIA - WASHINGTON D.C.BTA - BULGARIAN TELEGRAPH AGENCYAugust 30, 1996CONTENTS
[01] FOREIGN MINISTER PIRINSKI IN CHICAGOSofia, August 29 (BTA) - In Chicago, Illinois, the Bulgarian- American Enterprise Fund (BAEF) yesterday gave a business lunch for Bulgarian Foreign Minister Georgi Pirinski, who is visiting the US at the invitation of the National Democratic Institute. The business and investment climate in Bulgaria was discussed at the function. Mr Pirinski elaborated on the tax break for foreign investors, the ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, the privatization programme and the condition of Bulgaria's banking sector, said BAEF's office in Bulgaria. "We are glad to welcome Minister Pirinski to Chicago and to listen to his views on the future of Bulgaria," said Mr Frank Bauer, President and Chief Executive Officer of BAEF. "With its more than 500 investment projects in Bulgaria, BAEF is carrying on its investment activity and is planning to increase the size of its investments in Bulgarian enterprises, despite the difficulties into which the country is running at the moment," he added. Representatives of Amoco, King Wire Incorporated, GSV- International Trading Company, Material Sciences Corporation of America, the Chicago Council for International Relations, Bank of America, Opportunity International, the World Trade Center, the Commission on International Affairs at the American Jewish Committee and other organizations were among the lunchers. Mr Pirinski's statements were listened with close attention and were followed by a number of questions on the part of the attendees, the BAEF press release says.[02] BULGARIAN SCHOLARS ON ISLAM IN THE BALKANSSofia, August 29 (BTA) - It is detrimental to underestimate developments in the Islamic world, but it is just as detrimental to regard Islam and its trends as an enemy and formulate Bulgaria's foreign policy and domestic ethnic policy on this basis, said Katya Nikova, a research associate at the Institute of Balkan Studies with the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. At a news conference today experts in Balkan history spoke about Islam in the Balkans and topical political issues related to it. "It is dangerous when paranoid fear engendered by Islam taints Bulgaria's attitude towards Turkey and towards our own people who profess this religion," Nikova also said.In the last few years Islam has become more influential in the Balkans, said Agop Garabedian, Director of the Institute of Balkan Studies. Among many factors underlying this phenomenon he singled out Turkey's ambition to find a new place in relations between Europe and Asia, the resurgent tenets of pan-Turkism and pan-Islamism, and the idea of a brotherly link among all Turks outside Turkey, all of which are reflected in Turkey's foreign policy. Prof. Strashimir Dimitrov, an expert in Ottoman studies at the Institute, said the markedly secular education of Bulgarian Turks rules out widespread Islamic fundamentalism in this country for the time being. He said there is not a single fundamentalist organization of Bulgarian Muslims. Islamic fundamentalism is spread mostly by emigrants from Iran, Syria and other Arab countries, who serve mainly humanitarian causes and make donations for mosque construction and Islamic studies, Dimitrov said. He believes that Islam should not be regarded as a hostile religion, but any attempt to use it as a basis for political separatism should be resisted. Answering a question, Dimitrov said the ethnic Turks' Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) had no legal right to develop into a political party because it is ethnic and religious in nature. Moreover, the MRF's guarantor in Bulgaria is Turkey, which itself bans organizations set up along ethnic lines and does not recognize the Kurds' right to self-determination, he said. At the same time, Prof. Dimitrov said, the MRF leaders do not manifest their ethnic and religious positions. "The forcible assimilation campaign [a state policy of forcing Bulgarian Turks to adopt Slavic names launched in the second half of the 80s] seriously traumatized this population in Bulgaria and it was the MRF that supported it; its formation should be regarded in a favourable light as being specific to Bulgaria," Katya Nikova said. Considering historical developments, the Balkans at large and Bulgaria in particular will see no new ethnic and religious conflicts in the next seven or eight years, Prof. Dimitrov said in conclusion. [03] GOVERNMENT FIXES ITS LAW-MAKING PRIORITIESSofia, August 29 (BTA) - Twenty-four bills must be passed until the end of December, the Government decided today, adopting its law- making priorities and a plan for its right to initiate legislation during the autumn session of Parliament. The priorities involve the progress of the structural, banking and agricultural reform, the social sphere, and the consolidation of statehood, Justice Minister Mladen Chervenyakov said after the meeting. Sixteen of the bills have already been introduced before Parliament. Seven new laws must be entirely passed until the end of the autumn session. These are a bank deposit guaranty bill, a collateral security bill, an exchange control regulations bill, a foreign investment protection and promotion bill, a state seal bill, and bills which will ensure the collection of the 1997 national budget revenue. In addition, the Cabinet will table eight bills which must be adopted on first reading. They regulate matters concerning alternative national service, government deliveries and contracts, and protection against unemployment. Until the beginning of December, the Council of Ministers will also introduce 41 bills in broad outline form, using this method for the first time, Mr Chervenyakov also said.[04] CABINET DECISIONSSofia, August 29 (BTA) - The Cabinet today adopted Implementing Regulations to the Agricultural Land Conservation Act. The document details the mechanism of state regulation and assistance in the protection of land from damage. Until a separate law is passed, the Cabinet is to approve provisional charges for changes in agricultural land uses.The Cabinet allowed the Agency for Expatriate Bulgarians to carry out publishing and distribution. Currently the Agency is publishing a single magazine for Bulgarians living abroad. Its publications will be financed from budget appropriations to the Agency. The Council of Ministers approved a report by Transport Minister Stamen Stamenov on the results of the fourth meeting of the Intergovernmental Bulgarian-Romanian Committee on Economic and Scientific and Technological Cooperation, held in Sofia from July 4 to 6. The Cabinet approved a Bulgarian-Spanish draft agreement on visa-free entry clearance for holders of diplomatic passports. Their visa-free sojourn is limited to 19 days. The Council of Ministers approved a report by Health Minister Mimi Vitkova on the upcoming participation of a Bulgarian government delegation in the 46th session of the World Health Organization's Europe Regional Office, to be held in Copenhagen from September 9 to 13. Licensing fees for tourism, the hotel and restaurant business and the entertainment industry will be adjusted for inflation monthly instead of annually up. The Cabinet allowed the Bulgarian warship Captain Dimiter Dobrev to take part in the celebration of the third centenary of the Russian Navy, to be held in Novorossiisk from September 11 to 16. [05] ENERGY MINISTER PREDICTS UP TO 10 PER CENT RISE IN ELECTRICITY PRICES UNTIL YEAR'S ENDSofia, August 29 (BTA) - Electricity prices will not rise steeply until the end of the year, according to Roumen Ovcharov, Minister of Energy and Energy Resources. He told a news conference today that electricity will go up between 5 and 10 per cent until the end of the year - barring additional complications. "I cannot predict whether electricity supply will be rationed in winter," Mr Ovcharov said, answering a reporter's question. He said this would depend on the full capacity utilization of the Kozlodoui Nuclear Power Plant and the prompt loan-financing of the National Electric Company (NEK). If sample-taking from the reactor casing of Kozlodoui Unit One drags on, it will not be put back on stream for the winter season, Mr Ovcharov said. On the other hand, a delay of a decision on extension of loans to the energy industry by Bulbank may leave the Varna Thermoelectric Power Station without a sufficient stock of coal. Unless the credit is extended on time, the station will have 200,000 t of coal in October instead of 400,000 t. The mass hysteria over the disconnection of central heating will create additional difficulties, he is afraid. After the price of heat power has been increased from 2,189 to 3,460 leva/Gcal, people have started to apply on a mass scale for a switch-off of all or part of the central heating in their homes. This may necessitate electricity supply rationing on a local basis because transformer stations and transformers cannot handle extra peak loads, Mr Ovcharov said. Despite all difficulties, schools and hospitals will not be left without lighting and heating, the Minister stated categorically. On the other hand, municipal authorities which do not pay their electricity and heating bills will spend a dark and cold winter. Local governments owe NEK an aggregate 300 million leva. The Plovdiv Municipality is the worst debtor, with 150 million leva owed to the utility. Some municipalities, despite their dire straits, can still find money to foot their bills, while others treat their obligations to NEK as their last priority, the Minister commented. The National Electric Company will make no concessions to any municipalities which fail to pay their bills, Mr Ovcharov said. He thinks this is a matter of the local authorities' financial priorities rather than of lack of money.[06] COOPERATION IN SOCIAL AFFAIRSSofia, August 29 (BTA) - Bulgaria and China have signed a Protocol on Cooperation in Social Affairs, the Bulgarian Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Mincho Koralski told a news conference here today. He briefed reporters on the results of a visit which a Chinese delegation, led by the Deputy Minister of Civil Affairs Xiu Zueixing. The sides exchanged information and experience on the two ministries' present and future work. Questions concerning the social safety networks and social insurance were on the agenda. Both sides stressed the availability of favourable conditions for pursuit of cooperation in social affairs. They agreed on an exchange of statutory instruments and documents and on an exchange of visits. Mr Koralski has been invited to visit China early next year.[07] FOREIGN COMPANIES INTERESTED IN DEVELOPMENT OF BULGARIA'S GOLD FIELDSSofia, August 29 (BTA) - Bulgaria has some of Europe's largest gold resources, official figures show. Experts of the Geology Committee believe this country can become one of the world's top 20 producers, if funds are raised to develop the fields. Rough estimates put Bulgaria's deposits at 1,000 t.Official statistics shows this country mines 1.5 t of gold annually, with state orders falling seven to eightfold from the late 80s. Because of financial difficulties, the Council of Ministers last June closed down the mines near Chiprovtsi (northwestern Bulgaria). According to the Geology Committee, some of the richest deposits- 250 t- are in the Eastern Rhodopis (Southern Bulgaria). None of the fields there are being developed especially for gold- the main ores are lead, zinc and copper. Gold deposits near Dobroselets (close to Topolovgrad in southern Bulgaria) amount to some 30 t. The deposits are 500 m deep. Experts says they can obtain 2 to 6 grams of 22 to 23 carat gold per ton of ore. Other deposits are located as follows: 8 to 10 t near Etropole (northwest of Sofia); 10 to 15 t near Chala (close to Haskovo in southern Bulgaria) (100 grams per t of ore are obtained there); about 8 t near Popintsi (close to Panagyurishte, Southern Bulgaria) (prospecting in that area began in April); 2 to 3 t in the Bourgas copper mines (southeastern Bulgaria); 5 t in the Strouma river, etc. The Geology Committee believes there are at least 10 more fields. A geological expedition in 1993 found 24 carat gold deposits near Vidin (northwestern Bulgaria). The rocks in the area, along the Bulgaria-Serb border, are thought to contain large amounts of the precious metal. 1994 saw the registration of Bulgarian-Irish joint venture Bimak (of the Chelopech Bulgarian mines and the Irish Navan), for the purpose of extracting gold from the Chelopech mines (near Zlatitsa and Pirdop in Central Bulgaria). In early 1996, US Homestake showed interest in buying shares in the joint venture. 1994 also saw the registration of the Bulgarian-Australian joint venture Bulgarian-Australian Gold Company Inc. Forty-nine per cent of its shares are held by the Madjarovo Mines Ltd. and the rest by Australian Euraust and the British Balkan Mining Consulting Ltd. Its plans include the mining of 1 t of gold and 10 t of silver from the Madjarovo mines in the eastern Rhodopis (southern Bulgaria). Over 150 veins have been discovered in the area, of which only 10 or 15 have been studied. Early this year the manager of the Madjarovo mines Yordan Yordanov announced experts of the British GBM are studying the mines. If the studies are positive, the Bulgarian-Australian Gold Company (registered in the Haskovo court) is ready to invest 10 to 11 million dollars in the development of the gold deposits. Yordanov also said according to a Government decision, the mines should switch from copper to gold within two years. Another three Australian companies, Euraust Mineral Developments, Longreach Gold Oil Ltd. and Broken Hill Proprietary, are studying investment opportunities in Bulgaria's gold mining. Interest in gold mining in the eastern Rhodopis has been displayed by British RTZ and the Greek-American Gramex. The influx of foreign investment in this country is impeded by the lack of a clear-cut legal framework, say Geology Committee officials. The National Assembly has not passed an already developed bill on prospecting and operation of mineral deposits which would regulate the Bulgarian and foreign involvement in these activities. BUSINESS PRESS Sofia, August 29 (BTA) [08] STATE SAVINGS BANK INCREASES INTEREST RATES ON DEPOSITSAs of September 2, the State Savings Bank (SSB) will increase the interest rates on deposits of the members of the public and of firms due to the high inflation in Bulgaria, the press says. The annual rate on time deposits is at 100 per cent. The rates on extended loans will remain unchanged for the time being, the press quotes a release of the SSB.The financial "Pari" daily quotes Head of the SSB Deposit Taking Operations Department Emil Stoyanov as saying that the decision to hike the rates is irrespective of whether the central bank will increase the base interest rate from the current 108 per cent. According to the private "Novinar" daily, the central bank will increase the base interest rate by 20 per cent. The daily quotes unnamed experts as saying that the base rate should be hiked to 216 per cent so as to steady the lev/dollar exchange rate. A drastic hike of the base interest rate would impede both the utilization of the state budget which provides for an average annual base rate of 70 per cent, and the repayment of extended credits, "Novinar" says. The central bank does not intend to increase the base rate for at least one more week, despite the high inflation and the appreciation of the US dollar, unnamed source of the central bank told "Standart News". A possible hike of the base interest rate may be discussed only after central bank Governor Lyubomir Filipov returns from the world banking forum in the United States. The event will continue for at least a week. [09] PHARE PROGRAMME INCREASES AID TO NATIONAL ELECTRICITY COMPANY?"24 Chassa" quotes Krassimir Kunev, a financier of the National Electricity Company (NEC), as saying that NEC expects the PHARE Programme to increase its financial aid for the purchase of coal for the Varna thermoelectric plant by Ecu 6 million to Ecu 11 million. The Varna thermoelectric plant will have to compensate for the drop in electricity generation in winter as unit one of the Kozlodoui nuclear power plant was switched off for taking samples of its casing.Under a financial memorandum signed by the Ministry of Energy and Energy Resources and the European Union in June, PHARE will extend Ecu 5 million for the purchase of coal, "24 Chassa" says. Since the NEC failed to secure loans from Bulgarian banks, the company insists that the EU increase its aid for coal, the daily says. The NEC will open negotiations for financial aid with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in winter. The negotiations will be finalized by the end of September, "24 Chassa" says. The daily quotes Kunev as saying that NEC hopes to receive up to USD 9 million from the Bulgarian-Dutch ING Bank and the German Dresdner Bank. It has also held negotiations with almost all Bulgarian banks for credits, this daily quotes Kunev as saying. The results of the negotiations will probably become known by mid- September. In the third week of September the NEC will need funds to pay for nuclear fuel and coal deliveries to the Bulgarian power stations. [10] PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS SOCIALISTS' REACTION TO DENIED CANDIDATE REGISTRATIONSofia, August 29 (BTA) - "We hold information that our appeal against the refusal of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) to register the left-wing presidential and vice presidential candidates Pirinski and Marazov will be heard by a Supreme Court panel specially formed for the purpose under the Court's President," said Ana Karaivanova, legal adviser at the campaign headquarters of the Together for Bulgaria coalition, in a statement to the national electronic media. On August 27, CEC denied registration to the presidential and vice presidential candidates of the left wing and the opposition. Its reasoning was that Georgi Pirinski had not filed a certificate stating how he obtained Bulgarian citizenship since he was born of an American mother and a Bulgarian father in the United States. The opposition candidates, Peter Stoyanov and Todor Kavaldjiev, were denied registration because of omissions in their documents. Karaivanova said the appeal of the Together for Bulgaria coalition should be heard by the Supreme Court's Third Civil Division. She claimed the case had been taken from this division, which went a long way to explain the fears of the coalition that the matter would find a political solution. Supporters of Together for Bulgaria from all over the country have been sending in messages saying that the left- wing candidates Pirinski and Marazov had been denied registration as part of a political order aimed to eliminate Georgi Pirinski from the presidential race. The Supreme Court will hear the Democratic Left's appeal on Monday, television audiences learned from the central evening newscast which quoted Supreme Court President Roumen Yankov. Declining to comment, he told national television the appeal had been handled according to the proper procedure.The opposition had not appealed to the Supreme Court until this evening. Bulgarian Telegraph Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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