Sofia, February 1 (BTA) - BSP, UDF: STRUCTURAL CHANGES The dailies of the two major political forces, the Socialist "Douma" and "Demokratsiya" of the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) run reports about the planned structural changes in the ruling Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and the opposition UDF. At a special meeting in mid-February the BSP leadership will analyse the relations between the government, the parliamentary group and the party leadership, "Douma" writes. They will also consider a "major restructuring of the BSP's operation with view to its new role as a ruling party." According to the daily, no merging of the party and the state is to be feared of. "The UDF voted in favour of the changes it was expected to introduce," runs a front-page report in "Demokratsiya", whose subtitle says the union will hold a national conference in April. The new structure will allow UDF affiliates, who are not party members, to work for the coalition. The current restrictions made it impossible for the UDF to have structures where parties had not been founded, particularly in the smaller settlements, "Demokratsiya" says. Interviewed for the same daily, UDF leader Ivan Kostov says that the essence of the adopted changes and amendments to the coalition's statutes is that the UDF is getting democratized. The main point is to open the coalition to the people, Mr Kostov says. ARMS DEAL Bulgarian weapons have been sent to the conflict areas in Caucasus with senior political figures in Moscow acting as agents, "Continent", "Douma", "24 Chassa", "Troud" quote the Bucharest weekly "Express" as saying. According to the report, the arms traffic was directly organised by the President of the Dnestr Republic Igor Smirnov, his main partner being the owner of the THB Ltd. company in Tiraspol Podolyan and the list of their agents in Moscow was made personally by Smirnov's legal advisor, general ofthe KGB Matveev. The list included the names of former nominee for Russia's presidency Makashov, former commander of the Russian troops in the Baltics General Viktor Alexis, etc., "Douma" says. Part of the payments were made through ExpressBank in the town of Dobrich (Northeastern Bulgaria) and the money was later transferred to an Austrian bank. According to the report, the transfer began in November 1993 under a contract for purchase and sale of weapons, signed between Podolyan as seller and Igor Smirnov as purchaser. PEOPLE'S COURT "Demokratsiya" carries a declaration by the top leadership of the UDF prompted by the 50th anniversary of the people's court. "Half a century ago, on February 1 to February 2, 1945 three regents, thirty-three ministers and advisers and sixty-seven members of the 25th National Assembly were executed by a firing squad in the Sofia cemetry," the declaration reads. "Similar trials were held all over the country and 2,730 people were sentenced to death. Many of them were killed before their trial... This was the bloody epilogue of the brutal extermination of Bulgaria's statesmen who were at the helm of the country from January 1, 1941 to September 9, 1944." The Statutory Ordinance on the Trial by People's Court is illegitimate, the paper says. All the executed persons were convicted extrajudicially by an unlawful extraordinary tribunal, set up unlawfully by an illegitimate government in gross violation of the then operating Constitution. Those killed were sentenced for acts which were not treated as crimes by the law of that time, it is said tin the declaration. "Demokratsiya" quotes Prosecutor General Ivan Tatarchev's opinion who describes the sentences passed by the people's court as "a shameful chapter in the history of Bulgarian justice". "Standart News" and "Troud" publish comprehensive articles on the same subject. * * * "Douma" runs an interview with Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Mincho Koralski who says that he will seek a reasonable compromise between what is desired and what is possible and that all steps for the regulation of incomes will be taken after the 1995 national budget is passed. Mr Koralski hopes that real incomes will not decrease this year. * * * There is a chance to make an allocation for increasing the salaries of 20,000 physicians in this year's budget, Minister of Health Dr Mimi Vitkova says in an interview for the trade-union paper "Troud". Despite its financial straits, the Ministry of Health will try to find a way to restore the right of pregnant women, mothers and three-year-old children to free medicines. This privilege was revoked by Lyuben Berov's cabinet. Mrs Vitkova promises that the first bill she will submit to Parliament concerns medicines and says that at last the state will start exercising control on their prices. * * * The first trip which Minister of Culture Georgi Kostov will make is to France, "Douma" writes. Mr Kostov will visit Bordeaux at the invitation of his French counterpart. * * * The press informs that yesterday former head of state and communist leader Todor Zhivkov was served the indictment in case No. 3 concerning the financial aid Bulgaria granted to third-world parties and movements at the time he was in power. ---------------- Sofia, February 1 (BTA) - Bulgarian Foreign Minister Georgi Pirinski will pay a two-day working visit to Brussels next week. The visit is in connection with the coming into force of the agreement on Bulgaria's association to the European Union on February 1, Foreign Minister Pirinski told the press today. Its purpose, Pirinski said, is to establish direct contacts with the EU institutions - the Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers. We are also prepared to meet with representatives of other international multilateral organizations based in Brussels and have indicated our readiness for contacts, Bulgaria's new chief diplomat said ------ Sofia, February 1 (BTA) - Jobless Bulgarian women from six population centres will get vocational training under a special project of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) starting today, the "Troud" daily writes. The programmes for six training courses of 40 to 70 days each have been already drawn up. The project's implementation starts in Sofia with courses in advertisement and insurance. The most expensive is the course in small and medium business management. * * * The Central Wechsel-und-Creditbank in Vienna may extend a loan to the Disc and Memory Storage Devices Plant in Stara Zagora (Southern Bulgaria) to finance the production of 250 mb memory storage discs, "24 Chassa" writes. The plant's management is to present a detailed plan for the utilization of the loan. * * * Businessmen in Gabrovo (Central Bulgaria) have fallen prey to a Nigerian criminal ring, "24 Chassa" says in its leading story. According to the economic police, Nigerian frauds, claiming to be top businessmen, sent letters to Gabrovo-based companies proposing to deposit hard currency in the companies' accounts under the pretext that they were afraid of Nigeria's unstable regime and wanted to have somebody keep their money abroad against commission. Accepting the offer, some companies provided the frauds with details about their bank accounts; attaining secret bank in this way, the Nigerian criminals used it to rob the credulous businessmen. The paper says that four Bulgarians swallow the bait every week. The Nigerian ring operates in other countries as well. * * * The Dobrich footwear company and Svit, a well-known Czech manufacturer of shoes, set up a partnership, "Troud" writes. At present the marketing of production is not a problem but there are problems with the supply of raw material. -------------- Sofia, February 1 (Iva Toncheva of BTA) - Today the Europe Agreement with Bulgaria enters into force. It was signed in March 1993 and was ratified by an Act of Bulgarian Parliament later on. "This fact needs no special comment, it speaks for itself," Georgi Pirinski told his first news conference as foreign minister of the new cabinet. Now this country should form a clear idea of what it means to be an associate member of the European Union and should organize its work accordingly, Pirinski said. In his view, the agreement has a serious potential for speeding up the processes of democratization of society and accelerating market reform, the adjustment and stabilization of the market economy within a structured relationship with the EU institutions and member states. He stressed that Bulgaria should be fully aware of the complexity of the task of making good use of these opportunities and availing itself of them in a way allowing for a reasonable balance of Bulgaria's and the EU's interests. "This is by no means an easy task but it is of prime, of vital importance for the nation," Pirinski also said. Foreign Minister Pirinski listed the following main objectives of the agreement: the establishment of a proper framework for political dialogue between Bulgaria and the EU, the gradual establishment of a free-trade zone, the promotion of trade and economic relations between Bulgaria and the EU, the creation of a basis for economic, financial, cultural and social cooperation, securing the Union's support for the development of Bulgaria's economy and the accomplishment of the transition to a market economy, the creation of a proper framework for Bulgaria's staged integration into the EU, and the establishment of institutions that would make Bulgaria's association effective. Local analysts comment that the agreement's entry into force marks the beginning of a new stage in Bulgaria's relations with the EU, which have been making steady progress for seven years now. The EU member states are Bulgaria's biggest trading partner and a principal source of foreign investment. "This is an historic occasion which confirms that we are committed to the same principles and the same destiny: a united Europe founded on political and economic freedom," says a message from Hans van den Broek, Member of the European Commission, released here today. The agreement aims to achieve the increasing convergence of the political and economic systems of Bulgaria and the EU according to the Commissioner. The message says that the Phare programme will be adapted to changing needs, especially to encourage infrastructure investment. "We shall be working together to support the efforts of your own government and parliament to bring economic legislation and industrial standards into line with those of the Union," Commissioner van den Broek said. There have been complicated issues but the process is positive and is making headway, said Thomas O'Sullivan, Head of the Delegation of the European Commission to Bulgaria. He said the Commission had been strongly encouraged by the new cabinet's policy declaration. The Commission is looking forward to the implementation of the entire programme which would ultimately lead to the country's association, Ambassador O'Sullivan said. He stressed that February 1 marks the end of one period and the beginning of another, which will see a series of meetings, contacts and negotiations. ---------------------- Sofia, February 1 (BTA) - Doncho Konakchiev, the new Minister of Regional Development and Construction, highly praised his predecessors' achievements in law-making and outlined the Ministry's future priorities. Speaking at his first news conference, he identified restitution as the most urgent issue. "I do not mean that we have to revise the [Restitution] Act, but to extend the deadline for vacating the housing premises subject to restitution, which expires this month," Konakchiev said. "The state authorities have done nothing so far to provide housing to this people; that is why we must see to it that they are not thrown out in the street," he said. Another legislative priority of the Regional Development and Construction Ministry (RDCM) is to restore the self-government of Bulgaria's three biggest cities, Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna, Konakchiev said. In his view, the Local Government and Administration Act should be revised urgently and the functions of Sofia Mayor and Regional Governor should be separated. The RDCM will also draft a Local Elections Bill. The Ministry will try to provide larger financing with a view to reducing the housing shortage. Konakchiev pledged that the Ministry would adhere to the social policy announced earlier, and spoke about a three-tier approach. The first tier - the socially disadvantaged, ill people, large families and other categories - will not be targeted by the market relations but by the state. The second tier will receive assistance in the form of land plots and soft-term loans. According to Konakchiev, 80 per cent of Bulgarians fall within the first two categories; the remaining 20 per cent will solve their housing problem on the free market. In his view, there is no housing market in Bulgaria yet. The 10,000 flats offered for sale annually do not meet standards. New investment funds and a better management of the existing ones, preferential taxes for housing construction and stronger commitment on the part of the larger building companies which could sell directly on the housing market are seen as steps that could encourage the development of a housing market. --------------- ----------------- Sofia, February 1 (Iva Toncheva of BTA) - At his first news conference today, newly appointed Foreign Minister Georgi Pirinski said that the Democratic Left intends to pursue no other policy than that which is favourable for Bulgaria. In his view, what is most important in Bulgaria's relations with its neighbours, the European countries, and the major world economic, political and military powers is to develop these relations in a way which does not harm Bulgaria and makes it possible for it to strengthen its positions as an economically developing country and a country which takes into account the interests of its partners. Pirinski, 46, was born in New York. He left the U.S. when he was three and has lived in this country ever since. Pirinski graduated the Higher Institute of Economics in Sofia. He began his career as a research associate. Between 1980-90, Pirinski was deputy minister of trade and then of foreign economic relations, the youngest deputy minister during Zhivkov's regime, and then deputy prime minister in the cabinet of Andrei Loukanov after the fall of the totalitarian regime. In 1986 Pirinski became an alternate member of the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party. In November 1989 he became member of the Central Committee. After Zhivkov's ousting, Pirinski was MP in the Seventh Grand National Assembly, the 36th Ordinary National Assembly and the incumbent 37th National Assembly. He is fluent in English, French and Russian. At his first news conference as Foreign Minister, Pirinski promised continuity as well as better conditions for achieving a balance in Bulgaria's foreign policy, both in Europe and in the world. In his view, despite its effort to do so and for a number of reasons, Bulgaria has not realized its full potential to follow a balanced foreign policy. According to Pirinski, one of the reasons for this was the unstable political situation in the country. "We are emerging from a period of no clear cut parliamentary majority," he said. Pirinski said that there can be no doubt that the incumbent Cabinet enjoys the parliamentary support it needs for planning its activities four years ahead. Pirinski announced the name of the new Foreign Ministry Spokesman: Ambassador at large Todor Chourov. ------------------- ------------------------- Sofia, February 1 (BTA) - Bulgarian and British policemen discussed organized crime control, drugs trafficking and money laundering at a seven-day seminar here. A meeting at the Interior Ministry today assessed the seminar as successful. "None of these issues can be solved alone. They have to be solved by partnerships with other people," said John Grieve, leader of the British delegation and Director of the Criminal-Operative Department of Scotland Yard. Representatives of British police and customs authorities, jurists and people of private security firms talked with their Bulgarian colleagues about ways to combat organized crime, activities along the so-called "Balkan route", international issues around money laundering, the movement of international gangs and their money around the world. Cooperation will continue with the exchange of experts for brief courses. The programme is financed by the British Know-how Fund, set up to assist the transition of Central and Eastern European countries to pluralistic democracy and market economy. Over the past two years Bulgarian policemen and their colleagues from the county of Gwent and the London City Police exchanged visits. The newly-appointed Minister of the Interior Lyubomir Nachev described the seminar as an extremely useful step in combatting organized crime, which is a current priority in Bulgaria. "The assistance we were rendered on theoretical issues and the legal framework of the law enforcement system is particularly valuable for us," the Interior Minister said. He welcomed the appointment of an expert in drugs trafficking issues at the British Embassy in Sofia, who will cooperate with Bulgarian drugs policemen and at the same time render practical assistance on concrete issues. Interior Minister Nachev received a gift from Mr Grieve - a copy of the "Drugs and Social Security" Cooperation Programme translated into the Bulgarian. "I am delighted that the new Government wishes to continue with the programme of cooperation," British Ambassador Roger Short said after the meeting. He added that this cooperation is part of a wider international programme and confirmed that the British police and other authorities will continue with their commitment towards this programme. "... this programme also has a political dimension because this sort of cooperation ... is part of the development of Bulgaria's relations with Western Europe which is something which we wish to encourage," Ambassador Short added. -------------- Sofia, February 1 (BTA) - Interaction in combatting crime was discussed today by representatives of the leadership of Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of the Interior, the Prosecutor General's Office, the National Investigative Service, the Supreme Court and the Supreme Judicial Council. It was decided not to close down the Interdepartmental Commission for Coordinating the Operation of Bodies Involved in Combatting Crime and to prepare draft amendments to the Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure. * * * President Zhelyu Zhelev today thanked the members of the Central Electoral Commission for their work before and during the parliamentary elections. Despite the outdated Electoral Law, the Commission managed to settle all contentious issues, the President said. Its decisions were a contribution to the democratic nature of the elections. The Commission will be operating during the entire life of the 37th National Assembly, but will sit only to settle issues, deputy chairman Blagovest Pounev said. * * * The retail prices monitored by the Government rose 3.1 per cent from January 16 through 31, the National Statistical Institute announced. Rice and lamb were marked up most. * * * The Constitutional Court determined today the reporters on preliminarily set topics for the 1996 Budapest 10th Conference of the European Courts, of which the Bulgarian Constitutional Court is an associate member. Judge Alexander Arabadjiev will report on the topic "The Separation of Powers from the Point of View of the Constitutional Court", and Judge Dimiter Gochev on the topic "Freedom of Speech in the Jurisdiction of Constitutional Courts". * * * The local organization of the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) in Varna came out with a declaration expressing strong protest against the visit of Mrs Mira Markovic, the wife of Serbian President Milosevic, to Varna. Mrs Markovic arrived to Bulgaria several days ago and visited the cities of Plovdiv and Sofia where she launched her book "Response", translated recently into the Bulgarian. "The initiative of the "Slavyani" Foundation to invite and present Mrs Markovic to the Bulgarian public is a gross provocation harming Bulgaria's national interests," UDF-Varna says in its declaration. "At a time when our Western neighbour is openly pursuing a policy violating the fundamental human rights and freedoms of Bulgarians, the holding of meetings with such "cultural missionaries" of the Serbian political ruling top is an expression of national nihilism and irresponsibility," the declaration says. * * * A prayer for the dead was said today for 103 Bulgarian statesmen shot dead 50 years ago on a sentence passed by the so-called People's Court, established after the Communists took power in 1944. Leaders of the opposition UDF, representatives of public organizations and members of the public attended the ceremony at Sofia's central cemetery. On a motion by MPs of the UDF, Parliament today kept a silent minute in memory of the victims. A few MPs of the ruling Bulgarian Socialist Party left the plenary hall. * * * Experts of the British Foreign Office - Mr Brian Bennett and Mr Tristan Price, arrived on a three-day visit here today. Their visit to Bulgaria is part of a tour of several East and Central European countries. The two experts will confer with the representatives of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in Bulgaria and have meetings at the National Bank of Bulgaria (the central bank), the Foreign Investment Commission, the Privatization Agency and the Ministry of Finance. * * * Today the Bulgarian Red Cross received humanitarian aid worth 2,250,000 leva from the Austrian Red Cross. * * * Alexander Tomov, leader of the left-of-centre Civil Alliance for the Republic (CAR, outside Parliament) called on the Cabinet of Zhan Videnov to state officially and without delay that Bulgaria had nothing to do with the attempt on the life of Pope John Paul II. The Bulgarian services dispose of sufficient information proving that this country is not involved in the attempt on the life of the Pontiff," said the former Socialist, who founded CAR in the spring of 1993. If the Government fails to come out with an official stand on this issue within 18 months, CAR will do so, Alexander Tomov said. Tomov also said that CAR would be a constructive corrective to the government of the Socialists and promised to challenge the Cabinet every week. * * * The water crisis in Sofia is the result of three years of irresponsibility, both on the part of the Sofia Mayor and on the part of the executive, Doncho Konakchiev, Minister of Territorial Development and Construction, said at a news conference today. Since the solution of the problem would require considerable funding, the Cabinet will consider the "water loan" offered by the World Bank. However the economic terms of the loan are not favourable for this country and should be softened, according to Konakchiev. He said he had some ideas of his own for solving the problem but preferred to keep them secret for the time being. * * * The French organization Pharmaciens Sans Frontieres will grant humanitarian aid worth ECU 1 million to the Bulgarian health authorities, Health Minister Mimi Vitkova said today after meeting representatives of the organization. Pediatric clinics will receive 35 tonnes of powdered milk, antibiotics and 170,000 polio vaccines. Experts of the organization will study Bulgaria's need of medicines for three months. * * * The Macedonian Deputy Minister of the Economy, Tome Chemerski, now visiting this country, is expected this week to sign an agreement on the recognition of certificates of quality with Bulgaria's Standardization and Metrology Committee. The document is a step towards the signing of a treaty on the recognition of certificates of quality, Committee Chairman Lyubomir Raikov told journalists today. --------------- Sofia, February 1 (BTA) - The reform in education will continue and there will be changes in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technologies, but structural and personnel changes will not be politically motivated, the new incumbent Ilcho Dimitrov told a news conference today. The Ministry should work for the elimination of ideological and politicized practices in Bulgarian schools, Dimitrov said. Education in this country should be based on the national interests, Bulgarian traditions and universal values, he stressed. Dimitrov spoke in favour of free secondary education and free textbooks. The Science Ministry will call for larger subsidies in 1995 and will ask that 12 to 15 per cent of the gross domestic product be appropriated for education. Additional sources of financing for education will be sought, for which purpose the schools' boards of trustees should be restored, Dimitrov said. ------------------------- Sofia, February 1 (Andrei Sharkov of BTA) - The US is particularly aware of Bulgaria's good performance in terms of its relations with its neighbours and its dedication to maintaining a democratic and stable Europe. That is the basis on which we have been conducting the second meeting of the bilateral working group between our two countries. This was part of a statement Joseph Nye, US Assistance Secretary of Defence for International Security Affairs, made before journalists. Mr Nye leads the US delegation to the second meeting of a Bulgarian-US working group on military cooperation. The Bulgarian delegation to the meeting is headed by Deputy Defence Minister Angel Manchev. "We are particularly pleased with the development of our relations with Bulgaria in the defence and security area," Mr Nye told the news conference. He further recalled that last year saw a very important exercise with more exercises planned this year. The US has tried to provide international military education and training for Bulgaria and is increasing the amount of funds for that next year, he told journalists. Mr Nye also said he believe the sides would further the successful development of cooperation. "We are ready to cooperate with any Bulgarian government to the extent to which it wants to cooperate with us," he said. At a meeting with Bulgarian Foreign Minister Georgi Pirinski, the US guest appreciated highly this country's stand on the Yugoconflict. Mr Pirinski, for his part, assured him of Bulgaria's commitment to its foreign policy orientation. Asked to comment on a statement he has made earlier, that a possible future meeting of the defence ministers of Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece is a good news, Mr Nye said the US supports the idea of more confidence-building measures among the states in the region, and particularly within the context of Partnership for Peace. "I don't see any difficulty with [Bulgaria seeking cooperation with Russia] because we are interested in developing a Europe without new dividing lines," Mr Nye said adding that Russia itself will be joining Partnership for Peace. "We expect joint exercises. Sometimes we might have Bulgarians, Russians, and Americans in an exercise together," he went on to say prompted by a journalist's question. Mr Nye later told journalists arrangements would be made for consultations between NATO and Russia. "During the year 1995 NATO will have an internal study of how and why it should expand and at the same time we will have discussions with Russia on how to maintain close consultations between NATO and Russia," said he. Following a meeting with Defence Minister Dimiter Pavlov, the US guest told journalists his country would work actively with the countries of Eastern Europe, treating them on an equal footing. Arrangements has already been made for the transfer of US excess defence equipment for Bulgaria, including ambulances, trucks, uniforms and winter equipment. The US military official also said the two countries have established a whole series of military contacts and are currently planning to work together on the management of defence sources. "We have also offered today to help Bulgaria with the study of control of civil air space for this southern part of Europe," he also said. Mr Nye is leaving Bulgaria tomorrow. The Bulgarian Defence Minister and US Ambassador to Bulgaria William Montgomery this morning signed an agreement against declassifying exchanged information in the military sphere. The US was among the first NATO countries to admit Bulgarian officers to its military education centres after the 1989 fall of communism in this country. Later, military delegations of the two countries discussed a wide range of defence-related issues. A joint working group was set up in Bulgaria in mid-1993 to launch over 50 initiatives. During a July visit by US Secretary of Defence William Perry, the two countries signed a framework agreement on cooperation in defence and relations in the military sphere between the Bulgarian Defence Ministry and the US Department of Defence. During that visit, the sides set up a new working group on deputy ministers' level. In the past year, considerable progress has been made in the bilateral relationship, which includes more than 100 visits and exchanges involving over 300 Bulgarian and American participants, the Us Embassy here said in a press release yesterday. --------------------- Prime Minister Zhan Videnov and Foreign Minister Georgi Pirinski received congratulations on their election to these posts from Miguel Martinez, President of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly, the Foreign Ministry's spokesman said. ------------------ Sofia, February 1 (BTA) - On a motion by the cabinet, Parliament today allowed eleven F-16 aircraft of the U.S. Air Force to overfly Bulgaria en route to Turkey on February 13. The aircraft will not be carrying arms and will fly the Rousse-Bourgas-Incirlik route. The Jordanian Royal Air Force was granted six passages through Bulgarian airspace between February 5 and 19. There will be no munitions aboard the transport aircraft that will fly the Turkey-Kalotino route. * * * Parliament continued debating its draft rules. Rules of the deputies' conduct in Parliament and the duties of Parliament's staff passed today. * * * The floor leaders started canvassing opinion in their parliamentary groups on the nomination of chairmen and deputy chairmen of the 20 committees. * * * The ethnic Turks' Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) is adamant that Ilcho Dimitrov, Minister of Education, Science and Technology, should be replaced. In a declaration adopted yesterday by the MRF top leadership and approved by the parliamentary group, the Movement called for Dimitrov's resignation. The MRF said it would circulate the declaration in Parliament tonight but did not do so in spite of requests by BTA reporters. Dimitrov's nomination provoked an outcry from the MRF during the debates about the new cabinet. The Movement was strongly opposed to his election, charging that he was one of the ideologists of the forcible assimilation of ethnic Turks under the communist regime. Prime Minister Videnov denied these allegations and stood up for him, calling him a worthy man and scientist. The MPs of the MRF walked out in protest, boycotting the vote. Reportedly, the 15 MPs threatened the Socialists they would walk out every time Dimitrov appeared in Parliament. They see a provocation in the fact that Ilcho Dimitrov became a cabinet minister instead of being punished for his actions during the assimilation campaign. The Movement will change its attitude to the government only if Dimitrov is ousted from it, which is the only way for it to project a new image according to MRF representatives. "I object to attempts to equate my attitude to the MRF as a party with my attitude to our compatriots of Turkish descent," Education, Science and Technology Minister Ilcho Dimitrov told a news conference this morning. "I believe that statements that the MRF represents the Bulgarian Turks are false and endanger this country's democratic development," he said. "The MRF is only a political force, while the Turkish population in this country consists of Bulgarian citizens enjoying all rights to which they are entitled as such," Dimitrov said further. He added that he had never written anything against the Turkish population in Bulgaria. "I think the rights of the Turkish population in this country should be strictly observed," Dimitrov said. In his view, problems should be resolved on the basis of the national interests, without confrontation with and isolation of the Turkish population. Ilcho Dimitrov also believes that the Turks in this country are able to enjoy their rights as Bulgarian citizens only if they are fluent in Bulgarian. According to Dimitrov, in addition to providing Turkish classes, Bulgarian schools should strengthen the sense of national identity. The MRF will send its declaration to the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly and to the embassies in Sofia, MRF deputy floor leader Gyuner Tahir said. Tomorrow it will be presented to President Zhelev, he said. Sources speaking on condition of anonymity said the MRF would release the declaration once its leader Ahmed Dogan had returned from a visit abroad.