Ta nea toy BTA 22-Feb-95[**] Ta nea apo thn Presbeia ths Boylgarias sthn Washington, D.C. ** Aruro gia thn episkech toy YpAm G. Arsenh sthn Boylgaria. . Apergia Boylgarwn caradwn. To uema ua syzhnthuei sto Bretaniko koinoboylio. * O neos Gallos Projenos yposxetai na prowuhsei tis sxeseis Gallias-Boylgarias [eidika tis oikonomikes]. . H Trapeza Eyrwpaikwn Ependysewn ua dwsei 25 ENM gia thn kataskeyh gefyras ston Doynabh. * Symfwna me ton hmerhsio typo oi antiproswpoi toy DNT kai ths DT epimenoyn sthn ayjhsh twn timwn ths hlektrikhs energeias ths Boylgarias. . H Boylgaria den ua paralabei thn trith dosh twn $37 ekatom. apo to DNT. Giwrgos Kapodistrias ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ From: bulgaria@access.digex.net (Embassy of Bulgaria) Subject: BTA inf/ Feb. 22, 95 Date: 22 Feb 1995 11:09:03 -0500 EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA - WASHINGTON D.C. BTA - BULGARIAN TELEGRAPH AGENCY BULLETIN OF NEWS FROM BULGARIA FEBRUARY 22, 1995 "We should give an impetus to the military cooperation between Greece and Bulgaria, two friendly countries. I am sure it would help preserve the stability in the region," Greek Minister of National Defense Gerasimos Arsenis said after a meeting with President Zhelyu Zhelev. The Greek Defense Minister arrived on an official visit to Bulgaria this morning as head of a Greek military delegation. He said he shared Dr. Zhelev's views and described them as "mature and positive". "I share his concern over the developments in the region because we have no security institutions to guarantee the safety of our borders. That is way I call for the promotion of military ties between Sofia and Athens," Mr. Arsenis told journalists after his meeting with Dr. Zhelev. The Bulgarian-Greek military contacts after the 1989 fall of communism in this country have been regulated by a 1991 agreement on cooperation between the two countries' defense ministries, signed in Athens. Greece was the first NATO member to sign a document on military cooperation with Bulgaria. All joint actions are now held under plans on cooperation, including joint military exercises, the two countries sign on an yearly basis. The talks between the Greek Defense Minister and Bulgarian Head of State highlighted the conflict in former Yugoslavia and ways to prevent its spreading to new territories, journalists learned from the head of the President's military office, Major General Stefan Dimitrov. The sides were unanimous that lifting the arms embargo against Bosnian Muslims might bring about an escalation of the conflict, and this is in none of the warring parties' interests, Gen. Dimitrov said. The two reportedly shared the view that UNPROFOR should remain in the conflict area to prevent an intensifying of the conflict. Greece is ready to help Bulgaria in its integration into the European Union (EU) and NATO, Gen. Dimitrov also said. The Greek side believes that the integration into the EU is the easier process as entering NATO takes long. This holds true for the other countries of Central and Eastern Europe as well, the guests said. Gen. Dimitrov also said Greece sees the association into the EU as a fast track to European security. After a meeting with the Greek Minister of National Defense, Prime Minister Zhan Videnov said, "I am glad that the ties between the two countries' defense ministries, being part of bilateral relations, are making a headway". Videnov said issues pertaining to the security and stability in the Balkans and the prospects for the further progress of military cooperation were high on the agenda of what he described as "most interesting and useful" discussions. There are very few problems but a lot has yet to be done; the prospects are most favorable, said the Prime Minister. "Bulgaria and Greece have identical views on security," the Greek Defense Minister, for his part, told journalists after his meeting with Prime Minister Videnov. "I believe the bilateral relations could provide a basis for a wider cooperation in the Balkans," he said. Arsenis Gerasimos today met Bulgarian Foreign Minister Georgi Pirinski. He also had meetings with his Bulgarian counterpart Dimiter Pavlov and General Staff officials, laid a wreath at the Monument to the Unknown Soldier and visited Bulgarian Patriarch Maksim. At the Central Military Club tomorrow he will deliver a lecture on "European Integration: Challenges and Prospects". It is too early for a meeting of the defense ministers of the Balkan countries, Turkey, Greece, Romania and Bulgaria, as no preparations have been made and preconditions are absent. This was part of a statement Greek Minister of National Defense Gerasimos Arsenis made after a meeting with his Bulgarian counterpart Dimiter Pavlov. Gerasimos Arsenis this morning arrived on an official visit to Bulgaria as head of a Greek military delegation. The Bulgarian side stands by its initiative for a Balkan meeting; there we could take a stand in favor of acceptable contacts of mutual interest so that we could evaluate the risks in this region and prevent them in due time or reduce them, Defense Ministry Press Officer Tsvyatko Donchev quoted the Bulgarian Defense Minister as saying. Dimiter Pavlov reportedly said Europe should realize the Balkans are a zone of normal existence, and not a powder keg. Our desire is to develop our relations with Bulgaria in a zone of stability and cooperation and to see this country enter united Europe, Gerasimos Arsenis reportedly said at the meeting. In its capacity as member of NATO, the European Union and the Western European Union, Greece would support all Balkan countries that prove they, too, could become members of these organizations, the Greek Defense Minister is quoted as saying. The Bulgarian-Greek contacts in the military sphere after the 1989 fall of communism in this country have been regulated by a 1991 agreement on cooperation between the two countries' defense ministries, signed in Athens. Greece was the first NATO member to sign a document on military cooperation with Bulgaria. All joint actions are now held under plans on cooperation the two countries sign on an yearly basis. All defense ministers, including me, want peace and at the same time are prepared for the worst, Gerasimos reportedly said at the meeting commenting on the conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The sides were unanimous that the post-Cold War developments are taking an unfavorable turn in this region, and shared their serious concern over the possibility for a spill-over of the conflict in Bosnia- Herzegovina, Bulgarian Defense Minister Pavlov told journalists after the meeting. Bulgaria needs peace and for this reason it has always maintained good-neighborly relations with all countries in the region - and will continue to do so in the future. However, it is concerned over the unbalances in the arms and armed forces existing between Bulgaria and its neighbors: Turkey, Romania and Greece, Pavlov reportedly stressed. We want no arms race, but just norms in he defense policy that pose no threat for the neighboring countries, he is further quoted as saying. The Bulgarian Defense Minister believes the top level contacts should expand to include meetings between officers and commanders of the two armies. Bulgaria agreed to participate in military exercises Greece is organizing this May on its territory within the framework of Partnership for Peace, and Greece was invited to join the traditional Briz naval exercises this summer, said senior officers. Experts of the two countries would discuss the possibilities for launching joint production of spare parts for Soviet-made equipment, "Daily News" learned from Defense Ministry Press Officer Tsvyatko Donchev. The bilateral cooperation in the military-economic sphere is making a headway in the field of servicing and repairs of military equipment. Bulgaria now has the capacity to maintain equipment of the ex- German Democratic Republic's army used by Greece. Bulgarian experts have to date been training Greek officers and sergeants to work with the GDR-made OSA anti- aircraft mounts and BMP-1 personnel carriers. The two countries will also further the exchange of trainee officers. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ BULGARIAN FISHING FLEET IN DIRE STRAITS A delegation of Shetlanders and two Bulgarian sailors from the Rotalia fishing vessel stranded in Lerwick protested in London demanding to meet representatives of the British trade unions, MPs and officials of the Bulgarian Embassy. The crew of the ship are on strike and are now living on donations from the local population, different sources reported yesterday and today. The actions in defense of the Bulgarian sailors came as a surprise for the management Okeanski Ribolov Ltd. (the ship's owners) the BTA correspondent in Bourgas (on the Black Sea) reported. The management of the company was totally unaware of what was happening. The sailors went on strike last month, according to "Demokratsiya". They are demanding their wages due for the past three years. The sailors claim that the Bulgarian authorities have cut off all supplies and that now they are entirely dependent on donations from the local population in food and warm clothes. Today "24 Chassa" quotes a source of the Agricultural Ministry who said that the sailors will receive their wages upon their return to Bulgaria. However, Okeanski Ribolov is in a sorry plight, the BTA correspondent in Bourgas reported. It owes over 4 million US dollars to its 1,700 sailors. This sum accumulated in the course of three years. The company's trawlers are in such a decrepit state that Lloyds has refused to insure them. They cannot fetch more than 300,000 US dollars if sold as scrap but the sailors insist on their auctioning which would make it possible for the ship owner to pay at least part of their wages. Former employees of the company claim that in its present state the company should be wound up. Its only remaining valuable assets are its cold store transport vessels, quays and warehouses. According to the sailors' trade union, the case with the Bulgarian sailors will be discussed by the British Parliament. A report, written by Peter Hamilton, spokesman for the Shetland Trades Council, says that the ship was arrested by the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) on the request of the crew on grounds of unpaid wages. Five ships owned by Okeanski Ribolov were arrested last October at the port of Lerwick on the Shetland Islands with 260 sailors on board. Subsequently three of the ships returned to Bourgas and the caretaker cabinet of Reneta Indjova granted 50 million leva for paying sailors' wages. Nevertheless some of the sailors have not received their wages yet, according to "Demokratsiya". Then the crew of the Rotalia refused to call off their strike and remained anchored in Lerwick. The Aktinia ship, also in a crying need of repair, is at Lerwick harbor too. An official statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the Rotalia ship, received at BTA, says that a continuation of the conflict between the sailors' trade union and Okeanski Ribolov Ltd. would greatly harm the interests and the reputation of Bulgaria in the United Kingdom and the conflict should be solved through negotiations. In order to speed up the settlement of the dispute, the Foreign Ministry insists that the ship owner guarantee that it would not take civil action against the sailors and would withdraw the claim it has filed at the Regional Prosecutor's Office. The Foreign Ministry recalls that Okeanski Ribolov has already made a firm commitment before the state authorities to pay the sailors all the hard currency wages it owes them after auctioning the fishing trawlers. The Bulgarian Embassy in London has informed both the Foreign Office and the International Transport Workers Federation of the new guarantees given by Okeanski Ribolov. According to the Foreign Ministry, in this case the continuation of the strike violates the Bulgarian laws and the occupation of the fishing trawler by the sailors is illegal. A loss of the Rotalia and its cargo would cost Bulgaria 1 million US dollars, according to the estimates of the ship owner. That is why the Foreign Ministry has taken steps to protect the ownership of the Bulgarian state over the five fishing trawlers by blocking the claim of the International Transport Workers' Federation against Okeanski Ribolov thus preventing the selling of the trawlers as scrap. These measures conform with international law and the Bulgarian-British Consular Convention of 1968, the Foreign Ministry says. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ BULGARIAN-FRENCH ECONOMIC TIES UNSATISFACTORY 'I shall work for the promotion of all aspects of Bulgarian-French relations," France' new Ambassador to Bulgaria, Mr. Marcel Tremeau, told a news conference here today. Tremeau submitted his credentials on February 8. The French Ambassador described the relations between the two countries as very good but said the contacts in the sphere of economy are unsatisfactory and much has yet to be done in this respect. Ambassador Tremeau believes the joint commissions for economic cooperation are rather sluggish and bureaucratic, and new, more flexible forms of cooperation should be sought, particularly personal contacts between companies of the two countries. The French Ambassador pledged to speed up talks on the two major Bulgarian-French projects: the repair of the Sofia airport and the city's water mains. According to Tremeau, the absence of major French companies in Bulgaria is attributable to the lack of contacts, rather than lack of interest. French Culture Minister Jacques Toubon will visit Bulgaria on March 22 - 24, journalists learned at the news conference. A treaty on understanding, friendship and cooperation was signed between the two countries in 1992. In late November 1994, Bulgarian President Zhelyu Zhelev paid a state visit to France during which the two countries signed three agreements: on the social sphere, transport and youth and sport. French President Francois Mitterrand visited Sofia in January 1994. There are both official and friendly relations existing between the two Heads of State. President Mitterrand visited Bulgaria in January 1989, shortly before the fall of Communist rule in this country. He then met a group of Bulgarian dissidents, one of them being incumbent Bulgarian President Zhelyu Zhelev. The French Ambassador told the news conference the change to be brought to the Elysee palace by the upcoming presidential elections in France will not affect Bulgarian-French relations. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ BUSINESS PRESS The European Investment Bank may extend ECU 25 million for the construction of a new Danubian bridge, "24 Chassa" says. A special collegium with the Construction Ministry is expected to come out with a proposal for the location of the bridge. Experts from Sir Alexander Gibb Company recommended that it be constructed near Lom. The European Investment Bank is ready to extend another ECU 25 million for the reconstruction of the Sofia airport, according to this daily. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PRESS REVIEW Sofia, February 21 (BTA) - BULGARIA - IMF The press continues to comment on the working visit of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank missions to Sofia which ended yesterday. "IMF insists for electricity mark-up rates double the ones adopted by the Government," "Continent" writes in a front-page report. Last week the Cabinet increased electricity prices by an average 33 per cent and is not planning another such measure in the nearest future. The latest mark-up reduced the difference between the price of energy and its production expenses from 26 per cent to 18 per cent but it will take long to make them equal as electricity prices should also be adequate to the population's incomes, "Continent" says. The daily recalls that Bulgaria committed itself to raise the price of 1 kWh of electricity to USD 0.035 in 1994 under an agreement with the World Bank which will grant a 85 million US dollar loan for the completion of the Chaira pumped storage power station. The loan was guaranteed by the Government and ratified by the National Assembly. "To say that electricity prices in Bulgaria - 0.019 USD per 1 kWh is too low compared to those in states like Romania and Bangladesh means to refuse to take into consideration the country's specific conditions as well as the government's intentions and objectives," says a signed commentary in "Continent" on the issue. According to the author, the lower electricity prices make Bulgarian products more competitive on both the domestic and the international markets. "If the purpose is to prevent such a potential threat, it is being pursued quite successfully," the daily comments. The Bulgarian government opted for the milder version, the commentary says, "but even the harsher one envisages measures which are still away from the requirements of the international financial institutions. This means the latter will have to be clearly given to understand they are going beyond the bounds of correctness. Because if we yield to their pressure in exchange for the miserable, mildly speaking, sum of money, the losses Bulgaria will suffer will be incomparable," says a signed commentary in "Continent". ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Bulgaria will not receive the last 37 million US dollar tranche under the third stand-by agreement with the IMF, it was made clear after the two-day negotiations with representatives of IMF and the World Bank," the oppositional daily "Demokratsiya" says, quoting unnamed sources. According to the daily, the reasons are to be sought with the fact that Bulgaria did not meet the requirements of the signed agreement. The fourth stand-by agreement will probably be signed, but no concrete talks were held in connection with it, "Demokratsiya" says. The parameters of the fourth agreement will be specified after the passage of the 1995 budget bill. A number of local organisations of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) have been protesting against the sharp mark-up of electricity and heat power, "Demokratsiya" says. "The electricity shock Zhan Videnov inflicted on the Bulgarian people is evidently unbearable for the Socialists too and he will hardly get away with it," "Demokratsiya" says. ==============================================================================