From: bulgaria@access1.digex.net (Embassy of Bulgaria)
Subject: BTA inf/ Apr.06, 95
Border cutters fired at Turkish fishing boats Cinar Temel reis and Mehmed Handem-2 on Monday night, "Continent" reports on its first page. The Turkish boats were sailing in Bulgarian territorial waters and refused to obey the signals of the border guards. There are no casualties among the crews, "Standart News" writes.
The boats, arrested after a three-hour chase, carried some three tonnes of turbot, "Continent", "Douma", "24 Chassa", "Demokratsiya" and "Troud" write. The larger specimen measures 70 cm, according to "Standart News". The Varna Navigation Directorate confiscated the fish, "Standart News" also writes.
This was the most serious incident with Turkish boats illegally fishing in Bulgarian waters over the past three years. "Continent" recalls. "24 Chassa" stresses that for the first time a violator of the Bulgarian sea border was stopped by gunfire near the mouth of the Kamchia river (Southeastern Bulgaria). No weapons were used so far and the violators usually managed to escape. The latest incident was on March 20, "24 Chassa" recalls.
Now the two boats are under arrest in Port Varna, "Troud" writes.
"Turkish violations have become much too frequent and it is high time that the Government in Ankara bring its pseudo-fishermen to order, Andrei Apostolov writes in "Continent". He says that otherwise Bulgaria would be quite justified to defend its national interests and the inviolability of its territory, including by force.
The press reports on Prime Minister Zhan Videnov's lecture on security issues last night, organized by the Bulgarian Atlantic Club. "24 Chassa" quotes Videnov as saying that "Bulgaria should give up the idea of 'Big Brother', no matter who he is".
"Douma" stresses that in his lecture Videnov recalled the government's recent proposal that the countries sustaining losses due to the enforcement of U.N. sanctions against Yugoslavia should make a joint appeal to the U.N. Secretary General and the U.N. Security Council. In his view, it should include a request to the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to provide assistance to the countries directly hit by the sanctions, as well as their views on the possible resolution of their economic difficulties.
"Cabinet Wants Yugosanctions Lifted" runs a headline in the "Zemya" daily.
"Standart News" highlights Videnov's explanation about the restrictions imposed by the Schengen agreement on Bulgarians who want to travel abroad. The daily quotes him as saying that the Schengen countries want to set up a barrier to criminal activities by economic groups, drug trafficking and terrorism. The cabinet will combat these evils so that the restrictions could be lifted.
"Troud" emphasizes Videnov's view that the situation of Bulgarians in the Western Outlands is not that bad. (The Western Outlands is a territory in southeastern Serbia which Bulgaria lost to that country under the 1919 Treaty of Neuilly as a result of its defeat in World War I).
"Zhan Gives Up Russia and the Western Outlands" runs a headline in "Demokratsiya".
"Continent" highlights Videnov's statement that the war in Bosnia is a global issue.
All dailies provide extensive coverage of President Zhelyu Zhelev's visit to Seoul.
"Standart News" and "24 Chassa" run reports on the ceremony in which President Zhelev was conferred the title of Honorary Doctor of the Korean Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. "24 Chassa" recalls that this is the fourth Doctor Honoris Causa title conferred on President Zhelev by a foreign university.
"Demokratsiya" quotes Zhelev's lecture before the South Korean University for Foreign Studies, in which he says that albeit all difficulties, the process of Bulgaria's transition from communism to democracy is irreversible.
"Troud" quotes CEO of Hyundai Bulgaria Avgust Michev as saying that Korea is prepared to invest in Bulgaria. "Continent" quotes Deputy Prime Minister Kiril Tsochev as saying that Bulgarian and South Korean officials signed a letter of intent by Balkancar (Bulgaria) for the assembly of 5,000 Hyundai trucks. At first, Balkancar will assemble 2,000 trucks to be marketed in Bulgaria and in third countries.
President Zhelev's visit to Mongolia starts today.
The press writes about the ruling of the Constitutional Court, announced yesterday, that a crown in the coat of arms would not violate the Bulgarian Constitution. "The Bulgarian Socialist Party insists on a lion without a crown and will vote in favour of the Videnov design," "24 Chassa" says.
Constitutional Judge Georgi Markov proposes in "Troud" for a referendum to be called on this country's urgent problems. "The party model does not work," Markov, who is a former MP, says.
Sofia, April 5 (BTA) - Bulgaria will apply for a US$ 250 million loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), writes "Pari". The money will go to upgrade two of the 1,000 MW power units of the Kozludui Nuclear Power Plant, on the Danube. Power Engineering Committee chair Nikita Shervashidze yesterday signed a letter to that effect to the EBRD. The amount of the loan was specified after a joint expert valuation of Energoproekt, Electricite de France and Siemens.
"Continent" quotes Shervashidze as saying by the year 2000 Bulgaria might close down two of its nuclear power units under the pressure of international financial institutions. Initial projects of this N-power plant envisage that the power units be switched off in 2005-2006 but the international financial institutions insist that this be done earlier.
- Experts of France, Britain, Belgium and Germany completed a checkup on the safety of Power Units Three and Four of the Kozlodui Nuclear Power Plant, on the Danube. The experts found the units to be in good repair and identified considerable advantages in their design. According to the leader of the group, this has been only the first step to establish the overall condition of the two 440- MW power units. The experts also sought to examine the approach of the management for further improvements in this power plant's operation and safety.
The experts made no specific remarks and recommendations.
Bulgaria and Germany are holding consultations on liberalization of visa requirements for Bulgarian citizens, Head of Foreign Ministry's Consular Department Georgi Peichinov told reporters today.
The two sides are also considering the issues of legal assistance on criminal cases, citizenship and cooperation in organised crime control. The Bulgarian party has agreed to amend the agreement on organised crime control with a provision on cooperation in the combat against illegal trade in nuclear materials.
Bulgaria is holding consultations on liberalization of visa requirements with all diplomatic missions of the states within the Schengen group.
"We are directing our efforts towards becoming members of the Schengen agreement space," Mr Peychinov said.
Bulgaria came up with a readmission agreement which has already been accepted by the secretariat of the Schengen group. Last year Bulgaria signed similar accords with Germany. According to Mr Peychinov, Germany has estimated in positive terms Bulgaria's fulfilment of the agreement, a fact which would contribute to signing in the future of a general agreement with the states of the Schengen group.
Several Bulgarian-Chinese documents are expected to be signed during an official visit which the Vice Premier of the State Council and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China Qian Qichen will pay here between April 6 and 9 at the invitation of Bulgarian Foreign Minister Georgi Pirinski.
Mr Qian is expected in Sofia on Thursday afternoon and will have his first session with his Bulgarian host in the evening.
They are expected to discuss the state of bilateral relations and the opportunities for their expansion, and exchange views on major international issues of shared concern. The two chief diplomats will brief each other on the progress of reforms in the two countries and the problems addressed at this stage.
"The visit of Dr Mihajlo Milojevic, President of the Yugoslav Chamber of Economy and of the Association of the Balkan Chambers of Commerce, demonstrates the two countries' desire to turn a fundamentally new page in their relations and their economic cooperation," Prof. Zahari Zahariev, President of the Slavyani Foundation, told reporters today. Dr Milojevic is visiting Bulgaria at the invitation of the Slavyani Foundation; it is paid with the assistance of the Interpred World Trade Centre.
The military cooperation between Bulgaria and Spain is cooperation between two friendly countries sharing the same geographical region, which are concerned over a shared problem: collective secirity, according to the Statute of the Joint Bulgarian-Spanish Commission. The comission will discuss future trends of cooperation between the two countries' defence ministries, Major General Victor Suanzes, Director General for Defence Policy at the Defence Ministry of Spain, told journalists. General Suanzes arrived on an official visit to Bulgaria on April 3 at the head of a Spanish military delegation. This is the first document regulating certain aspects of bilateral military cooperation, a Bulgarian Defence Ministry official told this reporter.
The Joint Commission will draw up a programme for military coopration. It will most probably be signed during the forthcoming visit of Bulgaria's Defence Minister Dimiter Pavlov to Madrid at the invitation of his Spanish counterpart. The invitation was handed to Adm. Pavlov (Ret.) by General Suanzes. During his visit, Mr Pavlov is to deliver a lecture entitled "Bulgaria: a Zone of Stability in the Balkans within the General Context of the conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina" at the Spanish National Security Training Centre, Captain Tsvyatko Donchev, Head of the Defence Ministry Press Office, told BTA.
Another important aspect of the document which was signed today is the steps which Spain undertook to take to support Bulgaria in its willingness to integrate with the organizations guaranteeing security in Europe in the economic and defence sectors, the Spanish guest also said. "We will do our best so that a discussion of the possible extension of cooperation to the military-industrial sphere and to the operation of the military-industrial complex be included in Mr Pavlov's agenda during his visit to Madrid," General Suanzes said, quoted by the Defence Ministry Press Office. The Bulgarian Defence Minister raised the matter.
During his visit General Suanzes met with senior officers of the Defence Ministry and the General Staff of the Bulgarian Army, as well as with Major General Stefan Dimitrov, Head of President Zhelev's Military Office. Tomorrow the Spanish delegation will visit the Aviation Museum in Plovdiv (South Central Bulgaria) and a helicopter regiment of the Bulgarian Army in the nearby village of Kroumovo, after which it will leave Bulgaria.
"This is a modern law, approved by experts of the European Union member-states and the World Health Organization," Minister of Health Mimi Vitkova said.
Under the Act, only pharmacists have the right to open pharmacies. Applicants can open only one chemist's shop each; the establishment of chains of pharmacies is not allowed. In certain cases assistant pharmacists can run pharmacies, selling ready-to-use medicines only. Heatedly debated in Parliament and having prompted protests in the press, these texts were finally apporoved by the majority of MPs. They rejected the arguments of the opposition that the establishment of chains of pharmacies is allowed in 140 countries all over the world. Individuals who are not pharmacists but run chemmist's shops are allowed three years to wind them up.
The solution of problems arising in connection with the opening, and closure of pharmacies as well as the revocation of licenses is within the competence of the Pharmacy Board to be set up with the Ministry of Health. Besides representatives of the Ministry, it will comprise representatives of pharmacists' trade unions, etc. Licenses will be granted by the Minister of Health; denials are appealable at court.
The Ministry of Health will control the registration of medicines, preparations, serums, vaccines and medicines derived from medicinal plants.
Sofia, April 5 (BTA) - The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which is lending 45 million US dollars to the Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ) under a protocol signed in London, commended highly the BDZ rehabilitation programme, the carrier's Director General Angel Dimitrov said today.
He detailed reported on the protocol. The bank will charge 9 per cent annual interest on the 15 year loan, extended with a three year grace period. In addition, 18 million US dollars will be provided under the PHARE programme for the rehabilitation of the railways, another 12 million US dollars are envisaged for export taxes on various projects, bringing the total to 75 million US dollars. A second delegation will leave for Washington on April 15 to negotiate another 95 million US dollars with the World Bank.
"The funds will arrive in the fourth quarter of the year at the earliest," Mr Dimitrov said. This means that BDZ will be able to use the loan only in 1996. Tender dossiers on the 16 projects for restructuring of the railways are to be compiled. The company which will implement the projects will be selected by tender after a detailed analysis of the submitted bids.
Between January and March 1995, BDZ transported 14,084,000 passengers, down two million passangers from the same period of last year. Nevertheless, BDZ profits increased by nearly 135 million leva, nearly double the 1994 amount due to the increased prices of passanger and cargo transport.
On his way back from Germany, where he paid a visit at the invitation of German Federal Vice Chancellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Klaus Kinkel, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Georgi Pirinski made a several hours' stop-over in Vienna, where he conferred with his Austrian counterpart Alois Mock and the President of the Bundesrat Heinz Fischer.
Mr Pirinski familiarized his host with the stand and initiatives of the Bulgarian Government in connection with the Yugoconflict and its effects, the national radio correspondent reported from Vienna.
The Bulgarian Minister pointed to the immediate need to activate the infrastructural projects which should be discussed on a multilateral basis, with the participation of the parties concerned, at an international economic forum in Vienna in early June. The chief Austrian diplomat and the head of the Austrian parliament supported the initiative for discussion of the problems.
Ways to stabilize the region and to energize the economies of the countries of Southeastern Europe were also on the agenda. Mr Pirinski noted that Bulgaria cannot wait for a settlement of the conflict to look for economic solutions. He suggested that regional projects, launched by the EU within the PHARE Programme and other programmes, should be worked out and discussed in June. Mr Mock agreed with this view. They also discussed the political aspect of stabilization of Southeastern Europe, stressing the need to support the efforts of the contact group towards finding a formula for a settlement of the conflict which should lead to a gradual relaxation and lifting of the sanctions. Bulgaria suggested that the problems be considered within the context of a quest for European integration solutions with a view to drawing Central and Eastern Europe closer to united Europe. The sides were pleased to state that there are no open problems between Austria and Bulgaria.
The Chief of the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry's Western Europe and North America Department Kossyo Kitipov briefed the press today on Mr Pirinski's visit to Bonn. In addition to his talks with Mr Kinkel, Mr Pirinski conferred with the Parliamentary Secretary of State at the Federal Ministry of Defence Michaela Geiger, with the Chairman and Floor Leader of the Social Democratic Party Rudolf Scharping and other officials. Mr Kitipov described the visit as "useful" for the forthcoming invigorated political dialogue between Bulgaria and Germany. National Assembly Chairman Blagovest Sendov will pay an official visit to Bonn in May. A Bulgarian-Bavarian commission will be established in Munich during the same month.
Mr Pirinski called attention to the difficulties which Bulgarian citizens experience in obtaining visas for Western Europe following the entry into force of the Schengen Agreement. The Bulgarian Foreign Minister briefed his hosts on the measures taken so far to bring Bulgarian passport and visa requirements into line with those of the Schengen states and of the desire for an earlier conclusion of a multilateral agreement between Bulgaria and the countries of that group. The German side was understanding of Bulgaria's request to be treated on an equal footing with the Visegrad Group. Mr Ketipov said that this request will be considered by the Schengen Executive Committee in Brussels next week.