News from Bulgaria, 96-10-15

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From: Embassy of Bulgaria <bulgaria@access1.digex.net>

EMBASSY OF BULGARIA - WASHINGTON D.C.

BTA - BULGARIAN TELEGRAPH AGENCY

15 October, 1996

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENT ZHELEV ON ARMY REFORM

[02] BULGARIA INTRODUCES DRAFT RESOLUTION IN UNESCO

[03] BULGARIAN-URUGUAYAN POLITICAL CONSULTATIONS

[04] BULGARIA'S BUSINESS CONTACTS WITH SWEDEN AND FINLAND

[05] BRITISH COUNCIL CHAIRMAN VISITS BULGARIA

[06] RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION HOLDS TALKS IN SOFIA

[07] BULGARIAN INTERIOR MINISTER VISITS RUSSIA

[08] CONFERENCE ON CHILDREN'S PROBLEMS

[01] PRESIDENT ZHELEV ON ARMY REFORM

The head of state emphasized that the legislative changes concerning the army and the domestic and international political changes are "clearly visible and match the democratic reforms in the sphere of national security of the Republic of Bulgaria." He cited the amendments to the General Conscription in the Republic of Bulgaria Act, passed at the end of 1990, which depoliticized the army, the introduction of a civilian defence minister, the introduction of civilian control over the army, the return of counterintelligence from the structures of the Interior Ministry to the army and, the most substantial part of the reform, the introduction of army-corps and brigade-type organization. On the international plane, the President mentioned the 1991 protocol on the disbandment of the Warsaw Pact and the inclusion of the Bulgarian Army in NATO's Partnership for Peace initiative in 1994.

During the televised debate, which was devoted to national security, opposition candidate Peter Stoyanov said that "no reform in the army has ever started" in terms of Bulgaria's accession to NATO. Answering the same question, the Left's candidate Ivan Marazov said that in his view the Bulgarian army is demoralized. He emphasized that the army was placed in a "humiliating position" without the necessary logistical support.

[02] BULGARIA INTRODUCES DRAFT RESOLUTION IN UNESCO

The inclusion of this item in the agenda opens an opportunity for receiving greater assistance from UNESCO, including financial aid, in the implementation of multilateral and national projects in the Balkans. The purpose is to overcome prejudices of the past, promote a "culture of peace", create scientific, educational and communication networks and regional centres, to preserve the cultural heritage and enrich the cultural identity of the Balkan peoples, the Foreign Ministry said.

[03] BULGARIAN-URUGUAYAN POLITICAL CONSULTATIONS

With Trade and Foreign Economic Cooperation Minister Atanas Paparizov, Mr Peres del Castillo discussed questions concerning the economic situation in the two countries and the main problems which they encounter. "We talked about Bulgaria's accession to the World Trade Organization and generally about the objectives we have set ourselves in the integration into the respective regional structures," the Uruguayan diplomat also said.

[04] BULGARIA'S BUSINESS CONTACTS WITH SWEDEN AND FINLAND

Flavia, a state-owned shoe factory of Plovdiv (South Central Bulgaria), was ordered the delivery of Bulgarian-made footwear and signed a contract for manufacture of shoes with raw materials supplied by the customer from the Ericsson Sitter Shoes chain of stores. Two Gothenburg-based companies showed interest in the output of chinaware maker Kitka of Novi Pazar (Northeastern Bulgaria) and said they want to take delivery of Bulgarian chinaware. Cottonand polyester-fabric producer Mak of Gabrovo (Central Bulgaria) received an order from the Heneks & Moritz chain which asked the Galatea Fashion House of Varna (on the Black Sea) and Pako of Pazardjik (South Central Bulgaria) to present their autumn and winter 1997 collections and possibly to supply ready- made clothes. Kenta, a state-owned manufacturer of bus chassis of Omourtag (Northeastern Bulgaria), was introduced to Swedish automaker Scania which may share in the privatization of the Bulgarian company. The private trading company Naturella held negotiations with Ericsson and Access on import of special-purpose telephone equipment to Bulgaria.

Privatization processes in Bulgaria and potential opportunities for participation of foreign investors in the divestment of state-owned enterprises were presented at a special seminar in Finland. The President of the Union of Swedish Chambers of Commerce is expected in Bulgaria before the end of this year for signing of a long-term programme for cooperation with the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The specific accommodations reached with Sweden and Finland show the intensified interest of the business community in those two countries in economic and commercial contacts with Bulgaria, Mr Minev said. According to figures of the Bulgarian Chamber, trade between Bulgaria and Sweden in 1995 amounted to 66 million US dollars. Of these, 49.2 million dollars was the value of imports from Sweden and 16.8 million dollars the worth of Bulgarian exports to that country.

Statistics show a steady increase of two-way trade since 1992 but Bulgaria still has a trade deficit with Sweden. Bulgarian exports to Sweden consisted mainly of technological materials and apparatus, and its imports from there were mostly energy and electrical machinery. Twenty-five Bulgarian- Swedish joint ventures are registered in this country, along with 14 representative offices of Swedish companies. Bulgaria and Finland traded 68.5 million dollars' worth of goods and services in 1995 (56.1 million dollars Bulgarian imports and 12.4 million dollars exports). Finland is Bulgaria's 10th largest trading partner in the European Union. Bulgaria imports Finnish textile inputs and finished goods. Finnish investments in Bulgaria so far amount to 500,000 dollars. Four joint ventures with Finnish partners are registered in Bulgaria, and three Finnish companies have representative offices here.

[05] BRITISH COUNCIL CHAIRMAN VISITS BULGARIA

Today Sir Martin met with President Zhelyu Zhelev, Minister of Education, Science and Technology Ilcho Dimitrov and Deputy Minister of Culture Georgi Konstantinov. The sides discussed the programme of the Season of Bulgarian Culture to be held in Britain. The Season is a continuation of an exceptionally good cooperation in culture between the two countries, Ana Sendova, Head of International Cultural Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Culture, said.

The British guest pointed out that despite the financial difficulties, the British Council would not narrow the range and intensity of its activities in Bulgaria; its English language training, educational, health care and other projects proved to be successful.

[06] RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION HOLDS TALKS IN SOFIA

The talks focused on the state and prospects of Bulgarian- Russian economic relations and contacts between the two parliaments. The two sides discussed Bulgaria's wish for preferential treatment of its goods on the Russian market and issues related to oil and gas pipelines and their possible passing through Bulgarian territory.

"Our contacts with the State Duma are quite intensive and we can already discuss our problems openly," Bulgarian National Assembly Chairman Blagovest Sendov said after the talks. He said both the Bulgarian Parliament and the Russian Duma would raise some of the problems discussed at the talks before their governments.

The Bulgarian side attaches too great importance to the issue of customs preferences for Bulgarian goods on the Russian market, the chief of the Russian delegation, Mikhail Yuriev, said after the talks. This problem should be solved by setting up free trade zones, Yuriev believes. Yuriev also said there were differences in emphasis on issues of the binding of the fate of the oil and gas pipelines and their possible transit through Bulgarian territory, on the one hand, and the political course chosen by Bulgaria. "There are no major differences, only slight differences in emphasis," Yuriev said. This issue should not be politicized but mutually acceptable solutions should be sought on the basis of mutual interest.

Later on the Russian delegation discussed security issues and NATO enlargement at a meeting with Bulgarian MPs of the foreign policy committee. The representatives of the Russian Duma showed understanding and support for Bulgaria's choice to be an integral part of the processes of integration in Europe, according to Nikolai Kamov, chairman of the foreign policy committee and MP of the ruling Bulgarian Socialist Party.

At the talks this morning the Russian delegation proposed to hold joint Bulgarian-Russian parliamentary debates on issues of mutual interest. This idea was approved by representatives of the Bulgarian Parliament. "The idea of the Russian parliamentarians for joint debates between MPs of the two countries on key economic issues is interesting but should be carefully considered so as not to violate the sovereign rights of the Bulgarian Parliament in decision making," opposition MP Assen Agov believes.

[07] BULGARIAN INTERIOR MINISTER VISITS RUSSIA

Minister Dobrev met with officials of the Federal Agency for Government Relations and Information. The sides discussed law enforcement and security, the fulfilment of an interdepartmental cooperation agreement and some new projects for joint activities. Dobrev had also a meeting with representatives of Russia's External Intelligence Service.

Part of the official delegation of the Bulgarian Interior Ministry visited the Russian Central Service for Organized Crime Control. "We have signed cooperation agreements with Russia's Interior Ministry and its External Intelligence Service and the time has come to see how they work," Dobrev said. The agreements provide for the exchange of information on specific actions taken to combat organized crime, the BNR correspondent said.

In the next two days Interior Minister Dobrev will meet Russian Interior Minister Anatoly Kulikov and Federal Border Service Director Andrey Nikolaev.

[08] CONFERENCE ON CHILDREN'S PROBLEMS

Children in Bulgaria have not been spared the hardships resulting from the general crisis of the society. The number of children who fall victims of adult violence tends to increase. Drug dealers are recruiting new customers by pushing narcotics and psychotropic substances to children. The cases of sexual abuse and exploitation of children are increasing, Vesselin Vulchev, Chairman of the Council of Ministers' Committee for Youth and Children, said in his report.

Nearly half of children in Bulgaria are at risk, show the recently published results of a survey conducted by the Institute of Sociology with the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences shows. The extreme conditions in the period of transition and democratization that followed the political change of 1989 have given rise to a number of negative tendencies in the development of young people.

One in five children between 13 and 16 years of age has "tried" hashish or marijuana; one in two children of those who "tried" some narcotic have become drug dependent, the survey shows.

Social alienation, belated socialization and growing aggressiveness are typical for over 40 percent of teenagers. According to statistics released by the Interior Ministry, 9 juveniles committed murders in the first six months of 1996, 42 teenagers took part in 20 rapes and 32 were involved in serious premeditated offences.

Most frequently young offenders are involved in stealing, data of the police press centre indicates. Four thousand seven hundred seventy seven children committed thefts from January to July 1996; the police registered 5,762 young people under age for various offences in the same period.

Children are victims of crime. Sixteen children were killed last year, 242 were raped and 152 were sexually abused, statistics show.

Birth rates have been declining since the beginning of the 1950s, hitting its lowest in 1995 when there were only 8 live births per 1,000 population. In the last five years Bulgaria's child population has diminished by 294,000.

Bulgaria has a lot of experience and well-established traditions in the government policy of child, family and maternity protection, Vesselin Vulchev pointed out in his report. However, some changes had to be made in the policy pursued with regard to children to respond to the new social conditions, he said. They are in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and take into account the market economy requirements. Laws on social assistance and social protection of the child are being drafted at the moment.

A new moment in child protection is the emergence of non- governmental rights-protection public associations concerned with the problems of children in general and assisting socially disadvantaged children in particular.

Another focus of the discussions and reports was the establishment a system which would coordinate the efforts of state institutions to resolve children's problems. Stress was laid on the efforts to harmonize Bulgaria's legislation with the international instruments for child protection.

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