News from Bulgaria, 96-10-17

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

EMBASSY OF BULGARIA - WASHINGTON D.C.

BTA - BULGARIAN TELEGRAPH AGENCY

17 October, 1996

CONTENTS

[01] U.S., BULGARIA DISCUSS ECONOMIC COOPERATION OPPORTUNITIES

[02] NEW UNDP REPRESENTATIVE TO BULGARIA

[03] ITALIAN AMBASSADOR RASTRELLI DECORATED

[04] INTERIOR MINISTER ENDS VISIT TO MOSCOW

[05] MARAZOV SUPPORTS REFERENDUM ON NATO AND E.U. MEMBERSHIP

[06] PARLIAMENT RATIFIES CONTRACT WITH SIEMENS

[07] PARLIAMENT RATIFIES INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTS

[08] RUSSIAN CONSTITUTIONAL COURT JUDGES IN SOFIA

[09] MUSLIM WORLD LEAGUE DELEGATION IN BULGARIA

[10] ACADEMY OF ARTS MARKS CENTENARY

[11] BULGARIAN PAINTER AT PRESTIGIOUS OSAKA TRIENNIAL

[01] U.S., BULGARIA DISCUSS ECONOMIC COOPERATION OPPORTUNITIES

A meeting between Konstantin Glavanakov and Richard Schifter, presidential adviser on national security issues, underscored the opportunities for economic cooperation in Southeastern Europe in line with the Bulgarian government's initiative for stability and security in the region and the US initiative for economic cooperation in the Southern Balkans.

Deputy Foreign Minister Glavanakov and Rudolf Perina, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the State Department, reportedly discussed bilateral issues. They identified a positive trend in Bulgarian-US relations this year and agreed to step up the negotiations on an agreement for avoidance of double taxation and promotion of bilateral business and commercial ties. Mr Perina praised the Bulgarian government's policy in the region and expressed support for the opening of a trans-regional centre on transport infrastructure in Sofia.

The agenda of Deputy Foreign Minister Glavanakov's talks also featured specific forms of cooperation in the protection of intellectual property on the basis of the bilateral intergovernmental agreement to that effect and Bulgaria's commitment under international accords. The sides discussed the development of business and commercial relations. The Bulgarian official proposed that a visit to Bulgaria be arranged for representatives of US companies interested in launching a business in Bulgaria.

[02] NEW UNDP REPRESENTATIVE TO BULGARIA

Vigilante said he was surprised by Bulgaria's relatively good position which was probably due to the fact that the report covered the period from 1995 to April 1996, while cecnomic conditions in Bulgaria started deteriorating later. According to the data in the report, Bulgaria belongs to the countries having comparatively high living standards. Mr Vigilante said that countries in which the daily income is below one US dollar are classed as poor in the report. /In January-September 1996 inflation was 153 percent as it equalled 18.8 percent in September alone./

The Program's principal goal is to promote human sustainable development, the UNDP Permanent Representative stated. The UNDP attaches great importance to the economic growth as stimulating human development but not as its final objective, he added. The UNDP opened its office in Bulgaria in 1993. Since then it has been assisting Bulgaria by extending grant aid and lobbying for this country's receiving and management of subsidies from other sources.

In the next few years the program will support mainly activities aimed at strengthening the country's capacity, stopping the deterioration of living standards and retaining previous achievements in human development, Antonio Vigilante said. Bulgaria and UNDP cooperate mainly in environment protection, promoting small business and the social security system.

Mr Vigilante is an Italian. He is a political scientist and has been working in the UNDP system for 16 years. He arrived in Bulgaria in August 1996. Asked about his first impressions from this country Vigilante said he is worried by the lack of confidence in the future.

[03] ITALIAN AMBASSADOR RASTRELLI DECORATED

Later in the day Mr Rastrelli was also received by Prime Minister Zhan Videnov. "With the Bulgarian Prime Minister we shared the view that the bilateral relations are very good, we talked about the role of Bulgaria as a stabilizing factor in the Balkans and about its participation in international infrastructure projects," Mr Rastrelli said after the meeting.

It was said during the talks that Italy attaches great importance to its relations with Bulgaria. Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Piero Fassino is expected to pay a visit to Bulgaria in November, the Government's press office said. Mr Rastrelli voiced Italy's view that the Mediterranean cannot be a stable region without stability in the Balkans and in that connection Bulgaria's role as a stabilizing factor in the region is of particular importance.

European integration is the priority in Bulgarian foreign policy and the issue is enjoying a public consensus, PM Videnov said. He emphasized that the Bulgarian-Italian relations and the joint participation in international initiatives are a factor for the acceleration of the processes of Bulgaria's integration in the European processes.

[04] INTERIOR MINISTER ENDS VISIT TO MOSCOW

Cooperation in combatting organized crime was high on the agenda of the talks of the Bulgarian delegation with Minister Kulikov and the chiefs of the Federal Security Service, Federal Intelligence Service and Federal Agency for Government Communications and Information of the Russian Federation. The parties discussed control of terrorism, drug trafficking, money laundering, rings for smuggling goods and strategic materials, money siphoning, financial and tax abuses and other crimes. Concrete measures for cooperation, interaction and sharing of experience and information were mapped out on the basis of the similarity of problems the two countries' law- inforcement and security bodies are facing, reads the press release.

[05] MARAZOV SUPPORTS REFERENDUM ON NATO AND E.U. MEMBERSHIP

Prof. Marazov repeated his view that the question of Bulgaria's entry in NATO can be resolved only "by a referendum at which the Bulgarian people will decide this problem which is of particular importance for the country's future". "No doubt another referendum should be held on Bulgaria's EU membership and we will have to consult the people on the issue," Prof. Marazov said.

He pointed out that the continuation of the public debate on foreign policy issues would be one of his major priorities and set out his view that foreign policy requires consensus. According to Mr Marazov, Bulgaria's foreign policy should be pragmatic, building on continuity and maintaining optimal balance in the relations with all partners.

Describing the European orientation of the Bulgarian foreign policy as undisputed priority, Mr Marazov said "I am happy to note that irrespective of the political biases, there is a consensus on this issue in the country".

Bulgaria's full membership in the EU will assure most adequately its political, economic, environmental and other security interests, according to the presidential candidate of the Left. In his opinion, "Bulgaria should expedite its efforts for meeting the requirements for membership in the EU". He believes that Bulgaria's strategy for EU integration should be based on the thesis that it sees its integration with Europe not as an end in itself but first of all as a result of its own efforts to meet the criteria for it and of its achievements in this respect. "We will continue the efforts for simultaneous negotiations on the admission of all the associated countries in Central and Eastern Europe in the EU," Prof. Marazov said. He has two messages to the EU Intergovernmental Conference. The first is for a successful outcome, on which the future enlargement of the Union will depend. Bulgaria's future integration with the EU will not slow down the EU integration processes, nor will it be a financial burden weighing on the Union, was Mr Marazov's second message.

Concerning NATO, Prof. Marazov observed that he sees NATO's enlargement as a factor of stability through partnership. "We view the organization's enlargement as a joint effort and contribution to the elaboration of the new European security architecture while avoiding the emergence of new lines of division on the continent," Mr Marazov observed. He said he shared the view that NATO's enlargement should be a gradual, transparent and well planned process and stressed the importance he attaches to the principle of a case-by- case admission of new members, without dividing the countries into groups and categories. "The decisions must be made by NATO and the country concerned, which is consistent with the sovereign right of each country to a free choice in respect of accession to treaties of alliance. At the same time, it should be considered that NATO's enlargement will affect the security of all European countries, which is why the moment for making each decision on admitting new members should be carefully considered," the Left's presidential candidate believes. In his view, the fundamental principle should be the equal treatment of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe in terms of their security interests. Mr Marazov said that in his opinion, turning the issue of NATO's enlargement into a line of division on a domestic plane is inadmissible and speculative.

Prof. Marazov also declared himself in favour of enhanced cooperation between the countries of Central and Eastern Europe within the context of their efforts towards integration into the Eurostructures. He laid special emphasis on the importance which Bulgaria attaches to the regional dimension: bilateral and multilateral economic cooperation, infrastructure development, human rights cooperation and cultural cooperation. A realistic assessment of the balance of interests, the possibilities to combine its foreign policy priorities with the priorities of all neighbouring countries, and the search for a constructive approach should remain the basis for each step taken by Bulgaria.

According to Mr Marazov, Bulgaria must continue to maintain and promote relations with new priority partners like the US and some countries in the Far East and restore and reactive most active cooperation and interaction with long-standing partners such as Russia, the CIS countries and Central and Eastern Europe, while also looking for opportunities to restore its active relations with a number of countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Southwest Asia and Latin America.

[06] PARLIAMENT RATIFIES CONTRACT WITH SIEMENS

[07] PARLIAMENT RATIFIES INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTS

Bulgaria's accession to this agreement makes it possible for this country to implement a simplified and efficient international procedure in the legal defence of industrial designs. The ratification of this international document will help Bulgaria's accession to European norms in the field of intellectual property, the Council of Ministers points out in its motivations to the act.

The amendments delete a text regulating procedures of the Patent Office under the Trade Marks and Industrial Designs Act. The amendments also remove some controversies noted by the World Intellectual Property Organization in implementing the Agreement in Bulgaria.

Parliament also ratified the Statutes of the Social Development Fund of the Council of Europe. The amendments to the Statutes provide for better opportunities for extending loans at a minimum interest rates or interest-free loans, broadening of the structures of the smaller member-states in decision making and some organizational changes.

[08] RUSSIAN CONSTITUTIONAL COURT JUDGES IN SOFIA

[09] MUSLIM WORLD LEAGUE DELEGATION IN BULGARIA

The discussion focused on the spiritual and cultural development of Bulgarian Muslims. Shivarov emphasized the warm relations between the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and the Supreme Theological Council of Muslims in Bulgaria. The sides discussed opportunities for the promotion of relations between Bulgaria and Saudi Arabia. The meeting was attended by the Chairman of the Supreme Theological Council of Muslims in Bulgaria Dr Nedim Gendjev.

[10] ACADEMY OF ARTS MARKS CENTENARY

Observances of the anniversary started early this month. A plaque to Konstantin Velichkov, a major figure in Bulgarian culture, but known more as a writer today, was unveiled in the yard of the Academy. Velichkov studied painting in Florence and occupied a number of government posts at the end of the 19th century. As minister of education he contributed greatly to the establishment of the second higher educational establishment in Bulgaria after this country's liberation from almost five centuries of Turkish domination (14-19th centuries).

The foundations of a chapel of St Pimen Zographski, the only artist canonised as a Christian saint, were also laid in the yard of the Academy. An illustrated history of the Academy titled "100 Years National Academy of Art" was also published on the occasion of the anniversary. A documentary on the most prominent graduates of the Academy is being shot. A commemorative postage stamp and coin of a 500 leva face value will also mark the anniversary.

Two days ago the National Academy of Art opened a unique exhibition in the building of the National Museum of History. It displays 300 works by famous Bulgarian painters and artists made while they were students at the Academy. By this exhibition the management of the Academy wishes to show that talent is obvious before it is crowned with fame.

The works are part of the 12,000 exhibits of the Museum of the Academy. Among the authors are Vladimir Dimitrov-the Master, Dechko Ouzounov, Boris Mitov, Stoyan Venev, Vassil Stoilov, Ivan Milev and scores of other prominent Bulgarian artists. It also displays works by the founders and the first teachers at the School of Painting - Ivan Mrkvicka (director and teacher in painting), Anton Mitov (lecturer in history of art) and Boris Schatz (lecturer in moulding). All three received awards at the Paris Exhibition of Artistic Education in 1900 for their teaching methods. The exhibition also displays diplomas and medals awarded to the Academy in the course of years and the trowel used by Prince Ferdinand in laying the first brick of the Academy.

[11] BULGARIAN PAINTER AT PRESTIGIOUS OSAKA TRIENNIAL

Vassilev spent three years living and working in the US. Then he came back home. His pictures have been displayed in famous galleries in Beverly Hills and Hollywood celebrities have them in their private collections. "To me painting means much more than money. Sometimes I do commission paintings but it does not mean I compromise my art," says the artist who has never thought of settling in the US even though he admits the attitude to artists there is deeply moving.

"There I felt for the first time what it is like to be a painter in the eyes of the other. We, Bulgarians, are nihilistic and look upon other people's success with suspicion and envy, unable to be really happy for them," says Vassilev.Vassilev has never stopped painting since his return from the US. "I want my works to evoke thoughts on the transience of matter and the spirit's eternal quest for beauty," says the artist.

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