News from Bulgaria, 96-10-18

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

EMBASSY OF BULGARIA - WASHINGTON D.C.

BTA - BULGARIAN TELEGRAPH AGENCY

18 October, 1996

CONTENTS

[01] LIST OF CANDIDATES IN THE BULGARIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS ON THE 27TH OF OCTOBER 1996

[02] LIST OF US CITIES WHERE ELECTORAL SECTIONS WILL BE SET UP FOR VOTING IN THE BULGARIAN ELECTIONS ON THE 27TH OF OCTOBER 1996:

[03] BULGARIAN OFFICIAL ADDRESSES U.N.

[04] YUGOSLAV JUSTICE MINISTER HOLDS TALKS IN SOFIA

[05] COUNCIL OF MINISTERS DECISIONS

[06] FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN BULGARIA HITS 452 MILLION IN 1995, SAYS NSI

[07] BASE INTEREST RATE DOWN TO 240% A YEAR, FROM 300%

[08] GOVERNMENT TAKES STEPS TO SUPPORT AUTUMN SOWING

[09] PARLIAMENT PASSES COMMODITY EXCHANGES AND WHOLESALE MARKETS ACT

[10] STATISTICS SHOW ALARMING DROP OF BULGARIA'S POPULATION

[11] BULGARIAN REFORMS UNDER FIRE

[12] FRENCH FARMERS LIKE THE LAND IN BULGARIA

[13] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW ARRIVES IN BULGARIA

[01] LIST OF CANDIDATES IN THE BULGARIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS ON THE 27TH OF OCTOBER 1996

• Alexander Trifonov Tomov and Ludmil Asenov Marintchevski, nominated by an Initiative committee
• Dimitar Markov Markovski and Dimitrina Nikolova Vuldjeva, nominated by Free Cooperative Party
• George Gantchev Gantchev and Arlin Grigorov Antonov, nominated by Bulgarian Business Block
• Hristo Dimitrov Boitchev and Ivan Georgiev Koulekov, nominated by Movement for Protecting the Retired, Unemployed and Socially Weak Citizens
• Ilyan Denev Nikolov and Serguey Nikolov Nemertzov, nominated by Bulgarian National Ecological Party - Veliko Tarnovo
• Ivan Metodiev Stoyanov and Roumiana Ivanova Yakimova, nominated by Democratic Party in Bulgaria
• Ivan Roussev Marazov and Irina Georgieva Bokova, nominated by the coalition Together for Bulgaria
• Lubomir Vasilev Stefanov and Parush Yantchev Karaivanov, nominated by Alternative Socialist Union Independents
• Mintcho Genov Mintchev and Pentcho Petrov Pentchev, nominated by Fatherland Party of Labour
• Mitko Entchev Dimitrov and Ignat Velkov Ignatov, nominated by Union for Preserving the Assets of Bulgaria
• Petar Stefanov Stoyanov and Todor Kolev Kavaldjiev, nominated by the coalition United Democratic forces
• Slavomir Draganov Tzankov and Dobri Yordanov Dobrev, nominated by Union of Democratic Parties and Movements Era 3
• Vera Dentcheva Ilieva and Iskra Yaneva Atanasova, nominated by Bulgarian Communist Party

[02] LIST OF US CITIES WHERE ELECTORAL SECTIONS WILL BE SET UP FOR VOTING IN THE BULGARIAN ELECTIONS ON THE 27TH OF OCTOBER 1996:

[03] BULGARIAN OFFICIAL ADDRESSES U.N.

He stressed the inseparable link between sustainable economic development and the integration of countries in transition into the world economy. There is much to be desired as regards the investment made in countries in transition and the access for the goods they manufacture to developed economies' markets, he said adding that in a number of countries the transition to a market economy has brought a negative social effect.

Deputy Foreign Minister Glavanakov brought to the fore the assistance that should be provided for countries affected by the implementation of UN sanctions against FR Yugoslavia. He said the aid that has come to date is insufficient and added the Bulgarian delegation to the UN General Assembly will move a draft resolution to that effect. He also stressed the need for providing international assistance for the development of regional economic cooperation. He recalled the initiatives suggested in the declaration issued by the Foreign Ministers meeting of Southeastern Europe held in Sofia on July 6-7, 1996.

[04] YUGOSLAV JUSTICE MINISTER HOLDS TALKS IN SOFIA

The two officials discussed the agreements for legal assistance between the two countries, the bilateral cooperation and the drafting of a regional Balkan programme for crime prevention and control, a source of the Justice Ministry said. Improvement of the forms of cooperation between the jurists of the two states was another topic on the agenda. Minister Krivokapic also had talks in the Prosecutor General's Office. He is scheduled to visit Stara Zagora (Southern Bulgaria) today and Plovdiv (Southern Bulgaria) tomorrow.

[05] COUNCIL OF MINISTERS DECISIONS

The government mandated the Bulgarian Ambassador to the United States to sign on behalf of Bulgaria a lending agreement to the amount of USD 24.3 million with the World Bank. The loan will finance a social security project.

The government decided that the stamp duty payable by foreigners crossing the Bulgarian border be charged in foreign currency.

The government agreed that Bulgaria host the 21st sitting of the Assembly of the member states of the European Telecommunications Satellite Organization in May next year. Bulgaria was admitted to this organization in May 1996.

The government agreed that Bulgaria host the conference of ministers of postal communications of Central and Eastern Europe next autumn.

The government mandated Environment Minister Georgi Georgiev to represent Bulgaria at the meeting of environment ministers of the Black Sea countries in Istanbul on October 30-31, and sign on behalf of this country likely amendments to the ministerial declaration on protection of the Black Sea and a strategic plan of action for preservation and protection of the Black Sea.

[06] FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN BULGARIA HITS 452 MILLION IN 1995, SAYS NSI

Germany still tops the list of foreign investors accounting for 32.2% of the total last year. Next come Britain (16.2%), the US (7%), Greece (6.3%), Belgium, Luxembourg and France, the NSI said.

[07] BASE INTEREST RATE DOWN TO 240% A YEAR, FROM 300%

The simple base interest rate was hiked to a record 300% annually on September 23. The drastic step was part of a package that sought to stabilize the foreign currency market and banking system. The package was in line with the memorandum on the fourth standby arrangement between Bulgaria and the International Monetary Fund signed last July. Early next week an IMF mission arrives here to check the implementation of the memorandum's parameters.

The new rate will reduce the burden on borrowers and pressures in the economy, says a BNB press release. In the last two days BNB Governor Lyubomir Filipov said the interest rate can be reduced, but not at the cost of hyperinflation. According to him, the interest rate cut should allow lev positions to be profitable. The Governor also said such steps will not be taken until this country receives the second tranche under the IMF agreement. The first, $116 million tranche came a week after the conclusion of the arrangement.

[08] GOVERNMENT TAKES STEPS TO SUPPORT AUTUMN SOWING

The Government today okayed the export of 30,000 t of oil, paying a $100 export charge. This will not cause a crisis on the domestic market, because this year's sunflower harvest is good, said Trendafilov. At this point 77% of the sunflower fields have yielded 478,000 t of sunflower seed.

[09] PARLIAMENT PASSES COMMODITY EXCHANGES AND WHOLESALE MARKETS ACT

[10] STATISTICS SHOW ALARMING DROP OF BULGARIA'S POPULATION

The birth rate fell from 12.1 live births per 1,000 population in 1990 to 8.6 in 1995. The low level of births is unprecedented in any other country except for Latvia (8.5 live births per 1,000 population), the NSI President observed.

Mortality is increasing; deaths went up to 13.6 deaths per 1,000 population. The infant mortality rate rose from 14.8 per 1,000 in 1990 to 16.3 per 1,000 in 1994. There was a decline of 1.5 in infant mortality in 1995. Data for 1996 show a slight increase from 14.8 to 14.9 deaths of infants under one year old per 1,000 live births.

The average life expectancy has remained at its level of 15 years ago, Prof. Karamfilov observed. In 1993-1995 it was 67.1 years for men and 74.8 years for women; in the industrialized countries the expectation of life is five or six years higher.

There is a downward trend in marriages too, the NSI statisctics show. in 1990-1995 marriages fell by 40 percent (from 60,000 to 37,000); married couples decreased from 6.9 to 4.4 per 1,000 population. This explains the slight drop in divorces, NSI experts said.

The population has been rapidly ageing, Mr Karamfilov said. The share of Bulgarians in active age has dropped from 21.6 to 19.1 percent in the past five years. The population of inactive age has increased from 22.9 to 24.3 percent.

The passenger traffic across Bulgaria's borders has increased sharply on the whole. In 1995 about 3.5 million Bulgarians travelled abroad, which compares with over 4 million in 1994 and only 505,000 in 1985.

According to Interior Ministry data, 218,000 people left Bulgaria to live abroad in 1989, Mr Karamfilov recalled. They were mainly Bulgarian Turks who migrated to Turkey after the coercive change of ethnic Turks' names in the 1980s, he said.

After this peak, migration slowed down, varying between an annual of 45,000 - 65,000 people in the last few years, NSO statistics indicate. However, several thousands of them return to Bulgaria every year.

Data show that the population crisis in Bulgaria is aggravating, but, in NSI President's words, the alleged catastrophic loss of population is an exaggeration. According to projections for 1993-2020 made jointly by the NSI and the European Union's Eurostat (by taking migration into account), in 2000 Bulgaria's population will fell to 8 million, in 2010 to 7.5 million and in 2020 to 7.1 million, Prof. Karamfilov said. A possible reversal of the demographic processes can be expected if there is an improvement in the country's social and economic development, the NSI president said.

[11] BULGARIAN REFORMS UNDER FIRE

The meeting stressed the sluggish pace of reforms in agriculture. Ambassador O'Sullivan expects the government to use some form of pressure to further the structural adjustment that has been launched. He believes that private sector and investment need special attention. The European Commission could extend Ecu 15 million to boost private farming in Bulgaria. The EU official further said that the effective legislation does not help draw investment in agriculture. The sides also discussed the cooperation between Bulgaria and the European Commission in culture, education and science.

In another development today, Bulgarian President Zhelyu Zhelev received the Resident Representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank here, Franek Rozwadowski and Alberto Musalem.

Speaking to journalists after the talks, Mr Rozwadowski said it is technically unfeasible to float the second tranche of the fourth stand-by agreement between Bulgaria and the IMF by the end of October. The money, however, can be drawn by year's end if the IMF Board of Governors hold a meeting by that time and appoint a new Board to go ahead with things, said also Mr Rozwadowski. The two financial institutions' representatives briefed Dr. Zhelev on the results of the annual meeting of the World Bank and the IMF held recently in Washington. A mission of the IMF is expected here next week to review the progress of reforms, said Mr Rozwadowski.

[12] FRENCH FARMERS LIKE THE LAND IN BULGARIA

The options discussed included a 5 to 10 year contract and a rent amounting to 10% of the produce, to be paid in kind. The farmers, who have rented land in Romania and Ukraine, would like to grow wheat, barley, maize and sugar beets. The group plan to bring equipment over from France and use up-to-date farming methods. A contract is expected to be signed by the end of the month, said officials from the mayor's office in Dimovo.

[13] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW ARRIVES IN BULGARIA

"I condemn the historians, like Paparigopoulos of Greece, who accused the Constantinople seat of the patriarch of such intentions," Bartholomew said. He went on to say that, with the exception of a couple of persons, the Bulgarian church community in Istanbul is glad to be close to the seat of the ecumenical patriarch who does its best to me a mother to the Bulgarian Christians in Istanbul.

"I believe that our efforts for unity between Eastern Orthodox Christians and Roman Catholics will produce results," Bartholomew said. "The way to achieve this is through honest dialogue," he said.

Dimitry Bartholomew, 56, will attend official ceremonies at the old Bulgarian Rila Monastery - a national relic and cultural monument placed under the auspices of UNESCO.

Bartholomew is the only Eastern Orthodox patriarch who accepted the invitation to attend the ceremonies. The other heads of Orthodox churches sent their representatives.

Tomorrow Bartholomew will attend religious services at the Sofia Seminary and the St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. The Ecumenical Patriarch will be in the Rila Monastery on Saturday, to attend the major part of the ceremonies.

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