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News from Bulgaria, 96-10-24Bulgarian Telegraph Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Embassy of Bulgaria <bulgaria@access1.digex.net>EMBASSY OF BULGARIA - WASHINGTON D.C.BTA - BULGARIAN TELEGRAPH AGENCY24 October, 1996The Embassy reminds all Bulgarian citizens that they can exercise in the US their right to vote in the Bulgarian presidential elections, to be held on the 27th of October. For further information contact the Consular service of the Embassy at 202 387 7969. CONTENTS
[01] LIST OF CANDIDATES AND THEIR ELCTORAL BULLETIN NUMBER(Bulletin numbers were determined by drawing lots)Bulletin number 1: - Hristo Dimitrov Boitchev and Ivan Georgiev Koulekov, nominated by Movement for Protecting the Retired, Unemployed and Socially Weak Citizens Bulletin number 2: - Dimitar Markov Markovski and Dimitrina Nikolova Vuldjeva, nominated by Free Cooperative Party Bulletin number 3: - Mitko Entchev Dimitrov and Ignat Velkov Ignatov, nominated by Union for Preserving the Assets of Bulgaria Bulletin number 4: - Ilyan Denev Nikolov and Serguey Nikolov Nemertzov, nominated by Bulgarian National Ecological Party - Veliko Tarnovo Bulletin number 5: - Ivan Roussev Marazov and Irina Georgieva Bokova, nominated by the coalition Together for Bulgaria Bulletin number 6: - Vera Dentcheva Ilieva and Iskra Yaneva Atanasova, nominated by Bulgarian Communist Party Bulletin number 7: - Slavomir Draganov Tzankov and Dobri Yordanov Dobrev, nominated by Union of Democratic Parties and Movements Era 3 Bulletin number 8: - Lubomir Vasilev Stefanov and Parush Yantchev Karaivanov, nominated by Alternative Socialist Union - Independents Bulletin number 9: - Petar Stefanov Stoyanov and Todor Kolev Kavaldjiev, nominated by the coalition United Democratic forces Bulletin number 10: - Ivan Metodiev Stoyanov and Roumiana Ivanova Yakimova, nominated by Democratic Party in Bulgaria Bulletin number 11: - Alexander Trifonov Tomov and Ludmil Asenov Marintchevski, nominated by an Initiative committee Bulletin number 12: - George Gantchev Gantchev and Arlin Grigorov Antonov, nominated by Bulgarian Business Block Bulletin number 13: - Mintcho Genov Mintchev and Pentcho Petrov Pentchev, nominated by Fatherland Party of Labour [02] LIST OF US CITIES WHERE ELECTORAL SECTIONS WILL BE SET UP FOR VOTING ON THE 27TH OF OCTOBER 1996Washington, DCNew York, NY (2 voting sections) Buffalo, NY Los Angeles, CA San Francisco, CA Sacramento, CA St. Petersburg, FL Fort Lauderdale, FL Chicago, IL Saint Louis, MO Portland, OR /Vancouver, WA Pittsburgh, PA Cleveland, OH Boston, MA Philadelphia, PA [03] SOME 25,000 BULGARIANS WILL VOTE ABROAD. INTERNATIONAL PRESS CENTRE OPENS IN SOFIASofia, October 23 (BTA) - All Bulgarian nationals abroad with a valid Bulgarian passport, are eligible to vote in the upcoming presidential elections (on October 27). Their number is expected to be around 25,000 in 56 of the total of 83 countries in which Bulgaria has diplomatic representations. In the remaining countries there were less than the reqiured 30 applications for a polling section to be opened, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Pantelei Karasimeonov at the opening of an international press centre in Sofia. No country has refused the holding of elections. In compliance with their laws, Turkey, Germany and Japan have asked that the elections to held only in the buildings of the Bulgarian embassies or consular representations.Karasimeonov also said that the largest group of Bulgarians resides is in Libya - 6,000, followed by Russia, Turkey, the US, Germany, Ukraine, France, Austria and other countries. A total of 122 polling stations have been set up. A total of 20,400 Bulgarians voted abroad in the December 1994 elections. Then the polling stations were 137, according to Foreign Ministry data. An international press office will be open at the National Palace of Culture in Sofia as of today till November 4, when a possible second round of voting will be held. Some 500 Bulgarian and foreign journalists have applied for accreditation so far. There are three groups of foreign observers. One is invited by the government from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) or its permanent bureau in Warsaw. The leader of the OSCE mission, Mr Michael Meddlecroft, is already in Sofia. The second group of foreign observers has been invited by parties and coalitions or independent candidates and the third are representatives of diplomatic missions accredited to Bulgaria. [04] TRADE MINISTER PAPARIZOV VISITS JAPANSofia, October 23 (BTA) - Minister of Trade and Foreign Economic Cooperation Atanas Paparizov is on a visit to Japan at the invitation of Japanese Minister of International Trade and Industry Shumpei Tsukahara, the Foreign Ministry today said. Paparizov is attending a seminar of trade ministers of Central and Eastern Europe, organized by the Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry and the Association for Trade with Russia and Central and Eastern Europe.Paparizov held talks with senior representatives of big Japanese companies. The officials discussed the opportunities for the participation of Japanese firms in Bulgaria's economic reforms. Paparizov was received by Chairman of the Economic Organizations Federation Shoichiro Toyoda. The two discussed ways to promote the economic cooperation between major Japanese firms, which are members of the Federation, and Bulgarian companies, the Foreign Ministry said. Paparizov met with Japanese Transport Minister Yoshiyuki Kamei, who is also Secretary General of the Japan-Bulgaria Friendship Association in the lower chamber of the Japanese Parliament. [05] BULGARIA - OIL PIPELINESofia, October 23 (BTA) - There are no differences in principle between Bulgaria, Greece and Russia on the project for the construction of an oil pipeline from the Black Sea port of Bourgas to Alexandroupolis in Greece, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Regional Development and Construction Doncho Konakchiev told a news conference here today. He said that experts attending the second working meeting held in Sofia on October 17 and 18 signed a protocol on the coordination of the three countries' positions as regards the launching of the procedure for drafting the blueprint for the construction of the pipeline. The agreements in the protocol are a follow-up of the decisions taken at the experts' first meeting held in Moscow in 1995, Konakchiev said.The ways to harmonize the key feasibility studies, the financial schemes and the procedure for working out of the final project will be specified at an experts' meeting of a joint Bulgarian-Greek-Russian commission. Konakchiev said that the commission will be set up in the first half of November. The sides will hold a meeting at government level by the year-end where the cabinets of the three countries will present their positions, after taking into account the concrete results of feasibility studies on the construction of the oil pipeline, Konakchiev said. Bulgaria's financial stake in the project has been provided for, the Deputy Prime Minister said. According to him, it is envisaged that Russia will provide 50 per cent of the funds for the construction of the oil pipeline, while Bulgaria and Greece will take part with 25 per cent each. Konakchiev went on to say that a Trans-Balkan pipeline joint venture, whose establishment is forthcoming, will determine the specific quantities and parameters on the implementation of the project. Bulgaria's principal shareholder in the JV will be the Neftochim oil refinery of Bourgas; the JV will be set up in accordance with all international standards, as well as with this country's Concessions Act, Konakchiev said. The Deputy Prime Minister also said that the funds extended by the World Bank for restructuring of this country's water-supply system are being utilized efficiently. Konakchiev said that the tenders for the reconstruction of the water utilities and water-treatment facilities in Dobrich (Northeastern Bulgaria) and Zlatna Panega (Central Bulgaria) have already been held. Another five tenders for the water-supply systems in Gabrovo (Central Bulgaria), Veliko Turnovo (Northern Bulgaria) and Kyustendil (Western Bulgaria) will take place by the year-end. As regards prices of water for household needs, Konakchiev said that the Cabinet will discuss two proposals amending the price- fixing methodology. The first proposal envisages that the water and sewerage utility pay its electricity bills to the National Electricity Company (NEC) under the household consumption tariff and not the industrial one. The Ministry of Regional Development and Construction has not reached an agreement with the NEC on the proposal, Konakchiev said. The second proposal envisages that the Cabinet allocate state subsidies to fund the difference between the calculative price and the average water price. This will reduce water prices by 20 per cent to 30 per cent without creating an energy problem. If the Cabinet approves the methodology, one cubic metre of water will cost 40 leva, down from the current 80 to 90 leva per cubic metre. The annual privatization programme of the Ministry of Regional Development and Construction envisages the signing of 45 deals; the Ministry has so far concluded 64 per cent of them, Konakchiev said. Three big cement-making plants will be privatized by the year-end; the privatization deals are in an advanced stage, he said. [06] PARLIAMENT OVERRIDES PRESIDENTIAL VETO ON DEPOSITS PROTECTION ACTSofia, October 23 (BTA) - Following almost an hour-long debate, today Parliament overrode the presidential veto on the Act on State Protection of Deposits and Accounts with Commercial Banks in Respect Whereof the National Bank of Bulgaria Has Filed a Petition in Bankruptcy. According to the amendments to the Act passed earlier this month, private persons and companies can dispose of their money after a bankruptcy court ruling is issued and not when the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) files a petition in bankruptcy as was the earlier practice.The Deposits Protection Act was adopted in May 1996 when two banks were closed. It was amended in October, one month after another banks more were placed under special supervision. During today's debate the MPs of the ruling Left sharply criticized the reasoning behind the President's veto, while the MPs of the Union of Democratic Forces UDF) and the Bulgarian Business Bloc (BBB) supported it. "It is not true that under the Act personal deposits at bankrupt banks will still be guaranteed one hundred percent because the depositors will be able dispose of their money in some indefinite future moment, which will definitely not be during the coming severe winter," said UDF MP Muravei Radev, Deputy Chairman of the parliamentary Budgetary Committee. In his opinion, it is not true that the amendments were made in an attempt to restore confidence in the banking system. BBB MP Georgi Dilkov also pointed out that depositors would have to wait for their money for a long time because the bankruptcy procedure could drag on for years. "There was no other way but to amend the Act," Fidel Kossev, MP of the ruling Socialist Party, said. He argued that if the previous Act remained effective, 60,000 million would pour onto the cash market, pushing the US dollar and inflation up as was in May this year. The amendments to the Act concern about 800,000 depositors who have money in the nine banks closed in September. They can draw their deposits 30 days after the bankruptcy court ruling becomes effective and not 30 days after the BNB files a petition in bankruptcy as stipulated in the Act before its amendment. For juristic persons the time limit is 60 days. Personal deposits are guaranteed 100 percent and those of companies 50 percent. A lasting law on the protection of deposits is being drafted, Finance Minister Dimiter Kostov said at yesterday's meeting of the parliamentary Budgetary Committee. It will be based on the insurance of deposits. [07] STATE BANK FOR INVESTMENT AND DEVELOPMENT LAWSofia, October 23 (BTA) - A new financial institution promoting small and medium-sized business is to be set up in Bulgaria in the coming months. Today Parliament passed a law on the establishment of a State Bank for Investment and Development.The bank is to issue soft loans to small and medium-sized businesses. The bank will be exempt from profit tax and will not pay dividends to shareholders. Its profit will be accumulated in a special fund for new project financing. Loans will not be extended by the bank itself but by commercial banks chosen by it. The bank is established to fill a gap in lending to small and medium-sized businesses. The existing State Fund for Reconstruction and Development finances only large industrial enterprises. The drafters of the Bill tapped the experience of similar banks in Germany and countries of Central and Eastern Europe. The bank's Articles are to be adopted by the Council of Ministers which is its founder. The bank will start with a capital of 500 million leva. Within six years it is to reach 2,000 million leva, divided into 2,000 registered shares with a face value of 1,000,000 leva each. The bank is to go into operation within three months of raising the start-up capital. The principal shareholder, the Council of Ministers, is to own a 51 per cent stake at the least. State institutions and state-owned companies, as well as foreign juristic persons, can buy stakes totalling 49 per cent of the registered capital. [08] BULGARIAN-TAIWANESE COMPANYSofia, October 23 (BTA) - Today's issue of the financial daily "Pari" writes about the plans of the Bulgarian-Taiwanese "Evrotel" JV to establish technological cooperation with the Bulgarian Telecommunications Company (BTC).Interviewed for the daily, "Evrotel"'s Director General Sean Feng says that the company is willing to cooperate with the BTC and to import in Bulgaria equipment for end users like multiplexers, telephone exchanges, HDSL, ISDN and others. Mr Feng told "Pari" that if these components find good reception in Bulgaria they can as well be manufactured here. "Evrotel"'s Trade Manager Dragomir Totev says for the same daily that the company is ready to provide special discounts on imported units for data transfer. "Our prices have been set to conform with the Bulgarian and the Ukrainian markets and are 50 per cent lower than those of other European manufacturers. At the same time our products are on the same technological level and meet all European recommendations for telecommunications equipment. While the large companies work with the BTC on a trade basis alone, we offer also transfer of technologies," Mr Totev says. [09] DEPUTY P.M. GECHEV OPENS EAST-WEST EXPOParis, October 23 (BTA) - Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development Roumen Gechev and Chairman of the International Association of Industrialists Alexander Volsky opened Expo East-West in Paris today, officials of the Bulgarian Embassy in France said.Bulgaria is represented by the Ministry of Economic Development, the Foreign Investment Agency and by companies of the chemical, electrical engineering, textile and metal working industries. The event's key objective is to familiarize European Union investors with the business opportunities in Eastern Europe. Participating are 16 East European countries, with more than 150 companies. Tomorrow Gechev will visit the Paris Bourse. The Paris stock exchange is involved in a project for the establishment of a national stock exchange in Bulgaria. Bulgarian Telegraph Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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