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Bulgarian news agency review of Bulgarian press for 15 Mar 04

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  • Bulgarian news agency review of Bulgarian press for 15 Mar 04

    Bulgarian news agency review of Bulgarian press for 15 Mar 04

    BTA news agency, Sofia
    15 Mar 04

    Text of press review in English by Bulgarian news agency BTA

    This press review has not been edited for content, nor have personal
    names and party names, abbreviations, etc. been amended. If you have
    any questions, contact Caversham editors on 86064.

    Sofia, 15 March:

    DOMESTIC POLICY

    There will be early parliamentary elections in the autumn, says Roumen
    Ovcharov, Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Bulgarian
    Socialist Party (BSP), quoted by "Troud". The political spectrum is in
    the process of restructuring; all players, including the coalition
    partners of the ruling Simeon II National Movement (SNM), are
    reconsidering their strategic partnerships, he further says.

    "24 Chassa" refers to Ekaterina Mihailova of the United Democratic
    Forces (UtdDF) who says that a Grand National Assembly should be
    convened because the incumbent government can no longer rule for it
    has exhausted its credit of confidence.

    "We will launch consultation on the dissolving of the 39th National
    Assembly at the beginning of April," says Union of Democratic Forces
    (UDF) MP Vassil Vassilev before "Monitor". UDF's task is to
    consolidate the right-of-centre forces in the name of Bulgaria, he
    adds.

    * * *

    "Standart News" writes that Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
    recommended to reduce the number of the SNM deputy floor leaders from
    six to three.

    * * *

    Only the parties having hard-core electorate will be presented in the
    next parliament, writes "Sega" in connection with the establishment of
    the Novo Vreme parliamentary group, consisting of breakaways from
    SNM. "The dangerous thing is that the political elite does not take
    into account the emerging of diverse interests in the Bulgarian
    society," the paper also writes.

    * * *

    The Union of Democratic Forces has remained without financing and its
    leader Nadezhda Mihailova is seeking urgently assistance from the US
    and Great Britain, "Sega" says. UDF has no money even for salaries and
    the debts accumulated equal tens of thousands of leva. "Sega" also
    writes that Mihailova has renewed talks with UDF's main external
    sponsor, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. Talks were also allegedly
    underway with Britain's Conservative Party and the US Republicans and
    Democrats. The funds would be utilized by the Democratic Alternative
    Foundation, registered a year ago by Mihailova's aides.

    * * *

    "24 Chassa" writes that BSP will refer the deal on the sale of the
    Bulgarian Telecommunications Company to the prosecution authorities
    due to doubts over its provision concerning the licensing of a third
    GSM operator. The paper explains that the Communications Commission
    will decide whether a third operator can be licensed without a bidding
    procedure.

    SOCIETY

    The papers keep on covering the March 11 bombings in Madrid. The
    Bulgarians' death toll has risen to four people. Bulgaria will
    commemorate the blasts victims with a three minutes' silence and
    wailing sirens at 13:00 hrs on Monday. "4th Bulgarian Victim in
    Madrid", "Last Tribute to the Dead", read front-page headlines in
    "Troud" and "24 Chassa", respectively.

    After Spain, Al-Kaida's next target will probably be Italy, "Troud"
    writes referring to a video cassette, seized by the police in
    Madrid. The tape showed a man saying that the terrorists' next targets
    will be Italy, Great Britain, Japan and other US allies in the war in
    Iraq. "Bulgaria was not mentioned among the future targets," "24
    Chassa" writes. "Al Kaida claimed the responsibility for the Madrid
    bombings ," says "Bulgarska Armiya".

    * * *

    The body retrieved from the sunken ship Hera has not been identified
    yet, "Troud" writes. The Cambodian-flagged vessel sank in a storm off
    the Bosphorus on February 13. Its 19 crew included 17
    Bulgarians. "Some of Hera's seamen will remain at the bottom of the
    sea forever, "Troud" writes. The identification procedure will be held
    Monday or Tuesday at the latest, a representative of the Bulgarian
    Consulate in Istanbul reportedly said.

    * * *

    The Gaddafi Foundation will hold the hitherto Libyan justice minister
    for the prolonging of the trial against the Bulgarian medics and for
    other omissions and violations, the special correspondent of "Troud"
    and "24 Chassa" in Benghazi reports. Six Bulgarian health
    professionals are charged with contaminating some 400 Libyan children
    with HIV. A hearing of the case is scheduled for Monday. "Vizh" and
    "Monitor" write that the defendants' Libyan lawyer Osman Bizanti will
    not attend the March 15 hearing because he is undergoing some
    treatment in London.

    * * *

    "Money Win Over Morality," writes "Sega". The report of the interim
    municipal commission, charged with checking the Sofiiski Imoti
    company, fully justifies it, the paper writes. Sofiiski Imoti is
    allegedly even praised for alleviating the municipality by alienating
    real estates and providing compensations for owners. The report was
    drafted by Stanimir Zashev, municipal councillor of the Gergyovden-Dem
    Party-Popular Union coalition. "Sega" recalls that Sofiiski Imoti's
    most scandalous deal was the purchase of a 90-sq.m. plot in Sofia's
    posh neighbourhood, Lozenets.

    * * *

    The dismissal of Bulgarian National Television (BNT) Director Kiril
    Gotsev would be an extreme measure, says Electronic Media Council
    member Stefan Dimitrov before "Sega". Gotsev is accused of signing a
    deal, that is detrimental to BNT. Asked why he has become one of
    Gotsev's strongest advocates, Dimitrov says that every structure stops
    operating efficiently upon the appointment of an acting director. Only
    the death would remove me from BNT, says Gotsev quoted by "24
    Chassa". "I am the first person in the world accused for a
    non-existing contract," he further says.

    * * *

    If the Bulgarian State Railways disburses its subsidy of some 80
    million leva earlier than planned, all discounts for pensioners and
    students will be removed. "Sega" writes this referring to Deputy
    Transport Minister Nikola Yankov. The paper recalls that as of 2003
    the discounts for these two groups of the population were reduced from
    50 to 30 per cent.

    FOREIGN POLICY

    The dailies report on the departure of Foreign Minister Solomon Passy
    on a tour of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan in his capacity as
    Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
    Europe (OSCE). Passy left for the Caucasian region regardless of the
    tension, writes "Troud". "24 Chassa" quotes Bulgaria's top diplomat as
    saying that he is aware of the risks. Passy joins the dialogue for
    peace in the Caucasus, "Pari" writes.
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