ARCHIVE - 18 January 2012

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Business

Bulgaria Courts Port Hamburg, Munich Airport as Concessionaires
Bulgaria to Start Paying Back Debt for Siemens Desiro Electric Trains
World Bank: Brace Up for Crisis Worse than GFC
Major Bulgarian TPP to Switch to Brown Coal over Mining Strike
Bulgaria Pressured to Invest in Green Energy - PM
Strike at Bulgaria's Maritsa Iztok Mines Enters Day 4
Bulgaria Scraps Full Ban on Shale Gas Exploration,Extraction
US Ambassador to Bulgaria: Do You Really Want to Chase Away Chevron?
Bulgaria MPs to Vote Ban on Hydrofracking Technology

Politics

WikiLeaks: Bulgaria's Chief Mufti Is Credible Voice
Borisov: Sleep Calm, Germany, Bulgaria Guards Your Borders
Orban Tells EU Not to Worry about Hungary's 'Renewal' Issues
Belgium Accuses Bulgaria, Romania of Undercutting Its Labor Market
EU Issues Warning for Hungary over Media Freedom
Bulgarian PM Insists in Berlin on EU Benefits for Fiscal Discipline
Bulgarian PM: When Merkel Talks, I listen
Bulgarian PM Faces Libel Lawsuit over Tapegate Scandal
Bulgarian President's Approval Rating Lags Behind Successor's - Poll

Society

Bulgaria Happy to Honor St Athanasius Half Past Winter
Bulgaria Adopts Total Ban on Hydrofracking for Shale Gas in U-Turn Decision
Bulgaria's Stoichkov Makes Dream Come True for Teen Coma Survivor

Sports

Bulgaria's Pironkova 9th in Bleacher Report 'Sports Hotties' Ranking
Dimitrov Falls Short of Upsetting Almagro at Australian Open
Russian Billionaires Anzhi Said to Enter Berbatov Chase
Bulgaria's Pironkova Kicked out of Australian Open

Crime

Ex Mayor, MP Goes to Jail in Bulgaria
Bulgaria Softens Illegal Assets Crack-Down to Target 'Real Criminals'

Views on BG

WikiLeaks: Credible Voices in Bulgarian Muslim Communities

Smiles

Bulgaria's new tax policy

Quotes

Today's Quote

World

3 Independents Get Enough Signatures to Challenge Putin
Russia to Do All It Can to Prevent 'Western Attack' on Iran
RWE May Reconsider Nabucco Participation
Smoke Bomb Scare Causes White House Lockdown
Wikipedia Shuts Down to Rescue 'Free, Open Web'

Novinite Insider

Merkel as Bulgaria's Guardian Angel

Business

Bulgaria Courts Port Hamburg, Munich Airport as Concessionaires

During a visit in Berlin with PM Boyko Borisov, Bulgarian Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski has reiterated Bulgaria's hopes to get major German companies as concessionaires of transport hubs such as ports and airports.

Business | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 19:32

Bulgaria to Start Paying Back Debt for Siemens Desiro Electric Trains

Bulgaria will be paying EUR 1 M per month to settle the debt for the Siemens Desiro electric trains it bought in 2005, it emerged after a meeting between Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Business | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 17:18

World Bank: Brace Up for Crisis Worse than GFC

The World Bank has warned the whole world, but particularly emerging economies, including Bulgaria, of an imminently gloomy 2012 - lower than expected growth, recession in the euro zone and longer and deeper downturns than the last one.

Business | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 15:09

Major Bulgarian TPP to Switch to Brown Coal over Mining Strike

Bulgaria's Maritsa Iztok 2 Thermal Power Plant has conducted a successful experiment with burning brown coal from the Pernik basin.

Business » Energy | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 18:19

Bulgaria Pressured to Invest in Green Energy - PM

Bulgaria is under a huge pressure to invest in green energy, the country's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov stated during his visit to Germany.

Business » Energy | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 12:56

Strike at Bulgaria's Maritsa Iztok Mines Enters Day 4

The strike at Maritsa Iztok Mines AD has so far brought losses of BGN 4 M for the company, according to Evgeni Stoykov executive director of the state-owned coal mining company.

Business » Energy | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 12:38

Bulgaria Scraps Full Ban on Shale Gas Exploration,Extraction

Bulgaria's Parliament did not support the bill proposed by the left-wing Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) that envisioned a full ban on the exploration and extraction in the country.

Business » Energy | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 12:04

US Ambassador to Bulgaria: Do You Really Want to Chase Away Chevron?

Bulgaria should think twice before expelling US energy giant Chevron from its territory, American Ambassador to Bulgaria James Warlick has stated.

Business » Energy | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 10:21

Bulgaria MPs to Vote Ban on Hydrofracking Technology

Bulgaria's parliament will vote on Wednesday the proposed ban on the use of hydrofracking technology in the extraction and exploration of gas and oil in Bulgaria.

Business » Energy | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 09:14

Politics

WikiLeaks: Bulgaria's Chief Mufti Is Credible Voice

Bulgaria's Chief Mufti, Mustafa Hadzhi, who was exposed one day earlier as an agent of the former Communist State Security, DS, was seen by the American Embassy in Sofia as a "credible voice among the Muslim community.

Politics » Diplomacy | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 12:07

Borisov: Sleep Calm, Germany, Bulgaria Guards Your Borders

The Bulgarian-Turkish border is the best protected external EU border, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has told German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin.

Politics » Bulgaria in EU | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 18:07

Orban Tells EU Not to Worry about Hungary's 'Renewal' Issues

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has reacted to EU criticism of his government's controversial legislative and executive moves by seeking to assuage concerns before the European Parliament.

Politics » Bulgaria in EU | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 17:42

Belgium Accuses Bulgaria, Romania of Undercutting Its Labor Market

Bulgarians and Romanians are ready to work for very low wages in Belgium, thus undercutting the local labor market, according to Belgian State Secretary for Repression of Fiscal and Social Fraud John Crombez.

Politics » Bulgaria in EU | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 16:17

EU Issues Warning for Hungary over Media Freedom

The European Union has warned Hungary over its media freedom, adding to mounting international pressure over controversial Hungarian legislation changes and practices.

Politics » Bulgaria in EU | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 15:30

Bulgarian PM Insists in Berlin on EU Benefits for Fiscal Discipline

The EU does not stimulate in any way the fiscally responsible countries such as Bulgaria, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov complained before German businesspeople at a meeting with the German Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations.

Politics » Bulgaria in EU | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 14:58

Bulgarian PM: When Merkel Talks, I listen

Bulgaria will seek support from Germany for decreasing the percentage of its national co-financing of EU fund projects from 20% to 5%, Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has revealed.

Politics » Bulgaria in EU | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 09:48

Bulgarian PM Faces Libel Lawsuit over Tapegate Scandal

Journalist Yavor Dachkov has said he plans to file a lawsuit for libel against Prime Minister Boyko Borisov by the end of the week.

Politics » Domestic | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 16:01

Bulgarian President's Approval Rating Lags Behind Successor's - Poll

Bulgaria's outgoing President Georgi Parvanov has an approval rating of 45% at the end of his second and last term in office, according to a poll conducted by the National Center for Study of Public Opinion (NZIOM).

Politics » Domestic | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 13:54

Society

Bulgaria Happy to Honor St Athanasius Half Past Winter

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church celebrates on January 18 the Day of Saint Athanasius (Atanasovden), who is the ruler of snow and ice. The holiday is said to mark the middle of winter.

Society | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 08:51

Bulgaria Adopts Total Ban on Hydrofracking for Shale Gas in U-Turn Decision

Bulgaria's Parliament has voted overwhelmingly in favor of banning the controversial technology of hydraulic fracking (hydrofracking) for shale gas exploration and extraction.

Society » Environment | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 15:23

Bulgaria's Stoichkov Makes Dream Come True for Teen Coma Survivor

Hristo Stoichkov, Bulgaria's most internationally renowned football player, made the dreams of a very sick boy come true on Wednesday, when he surprised 13-year-old Tanyo in hospital, just weeks after his liver transplantation.

Society » Health | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 14:05

Sports

Bulgaria's Pironkova 9th in Bleacher Report 'Sports Hotties' Ranking

Bulgarian tennis star Tsvetana Pironkova has been ranked 9th among "The 25 Most Photogenic Sports Hotties" by The Bleacher Report.

Sports | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 15:11

Dimitrov Falls Short of Upsetting Almagro at Australian Open

Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov, world No.

Sports | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 14:39

Russian Billionaires Anzhi Said to Enter Berbatov Chase

Vastly rich Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala have been the latest bidders linked with Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov.

Sports | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 11:18

Bulgaria's Pironkova Kicked out of Australian Open

Bulgaria's highest-ranked female tennis player Tsvetana Pironkova lost to Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan on Wednesday and failed to get past the second round at the Australian Open Grand Slam tournament.

Sports | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 08:27

Crime

Ex Mayor, MP Goes to Jail in Bulgaria

A 3.5-year jail sentence of Fidel Beev, former Mayor of the town of Velingrad and ex Member of Parliament from the ethnic Turkish party DPS, has been confirmed by the Bulgarian Supreme Court of Cassation.

Crime | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 20:21

Bulgaria Softens Illegal Assets Crack-Down to Target 'Real Criminals'

Bulgarian authorities are likely to have the right to launch probes and seize following an indictment unexplained wealth, worth more than BGN 250,000, which has been acquired over the last ten years.

Crime | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 07:42

Views on BG

WikiLeaks: Credible Voices in Bulgarian Muslim Communities

The following cable was released by WikiLeaks and their official Bulgarian partner, the site for investigative journalism Bivol.bg.

Views on BG | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 12:00

Smiles

Bulgaria's new tax policy

Bulgaria's finance ministry has proposed a brand new tax return form.

Smiles | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 14:31

Quotes

Today's Quote

"That's why you can sleep calm!"

Quotes | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 22:41

World

3 Independents Get Enough Signatures to Challenge Putin

Three independent candidates – including billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, veteran liberal Grigory Yavlinsky and Irkutsk Governor Dmitry Mezentsev – have collected enough signatures to run against Vladimir Putin for the Russian Presidency.

World | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 18:33

Russia to Do All It Can to Prevent 'Western Attack' on Iran

An "attack on Iran by Western powers" could cause an unpredictable "chain reaction" throughout the region, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned.

World | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 16:08

RWE May Reconsider Nabucco Participation

RWE AG may pull out of the Nabucco gas pipeline project aimed at carrying natural gas from the Caspian region to central Europe via Turkey, according to the German utility's chief executive.

World | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 14:02

Smoke Bomb Scare Causes White House Lockdown

A suspected smoke bomb tossed over the fence of the White House caused a temporary lockdown of the compound late on Tuesday, as hundreds of Occupy protesters had gathered outside the gates.

World | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 10:49

Wikipedia Shuts Down to Rescue 'Free, Open Web'

Wikipedia has shut down its English-language site as part of protests against proposed anti-piracy laws in the US, which it has described as 'devastating to the free and open web'.

World | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 07:17

Novinite Insider

Merkel as Bulgaria's Guardian Angel

"When the Chancellor speaks, I listen," Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov declared ahead of meeting with Angela Merkel in Germany.

Novinite Insider » Editorial | January 18, 2012, Wednesday // 11:42
Bulgaria news Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) is unique with being a real time news provider in English that informs its readers about the latest Bulgarian news. The editorial staff also publishes a daily online newspaper "Sofia Morning News." Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) and Sofia Morning News publish the latest economic, political and cultural news that take place in Bulgaria. Foreign media analysis on Bulgaria and World News in Brief are also part of the web site and the online newspaper. News Bulgaria