ARCHIVE - 22 February 2012

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Business

Bulgarian Probe with Final Tally of 12 Unsafe Dams
Trucks Congest Danube Bridge on Bulgarian-Romanian Border
Fitch Downgrades Greece, Investors Nervous
Spain Faces High Budget Deficit, Pleads for EU Mercy
Croatia, Cyprus Up VAT to Combat Crisis
Russians Already Building Reactor Vessel for Bulgaria’s Belene NPP
OMV, Exxon Stumble Upon Huge Gas Find in Romania
Norwegian Tourists Complain of 'Too Many Bulgarians in Bulgaria'

Politics

Bulgaria Worried, Says Romania Is Blocking Its Trucks
EC Gives Green Light to Bulgaria's Maritsa Hwy
ACTA Now Suspended in Austria, Too
Dutch Govt Should Condemn Xenophobic Site - Council of Europe
Controversial ACTA Goes to European Court of Justice
Many of Bulgaria's Children in Institutions Live in Substandard Conditions - CE Commissioner
Bonus Scandal Emerges at Bulgarian Agriculture Bodies
Bulgaria MPs Swallow the Bitter Pill of Frozen Pay
No Bonuses in My Ministry, Bulgarian Top Cop Says
Embattled Sopharma Head Said to Eye Bulgaria's PM Office
Bulgarian Left: Ministers' Heads Must Roll over Reshuffles
Deputy Takes over Bulgaria's Child Protection Agency
Bulgarian MPs Back Sacking of Notorious Health Fund Chief
Bulgarian Finance Minister Speaks Up For Discredited Healthcare Officials
Ex Bulgarian Irrigation Head: Legal Troubles Are Youth's Fault

Society

Bulgarians Warned of 'Deadly' Icicles
Bulgarian-born Christo Postpones US Colorado River Project
Bulgaria's Health Insurance Fund Chief Says Bonus Was Legitimate
Bulgarian Health Minister to Demand Drug Pricing Audit

Sports

Strandzha Boxing Tournament Kicks off in Bulgaria

Crime

Costly Equipment Stolen from Insolvent Brewery in Northern Bulgaria
Notorious Bulgarian Lobbyist Gets Suspended Sentence
1995 Cases Clog Sofia City Court
Bulgarian Mastermind of ATM Scams Sentenced to 41 Months in US Prison

Lifestyle

'Ice Queen' Asdis Ran Dumped by Husband - Report

Quotes

Today's Quote

World

Derailed Train Claims at Least 49 Lives in Argentina
2 Prominent Western Journalists Killed in Syria

Novinite Insider

Pontius Pilate BG Style

Business

Bulgarian Probe with Final Tally of 12 Unsafe Dams

Twelve from a total of 607 dams in Bulgaria are unsafe, according to the Minister of Economy and Energy, Traicho Traikov.

Business | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 14:42

Trucks Congest Danube Bridge on Bulgarian-Romanian Border

An 8-kilometer long line of freight trucks had formed Wednesday morning on the Danube Bridge connecting Bulgaria and Romania.

Business | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 11:19

Fitch Downgrades Greece, Investors Nervous

Fitch rating agency has expectedly downgraded Greece's long-term ratings to its lowest rating above a default, the first of a serious of cuts the country can expect after the bond exchange plan to ease its massive debt.

Business » Finance | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 18:50

Spain Faces High Budget Deficit, Pleads for EU Mercy

Spain plans to ask the European Union to allow its 2012 budget deficit to exceed 5% of gross domestic product, well above the limit of 3% of the GDP permitted by EU rules, the online edition of El Pais reported.

Business » Finance | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 18:34

Croatia, Cyprus Up VAT to Combat Crisis

Croatia and Cyprus are about to increase their value added tax as the beginning of next month in a bid to cope with the crisis and rake in more revenues in the budget.

Business » Finance | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 12:28

Russians Already Building Reactor Vessel for Bulgaria’s Belene NPP

Russia's Izhorskiye Zavody, part of OMZ Group, has launched check assemble of the reactor vessel VVER-1000 for the first energy unit at Bulgaria's Belene NPP, even though Bulgaria is yet to say officially whether it wants the power plant.

Business » Energy | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 19:45

OMV, Exxon Stumble Upon Huge Gas Find in Romania

ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Romania Ltd. and OMV Petrom SA have made a potentially significant gas discovery in the Black Sea, offshore of Romania.

Business » Energy | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 16:33

Norwegian Tourists Complain of 'Too Many Bulgarians in Bulgaria'

A Norwegian family on vacation to Bulgaria has complained that too many Bulgarians and other Eastern Europeans are staying in their hotel.

Business » Tourism | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 18:34

Politics

Bulgaria Worried, Says Romania Is Blocking Its Trucks

Bulgaria's Foreign Ministry has expressed its concern with the difficulties Bulgarian trucks have been experiencing in Romania that have led to queues of vehicles at the two countries' border cross points with each other.

Politics » Diplomacy | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 20:29

EC Gives Green Light to Bulgaria's Maritsa Hwy

The EU Commissioner on Regional Policy, Johannes Hahn, signed Wednesday the EC approval of Bulgaria's application form for co-financing of the construction of the Maritsa highway.

Politics » Bulgaria in EU | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 18:04

ACTA Now Suspended in Austria, Too

Austria has halted its ratification of the controversial ACTA agreement until the European parliament has ruled on it, the country's Interior Ministry has announced.

Politics » Bulgaria in EU | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 17:18

Dutch Govt Should Condemn Xenophobic Site - Council of Europe

The Council of Europe has demanded that the Dutch government distance itself from the notorious anti-immigration website created by the far-right PVV party of Geert Wilders.

Politics » Bulgaria in EU | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 16:03

Controversial ACTA Goes to European Court of Justice

The European Court of Justice, EU's highest court, has been asked to determine the validity of the controversial ACTA agreement, EU Trade Commissioner Karel de Gucht has announced.

Politics » Bulgaria in EU | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 15:27

Many of Bulgaria's Children in Institutions Live in Substandard Conditions - CE Commissioner

Thomas Hammarberg, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, has warned that the conditions of children living in institutions and the protection of minorities continue to be a cause for concern in Bulgaria.

Politics » Bulgaria in EU | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 14:07

Bonus Scandal Emerges at Bulgarian Agriculture Bodies

The Bulgarian State Fund Agriculture has distributed BGN 1 M in bonuses to employees while BGN 800 000 have been given to those working for the Agriculture Ministry.

Politics » Domestic | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 17:35

Bulgaria MPs Swallow the Bitter Pill of Frozen Pay

Bulgaria's members of parliament have agreed, though reluctantly, to extend the freeze on their salaries that expired at the beginning of 2012.

Politics » Domestic | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 15:49

No Bonuses in My Ministry, Bulgarian Top Cop Says

No bonuses have been distributed among the employees of Bulgaria's Interior Ministry, according to the country's Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov.

Politics » Domestic | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 14:41

Embattled Sopharma Head Said to Eye Bulgaria's PM Office

The boss of pharmaceutical company Sopharma, an alleged monopolist on the Bulgarian market, is aspiring to become one day the country's prime minister, according to local journalists.

Politics » Domestic | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 14:04

Bulgarian Left: Ministers' Heads Must Roll over Reshuffles

Bulgaria's left-wing Coalition for Bulgaria demands the resignations of Health Minister, Stefan Konstantinov, and of Agriculture Minister, Miroslav Naydenov over the "staff policy failure of the ruling GERB."

Politics » Domestic | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 13:56

Deputy Takes over Bulgaria's Child Protection Agency

Bulgaria's government has accepted the resignation of the head of the Child Protection Agency and appointed her deputy to take over the post.

Politics » Domestic | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 13:12

Bulgarian MPs Back Sacking of Notorious Health Fund Chief

The Members of the Bulgarian Parliament accepted Wednesday the resignation of the discredited Bulgarian National Health Insurance Fund (NZOK) Director, Neli Nesheva.

Politics » Domestic | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 12:47

Bulgarian Finance Minister Speaks Up For Discredited Healthcare Officials

Finance Minister Simeon Djankov has defended the scandal embroiled Director of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and the Deputy Health Minister by saying that both had been good at their jobs but had fallen prey to political populism.

Politics » Domestic | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 12:37

Ex Bulgarian Irrigation Head: Legal Troubles Are Youth's Fault

I never falsified my criminal record; it is real, claims the former Chairman of the Board of Directors of "Irrigation Systems" Georgi Harizanov.

Politics » Domestic | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 10:53

Society

Bulgarians Warned of 'Deadly' Icicles

The Sofia City Hall reminded Wednesday that cleaning of snow and icicles from buildings is the duty of their owners and warned of steep fines for those who fail to do so.

Society | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 18:31

Bulgarian-born Christo Postpones US Colorado River Project

Famous Bulgarian-born artist Chirsto (Hristo Yavashev) announces that he is postponing for the summer of 2015 his Colorado "Over the River" project.

Society » Culture | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 12:14

Bulgaria's Health Insurance Fund Chief Says Bonus Was Legitimate

Neli Nesheva, the Director of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), has termed the decision to file her resignation as an act of political responsibility aimed at reducing social tension created recently on the issue of additional financial incentive

Society » Health | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 10:39

Bulgarian Health Minister to Demand Drug Pricing Audit

Health Minister Stefan Konstantinov is expected to demand an audit of prices of pharmaceuticals in Bulgaria on Wednesday.

Society » Health | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 08:43

Sports

Strandzha Boxing Tournament Kicks off in Bulgaria

One hundred sixty-four competitors from thirty countries will take part in the Bulgarian edition of the Strandzha Tournament, which starts on Wednesday.

Sports | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 14:46

Crime

Costly Equipment Stolen from Insolvent Brewery in Northern Bulgaria

Equipment worth approximately BGN 60 000 has been stolen from the currently non-operational Ledenika & MM brewery in the northwestern Bulgarian town of Mezdra.

Crime | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 15:10

Notorious Bulgarian Lobbyist Gets Suspended Sentence

Notorious Bulgarian businessman and alleged court lobbyist Krasimir Georgiev, aka Krasio the Black, was punished by a 2-year suspended sentence.

Crime | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 13:21

1995 Cases Clog Sofia City Court

Cases filed in 2004-2006 for crimes committed in 1995-1997 are still dragging on and clogging the Sofia City Court.

Crime | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 10:03

Bulgarian Mastermind of ATM Scams Sentenced to 41 Months in US Prison

Dimitar Dimitrov, a 59-year-old Bulgarian citizen residing in the United States, has been sentenced to 41 months of imprisonment for ATM scams.

Crime | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 09:31

Lifestyle

'Ice Queen' Asdis Ran Dumped by Husband - Report

Asdis Ran, aka the "Ice Queen", a popular Icelandic model, has been dumped by her husband, according to the Bulgarian "Bliasak" tabloid.

Lifestyle | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 20:24

Quotes

Today's Quote

"I know that the Bulgarian people will be most happy if they witness the following scene, worthy of featuring in Federico Fellini's movie "Amarcord".

Quotes | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 17:34

World

Derailed Train Claims at Least 49 Lives in Argentina

A suburban train derailed in central Buenos Aires, killing at least 49 people and injuring more than 600, authorities have informed.

World | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 19:10

2 Prominent Western Journalists Killed in Syria

American Sunday Times reporter Marie Colvin and award-winning French photographer Remi Ochlik have died in the Syrian city of Homs.

World | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 17:43

Novinite Insider

Pontius Pilate BG Style

Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov knows he should be more than careful in his staff policy, which has often been a washout with dire consequences.

Novinite Insider » Editorial | February 22, 2012, Wednesday // 19:22
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