ARCHIVE - 29 March 2012

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Business

Bulgaria to Have 1 600 km of Highways by 2020 - Govt
Bulgaria's President Gets Lost in Infrastructure Dreams
SMEs Generate 90% of Employment in Bulgaria – NGO
Bulgaria's Rubin Buys Serbian Glass Plant
Bulgarian Ex-President Pines for Belene NPP Project
Russia to Insist on Building Bulgaria's Killed Belene NPP
Bulgaria Officially Tells Russia It Scrapped Belene NPP
Bulgarian Parliament Seals Death of Belene NPP Project
Bulgaria to Face Penalties Exceeding USD 58 M over Belene NPP Suspension
Romania Gives Green Light to Chevron Shale Gas Exploration
Most Bulgarians Want Abandoned NPP - Poll
Bulgarian PM: Thank Three-Way Coalition Govt for Belene NPP Cancellation!
Socialist: US Forced Bulgaria Govt to Quit Second N-Plant
Bulgaria Fired Minister: Bravo for Belene, Too Early to Party
Bulgaria Sends Minister to Russia after Scrapping Belene NPP

Politics

Bulgarian President to Head to Italy on 1st Official Visit Abroad
MEPs Urge All EU Members to Recognize Kosovo
EP Lauds Serbia, Montenegro's EU Accession Progress
MEPs Urge 'Fresh Impetus' for Turkey's EU Integration
Ex Tsar Saxe-Coburg Goes to Brussels 'for Bulgaria's Good'
Commissioner Andor Joins Disabled People Forum in Bulgaria
Bulgaria's Health Insurance Fund Convicted of Abuse of Dominant Position
Sofia to Phase Out 300 Illegal Base Stations of Mobile Operators
Stray Dogs nearly Eat Man in Sofia, Mayor Parrots 'Castration' Promises
Bulgarian Parliament Moves to Cap Enforcement Agent Fees

Society

Hungary Steps Up Calls for President Resignation over 'Bulgarian' Plagiarism
Novinite.com (SNA) Launches Flash News Service
Bulgarian Priest Insists Patriarch Maxim Was Communist Spy
Notorious MP Appointed to Head Bulgaria's National Health Fund

Sports

Bulgaria's Dimitrov Out of Miami after Dream Run

Crime

Bulgaria's Ex Health Minister Acquitted in 'Flu Shots' Trial

Views on BG

Bulgaria's Dimitrov Hopes Serena Rumors Will Not Hit Rise

World

Italy Seizes EUR 1.1 B of Gaddafi Assets
BRICS Demand Greater Role in Global Finances, Shield Syria, Iran
Spain Paralyzed by General Strike
France: Merah's Father Has Right to Sue State, but Act Vulgar
Toulouse Gunman's Father 'to Sue France'

Novinite Insider

A Reality Check for Bulgaria's President
Father Popov: Senior Bulgarian Orthodox Clergy Are Thugs in Cassocks with Communist Ties

Business

Bulgaria to Have 1 600 km of Highways by 2020 - Govt

Bulgaria will boast some 1 600 km of highways and "high-speed roads", Bulgarian Minister of Regional Development Lilyana Pavlova promised.

Business | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 19:56

Bulgaria's President Gets Lost in Infrastructure Dreams

Bulgaria's President Rosen Plevneliev has painted a rather dreamy picture of the Bulgarian infrastructure in 2020 while speaking at 7th annual "Strategic Infrastructure Bulgaria" conference in Sofia.

Business | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 15:30

SMEs Generate 90% of Employment in Bulgaria – NGO

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) create 90% of the employment in Bulgaria, according to Svetla Kostadinova, CEO of the Institute for Market Economy (IME).

Business | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 15:23

Bulgaria's Rubin Buys Serbian Glass Plant

Bulgarian glassmaker Rubin has acquired a 63.6% stake in Srpska Fabrika Stakla, owned by Serbian state-owned gas monopoly Srbijagas. The price of the deal is EUR 35 M.

Business | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 07:42

Bulgarian Ex-President Pines for Belene NPP Project

Bulgaria's former President Georgi Parvanov (2002-2012) has expressed his deep disappointment with the fact that his country abandoned the Belene Nuclear Power Plant project.

Business » Energy | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 19:49

Russia to Insist on Building Bulgaria's Killed Belene NPP

Russia is set to insist that the Bulgarian state honor the contract for the construction of the Belene Nuclear Power Plant, according to the Russian energy minister, even though Bulgaria's Borisov Cabinet killed the project.

Business » Energy | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 18:07

Bulgaria Officially Tells Russia It Scrapped Belene NPP

Bulgaria has sent a note to Russia asking it to launch negotiations on the cancellation of the two countries' Belene nuclear power plant project that was to be built in Bulgaria, according to a report.

Business » Energy | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 17:18

Bulgarian Parliament Seals Death of Belene NPP Project

Bulgaria's Parliament has adopted a decision to terminate the construction of the 2000 MW Belene nuclear power plant, a project conceived back in the 1980s.

Business » Energy | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 14:48

Bulgaria to Face Penalties Exceeding USD 58 M over Belene NPP Suspension

Bulgaria faces penalties amounting to way over USD 58 M over the cancellation of the Belene NPP project, Russian media warn.

Business » Energy | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 14:26

Romania Gives Green Light to Chevron Shale Gas Exploration

Romania has granted US energy giant Chevron permission to to explore and exploit shale gas in three coastal perimeters - Vama Veche, Adamclisi and Costinesti.

Business » Energy | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 14:26

Most Bulgarians Want Abandoned NPP - Poll

More than half of the people in Bulgaria support the construction of the Belene nuclear power plant, which has just been abandoned by the Borisov Cabinet, a poll shows.

Business » Energy | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 13:00

Bulgarian PM: Thank Three-Way Coalition Govt for Belene NPP Cancellation!

Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has attributed the collapse of the Belene NPP project to the previous three-way coalition government.

Business » Energy | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 12:16

Socialist: US Forced Bulgaria Govt to Quit Second N-Plant

The decision to scrap plans to build Belene nuclear power plant is a catastrophic mistake, taken under US pressure, and dooms Bulgaria's only technology sector to slow death, a socialist has fumed.

Business » Energy | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 12:05

Bulgaria Fired Minister: Bravo for Belene, Too Early to Party

Bulgaria's decision to abandon plans to build Belene nuclear power plant is the best one, the former energy and economy minister has said, adding also a word of caution.

Business » Energy | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 10:20

Bulgaria Sends Minister to Russia after Scrapping Belene NPP

Bulgaria's economy and energy minister will travel to Moscow on Thursday, a day after the government decided to abandon plans to build Belene nuclear power plant on the Danube River.

Business » Energy | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 08:52

Politics

Bulgarian President to Head to Italy on 1st Official Visit Abroad

Bulgaria's President Rosen Plevneliev will visit Italy on March 30 on the invitation of his Italian counterpart Giorgio Napolitano.

Politics » Diplomacy | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 18:21

MEPs Urge All EU Members to Recognize Kosovo

The European Parliament has urged the five EU Member States that have yet to recognize Kosovo's independence to do so.

Politics » Bulgaria in EU | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 16:51

EP Lauds Serbia, Montenegro's EU Accession Progress

The European Parliament has praised Serbia and Montenegro for their progress towards EU accession during Thursday's plenary session on EU enlargement.

Politics » Bulgaria in EU | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 16:15

MEPs Urge 'Fresh Impetus' for Turkey's EU Integration

EU-Turkey relations need fresh impetus, but will get it only if Turkey makes more progress on reform, said the Members of the European Parliament in a resolution, voted on Thursday.

Politics » Bulgaria in EU | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 16:03

Ex Tsar Saxe-Coburg Goes to Brussels 'for Bulgaria's Good'

Bulgarian ex Tsar and ex Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg is on a visit to Brussels on high-profile meetings for "Bulgaria's good", in his own words.

Politics » Bulgaria in EU | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 14:28

Commissioner Andor Joins Disabled People Forum in Bulgaria

The European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, Laszlo Andor, will pay a visit to Bulgaria on Thursday.

Politics » Bulgaria in EU | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 11:01

Bulgaria's Health Insurance Fund Convicted of Abuse of Dominant Position

The Supreme Administrative Court (VAS) has confirmed the abuse of dominant position by the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), according to a Thursday statement of the Commission on Protection of Competition (KZK).

Politics » Domestic | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 17:45

Sofia to Phase Out 300 Illegal Base Stations of Mobile Operators

Some 300 illegal base stations of mobile operators in Sofia will be phased out.

Politics » Domestic | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 16:35

Stray Dogs nearly Eat Man in Sofia, Mayor Parrots 'Castration' Promises

Yordanka Fandakova, Mayor of Bulgaria's capital Sofia, has once again promised that measures will be taken to deal with the city's grave stray dogs problem.

Politics » Domestic | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 15:48

Bulgarian Parliament Moves to Cap Enforcement Agent Fees

The fees charged by private enforcement agents (PEAs) will be capped, most probably at 10% of the amount of the debt, according to legal amendments passed at first reading in Parliament on Wednesday.

Politics » Domestic | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 13:03

Society

Hungary Steps Up Calls for President Resignation over 'Bulgarian' Plagiarism

Hungarian President Pal Schmitt is under an increasing pressure to resign, even though he was formally cleared of plagiarizing his 1992 doctoral dissertation.

Society | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 15:09

Novinite.com (SNA) Launches Flash News Service

The largest Bulgarian English-language media Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) is pleased to announce to its readers from around the world the launch of its Flash News service.

Society | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 13:18

Bulgarian Priest Insists Patriarch Maxim Was Communist Spy

The Communist State Security file of Bulgarian Patriarch Maxim was hidden or destroyed, when the regime decided that he will become Patriarch or when he became such, according to Father Lyubomir Popov.

Society | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 12:10

Notorious MP Appointed to Head Bulgaria's National Health Fund

Bulgarian ruling GERB party MP Plamen Tsekov has been expectedly selected by the parliament to become the next head of Bulgaria's National Health Insurance Fund.

Society » Health | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 16:17

Sports

Bulgaria's Dimitrov Out of Miami after Dream Run

The participation of Bulgaria's best tennis player Grigor Dimitrov at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami has come to an end after a defeat by Janko Tipsarevic.

Sports | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 07:39

Crime

Bulgaria's Ex Health Minister Acquitted in 'Flu Shots' Trial

Bulgaria's ex Health Minister Bozhidar Nanev has been acquitted of charges for inflicting damages for the Health Ministry.

Crime | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 15:38

Views on BG

Bulgaria's Dimitrov Hopes Serena Rumors Will Not Hit Rise

Grigor Dimitrov always expected to hit the headlines one day, but what he never expected was that the majority of interest would surround not his career, but his private life.

Views on BG | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 08:42

World

Italy Seizes EUR 1.1 B of Gaddafi Assets

A total of EUR 1.1 B of assets belonging to family members of Libya's late strongman Muammar Gaddafi have been seized by Italy's tax police.

World | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 20:34

BRICS Demand Greater Role in Global Finances, Shield Syria, Iran

The BRICS nations – Brazil, Russia, China, India, and South Africa – have declared their wish for a greater role in global affairs, including the global financial system, at a summit in New Delhi.

World | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 13:35

Spain Paralyzed by General Strike

Spanish unions are holding a general strike on Thursday to protest against new legislation which makes it easier and cheaper for companies to fire employees.

World | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 11:44

France: Merah's Father Has Right to Sue State, but Act Vulgar

The father of Toulouse gunman is perfectly within his rights to sue France, but such an act would be the height of indecency, French politicians have said.

World | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 08:11

Toulouse Gunman's Father 'to Sue France'

The father of Toulouse gunman Mohamed Merah has hired an Algerian lawyer to sue French special police over his son's death, French media report.

World | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 07:08

Novinite Insider

A Reality Check for Bulgaria's President

Bulgaria's Presidents have enjoyed high approval ratings most of the time, mainly due to the fact that heads of state in the country have largely, though not entirely, representative and ceremonial functions.

Novinite Insider » Editorial | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 17:14

Father Popov: Senior Bulgarian Orthodox Clergy Are Thugs in Cassocks with Communist Ties

Father Lyubomir Popov is an Orthodox priest in Bulgaria's Black Sea City of Varna.

Novinite Insider » Interview | March 29, 2012, Thursday // 11:54
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