http://www.novinite.com/ Real time news provider in English that informs its readers about the latest Bulgarian news - economic, political and cultural, foreign media analysis on Bulgaria and world news. en 2001-2012 Novinite Ltd. http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136348 136348 World Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:17:22 +0200 Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk has yielded to mass protests, announcing Friday that his government would put on hold plans to ratify ACTA, the controversial international online anti-piracy accord. "I consider that the arguments for a halt to the ratification process are justified," Donald Tusk told reporters, as cited by international media. "The issue of signing of the ACTA accord did not involve sufficient consultation with everyone who is part of the process," Tusk said, adding that he would hold broad talks on what to do next. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136347 136347 Domestic Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:23:21 +0200 Sofia City Court Chair Vladimira Yaneva will be invited to a meeting of the Bulgarian Parliamentary Subcommittee for Special Surveillance Devices Control next week to elaborate on her strategy for reducing the number of wiretap permits through maximum duration applications. "Next week we shall invite Yaneva to a meeting at the Subcommittee to brief us on some issues of special surveillance devices (SRS)," socialist MP and rotating chair of the unit Mihail Mikov said on Friday, as cited by news portal Mediapool. On Thursday it emerged that Yaneva had advised Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov and Konstantin Kazakov, head of the State Agency for Natonal Security (DANS) to make use of the maximum surveillance period of 2 months in applications to the court so as to deflate statistics. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136346 136346 Crime Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:09:12 +0200 The Sofia District Court ruled Friday to keep in permanent detention Stefan Klenovski on grounds he presented a fake ID during his arrest and can attempt to hide. The ID card he presented had his picture, but the name was listed as Yordan Klenovski while the real owner had been a third person. The magistrates further pointed out that during an arrest attempt in September 30, the man fled from the three policemen, abandoning his minor child. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136345 136345 Diplomacy Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:39:49 +0200 Downtown Sofia will be closed for all traffic after 11 am on Sunday, February 5, for the 5-hour visit of the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Parking in downtown will be banned since 7 am on the same morning. Clinton is expected to land at Sofia airport around 12 pm and then meet with Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, and President, Rosen Plevneliev.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136344 136344 Energy Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:07:24 +0200 Lower Austria fully supports the advancing of the "Gorna Arda" hydro power plant project, says the province's Governor, Edwin Proll. Proll spoke after his Friday meeting in Sofia with the new Bulgarian President, Rosen Pleveneliev. Plevneliev stated that the project is of prime importance to Bulgaria and the investment is crucial, especially in time of crisis and in an underdeveloped region of the country. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136343 136343 Business Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:03:48 +0200 Urgent donation campaigns will be held in four Bulgarian cities to help homeless people and hobos weather the freezing winter weather. People are invited to bring warm clothes, hats, scarves, mittens, shoes, blankets, or anything else they consider useful to the designated spots in Sofia, Veliko Tarnovo, Varna and Plovdiv on Saturday between 12 at noon and 3 p.m. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136342 136342 Crime Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:25:48 +0200 Fifteen automobiles, left unattended for minutes by owners, with running engines and unlocked doors, have been stolen in the Bulgarian capital Sofia in the first three days of February. The news was reported Friday by the Head of the anti-Car Theft Unit at the Sofia Directorate of the Interior, Dimitar Mashov, cited by the Bulgarian National Radio, BNR. Most of the stolen vehicles are luxury SUVs, with three of them disappearing in the last 24 hours. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136341 136341 World Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:58:35 +0200 Montenegro will be connected to the South Stream gas pipeline, Russian energy giant Gazprom said on Friday. "The parties have discussed technical opportunities to join Montenegro to the South Stream project, after the country showed it was interested at the end of last year. We have decided to work out a feasibility study to build a gas pipeline bend to Montenegro," Gazprom said in a statement, as cited by RIA Novosti. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136340 136340 Domestic Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:49:05 +0200 A number of Members of the Bulgarian Parliament protested Thursday and Friday against the singing of the controversial international ACTA agreement. On the initiative of the blog "Open Parliament" and following the example of their colleagues from the Polish Parliament, they agreed to wear the mask of Guy Fawkes, symbol of the global protest against ACTA, and to have their picture taken with it. The MPs say they support copyright laws, but oppose ACTA over its possible turning into an instrument to limit freedom of speech, to control internet use, and to turn into an obstacle for the exchange of information and knowledge online. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136339 136339 World Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:28:15 +0200 German Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere said Friday that he did not expect a drawdown of NATO peacekeepers in Kosovo any time soon, given the "difficult" situation in the Balkan country. De Maiziere spoke to reporters ahead of a meeting with fellow NATO defense ministers at the military alliance's headquarters in Brussels, as cited by DPA. The meeting was also expected to tackle NATO's Afghanistan mission amid growing speculation about its withdrawal plans. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136338 136338 Energy Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:09:23 +0200 Russian gas supplies to Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey and Macedonia have been reduced by 1/3, according to Kiril Temelkov, CEO of Bulgaria's state-owned gas transmission operator Bulgartransgaz. "At present, gas supplies for Bulgaria, as well as volumes of gas exported for Greece, Turkey and Macedonia, have been slashed by over 30%," Temelkov said in an interview on Friday. Bulgartransgaz' CEO explained that Bulgaria was using its own reserves to make up for the gas supply restriction amid the severe winter weather. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136337 136337 Business Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:46:19 +0200 A total of 1.672 million people, or 33.7% of all Bulgarians aged between 15 and 64, were economically inactive (neither employed of seeking a job) in the fourth quarter of 2011, it has emerged. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136336 136336 Bulgaria in EU Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:44:04 +0200 The right wing across the entire European Union must end its mania for savings, says the President of the Party of European Socialists, PES, Bulgaria's Sergey Stanishev. Stanishev, who is also the leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP, and former Prime Minister, has made the statement in an interview in the Spanish daily "Publico," on the occasion of the 38th Federal Congress of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party. In it, Stanishev points out Europeans had been forced into the conviction that cutting expenses and not investments is the only way out of the economic crisis.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136335 136335 Business Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:06:34 +0200 In February, known in Bulgaria as "vine and wine" month, the Sofia airport launched a renovated wine tasting saloon. The saloon will offer monthly degustation of prestigious Bulgarian wines. "This is an opportunity to present Bulgaria as a country with traditions and great achievements in winemaking.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136334 136334 Domestic Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:55:01 +0200 The second day of debates on the two draft bills on the confiscation of illegal assets tabled by Krasimir Velchev, Chair of the parliamentary group of center-right ruling party GERB, and Hristo Biserov from the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), yet again failed to yield constructive dialogue and degenerated into an exchange of mutual accusations. The discussion at the Parliamentary Legal Committee lasted around two hours and was very similar to Wednesday's debates at the Internal Security and Public Order Committee.On Thursday, the Parliamentary Legal Committee reviewed and passed at first reading GERB's version of the asset forfeiture bill with 13 votes in favor, mostly from MPs of GERB and the right-wing Blue Coalition. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136333 136333 Environment Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:35:29 +0200 A lawsuit has been filed by group of environmentalists, outdoor enthusiasts and wildlife advocates demanding to block a project by Bulgarian-born artist to drape fabric canopies along a long stretch of the Arkansas River in Colorado. According to the group, the US Bureau of Land Management in Denver has violated federal legislation and its own policies by approving Christo’s “Over the River” project. Local business leaders and politicians have pointed out that the economy is still bad in the part of Colorado where “Over the River” is situated, stating that the project would put places like Cañon City on the map and create long-term benefits. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136332 136332 Domestic Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:21:20 +0200 Sixty Members of the Parliament have signed a petition to establish an inquiry committee to probe the pardons and the Bulgarian citizenship granted by the former Vice President, Angel Marin. The MPs are from the ruling, center-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party, GERB, the marginal, conservative Order, Law and Justice party, RZS, which recently became an ally of GERB, and the so-called independent MPs, renegades from other parliamentary groups, also supporting GERB. The news was reported by RZS leader, Yane Yanev, Friday, saying that ex President, Georgi Parvanov, had forgiven about BGN half million in debt to individuals, without anyone knowing who they were. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136331 136331 Environment Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:47:01 +0200 Eleven Bulgarian regions remain under code yellow over low temperatures and snow, the National Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) has announced. New heavy snow is in the forecast for the regions of Vidin, Montana, Sofia city and Sofia, Pernik, Vratsa, Pleven, Lovech, Gabrovo, Veliko Rarnovo, and Ruse. In Vidin and Montana, the snow will be accompanied by freezing cold. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136330 136330 World Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:34:10 +0200 Hungary's state-owned Malev airline has stopped flying due to debts worth USD 270 M after the Hungarian government withdrew financing. Malev halted all flights at 6 am Friday in Budapest. The flight from Sofia to Budapest scheduled for Friday afternoon is among those cancelled. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136329 136329 Domestic Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:04:59 +0200 Bulgaria's former President, Georgi Parvanov, vows to lead a heavy battle with Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, and his weak, inactive and detrimental cabinet and rule. Parvanov, who left office on January 22 after serving two terms there (2002-2012), spoke Friday in an interview for the largest private TV channel bTV. He said that the forthcoming battle with the ruling, center-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party, GERB, was a battle among different leaderships more than ever. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136328 136328 Diplomacy Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:57:41 +0200 The US will not drop its visa requirements for Bulgarians in 2012, Bulgaria's Ambassador in Washington Elena Poptodorova has revealed. Bulgaria will start working anew with the new US Congress next January in order to achieve towards achieving its inclusion in the US visa waiver program, Poptodorova has told the Bulgarian Standart daily. However, Poptodorova has pointed out that the Bulgarian government and the relevant US institutions will continue cooperating on the issue throughout the year. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136327 136327 Business Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:25:01 +0200 Bulgaria's Bulgaria Air airline carrier will acquire 9 state-of-the-art Brazilian Embraer jets by the end of 2014, it was announced on Friday. The new planes will allow Bulgaria Air to increase its weakly frequency of flights to some European destinations and re-launch its flights to Prague, the company's CEO Yanko Georgiev has said, according to the Standart daily. The first E-190 aircraft is expected to arrive in Bulgaria in March, while three more will arrive by the end of 2011. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136326 136326 Domestic Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:45:59 +0200 Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov will personally inspect the construction of the so-called Danube Bridge 2 between Bulgaria and Romania each month, it has been made clear. "I wasn't to know what these companies that receive so much money are doing every day," the Prime Minister declared during the latest Council of Ministers sitting. On Wednesday, the Bulgarian government decided to draw EUR 50 M out of the total of EUR 70 M European Investment Bank loan provided for the construction of the project. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136325 136325 Industry Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:09:55 +0200 Over 900 employees of Bulgaria's Arsenal Kazanlak, one of the largest military factories in the Balkans, will be laid off, it was made clear after the plant's managing body met with representatives of the local municipality. Approximately 600 of the workers about to be laid off are employed on temporary contracts, while 94 have reached the age of retirement, the Bulgarian National Radio clarified on Friday. The layoff of employees on temporary contracts will be launched on February 13, while those on full-time contracts will start leaving on March 1. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136324 136324 Domestic Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:32:44 +0200 Bulgaria's former Vice President Angel Marin okayed 81 749 out of a total of 132 288 Bulgarian citizenship applications during his two terms in office, it has emerged. 3.5 times more applications for Bulgarian citizenship were given the thumbs up in the period 2002-2011 than in the preceding 10 years, the BGNES news agency has estimated. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136323 136323 World Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:50:49 +0200 There is a strong possibility that Israel will strike Iran's nuclear installations this spring, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta allegedly reckons. "Panetta believes there is a strong likelihood that Israel will strike Iran in April, May or June - before Iran enters what Israelis described as a "zone of immunity" to commence building a nuclear bomb," a Washington Post columnist David Ignatius stated in an article. Upon asked about the opinion piece by reporters travelling with him to a NATO meeting in Brussels, Panetta neither denied nor confirmed the claim. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136322 136322 Diplomacy Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:19:08 +0200 The US State Department employees who are about to arrive on an official visit to Bulgaria on February 5 are about to witness some tough winter conditions, State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland believes. "Happy Groundhog Day everybody. I understand he saw his shadow, so six more weeks of winter, huh? Winter like this we can handle though.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136320 136320 Domestic Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:36:55 +0200 Bulgaria's former President Georgi Parvanov, who completed his second 5-year term on January 22, 2012, has already re-joined his native Socialist Party. Parvanov was the leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (technically the descendant of the Bulgarian Communist Party) between 1997 and 2001, when he quit since he got elected to the Bulgarian Presidency, which paved the way for his successor Sergey Stanishev (Prime Minister of Bulgaria in 2005-2009) to take over the Socialist ranks. Parvanov has rejoined the party by signing up at the local party unit in the Municipality of Kovachevtsi near his native city of Pernik.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136319 136319 World Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:51:36 +0200 Bulgaria's northern neighbor Romania seems to be hit just as hard by a demographic crisis, having lost 2.6 million of its population in the past decade. Preliminary census results of the Romanian Statistical Institute released Thursday show that Romania's population declined from 21.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136318 136318 World Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:10:48 +0200 NATO wants Afghan forces to take full responsibility for their country's security by mid-2013 so that the military alliance can wrap up its mission the following year as planned, Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has stated. "We expect the last provinces to be handed over to the Afghan security forces by mid-2013," he told reporters ahead of a meeting with NATO Defense Ministers in Brussels. "From that time, Afghan security forces are in the lead all over Afghanistan.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136316 136316 Finance Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:54:37 +0200 A Greek minister has resorted to a comparison with Bulgaria to describe the nightmare his country would face in the wake of further austerity austerity measures. "If you cut salaries, incomes, pensions, you cut everything, the demand decreases, and then consumption decreases rapidly. All the policies are part of a vicious circle," Greek Development Minister Michalis Chrisochoidis said, as cited by Washington Post. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136314 136314 Domestic Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:13:13 +0200 Bulgaria's Supreme Judicial Council (VSS) has penalized Vladimira Yaneva, Chair of the Sofia City Court (SCC), with a reprimand, the lightest form of disciplinary action, for 43 delayed trials. The penalty was approved with 17 votes in favor and 2 abstainees. After the vote, a VSS member explained that Yaneva had only committed insignificant delays by 2 or 3 months. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136313 136313 Diplomacy Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:50:43 +0200 Jonathan Allen, the new UK Ambassador to Bulgaria, handed in his letters of accreditation on Thursday after living for a month with an average local family. Ambassador Allen officially assumed office following a ceremony at which newly elected Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev welcomed him. The British diplomat spent the first month of the year in the second-biggest city of Plovdiv, getting to know the country and its people firsthand, as well as making an impressive progress into his studies of the Bulgarian language, a real challenge for any foreigner. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136312 136312 World Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:16:34 +0200 United States Capitol Police have arrested Joshua Fox, the creator of the "Gasland" documentary, for trying to film a hearing without proper media credentials. The Oscar-nominated filmmaker was detained during a Wednesday hearing in the House Energy and Environment subcommittee called to examine findings of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that hydraulic fracturing fluids had contaminated groundwater in the town of Pavillion, Wyoming, according to reports of Huffington Post. The website provides a video which shows that the journalist is not being disruptive and is not resisting arrest. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136311 136311 Sports Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:56:45 +0200 Bulgaria's former Barcelona striker Hristo Stoichkov has "earned" a mention in Bleacher Report's list of 25 worst coaches of all time. Stoichkov, who recently took over Bulgarian champions Litex Lovech, has indeed failed to impress in his career as a coach, his last club being South African Mamelody Sundowns. "Bulgarian Hristo Stoichkov was a great player and rivaled some of the best in the game.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136321 136321 Business Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:30:17 +0200 Two Bulgarian NGOs – of Internet users and Internet service providers – have reached a handshake deal with the government in which Prime Minister Boyko Borisov promises that Bulgaria will ratify the ACTA with reservations. On Thursday, Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov met with representatives of the local IT sector, Internet Service Providers and MPs with his ruling centrist-right GERB to discuss the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, which was signed by the Bulgarian Cabinet last week without any public mention. Bulgaria will express its reservations upon ratifying ACTA and it will be explicitly written down that the country will not amend its legislation as far as Internet is concerned, key GERB lawmaker Valentin Nikolov said after the meeting.. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136309 136309 CEO Profiles Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:23:12 +0200 Exclusive interview with Antoine Collette, Executive Director of Kraft Foods Bulgaria, for the "Investors of the Decade" Business Survey of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) and Novinite.bg. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136310 136310 Domestic Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:18:49 +0200 Bulgaria will ratify the ACTA trade agreement, but the country will keep its current legislation in the field of Internet services, it emerged on Thursday. On Thursday, Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov met with representatives of the local IT sector, Internet Service Providers and MPs with his ruling centrist-right GERB to discuss the controversial agreement. Bulgaria will express its reservations upon ratifying ACTA and it will be explicitly written down that the country will not amend its legislation as far as Internet is concerned, key GERB lawmaker Valentin Nikolov said after the meeting.. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136308 136308 Society Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:59:07 +0200 The Bulgarian Association of Software Companies (BASSCOM) has come up with a statement expressing support for an adequate protection of copyright and related rights, the fight against counterfeiting and the adoption of international standards on the enforcement of intellectual property rights. BASSCOM, however, opposes the adoption of АСТА (The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement) amid a total lack of transparency and no public dialogue on the document's impact on the economy and society. BASSCOM reminds that it has, alongside a number of other business entities, repeatedly stated its disapproval of the provisions of ACTA. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136307 136307 Diplomacy Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:24:40 +0200 Bulgaria's Economy Minister Traicho Traikov will get acquainted with Germany's stance on the controversial ACTA trade agreement during the Bulgarian-German Cooperation Council in Germany. Last week, Bulgaria became one of the 21 EU member states to sign ACTA, while Germany is among the five bloc members that have not inked it. Upon asked whether Bulgaria will take into consideration Germany's position ahead of ratifying the agreement, Traikov told Deutche Welle that "the procedures in Germany are to take longer before the initial signing, while the discussions in Bulgaria will be carried out before the ratification.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136306 136306 Crime Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:04:32 +0200 Bulgaria's top court is planning to approach the constitutional court to have the final say on the controversy over the legitimacy of the country's former vice president. "We are expecting the presidency to officially confirm the lack of a decree that authorizes Angel Marin for his second mandate, after which we will approach the constitutional court," Georgi Kolev, chairman of the Supreme Administrative Court commented on Thursday. A day earlier a three-member panel of the top court ruled that the presidency should provide a written document, stating whether former Vice President Angel Marin has been authorized for his second mandate or not. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136305 136305 Bulgaria in EU Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:35:21 +0200 Romanian President Traian Basescu has criticized the Netherlands' "abuse" against Romania and Bulgaria, answering the Dutch stance against the two EU newcomers' Schengen bids. During a press conference in Brussels dedicated to his country's fifth anniversary as a EU member, Basescu revealed that he has tackled the Dutch stance on Bulgaria and Romania's Schengen entry bids at the recent European Council summit in Brussels. "Romania would have deserved to be in the Schengen zone now," the Romanian President said, adding that his country has covered all technical criteria. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136304 136304 Domestic Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:17:25 +0200 Speaking at a seminar on combating corruption, Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov has yet again sent mixed signals about the work of the judiciary. In his Thursday statement, Tsvetanov said that there were many honest magistrates, but there were also many examples which pointed to a poorly done job. The Interior Minister assured that his words were aimed at sharing existing problems, rather than picking arguments with the judiciary. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136303 136303 Finance Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:07:54 +0200 Banks in Bulgaria have been recording consistent and significant growth in deposits throughout 2011, a trend which peaked in the last quarter of the year, official data shows. The deposits of citizens in local banks increased by BGN 768 M only in December last year, according to data of the central bank BNB. Thus the total amount of deposits of citizens hit a record-high BGN 31.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136302 136302 Lifestyle Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:46:24 +0200 Former women's No 1 Serena Williams has been reportedly spotted out on a date with Bulgaria's rising young tennis pro Grigor Dimitrov in Paris. The pair had lunch in the L'Avenue restaurant before heading for "a romantic stroll" on the streets of Paris, according to New York Post. Williams has an apartment in the "city of love". ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136317 136317 Sofia Speaking Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:20:29 +0200 Much to the indifference of many Bulgarians, the country's former President Georgi Parvanov renewed his membership in the Bulgarian Socialist Party, the formation in which he launched his political career. Was it the severely cold weather in Bulgaria or the biding ACTA threat in the country that overshadowed the former head of state's historical return? After all, analyzers have been predicting an epic party leadership combat between him and current BSP leader, former PM Sergey Stanishev. Well, I am inclined to believe that the reason behind the general lack of interest in Parvanov's latest maneuver is the simple fact that he is now merely a part of Bulgaria's political past.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136301 136301 Energy Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:18:17 +0200 Several MPs with the right-wing Bulgarian Blue Coalition have prepared a draft resolution against the recent ban imposed on the use of hydraulic fracturing in the country. The lawmakers, including former PM Ivan Kostov (1997-2001), have demanded that the recently implemented ban on hydraulic fracturing in the research and/or extraction of gas and oil in Bulgaria should be lifted, adding that legislative amendments should be created in order to ensure environmental protection and effective control. Researchers from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences' Geological Institute have supported shale gas research in Bulgaria if state-of-the-art technologies and scientific methods are used and if strict environmental control is established, Ivan Kostov pointed out on Thursday, as cited by BGNES. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136298 136298 Domestic Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:00:26 +0200 The Chairman of the Bulgarian anti-mafia tribunal, Georgi Ushev, declared Thursday he has no intentions to censor local media. One day earlier, the governing body of Bulgaria's newly established specialized criminal court asked print and electronic media to submit to it materials covering the activity of the institution for "verification" before making them public and to stop referring to the court by any other name, for instance "anti-mafia court," which is the most popular substitution. In the aftermath, Ushev called the morning political talk show of TV7 to explain this has been a sheer misunderstanding and the directions sent to media Wednesday were actually a reply to a request for an interview with the magistrates, who sealed a plea bargain between four of the defendants and the prosecution in the Court's first trial. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136300 136300 Domestic Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:22:25 +0200 Chief Prosecutor Boris Velchev has made it clear that the prosecution will not examine the allegations of Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov against Miroslava Todorova, a judge at the Sofia City Court and Chair of the Bulgarian Judges Association. In a series of media appearances two weeks ago, Tsvetanov claimed that Todorova was incompetent in doing her job and was patronizing the mafia. He argued that she had delayed the issuing of written motives for verdicts against high-profile criminals, including drug lord Vasil Manikatov. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136299 136299 Tourism Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:16:31 +0200 People from Germany, the UK, Greece, Italy and France were the most frequent foreign hotel visitors in Bulgaria's capital Sofia, according to Sofia City Hall's official data. Most foreigners visited Sofia's hotels in September (over 76 000), October (over 75 000) and March (over 62 000). Among Sofia's four and five-star hotels, Kempinski Zografski registered the higher total number of hotel nights in 2011 (86 005), followed by Dedeman Princess (72 435), Hilton (59 178), Sheraton Sofia Hotel Balkan (55 139) and Rodina (47 365). ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136297 136297 Views on BG Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:13:34 +0200 By Alexander Andreev Deutsche Welle An umbrella group of Jewish organizations in Greece has called on Bulgaria to acknowledge the deportation of thousands of Jews during World War II.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136296 136296 Business Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:30:31 +0200 Bulgaria's cosmetics factory "Alen Mak," functioning since the times of the Socialist regime, will be listed for sale in just days. The news was reported Thursday by the factory's syndic, attorney Stefan Georgiev, cited by Darik Radio. Georgiev said that the expert evaluation of the factory's assets and liabilities is expected in a couple of day. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136295 136295 World Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:28:12 +0200 An Egyptian soccer game between top-tier teams al-Masry and al-Ahly turned in to a tragic nightmare, as clashes broke out after the final whistle leaving at lest 74 people dead. At least 1 000 were reported injured as fans invaded the pitch after the match, the incident being described as the deadliest in the country since the fall of Hosni Mubarak. On Wednesday, Port Said side al-Masry recorded a rare 3-1 win against visiting side al-Ahly, one of Egypt's top football clubs. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136294 136294 Finance Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:26:13 +0200 Belgium's KBC has firmly denied that it seeks to shed Bulgarian insurance subsidiary DZI, as claimed by local media reports. Bulgaria remains an important market for KBC and therefore it plans to continue to develop its business in the country through DZI and CIBank, which it owns too, reads a statement by the financial group. Belgium's KBC has put up for sale Bulgarian insurance subsidiary DZI and the deal is expected to be concluded by the end of the year, local media reported earlier this week. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136293 136293 Business Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:42:33 +0200 The airport authority at Sofia International reports that some flights are delayed Thursday over the new heavy snow that hit the capital. Runways are being cleaned round-the-clock and are closed for cleaning for about 30 minutes after each departing and landing aircraft. Flights of the national carrier "Bulgaria Air" to Madrid, Rome, Amsterdam and Berlin are all delayed. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136292 136292 Domestic Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:23:57 +0200 The long-awaited return of former Bulgarian President, Georgi Parvanov, to the Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP, is now a fact. The news was reported Thursday by the Bulgarian "24 Chassa" (24 Hours) daily, writing that Parvanov had officially received on Sunday his party membership card in the village of Kovachevtsi. Kovachevtsi is a village in the western Region of Pernik and the municipal center of Parvnov's native village of Sirishtnik, along with 7 other villages.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136291 136291 Tourism Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:47:15 +0200 A large-scale business forum is held Thursday and Friday in the central Bulgarian city and old capital Veliko Tarnovo focusing on ways to attract more Romanian tourists. The forum is attended by a number of Romanian companies from the travel sector to hear presentations on Bulgaria as a year-round tourist destination, the largest private TV channel bTV reported Thursday. The event is organized by the Bulgarian Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism, with the help of the Union for SPA Tourism and the Association of Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Owners. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136290 136290 Society Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:20:31 +0200 Bulgaria's "First Lady," Yuliyana Plevnelieva continues to refuse to comply with the National Security Services, NSO, and with her new status. The information was reported by the Bulgarian "Standard" daily, writing that Plevnelieva insists on picking herself groceries and produce for her husband and children and cooking for them and resents the constant checks of her purchases and meals by NSO. NSO, however, continue to firmly refuse to allow husband and new President, Rosen Plevneliev, to take even a bite from any food without first checking it. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136289 136289 Society Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:38:28 +0200 Weather forecasts prepared by the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) several times a day may be suspended due to lack of financing and state budget cuts. BAS Chair Nikola Sabotinov, reiterating a warning from October 2011, announces that he had once again asked Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, for help and is insisting on a personal meeting with him. Meanwhile, the BAS management has promised to conduct a financial analysis on the activities of the Institute to find out if there are any possibilities remaining to cut on expenses.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=136288 136288 Environment Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:08:26 +0200 Bulgaria wakes up Thursday to freezing cold accompanied by a fresh snow cover, but without new record low temperatures. The mercury ranges between minus 19 degrees Celsius to minus 5 across the country with cloudy skies and strong winds in the regions of Montana, Varna, Vidin and Razgrad. Snow is falling in the regions of Montana, Pazardzhik, Dobrich, Haskovo, Sofia, Plovdiv, Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Kardzhali, Smolyan, Vratsa, Stara Zagora, Veliko Tarnovo and the mountain passes in the Stara Planina range (Balkan)....