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=139415 139415 Domestic Wed, 16 May 2012 17:02:53 +0200 Fuel distributor Lukoil Bulgaria has risen against the accusations levied by Customs Agency head Vanyo Tanov that the company is exercising pressure on the prosecution in the trial against him. "This is yet another attempt to of the Customs Agency Director to mend his personal image through attacks against the company which is the biggest contributor of excise revenues to the state coffers, thereby seeking a justification for his own unfounded public statements," Lukoil Bulgaria said in a press release Wednesday. The fuel company defined Tanov's accusations as "absolutely unfounded and inadmissible for a European, rule of law country.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139416 139416 Defense Wed, 16 May 2012 16:06:13 +0200 Bulgarian nationalist party "Ataka" has failed to bring about an immediate pullout of the 600 Bulgarian troops current serving in ISAF in Afghanistan. Ataka MP Ventsislav Lakov made a motion Wednesday demanding the withdrawal of Bulgarian troops from Afghanistan, which was motivated, in his own words, by the fact that the new French President Francois Hollande declared himself in favor of pulling out the French troops. "Things are changing.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139414 139414 Domestic Wed, 16 May 2012 15:30:26 +0200 A second ad-hoc committee tasked with probing the activities of the former Bulgarian President and Vice President, Parvanov and Marin, was set up Wednesday in Parliament. The new entity is called "Ad-Hoc Committee to Examine Facts and Circumstances Related to the Actions and Initiatives of Government Officials in the Executive Branch and of Citizens in Relation to Presidential Decrees Granting Pardons, Cancelling Uncollectible Debts and Granting, Restoring and Withdrawing Bulgarian Citizenship in the period January 2002 – January 2012". The new committee will be chaired by Yuliana Koleva, MP from center-right ruling party GERB. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139412 139412 World Wed, 16 May 2012 15:19:01 +0200 Greece will hold fresh elections on 17 June and a judge has been appointed to head an interim government. Council of State president Panagiotis Pikramenos will head the caretaker government until the election. The election date was announced after party leaders met Greek President Karolos Papoulias on Wednesday. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139411 139411 Finance Wed, 16 May 2012 14:58:21 +0200 Bulgaria has registered an increase in its foreign direct investment in January-March 2012 year-on-year, according to the latest data of the Bulgarian National Bank released Wednesday. According to preliminary data, the Foreign direct investment in Bulgaria for January - March 2012 amounted to EUR 236.8 M (0.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139410 139410 Sports Wed, 16 May 2012 14:46:46 +0200 Radostin Stoychev has been offered to return as the Bulgarian national volleyball team coach at the demand of the country's Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov. Stoychev was controversially dismissed Sunday, a day after the heavy favorites for the 2012 Olympic Games-European Qualification Tournament were defeated by Germany in the second semifinal. The general public and several key national team players have criticized the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation for its decision to fire Stoychev, who learned about his own dismissal from the media. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139409 139409 Finance Wed, 16 May 2012 14:25:51 +0200 Household spending in Bulgaria increased by nearly 15% in the first three months of 2012 compared to the same period in 2011, according to data of the National Statistical Institute (NSI). Meanwhile, household incomes increased by 10.6% in Q1 2012, compared to Q1 2011. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139408 139408 Domestic Wed, 16 May 2012 14:19:56 +0200 Days before their crucial congress, Bulgaria's opposition Socialist party leader has addressed members and supporters, stressing the need to unite against ruling GERB. "Before, during, and after the congress we must be united in out fight against the currently ruling party GERB, which is destroying Bulgaria," Sergey Stanishev said in his short address. He stressed that people see the Socialist party as the only alternative to GERB and did not mention even once former President Georgi Parvanov, who is his main rival for the leadership post. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139407 139407 Sports Wed, 16 May 2012 14:04:03 +0200 Radostin Stoychev, the sacked coach of Bulgaria's national male volleyball team, has said that he would not come back to head the team, despite Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's demand to see him reinstated. "The situation is currently unbearable and I will not come back to the national team," Stoychev declared on Wednesday, as cited by BGNES. Stoychev was controversially dismissed Sunday, a day after the heavy favorites for the 2012 Olympic Games-European Qualification Tournament were defeated by Germany in the second semifinal. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139406 139406 Sports Wed, 16 May 2012 13:13:02 +0200 Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has demanded that national male volleyball team coach Radostin Stoychev be reinstated. Stoychev was controversially dismissed Sunday, a day after the heavy favorites for the 2012 Olympic Games-European Qualification Tournament were defeated by Germany in the second semifinal. Several thousand Bulgarian volleyball fans signed an online petition against the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation, stating that stating that Stoychev's dismissal was humiliating and that the move would deal a serious blow to the team's efforts to qualify for the Olympic Games. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139405 139405 Business Wed, 16 May 2012 12:47:55 +0200 Over 600 sophisticated weapons supplied under public procurement contracts with Bulgarian and Italian companies for India's paramilitary forces have proved faulty. According to local authorities, as cited by The Times of India, in the period between 2010 and 2012, Bulgaria-based Arsenal AD supplied 67 500 AK-47 assault rifles, 49 of which proved defective in tests. In the same period, Italian Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta supplied 17 000 MX4 Storm pistol-caliber carbines, 582 of which proved defective. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139404 139404 World Wed, 16 May 2012 12:18:27 +0200 A camp set up by protesters opposing Russian President Vladimir Putin was dismantled by riot police in Moscow on Wednesday. According to police authorities, 20 activists have been briefly detained. A Moscow court had earlier obliged police to "take action to put a halt to disorder" at the camp, which was set up a week ago in the wake of protests against the May 7 inauguration of President Vladimir Putin for a third term, RIA Novosti has reminded. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139403 139403 Tourism Wed, 16 May 2012 12:02:36 +0200 In April 2012, Sofia Airport serviced a total of 291 272 arrival and departure passengers, 3% more than in April 2011. According to a media statement of Sofia Airport, the largest number of passengers, nearly 270 000, traveled on regular passenger flights to international destinations. In April 2012, Bulgarian national carrier Bulgaria Air registered a year-on-year increase of 13%. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139402 139402 Domestic Wed, 16 May 2012 11:37:46 +0200 A plan exists for the destruction of Bulgaria's right-wing Union of Democratic Forces party (UDF), according to the formation's former leader, Martin Dimitrov. The plan involves UDF entering a coalition with two marginal parties, the National Movement for Stability and Prosperity and VMRO-NIE, Dimitrov reckons. He believes that such coalition would be "of no principles.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139401 139401 Crime Wed, 16 May 2012 10:54:05 +0200 The "businessman" whom the Bulgarian police authorities allegedly rescued from an assassination attempt is to be questioned on Wednesday, Bulgarian Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov has announced. Tsvetanov told the bTV channel that he cannot disclose the name of the alleged assassination target due to the upcoming questioning. However, he revealed that he has been "registered for numerous frauds" and was "beaten up years ago.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139400 139400 Domestic Wed, 16 May 2012 10:21:18 +0200 Ivan Kostov, leader of Bulgaria's right-wing Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB) party, has declared that he has no intention of quitting after his coalition partner decided to break up with him. On Tuesday, the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) decided it would take part in the 2013 general elections on its own, thus practically ending its partnership with DSB within the so-called Blue Coalition. The move prompted UDF leader and Blue Coalition co-chair Martin Dimitrov to resign, as he was against the move that was decided through voting. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139399 139399 Society Wed, 16 May 2012 09:46:17 +0200 Some 500 more libraries may be included in the Global Libraries Bulgaria project, Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev announced after meeting with Bill Gates in the US. The program has already helped 960 libraries in 895 Bulgarian communities, 71% of them based in villages. The computers in many of these libraries are said to be used for EU fund project applications and job applications. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139398 139398 World Wed, 16 May 2012 09:18:10 +0200 Alleged war criminal Ratko Mladic goes on trial in The Hague on Wednesday charged with masterminding atrocities in Bosnia. Mladic stands accused of genocide, violations of the laws and customs of war and crimes against humanity during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia. He was arrested in Serbia on May 26 after 16 years spent hiding from the international justice. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139397 139397 Health Wed, 16 May 2012 08:45:52 +0200 A full smoking ban in closed public spaces is expected to be passed at second reading in the Bulgarian Parliament on Wednesday. The ban is to come into force on June 1. Smoking will be abolished in bars, working places, school yards, playgrounds and outdoor school events. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139396 139396 Crime Wed, 16 May 2012 08:13:29 +0200 A Montenegrin and three Armenians have been arrested by Bulgarian police authorities for the planned murder of a Bulgarian businessman in the capital Sofia, according to Bulgarian Interior Minister Tsvetan Tstvetanov. It was the Montenegro citizen who ordered the murder, Bulgarian police believe. In 2004 he was arrested in Bulgaria for the possession of 54 kilograms (118.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139394 139394 Sports Tue, 15 May 2012 20:54:29 +0200 Bulgaria's Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, has invited to a meeting the dismissed coach of the national men's volleyball team, Radostin Stoychev. The meeting will be held at the Council of Ministries building at 10:30 am Wednesday and will focus on the state of the team and the relations among the players and the management. The Minister of Sports and Youth, Svilen Neykov, is also going to attend. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139393 139393 World Tue, 15 May 2012 20:20:28 +0200 Crucial talks in Berlin between French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have been delayed after Hollande's plane was hit by lightning Tuesday. The plane was forced to turn back to Paris, but Hollande is now on a second plane and is expected to arrive in Berlin 90 minutes late, around or after 7:30 pm, BBC reports. Hollande, who was just sworn in office, delivered an inauguration speech in Paris earlier, calling for "a compromise" over Germany's focus on austerity, stressing the emphasis should be placed on "growth". ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139392 139392 Crime Tue, 15 May 2012 19:46:54 +0200 A Dutch Citizen, 54, and a resident of Bulgaria's second largest city of Plovdiv, 37, have been arrested in connection with the huge load of cocaine busted on May 5 in the Danube city of Ruse. The special operation has been conducted by the Main Unit for Combatting Organized Crime, GDBOP. Another man from Plovdiv, 31, is already behind bars. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139391 139391 Health Tue, 15 May 2012 19:23:40 +0200 In the last three years, the CEO of the emergency hospital "Pirogov" in the Bulgarian capital Sofia, Prof. Dimitar Radenovski, has approved bonuses for employees in the amount of nearly BGN 2 M. The information was announced Tuesday by the largest, private TV channel bTV, citing Health Minister, Desislava Atanasova, who pointed out the money was not part of any regular wages. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139390 139390 Crime Tue, 15 May 2012 18:55:25 +0200 A minivan and a car with a load of valuable antiques were discovered by Customs officers overnight at the Zlatograd cross border checkpoint on the Bulgarian-Greek border. The vehicles contained about 131 antique objects mixed with a number of cheap jewelry. They travelled from Germany to Turkey. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139389 139389 Sports Tue, 15 May 2012 18:27:03 +0200 Italian volleyball specialist, Silvano Prandi, has declined the invitation to become head coach of the Bulgarian national male volleyball team. Radostin Stoychev, Bulgaria's volleyball team coach, was dismissed on Sunday, a day after the heavy favorites for the 2012 Olympic Games-European Qualification Tournament were defeated by Germany in the second semifinal. The country's volleyball federation announced then that former coach Prandi will take over the helm of the team, thus confirming earlier media speculations. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139388 139388 World Tue, 15 May 2012 18:04:36 +0200 An unidentified man set himself on fire Tuesday outside the court in Oslo where Anders Breivik is being tried for killing 77 people in a terror attack in July 2011. The man suffered serious burn injuries and was taken to Oslo University Hospital, according to reports of international news agencies. Video footage posted online shows the man running toward the court building with his hat and jacket on fire. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139387 139387 Domestic Tue, 15 May 2012 17:52:18 +0200 The bonuses that heads of political cabinets and other officials returned in the aftermath of a huge scandal are going to be used for Bulgaria's commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Balkan Wars. Up to BGN 600 000 from the returned bonuses account will be transferred to the budgets of the Council of Ministries and the Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs for the organization and execution of the tribute campaign. The fund will be used for repairs and rebuilding of monuments of soldiers who have perished in the Wars, for displays, reinstatement of historical documents, and conferences among others. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139386 139386 World Tue, 15 May 2012 17:22:37 +0200 The negotiations to form a new Greek cabinet have failed for good and the country is set to go to the polls again. The final round of talks between the leaders of the parties which won Parliamentary seats at the May 6 elections broke up without a deal Tuesday, BBC reports. The Greek President, Karolos Papoulias, will appoint a caretaker government on Wednesday. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139385 139385 Crime Tue, 15 May 2012 17:00:30 +0200 The grandson of Roma clan leader Kiril Rashkov, aka Tsar Kiro, asked the Supreme Court of Cassation (VKS) Tuesday for a renewal of criminal proceedings and for a lighter sentence. On November 22, 2011, Kiril Rashkov-Jr, a grandson of Kiril Rashkov, was sentenced to 8 months of imprisonment for issuing a murder threat to Veselin Hristov. On February 08, 2012, the Plovdiv District Court increased the penalty for Rashkov-Jr to 3 years of imprisonment. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139384 139384 Domestic Tue, 15 May 2012 16:39:07 +0200 Bulgaria's Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, wished success to the two major parties in the now former right-wing Blue Coalition, after news reports about the latter's breakup. "Both the Union of Democratic Forces, UDF, and Democrats for Strong Bulgaria, DSB, are our political partners in the European right wing and in the European People's Party, EPP, and I wish them success," Borisov told the media Tuesday. Earlier Tuesday, UDF's National Council gathered in the city of Plovdiv to decide on whether it would take part in the 2013 general elections on its own.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139383 139383 Business Tue, 15 May 2012 16:06:17 +0200 One of the two major labor unions, the Confederation of Free and Independent Syndicates in Bulgaria, KNSB, has rejected Tuesday the cabinet's idea to make retirement age for males and females the same after 2020 The KNSB Leader, Plamen Dimitrov, points out that there is no reason for such move. He notes that it is not a commitment made by any of the social partners when negotiating the retirement reform, nor a request coming from Brussels or any other legitimate organization such as a business or a labor union. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139382 139382 Domestic Tue, 15 May 2012 16:03:18 +0200 Bulgaria's center-right GERB cabinet headed by PM Boyko Borisov is already gearing for general elections scheduled for the summer of 2013, said opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party chair Sergey Stanishev. "The government is now taking up only actions that are oriented towards the next parliamentary elections," commented Stanishev at a press conference Tuesday. According to the Socialist leader, the Borisov cabinet has scrapped all strategic policies aiming for the development of Bulgaria, and is just hastily trying to use the levers of power to better position itself in upcoming polls. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139395 139395 Sofia Speaking Tue, 15 May 2012 16:01:56 +0200 Bulgaria's right-wing Blue Coalition, an entity comprising the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) and the Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB), is no more. The breakup of the Coalition set up in 2009 was announced Tuesday, together with the resignation of UDF Chair Martin Dimitrov. The failure of the Blue Coalition Co-Chairs to negotiate the entity's participation in the general elections in 2013 means that the spin-offs may not overcome the 4% barrier to enter Parliament. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139381 139381 Finance Tue, 15 May 2012 15:39:36 +0200 Delayed salaries and unemployment are the most common causes of late payments of debts, according to the Association of Collection Agencies in Bulgaria (ACAB). According to ACAB statistics, 42% of the respondents cited the untimely payment of salaries as the reason for delaying the settlement of debts in 2012. In 2011, 44% of the respondents attributed late payments to the irregular payment of their salaries. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139380 139380 Health Tue, 15 May 2012 15:32:58 +0200 Bulgaria's healthcare is one spot before the last one in Europe in the 2012 ranking of the Euro Health Consumer Index (EHCI), presented Tuesday in the European Parliament in Brussels. The Index champion was the Netherlands, gaining 872 out of potential 1 000 points. The Dutch were followed by Denmark (837 points), Iceland (810 points), Luxemburg (802 points) and Belgium (797 points), the top group of this 34-country benchmark. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139379 139379 Finance Tue, 15 May 2012 15:21:33 +0200 Bulgaria's prosecution acts under pressure by oil company Lukoil Bulgaria to levy charges against Customs Agency head Vanyo Tanov, according to Tanov himself. The Bulgarian customs boss spoke out to the press after the first hearing in the case Tuesday, saying that the trial is fake and staged and that accusations against him are baseless. Gen Vanyo Tanov is charged for allegedly disclosing classified information to the public by commenting on where Bulgarian state fuel reserves are stored during a period of dispute between the government and Lukoil. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139378 139378 Finance Tue, 15 May 2012 14:51:13 +0200 The Gross Domestic Product, GDP, in Bulgaria in the first quarter of 2011 increased by 0.5%, compared with the same quarter of the previous year. GDP remains at the same level compared to the fourth quarter of 2011. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139377 139377 World Tue, 15 May 2012 14:46:26 +0200 The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's NATO accession negotiations will start once there is a mutually acceptable solution to the country's name dispute with Greece, the Alliance's Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has said. There has been no change in NATO's position concerning the accession of the country ahead of the Chicago summit, Rasmussen has told Radio Free Europe. He reminded that NATO's stance is based on the decision taken at the Bucharest summit in 2008, which called for the start of accession negotiations once the name dispute is resolved. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139376 139376 Environment Tue, 15 May 2012 14:21:51 +0200 The first young eastern imperial eagles in Bulgaria for 2012 have hatched in the wild Sakar and Strandzha Mountains in Bulgaria's south-eastern corner. In the last few days three of the monitored imperial eagle couples have hatched out their young, announced the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB). Breeding in southeastern Europe through Central Asia, the eastern imperial eagle is classified as a vulnerable species worldwide. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139375 139375 Domestic Tue, 15 May 2012 14:20:57 +0200 The leader of Bulgaria's right-wing party Union of Democratic Forces (UDF), Martin Dimitrov,  announced officially he is resigning, after it was reported that the so-called Blue Coalition fell apart. UDF's National Council gathered in the city of Plovdiv Tuesday to decide on whether it would take part in the 2013 general elections on its own. Dimitrov has stated earlier that he would resign if the Coalition falls apart.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139374 139374 Energy Tue, 15 May 2012 14:15:35 +0200 The preferential prices for purchasing energy from renewable sources will be reduced from July 1, 2012, according to Angel Semerdzhiev, Chair of the State Commission for Energy and Eater Regulation (DKEVR). "Analysis is now underway, but energy prices will definitely drop, especially prices of energy generated by photovoltaic plants, because capital expenditures are also decreasing," the DKEVR Chair explained Tuesday, without citing concrete figures. He refused to comment on prices of natural gas in Q3, 2012, adding that the proposal of state-owned gas supplier Bulgargaz was yet to be received. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139373 139373 Society Tue, 15 May 2012 13:49:47 +0200 Ever more members of the Muslim ethnic Slavic communities of the Gorani and Bosniaks in Kosovo are willing to get Bulgarian passports, according to a report by Deutsche Welle. While Kosovo does not officially recognize a Bulgarian minority, many of the Muslim Slavic-speaking people residing there have a sense of affiliation with the Bulgarian people. According to an 2002 estimate of Kosovo's population of 1.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139372 139372 Finance Tue, 15 May 2012 13:43:57 +0200 The Central Depositories of Bulgaria and Romania have signed a cooperation agreement, thus establishing a direct link with each other. The agreement was signed by Bulgarian Central Depository CEO Ivan Dimov and his Romanian counterpart Adriana Tanasoiu. The Romanian depository is the first foreign depository institution to become a member of Bulgaria's Central Depository. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139371 139371 Tourism Tue, 15 May 2012 13:01:03 +0200 Bulgaria's southern Black Sea resort of Sunny Beach expects to welcome large groups of Russians, Brits, Germans and Irish in the last ten days of May 2012, according to Elena Ivanova from the Union of Hotel Owners in Sunny Beach. In Ivanova's words, as cited by the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency (BTA), demand before the start of the summer season indicates that the industry will continue its upward trend in 2012. The expert predicts that the bed occupancy rate in Sunny Beach will exceed 20% after May 20, 2012. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139369 139369 Domestic Tue, 15 May 2012 12:52:34 +0200 Lieutenant General Dimitar Dimitrov, commander of Bulgaria's National Security Service, has filed his resignation with President Rosen Plevneliev. According to the presidential press office, Dimitrov has cited "personal reasons" for his decision. President Plevneliev has approved the resignation. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139370 139370 Diplomacy Tue, 15 May 2012 12:51:32 +0200 Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet with his Bulgarian counterpart Boyko Borisov and Qatari PM Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani in Bulgaria on Friday, reports say. Al Thani is to arrive to the Bulgarian capital on Thursday on the invitation of Borisov, while Erdogan's short visit on Friday was announced yesterday. The Bulgarian National Radio has cited Turkish sources saying that the three Prime Ministers will hold a joint meeting on Friday.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139368 139368 World Tue, 15 May 2012 12:28:13 +0200 Francois Hollande has officially taken his state oath as France's new President, making him the first socialist leader of the country since Francois Mitterrand 17 years ago. "From today you impersonate France, symbolize the values of the Republic and represent all French people," solemnly stated Jean-Louis Debre, chair of France's Constitutional Court. Hollande was awarded the French Order of the Legion of Honour and signed an official protocol, after which he was officially inaugurated the 7th President of the Fifth Republic at the Elysee Palace in Paris. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139367 139367 Domestic Tue, 15 May 2012 12:08:41 +0200 Bulgaria's right-wing Blue Coalition may fall apart, as one of the two major parties within it, the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF), is to decide on whether it would take part in the 2013 general elections on its own. UDF's national council has gathered in the city of Plovdiv to decide the party's fate, Darik radio informs. The party's Sofia organization has declared that it should exit the Blue Coalition. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139366 139366 Crime Tue, 15 May 2012 12:00:25 +0200 10 Bulgarian citizens are to face a court in the French city of Lyon over charges of implementing a massive ATM skimming network. The prosecutor on the case has requested sentences ranging from 30 months to 6 years in prison, report media in France. The group of 10 Bulgarians are being charged with placing skimming devices on ATMs in Lyon back in 2009. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139365 139365 World Tue, 15 May 2012 11:28:40 +0200 Jean-Marc Ayrault, the parliamentary leader of the Socialist party, is expected to be named France's prime minister on Tuesday. France's President-elect, Francois Hollande, is to announce the head of government after his inauguration on Tueasday. Ayrault, a 62-year-old longtime Hollande ally, is expected to name his cabinet on Wednesday. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139364 139364 Crime Tue, 15 May 2012 11:22:42 +0200 International arrest warrants have been issued for Angel Hristov and Plamen Galev, the infamous Bulgarian mobster pair known as the "Galevi brothers", according to Bulgaria's Interior Minister. No official data exists suggesting that Galev and Hristov have left their home country, Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov told reporters on Tuesday. He said a Red Notice has been issued for their arrests. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139363 139363 Industry Tue, 15 May 2012 11:18:35 +0200 Workers at Bulgaria's largest non-ferrous metal producer, the Kardzhali Lead and Zinc Complex (OTzK), have sought assistance from Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan for an end to grievous mismanaged by the factory owner, according to a report in a Turkish news site. OTzK workers have complained that they have not received their salaries for months, and that factory owner Valentin Zahariev has been engaging in a chronic draining of the enterprise. Despairing laborers have gone out on protests and strikes many times since the beginning of the year, and have recently renewed their rallies, with two employees already on a hunger strike. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139362 139362 Business Tue, 15 May 2012 10:42:41 +0200 The German economy has escaped recession and marked a spectacular 0.5% growth in the first quarter of 2012, according to official data released Tuesday. The very good performance in the beginning of the year marks the end of two quarters of shrinking in the later half of 2011. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139361 139361 Crime Tue, 15 May 2012 10:34:12 +0200 The trial against Bulgarian Customs Agency head Vanyo Tanov who has allegedly disclosed classified information to the general public is to enter the Sofia City Court on Tuesday. The case was opened on a tip-off from the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) that the Customs Agency Director had revealed the location of the country's wartime fuel stocks in an interview for the morning broadcast of the Bulgarian National Television (BNT) on September 01, 2011. The left-wingers alerted Chief Prosecutor Boris Velchev that Tanov has said the following: "Speaking about the reserve, it must also be noted that Lukoil Nefochim and Lukoil Bulgaria are under obligation to maintain a certain volume of wartime stocks which is about 8 million liters". ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139360 139360 Diplomacy Tue, 15 May 2012 10:18:00 +0200 New Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev is setting out Tuesday on his first US visit, set to feature a meeting with US President Barack Obama and participation in the NATO summit in Chicago. Tuesday evening Plevneliev will arrive in Seattle, where he will meet Microsoft founder Bill Gates. The Bulgarian President's US trip will include visits to San Francisco and Chicago, where Sunday and Monday, May 20-21, NATO will hold a summit. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139359 139359 Crime Tue, 15 May 2012 09:54:57 +0200 Interpol is to issue a Red Notice for the arrest of notorious Bulgarian gangsters Angel Hristov and Plamen Galev aka the "Galevi brothers", according to a Bulgarian police official. Interpol's Red Notice for Hristov and Galev is to be issued "any time now", Kalin Georgiev, Chief Secretary of Bulgaria's Interior Ministry stated on Tuesday. Georgiev told the Bulgarian National Television that he hoped the mobster pair's fate would be similar to that of Hristoforos Amanatidis, aka Taki, an alleged drug overlord that was detained in Dubai at the end of last week. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139358 139358 Crime Tue, 15 May 2012 09:17:27 +0200 The police chiefs of many European capitals are to attend a three-day conference in Bulgaria's Sofia that kicks off on Tuesday. The event is dedicated to the new challenges that police authorities are facing in the 21st century. "Within the conference, the police heads of Europe's capitals will share ideas and exchange experience that they can practically apply.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139357 139357 World Tue, 15 May 2012 08:40:43 +0200 Eurozone's finance ministers expressed their strong desire to keep Greece in the single currency club at a meeting that finished late on Monday. Luxembourg PM and Eurogroup Chairman Jean-Claude Juncker stated the Ministers have an "unshakeable desire to keep Greece within the Eurozone. "We will do everything possible to achieve that," he said, as cited by international media. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139355 139355 Business Tue, 15 May 2012 08:22:30 +0200 Bulgaria has been included for the very first time in The Social Media Bible, a global bestseller by Lon Safko, thanks to Bulgarian PR guru Maxim Behar. Behar has authored the Chapter on Bulgaria in "The Social Media Bible: Tactics, Tools, and Strategies for Business Success", after the publisher invited him to explain the influence of social media in his native country. A prominent media, communications and PR expert, for three consecutive years, Behar has dedicated his guest speaker presentations at the World PR Forum "Communication on Top" in Davos, Switzerland, to social media and their influence in modern communications. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139356 139356 Views on BG Tue, 15 May 2012 08:20:08 +0200 Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) and Novinite.bg publish the first ever chapter on Bulgaria in "The Social Media Bible: Tactics, Tools, and Strategies for Business Success", a global bestseller by Lon Safko.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139354 139354 World Tue, 15 May 2012 08:09:35 +0200 Left-winger Francois Hollande is to be officially sworn in as France's new President on Tuesday before heading to Germany to discuss EU's debt crisis with Chancellor Angela Merkel. Hollande is expected to be sworn in shortly after meeting Sarkozy at the Elysee at around 10 am local time. Within hours he will be in Germany to meet Chancellor Angela Merkel. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139353 139353 World Mon, 14 May 2012 20:21:11 +0200 Last-ditch talks on forming a new Greek government are under way in Athens as the prospect of fresh elections looms. The far-left Syriza bloc, which rejects the terms of the EU/IMF bailout, says it will not join any government which will make further spending cuts, the BBC reported. Another left-wing party is refusing to serve in any government which excludes Syriza, the second-largest party in parliament after the 6 May elections.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139352 139352 World Mon, 14 May 2012 19:49:48 +0200 Police in Azerbaijan on Monday broke up an attempt to hold an opposition protest in Baku as the city gets ready to hold the Eurovision song contest later this month. Small groups of activists from the Public Chamber opposition alliance chanted "Freedom!" as they tried to gather for the unauthorised rally in the city centre. Police quickly moved in and brief scuffles broke out as officers pushed those detained on to buses, opposition Musavat party leader Isa Gambar told AFP, as cited by BGNES. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139351 139351 Sports Mon, 14 May 2012 18:55:32 +0200 Bulgaria's top female tennis player Tsvetana Pironkova has been thrown out of the tennis tournament in Rome after losing in the first round. Pironkova lost 0:6, 1:6 to American Vania King at the start of the tournament, making 2012 the fourth consecutive year in which she fails to make it to the second round of the contest in Rome. Pironkova has thus registered her fifth loss in a row, and her 10th loss for the season, out of a total of 16 matches; her last win was at the Miami tournament some two months. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139350 139350 Tourism Mon, 14 May 2012 18:08:22 +0200 Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov has boasted that the adequate measures taken by the Interior for ensuring the preservation of peace and public order in Bulgarian resorts has brought about a constantly increasing flow of tourists. Tsvetanov's statement came after a Monday meeting with Ambassadors of EU member states and other countries sending a large number of visitors to Bulgaria. He made clear that a total of 500 officers of the Interior would be dispatched from the inside of the country to boost security in Bulgarian resorts in 2012. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139349 139349 World Mon, 14 May 2012 17:47:06 +0200 Greek hotel owners expect to see a drop in the number of foreign tourists visiting the country during the upcoming summer season. In some resorts, the fall is to be around 20-30% for May and June, while others are observe a stabilization in the number of bookings for June. Bookings from traditional markets such as Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium have decreased, the hotel owners have noted.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139348 139348 Properties Mon, 14 May 2012 17:15:20 +0200 Bulgaria's Defense Ministry is about to sell a number of potentially attractive real estate properties, according to reports. The Bulgarian government is about to approve the sale of 18 military properties that are said to be no longer needed by the military, Mediapool reported Monday. Only one of the properties – a plot of 1.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139347 139347 Diplomacy Mon, 14 May 2012 16:57:51 +0200 Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Bulgaria on Friday, May 18, it has been announced. Erdogan's busy schedule will limit his visit to the country to just a couple of hours. Ahead of the Turkish PM's visit to Bulgaria, Turkish media have reminded that Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov recently declared his country's readiness to cooperate with Turkey in the field of military production. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139346 139346 Domestic Mon, 14 May 2012 16:28:25 +0200 The Sofia City Court (SCC) has acquitted Lidia Shuleva, former Deputy Prime Minister in the Cabinet of Simeon Saxe-Coburg, on charges of malfeasance in office. Shuleva was accused of appointing Pavel Pavlov as head of the Information and Communication Services unit at the Economy Ministry without checking whether he had a security clearance for access to classified information. In end-2006, Pavlov was arrested on charges of bribery. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139344 139344 Domestic Mon, 14 May 2012 16:26:20 +0200 Meglena Plugchieva, who was recently proposed as Bulgaria's next Ambassador to Switzerland, has announced her plans to "gradually withdraw from active politics." Plugchieva, a former Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the absorption of EU funds (2008-2009), is to quit left-wing Bulgarian Socialist Party's National Council, it was made clear on Monday. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139345 139345 Diplomacy Mon, 14 May 2012 16:15:28 +0200 Bulgaria's newly-appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Egypt, Rumen Petrov, presented his credentials to the temporary government in Cairo, the Foreign Ministry in Sofia announced. Petrov presented his credentials to the Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces of Egypt, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, on May 12, 2012, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday. The ceremony was attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Mohamed Kamel Ali Amr. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139343 139343 Business Mon, 14 May 2012 16:14:18 +0200 Bulgaria's government has gotten Georgia's authorities to agree to almost double the number of permits for Bulgarian freighters and transport companies, the Bulgarian Transport Ministry announced. After negotiations, Bulgaria and Georgia have agreed to increase the number of universal freighter permits (which are valid for both bilateral and transit services) from 800 to 1 500. The number of permits for/to a third party has been also been increased from 150 to 200. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139342 139342 World Mon, 14 May 2012 15:55:59 +0200 Bushehr, Iran's first nuclear power plant, will start commercial energy production by the end of 2012, the plant's Russian General Designer Valery Limarenko said on Monday. "We want to put it [into commercial production] at the end of this year. We plan to complete the main work concerning machinery testing this year but the necessary documents are likely to be signed next year," Limarenko told RIA Novosti. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139341 139341 Bulgaria in EU Mon, 14 May 2012 15:39:11 +0200 The European Commission has come up with a neutral statement regarding the recent assault against Bulgaria’s Ambassador to Macedonia Ivan Petkov. The issue has to be resolved at a bilateral level, according to Peter Stano, spokesman of EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele. “If the case is criminal, we expect local authorities to investigate it, adhering to the rule of law,” Stano has stated, as cited by the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139340 139340 Energy Mon, 14 May 2012 15:35:07 +0200 Bulgarian company Solarpro Holding has signed its first contract for setting up a photovoltaic park in Macedonia, the company announced. The 1 MW solar park will be built near the southern Macedonian city of Bitola. Solarpro's Macedonian branch will be in charge of the complete EPC (Engineering, procurement and construction) servicing of the project. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139339 139339 Culture Mon, 14 May 2012 14:51:36 +0200 Bulgarian bagpipers will attempt to set a new Guinness Record on Wednesday, May 16. On this day, at 7 pm, 333 bagpipers will perform together in Hall 1 of the National Palace of Culture, NDK, in downtown Sofia, the Bulgarian National Radio, BNR, informs. Master bagpiper Kostadin Ilchev from the city of Smolyan in the Rhodoppe Mountains says this will the fists time so many of his colleagues will play together. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139337 139337 Crime Mon, 14 May 2012 14:41:39 +0200 Macedonia's former Deputy Agriculture Minister Zoran Danevski has been arrested in Bulgaria, according to the Radko Association, a political organization of Macedonian citizens with Bulgarian national consciousness. The association has called for Danevski's release, as they believe the trial against him in Skopje will have political grounds, the Bulgarian National Radio has informed. Danevski is suspected of robbing Macedonia's state budget of EUR 1.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139336 139336 Crime Mon, 14 May 2012 14:40:55 +0200 Two residents of the southern Bulgarian village of Katunitsa have been sentenced to probation for damaging two cars owned by the notorious Rashkovi Roma clan in end-September 2011 amid heightened ethnic tensions. Under a plea bargain with the prosecuting authority, Vasil Nikolov, a convicted hooligan, will spend one year on probation, while Veselin Nachev will serve six months of probation. Rashkovi are not seeking a material compensation for the damages estimated at BGN 2400, according to reports of the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR). ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139335 139335 Industry Mon, 14 May 2012 14:21:37 +0200 Employees of the Lead and Zinc Complex (LZC; OTZK), the largest Bulgarian producer of non-ferrous metals in the southern city of Kardzhali, have decided to stop road blockades and collect signatures for a petition. The workers renewed their protests last week due to the uncertain future of the plant. OTZK has been out of operation in the past five months due to the plant's failure to meet environmental safety requirements. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139338 139338 Interview Mon, 14 May 2012 14:01:44 +0200 Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) and Novinite.bg are publishing an interview of the Bulgarian PR expert for the "Media on Air" talk show of the "Bulgaria on Air" TV. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139334 139334 Diplomacy Mon, 14 May 2012 13:56:24 +0200 Bulgaria can play a crucial mediator role in getting Azerbaijan near to a European Union entry, according to Bulgarian Parliamentary Chair Tsetska Tsacheva. Tsacheva is currently on an official visit to Azerbaijan, where she has met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Tsacheva and Aliyev have discussed their countries' cooperation in the fields of energy, agriculture and transport, among others. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139333 139333 Business Mon, 14 May 2012 13:41:50 +0200 Retirement age in Bulgaria for males and females will be the same after 2020, according to the Minister of Social Policy and Labor, Totyu Mladenov. Mladenov explained Monday that in 2017 retirement age for men would reach 65 while by 2020 the one for females will be 63, and it will increase, along with the required years of service, by 4 months each year for both sexes. He added that making retirement age the same after 2020 can only happen gradually. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139332 139332 Diplomacy Mon, 14 May 2012 13:20:43 +0200 Bulgarian officials will not boycott the Euro 2012 football championship in Ukraine due to concerns about the treatment of jailed former PM Yulia Tymoshenko, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov has said. "Boycott is definitely not the way that we should be following," Mladenov has told reporters in Brussels, adding that the EU should engage in a constant dialogue with Ukraine. "If EU wants to attract Ukraine back to the track of reforms and to the democratic process, it should be clearly declared that, no matter who rules in Kiev, the country will have a European future if rules and European values are adhered to," the Bulgarian Foreign Minister has stated. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139331 139331 Bulgaria in EU Mon, 14 May 2012 13:14:18 +0200 The Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC) will file a lawsuit at the European Court of Human Rights over the death of a 15-year-old at a state-run childcare institution. The human rights NGO will sue the state over the death of a 15-year-old mentally disabled girl at an institution located in the northeastern village of Strazha. The girl died in 2006 from gastrointestinal perforation. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139330 139330 Domestic Mon, 14 May 2012 13:01:18 +0200 The ruling, center-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party, GERB, lost the local elections in the western city of Kyustendil because the opposition Socialists had purchased their votes. The accusations came Monday from Prime Minister and GERB leader, Boyko Borisov. "Look at the number of ballots cast for GERB in the Roma district of Kyustendil – only 1 000, meaning our party has not been involved in vote buying," he said, noting that GERB won at other locations. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139329 139329 Diplomacy Mon, 14 May 2012 12:30:12 +0200 Yemen shut put more efforts into guaranteeing the security of foreign diplomatic missions in the country, according to Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov. "The security of diplomatic missions, including the Bulgarian Embassy, should be better guaranteed in Yemen," Mladenov declared on Monday, as cited by Darik radio. The Foreign Minister's comment followed an incident on Saturday, in which an attempt was made to kidnap Bulgaria's Ambassador to Yemen, Boris Borisov, in the capital Sanaa. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139328 139328 Finance Mon, 14 May 2012 12:19:13 +0200 The consumer price index (CPI) in Bulgaria in April 2012 compared to March 2012 was 100.2%, i.e.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139327 139327 Energy Mon, 14 May 2012 11:52:00 +0200 Unit 7 of Bulgaria's Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant, NPP, will become functional by 2022 or 2023 at the latest, according to Economy and Energy Minister, Delyan Dobrev. Speaking in an interview Monday morning for the private TV channel bTV, Dobrev explained that the newly established project company will bear full financial responsibility. The company has an initial capital of BGN 2 M while the reactor should be 100% ready by October 2012.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139326 139326 Energy Mon, 14 May 2012 11:47:41 +0200 Evgenia Haritonova, member of the State Commission for Energy Regulation (DKEVR), will be proposed for appointment as Deputy Energy Minister, according to Delyan Dobrev, Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism. In a Monday interview for the morning broadcast of private TV channel bTV, Dobrev presented Haritonova as an energy expert with extensive experience at the national power utility NEK and the Electricity System Operator (ESO). Dobrev argued that Haritonova was well acquainted with the developments in the Bulgarian energy sector and with "the challenges of liberalization.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139325 139325 Energy Mon, 14 May 2012 11:45:31 +0200 German energy company RWE has said that it might abandon the Nabucco gas pipeline project. "We are looking at the project to see if our commercial and strategic goals are still respected," an RWE spokesperson stated on Monday, as cited by international media. A report had already emerged in Der Spiegel that company executives have been preparing politicians for the possibility RWE may exit the project. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139324 139324 Diplomacy Mon, 14 May 2012 11:16:17 +0200 EU's Foreign Affairs High Representative Catherine Ashton has condemned the recent attempt to kidnap Bulgaria's Ambassador to Yemen, Boris Borisov. Ashton, "condemns the attack in Sanaa on May 12 that injured the Bulgarian Ambassador to Yemen, Boris Genadiev Borisov, and expresses the sincere solidarity of the European Union," a statement has said. "The High Representative calls on the Yemeni authorities to take the necessary measures to ensure the protection of foreign nationals and diplomats and do the utmost to investigate the incident," she added, pointing out that the incident shows the fragile security situation in the country. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139323 139323 Culture Mon, 14 May 2012 11:09:51 +0200 Bulgarian Roma pop folk diva, Sofi Marinova, who will represent the country in the 2012 Eurovision contest, has left for Baku. She will perform in the capital of Azerbaijan on May 24. Marinova took a flight Monday morning to Istanbul and Baku will be her next stop, according to the Bulgarian National Television, BNT. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139322 139322 Business Mon, 14 May 2012 10:28:04 +0200 The turnover of Bulgarian food and drink establishments will go down by BGN 300 M after the full smoking ban becomes effective. The statement was made by the Chairman of the Bulgarian Association of Hotel and Restaurant Owners, Blagoy Ragin, who took part in the Sunday protest rally against the ban. As result of these losses, 20% of Bulgarian restaurants, casinos, and night clubs will be bankrupt by March 2013, Ragin insisted, stressing ironically that Kazakhstan currently has a program for small and medium business and the jobless Bulgarians could go there in hopes for a better future. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139321 139321 Domestic Mon, 14 May 2012 09:53:58 +0200 The Coalition Kyustendil has secured a landslide victory in the Sunday elections for municipal councilors in the western Bulgarian city under the same name. With 6 205 ballots (nearly 33% of the vote) the Coalition will have 14 councilors. The left-wing Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP, came in second with 3 123 ballots (16%) and 7 City Hall seats. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139320 139320 Diplomacy Mon, 14 May 2012 09:21:39 +0200 The Bulgarian Ambassador to the US, Elena Poptodorova and the US Ambassador in Sofia, James Warlick, are starting Monday their second diplomatic tour across the US in an effort to attract American investors to Bulgaria. The Ambassadors' Business Road Show will tour the United States from May 14-18, 2012, the US Embassy in Sofia informs in an official press release. With stops in Austin, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Silicon Valley, the Road Show aims to further increase trade and investment between the two countries. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139319 139319 Crime Mon, 14 May 2012 08:58:26 +0200 The son of well-known Bulgarian businessman Grisha Ganchev, Danail, and four other people, detained during the special police operation codenamed "Sugar," are to remain behind bars. The rule was issued late Sunday evening by a team of magistrates from the Special Tribunal known as the anti-mafia Court. The only defendant to be placed on house arrest is Kameliya Mircheva, a member of the "Litex Commerce" Supervisory Board on grounds of poor health condition and being the single mother of a teenager. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139318 139318 World Mon, 14 May 2012 08:18:32 +0200 The negotiations to form a new Greek cabinet have failed with the leader of far-left party Syriza declaring he will not attend coalition talks on Monday. Alexis Tsipras' move takes the country a step closer to elections. Current polls show the party, which opposes the austerity measures and the bailout loan, as favorite, BBC reports. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=139413 139413 Industry Mon, 14 May 2012 04:27:07 +0200 Bulgaria must boost the administrative capacities of its local authorities, among other measures, in order to attract more FDI in the new global economic environment, Kraft Food Bulgaria CEO Antoine Collette recommended at the Bulgaria: Business UP investment conference in Sofia. Collette was one of the keynote panelists in Panel 4, "Bulgaria - Dreamland for Investors", of the conference in which the CEOs of top foreign investors were brought together with Bulgarian Economy Minister Delyan Dobrev and InvestBulgaria Agency CEO Borislav Stefanov. In his address to the almost 400 conference participants in the Sheraton Sofia Hotel Balkan, Antoine Collette pointed out that large international investors are now focusing on individual locations and clusters, rather than on entire states, when taking investment decisions. ...