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 2001-2009 Novinite Ltd. http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109719 109719 Domestic Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:00:55 +0200 Bulgaria's Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, stated Friday night that in his first 100 days in office he stopped embezzlement of state funds, and found money for large infrastructure projects. In a political talk show of the BNT, Borisov said that even though 30 of his first 100 days were in August, during the regular summer vacation period, they had still been counted. He said he was happy with the work of the GERB Parliamentary Group which initially needed a little time as newcomers to the Parliament.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109718 109718 World Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:44:55 +0200 Jason Rodriguez, a 40-year-old man, has been detained after a shooting spree in which he killed one person and wounded five in Orlando, Florida, on Friday. The gunman is reported to have been fired from an engineering firm in Orlando 2 years ago. On Friday, he returned to the same office shooting six people, The Washington Post reported. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109717 109717 Finance Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:16:46 +0200 Finance Minister, Simeon Djankov, has made clear his intention to reduce Bulgaria’s value-added tax from 20% down to 18% or even 16% by the end of the GERB cabinet’s term in 2013. During a visit to the northeast town of Dobrich, Djankov said he opposed the idea of differentiated VAT rates on some items such as medicines and textbooks because once the flat tax system was broken, that would lead to massive demands for concessions in all sectors. Djankov cited as a bad example in hand Bulgaria’s tourism sector where the VAT rate is only 7%.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109716 109716 Domestic Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:58:17 +0200 Bulgaria's former Labor Minister and current Socialist Party MP, Emiliya Maslarova, is under the investigation for the embezzlement of BGN 10 M of state money. Maslarova, and her friend Ventsislav Draganov, who has a construction firm, are believed to have pocketed BGN 9,8 M by violating the Public Procurement Act over the repair of a Ministry of Labor building in the southern city of Stara Zagora. This was announced Friday by Prosecutor Stilyana Kozhuharova, a spokesperson of Bulgaria's Chief Prosecutor, Boris Velchev.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109714 109714 Properties Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:19:55 +0200 Russian oligarchs have paid up to EUR 3 800 per square meter for vacation properties at Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast. This has been announced by Konstantin Bobchev, managing partner at Home for You, during the real estate conference BalRec on Friday. The properties for which the Russian buyers paid the highest price for a Bulgarian Black Sea spot is located at the Oasis Complex, close to the southeast town of Tsarevo.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109713 109713 Crime Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:56:39 +0200 One of the world's most notorious casino cheats has been jailed for a three-year fraud that spread all over the UK and several other countries. Abdullah Toksoz, 40, of Croydon, bypassed casino security with Italian, Bulgarian and Malibu identities to win GBP 3 000 a night between February 2005 and June last year. He would mark cards using a pinhead under his fingernail. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109712 109712 Sports Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:22:03 +0200 CSKA Sofia coach Lyuboslav Penev has surprisingly submitted his resignation on Friday, citing disagreement with a series of decisions of the club from earlier this week. The news comes after CSKA suffered a number of defeats, one against rival Litex Lovech 2-0, another at home against Minyor Pernik 3-0 and yet another 3:0 against FC Basel in a Europa League game. Penev suspended on Monday nine players after they were spotted at nightclubs, a violation of the Bulgarian team's disciplinary rules.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109711 109711 Sports Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:18:30 +0200 The Bolivian national football team have refused to play in an international ‘friendly’ match at Bulgaria’s Vasil Levski National Stadium. The reasons for this refusal were purely financial. The Bolivians had, at the last moment, demanded a large sum of money to travel to Sofia, the Bulgarian Football Union announced on Friday. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109710 109710 Crime Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:18:04 +0200 The Deputy Director of Bulgaria’s National Veterinary-Medical Service, Leonid Lavchev, who was arrested Friday, has been charged with blackmailing. Thus, Lavchev faces between 5 and 15 years in jail, and a fine of up to BGN 500 000. Earlier on Friday Bulgaria’s Interior Minister, Tsvetan Tsvetanov, said Lavchev demanded and received two bribes of BGN 1 000 from a private dairy farm in the southern city of Haskovo.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109708 109708 Business Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:01:41 +0200 Bulgaria's former deputy foreign minister Milen Keremedchiev will head the state postal monopoly, it emerged on Friday, a day after the government took the first steps in mail service liberalization. Keremedchiev, who was deputy minister in the previous Socialist-led government, will replace Alexander Tsvetkov, who was fired. Milen Keremedchiev has previous experience in companies dealing with air traffic of cargo and passengers and freight-forwarding services. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109709 109709 World Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:57:32 +0200 A young East German physicist named Angela Merkel was on her way home from her weekly trip to the sauna and a beer with a friend, when she was swept up in the ecstatic crowds crossing the border at Bornholmer Street on the night of Novenber 9, 1989, when the Berlin Wall fell. Now, as chancellor of a reunited Germany, Mrs. Merkel is presiding over a series of events commemorating the 20th anniversary of that day.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109707 109707 Energy Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:43:10 +0200 Ukraine has paid Russia for the October 2009 natural gas supplies, which has assuaged fears about the breakup of a new gas crisis between the two states not unlike the one in January. The news was announced Friday by Ukrainian Prime Minister, Yulia Tymoshenko, during her visit to the Eastern Ukrainian city of Mariupol. In her words, the Ukrainian national gas company Naftogaz has paid the Russian provider Gazprom the due USD 500 M (EUR 336 M) for the gas supplied in October. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109706 109706 Diplomacy Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:41:54 +0200 Thursday’s raid of the Bulgarian Industrial Center in Moscow carried out by the Russian police was fully legal. This has been stated Friday by Andrey Nesterenko, Spokesperson of the Russian Foreign Ministry, regarding the claims of the Bulgarian government that the administrative and residential buildings of the Center enjoyed diplomatic immunity under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. In a special operation Thursday, the Russian police forces raided offices and apartments of the Bulgarian company Millenium 2001, and later arrested three Bulgarian citizens related to its on charges of production and distribution of pirate CDs with software and audio-visual materials. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109704 109704 Domestic Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:23:07 +0200 Bulgaria's prime minister has said it is impossible to strip the immunity from prosecution of ethnic Turkish leader Ahmed Dogan as he has been careful not to leave evidence of his allegedly controversial deals. “He has not signed a single document. Bulgaria is a country of the rule of law and charges can be raised only based on evidence,” Boyko Borisov said on Friday, taking up a journalist question. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109705 109705 Sports Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:19:04 +0200 Dimitar Berbatov, Manchester United’s Bulgarian forward, has recovered from his recent injury, and will now be available for Sunday’s fixture with Chelsea. Berbatov sustained the injury last weekend, and was sidelined for the Champions League 3:3 drawn encounter against Russian CSKA Moscow last Wednesday. Manager Sir Alex Ferguson confirmed that both Berbatov and Nemanja Vidic, who was also out of action through injury, would be available for Sunday’s big battle. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109703 109703 Defense Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:17:54 +0200 Bulgaria is not going to reduce the number of its troops in Afghanistan despite the financial difficulties of its Defense Ministry. Defense Minister, Nikolay Mladenov, said he hoped that additional funds could be allocated to the Ministry’s budget in 2010. Despite the fact that the Defense Ministry will have to adopt austerity measures, it most likely not going to have to cut down on its Afghanistan contingent. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109702 109702 Energy Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:29:51 +0200 Bulgaria's government will approach prosecutors on suspicions of embezzlement of funds earmarked for Belene nuclear project, the economy and energy minister said on Friday. “A total of BGN 300,000, which the government allotted for raising the capital of state power utility NEK and forming the joint venture agreement with German utility RWE AG have been spent away,” Minister Traycho Traykov said in parliament. “The joint venture never happened, but the money is gone,” he said, adding that the revelation raises questions about the control of the then energy minister over the spendings for these companies. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109701 109701 Diplomacy Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:20:41 +0200 The newly-appointed Bulgarian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Lyubomir Kyuchukov, presented his credentials to the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, at an official ceremony in Buckingham Palace. During the audience on Thursday, the Queen expressed her interest in the changes in Bulgaria following its accession to the European Union, asking about the reforms and economic development and its efforts to overcome the consequences of the world economic crisis. The Ambassador and the Queen exchanged opinions on the opportunities for British citizens to invest in Bulgaria, especially in tourism and real estate.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109700 109700 Business Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:25:38 +0200 The Anti-Corruption Committee of the Bulgarian Parliament has concluded that Minister of Economy, Energy, and Tourism, Traicho Traikov, is not involved in a conflict of interests. “The signal about me submitted by the Spokesperson of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, Korneliya Ninova, was fake, deceiving, and wasted the time of us all,” Traikov himself stated after learning the decision of the Parliamentary Committee. In his words, the Committee is working on the final report on case in which he was investigated for conflict of interests. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109699 109699 Crime Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:14:34 +0200 Two kidnapped girls have been found and released by anti-mafia units in a village, close to the town of Pleven, Northern Bulgaria, police announced on Friday. The raid followed a tip-off, received late on Thursday, by the girls' parents who said that on their way home after school in the nearby town of Teteven the two 19-year-old girls were bundled forcefully into a car and apparently kidnapped. The two girls were found locked into a house in the village of Burkach.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109698 109698 Society Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:40:18 +0200 Bulgaria's Health Ministry announced Friday afternoon the declaration of a state of national swine flu epidemic over the rising number of patients with A(H1N1). The Health Ministry made the decision based on the grounds that the number of people with swine flu has reached 210 per 10 000. On Thursday, Bulgaria's Health Minister Bozhidar Nanev announced a little over 100 000 Bulgarians were infected with A(H1N1). ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109696 109696 Society Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:30:47 +0200 The Sofia Health Inspectorate announced Friday afternoon that the Bulgarian capital will be declaring a swine flu epidemic starting Monday, November 9, 2009. The number of A(H1N1) cases in Sofia have reached the epidemic levels of 180 per 10 000 people. The most affected group is the active-working age population over 20 years of age. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109697 109697 Domestic Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:30:40 +0200 A consumer survey conducted in October shows that trust in the economy and feelings about personal well-being are in decline throughout Bulgaria. The most recent Bulgarian National Statistical Institute (NSI) poll showed an overall drop of 5,9 percentage points in October, when compared with responses made in July 2009. It is now at the same level as 6 months ago. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109695 109695 Society Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:43:46 +0200 Household pets have become infected with the H1N1 flu, but the pandemic virus does not yet spread quickly among animals, the World Health Organization said on Friday. WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl said it was not clear how the isolated animals had contracted the flu virus that is spreading quickly among humans in the northern hemisphere, particularly in Eastern Europe. A novel flu virus -- looking like a mix of human and swine genes -- has been detected in some mink farms in Denmark, and seems to have infected only the animals and not the farm workers in proximity to them. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109694 109694 Domestic Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:19:44 +0200 Bulgaria's finance ministry has declassified the financial audit of the state-owned National Road Infrastructure Fund, whose former head is being tried for corruption. The report was issued in 2008 by KPMG Bulgaria consultancy and discloses violations and lapses that led to the freezing of funds under the PHARE and ISPA pre-accession programs. The report also singles out cases of clash of interests in awarding contracts for construction works and supervision, which considerably exceed the expenses in the fund budget, oversights in tender procedures and contract signing. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109693 109693 World Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:55:01 +0200 A US major is under guard at a Texas military base as officials investigate what prompted a shooting attack, whose death toll has risen to 13. Authorities named Major Nidal Malik Hasan, 39, as the man who opened fire on soldiers at Fort Hood on Thursday. It is not clear what motivated him, but reports said the US-born Muslim was unhappy about being sent to Iraq or Afghanistan. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109692 109692 Views on BG Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:46:42 +0200 By Adrian Bridge The Daily Telegraph Within 10 minutes of getting into the car that is going to take me from the border town of Ruse to the Black Sea resort of Varna, I am reminded of what is still universally considered by Bulgarians to be the single most important date in their history. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109691 109691 Finance Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:42:21 +0200 Bulgaria's finance minister has renewed his calls on banks to lower lending rates by at least 3% due to the decreasing financial risk in the country. Talking in the Black Sea town of Varna, Djankov said one option for achieving this is issuing Eurobonds on international markets or unblocking payments to the businesses in the construction and infrastructure sectors. The minister said he expects to hear a dozen proposals for ways to lower lending rates at his upcoming meeting with bankers on Wednesday. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109690 109690 Views on BG Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:21:55 +0200 Bulgarians never reconciled with their communist past, and they worry about the present. By John Dyer The GlobalPost ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109689 109689 Society Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:14:46 +0200 Bulgaria's unemployment rate marked a sharp increase in October 2009, reaching 8,23%, up by 0,20% over the previous month, officials announced. More than 7,000 Bulgarians have been laid off in October, the greatest number being in the industry sector, Labor Minister Totyu Mladenov said. The minister expects the jobless rate to go up to 9,2-9,3% by the end of the year. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109687 109687 Business Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:46:41 +0200 Toronto-based Dundee Precious Metals Inc. announced that a Bulgarian court has revoked a 2008 environmental impact assessment resolution, which gave the green light to its gold and copper mine in Chelopech, Bulgaria. In its ruling, the court said the EIA file had to be returned to the Bulgarian Ministry of Environment and Waters for another review. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109686 109686 Business Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:04:09 +0200 Oil and gas explorer Melrose Resources said on Friday it has received approval from the Bulgarian government to develop the Kavarna gas field, which has estimated reserves of 24 billion cubic feet (bcf). The company expects the Kavarna field to be on stream by July 1, 2010. The group said it has also formally received approval from the Romanian National Agency of Mineral Resources to conduct petroleum operations in the country under new administrative guidelines. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109684 109684 Domestic Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:46:57 +0200 Buglaria’s MPs adopted Friday emergency amendments of the Medical Products in Human Medicine Act. The aim of the amendments is to simplify the regime for purchasing medical products with state funds outside of the mandatory health insurance system in a time when the country is facing "epidemics, pandemics, or confirmed use of chemical and biological weapons, or the spread of nuclear radiation." ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109683 109683 Domestic Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:29:00 +0200 Bulgaria’s ex-Labor Minister, Emiliya Maslarova, has stated in written that she agreed to have her MP immunity lifted. Earlier on Friday it was announced that the Chief Prosecutor Boris Velchev had demanded the lifting of her immunity so that charges could be raised against her for her work as Minister in 2005-2009. Maslarova has declared that over the last six months she and her family had been the target of “inhuman moral and political harassment”. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109682 109682 Crime Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:36:33 +0200 The Deputy Director of Bulgaria’s National Veterinary-Medical Service, Leonid Lavchev, has been arrested on “racketeering” charges. This has been announced by Bulgaria’s Interior Minister, Tsvetan Tsvetanov, who said Lavchev demanded a bribe of BGN 1 000 from a private dairy farm in the southern city of Haskovo. Lavchev has sent a special person to collect the bribe. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109681 109681 Diplomacy Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:15:07 +0200 Russian authorities have confirmed the arrest of three Bulgarian citizens in Moscow in the wake of Thurday’s raid of the Russian police on the Bulgarian Industrial Center in Russia’s capital. Thursday night reports of the Bulgarian National Radio said the four men arrested were Nikolay Nikolov, Kostadin Kostov, Krasimir Velchev, and Simeon Borisov. The Bulgarian Embassy in Moscow said Friday Nikolov had actually not been arrested, and only his apartment had been searched. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109680 109680 Domestic Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:58:32 +0200 Bulgaria’s Chief Prosecutor, Boris Velchev, has initiated a procedure for bringing charges against former Labor Minister, Emiliya Maslarova. This has been announced Friday by Parliament Chair Tsetska Tsacheva who said Velchev requested a procedure to lift Maslarova’s MP immunity. Emiliya Maslarova is a MP from the Bulgarian Socialist Party, she was the Labor Minister at the Stanishev government (2005-2009). ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109679 109679 Society Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:24:39 +0200 А 53-year-old man has died in a hospital in Sofia as a result of complications of the A(H1N1) virus, bringing Bulgaria’s total swine flu death toll to six. According to Chief Health Inspector Tencho Tenev, the man had schizophrenia and cirrhosis. He did treat himself at home for a week, when he finally saw a doctor, and was taken to hospital in critical condition. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109678 109678 Domestic Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:23:26 +0200 Bulgaria’s local authorities want to collect one-fifth of the personal income tax in order to have more funds available for their projects. This suggesting has been made by the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria (NAMRB) during the discussions of the draft 2010 State Budget by the Parliamentary Committees on Finance and Economic Policy. “If one-fifth of the 10% personal income tax, which means 2% of the personal income, is transformed into a municipal tax, the municipalities will get BGN 400 M more which they can use to fulfill their obligations for maintaining infrastructure, carrying out expropriation procedures, and providing co-funding for local projects,” said Dora Yankova, Chair of NAMRB and Mayor of Smolyan. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109677 109677 Crime Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:38:19 +0200 Bulgarian businessman Yosko Isaev has made public details on how he was blackmailed by Prosecutor Georgi Velkov who was recently busted with a bribe of BGN 23 000. Isaev, who is the manager of “Pleven Bread” firm in the northern city of Pleven, explained he had been deceived by another businessman, Iliyan Mihaylov, that he could regain property of a flour mill in the region through court proceedings against another local firm, Octopus Invest Holding, which could be arranged by Prosecutor Georgi Velkov. Isaev game in person BGN 15 000 in cash to Velko and BGN 8 000 to Mihaylov right before the two were busted in a coordinated operation of the Interior Ministry, the Sofia Prosecutor’s Office, and the National Security Agency. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109676 109676 World Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:35:56 +0200 Major Nidal Malik Hasan who killed 12 and wounded 31 officers at the US military base Fort Hood, Texas, is alive in a stable condition. US Army General Robert Cone said there was one single shooter, who survived even though he had been wounded by military police during the shootout. Hasan, a psychiatrist at the largest US military base who had been scheduled to go to Iraq, was reported dead earlier. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109675 109675 World Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:07:54 +0200 107 people have perished in the floods caused by the Maranae typhoon in Vietnam. 11 other people have been declared missing after the tropical storm hit on Monday, and caused the most destructive floods Vietnam had seen for decades. The typhoon Miranae has also killed 2 people in Cambodia and 27 in the Philippines whereas thousands of people are still without shelter.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109674 109674 World Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:15:52 +0200 10 American soldiers and one civilian police officer have been killed, and 31 others have been wounded by a US Army major at the Fort Hood Military Base in Texas. The shooting spree occurred at about 1:30 pm CT on Thursday. The shooter, who has been killed, has been identified as Major Malik Nidal Hasan, according to CNN. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109673 109673 Diplomacy Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:56:18 +0200 Four Bulgarian citizens have been arrested in Moscow in the wake of Thurday’s raid of the Russian police on the Bulgarian Industrial Center in Russia’s capital. The names of the four men arrested late Thursday night are Nikolay Nikolov, Kostadin Kostov, Krasimir Velchev, and Simeon Borisov, the Bulgarian National Radio reported. The four men are related with the Bulgarian company “Millenium 2001” whose offices and rented apartments at the Bulgarian Industrial Center in Moscow were targeted by the Russian police forces on Thursday.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109671 109671 Bulgaria in EU Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:06:11 +0200 Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Rumiana Jeleva discussed on Thursday her nomination for European Commissioner at an informal meeting with European Commission President, Jose Manuel Barroso. After the meeting Jeleva refused to disclose details, saying the European Commission has asked her for discretion, but did not spare her harsh criticism against the Bulgarian media for their interest. “We talked about things, which concern the Lisbon Treaty, Bulgaria and the next European Commission,” the minister said. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109669 109669 Bulgaria in EU Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:02:55 +0200 Bulgaria PM Boyko Borisov has stated that Bulgaria will fully support Montenegro’s integration into the EU at a meeting in Sofia with the President of Montenegro, Filip Vujanovic. Borisov and Vujanovic agreed to deepen their bilateral cooperation in the field of Montenegro’s integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structures, economy, transport, tourism and combating organized crime in the region. Borisov also expressed the readiness of the Bulgarian side to work towards the opening of a regular air service to Montenegro’s capital, Podgorica, which he said would enormously facilitate business contacts between the two countries and will encourage more Bulgarian citizens to visit Montenegro. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109668 109668 Show Buzz Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:43:37 +0200 Miss Bulgaria 2009, blond beauty Antonia Petrova, will be leaving on November 6 for London to take part in a dinner and several days of rehearsals, organized by the headquarters of Miss World pageant. Antonia says she speaks English well and will have no need to take extra lessons. She says she plans to amaze the jury and the public with an elegant outlook and a version of a Bulgarian folklore dance, specially prepared for the pageant. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109667 109667 Views on BG Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:11:06 +0200 Radio Netherlands Worldwide Bulgaria's transition to democracy was relatively smooth. It had always been one of the most open of the Soviet states and by the time the impact of Mikhail Gorbachev's reform programme was being felt in the late 1980s, the Bulgarian Communist Party was too feeble to resist the demand for change. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109666 109666 Finance Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:04:09 +0200 Bulgaria's economy will start recovering from recession next year and is expected to grow by up to 0,5% , the Central Bank announced on Thursday. The forecast came as the budget for next year, which envisages the economy to shrink by 2%, was approved unanimously and without any debates by the economic and financial parliamentary commissions. "Bulgaria will have the most stable fiscal policy among all European Union member states," Finance Minister Simeon Djankov said. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109665 109665 Crime Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:01:15 +0200 Police in the Italian city of Padua are tracking down the murderer of Albena Birdi, a 35 year-old Bulgarian citizen. The woman’s body was found in an advanced stage of decay in a drainage channel in Padua on the morning of October 20. A post-mortem examination of the body, conducted by Padua’s police forensic doctor revealed that the woman had died as a result of blows inflicted to the left side of her skull. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109664 109664 Energy Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:57:43 +0200 The President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, has called upon Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko to avert any delays in his country’s payment for Russian gas supplies. Barroso’s warning aimed at preventing a new gas crisis between Russia and the Ukraine like the one in January 2009 comes a day after the Ukrainian state company Naftogaz said it was facing financial difficulties. The EC President has warned Yushchenko over the phone, a Commission spokesperson announced as quoted by BGNES.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109663 109663 Sports Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:55:11 +0200 Todor Batkov, the owner of Bulgarian champions FC Levski Sofia, has accussed an officer from the Main Directorate for Fighting Organized Crime (GDBOP) of helping an Armenian criminal to leave the country. Batkov, speaking after a meeting of football Presidents with the Bulgarian Parliamentary Committee on Combating Corruption, stated that the GDBOP officer from Pernik helped an Armenian citizen, who is linked to to a Russian criminal group in St. Petersburg, to leave the country. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109662 109662 Crime Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:22:25 +0200 The Bulgarian Constitution makes it impossible to bring criminal charges against the Chief Public Prosecutor against his will even in case of murder, the court in Strasbourg has concluded. In its ruling on what has been described as the unlawful detention of senior Bulgarian Prosecutor Nikolai Kolev and the ineffective investigation into his murder, the European Court of Human Rights criticized the centralised structure of the prosecution service, the working methods and the existing institutional arrangement. The ruling came in response to an application by Nikolai Kolev, which was maintained by his wife and two children after his death in 2002. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109661 109661 World Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:19:01 +0200 The UN's Yugoslav war crimes court in The Hague has appointed a lawyer for ex-Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and adjourned his genocide trial to 1 March. Karadzic - who has been representing himself - appeared in court for the first time on Tuesday after boycotting the start of the trial. He argued that he had insufficient time to prepare his defence and sought a 10-month adjournment, the BBC reported. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109660 109660 Finance Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:14:00 +0200 Bulgaria's national budget for October is balanced, with revenues of BGN 8 M more than expenditure, the Finance Ministry has announced. Revenues and subsidies of the Consolidated Fiscal Program (CFP) for October amounted to BGN 1,996 B while expenditure stood at BGN 1,988 B, according to preliminary data on implementation of the national budget issued by the Finance Ministry on Thursday. Government expenditure has shrunk by almost 9% compared to October 2008.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109659 109659 Society Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:49:30 +0200 The EU's main drugs watchdog stated that Bulgaria was one of only 6 EU countries to report a decrease in drug law offences. The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) added that; “Between 2002 and 2007, the number of drug law offences related to use increased in most reporting countries, with only Bulgaria, Greece, the Netherlands and Slovenia reporting a decline across the period.” ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109658 109658 Society Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:40:59 +0200 Bulgaria has approached the European Union with a request to provide it with anti-flu vaccines amids expectations that a national flu epidemic emergency may be declared in days. “The European Commission has briefed the member states about Bulgaria's requests for more anti-flu vaccines,” Bulgarian Commissioner Meglena Kuneva announced on Thursday. Kunvea recommended that the Bulgarian side starts looking for bilateral contacts so that the needed medical aid – 200,000 anti-virus vaccines - is provided as quickly as possible. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109657 109657 Bulgaria in EU Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:18:40 +0200 The EU's main drugs watchdog has criticized Bulgaria for not providing outpatient treatment for drug addicts in its annual report released Thursday. The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) stated; “In four countries (Bulgaria, Estonia, Romania, Turkey)...outpatient psychosocial treatment is estimated to be available to less than half of those who actively seek it.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109656 109656 Diplomacy Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:15:36 +0200 The governments of Bulgaria and Russia are currently tangled in complex diplomatic negotiations over the immunity status of the buildings of the Bulgarian Industrial Center in Moscow. This was announced Thursday afternoon by Bulgaria’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Marin Raykov, just several hours after special forces of the Russian police raided the Center in order to search the apartment of Nikolay Nikolov, the representative of the Bulgarian firm Millenium 2001, which is suspected of producing and distributing pirate CDs outside of Moscow. Later in the day Bulgarian businessman Konstantin Kostov, also representative of Millenium 2001, was arrested in Moscow. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109655 109655 Sports Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:07:37 +0200 Dimitar Berbatov, the Bulgarian Manchester United forward, remains doubtful for Sunday’s match against Chelsea. The Bulgarian team captain, who did not play when it his team drew 3:3 with CSKA Moscow in the Champion's League, continues to have injury problems and still does not know whether he will be fit enough to appear at Stamford Bridge. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109654 109654 Business Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:35:10 +0200 Bulgaria's new government will create five new subsidiaries of the state postal monopoly as part of plans to liberalize the mail market, Transport Minister Alexander Tsvetkov said on Thursday. The state will hold a 51% stake in the subsidiaries, which will deal with door-to-door shipping, payment transfer, hybrid mail, catalogue and IT services. The minister said investors will be sought for the five subsidiaries, which are expected to attract at least BGN 40 M.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109653 109653 Diplomacy Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:18:33 +0200 Bulgaria's Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, said Thursday he would not "create any obstacles" for the Russian police over their raid of a Bulgarian diplomatic facility in Moscow if there was actually a crime. “From a purely legal, diplomatic point of view they have no right to enter there but if there is a person or a firm who committed a crime, I wouldn’t be mad at the Russian colleagues. If there is a crime there, I would do the same thing.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109651 109651 Domestic Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:07:09 +0200 Tsvetlin Yovchev, the Chief of the State National Security Agency (DANS), has admitted that there is no reliable system to protect classified information at the Agency. Yovchev, speaking during a round table discussion with at the Bulgarian Parliament, said that the procedure to protect secret information at DANS allows for unauthorized access. Chief Prosecutor, Boris Velchev, recommended that Yovchev should make a full inventory of DANS to see whether the information stored in the Agency’s archives serves national security interests or if it has other purposes.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109652 109652 Business Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:05:59 +0200 Bulgaria has a stake of about 60% of the Japanese yogurt market, where 40 M people regularly consume the product. This became clear at a meeting Thursday between the Ambassador of Japan to Bulgaria, Tsuneharu Takeda, and the Minister of Agriculture and Foods, Miroslav Naydenov, LB Bulgaricum Plc.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109650 109650 Energy Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:50:47 +0200 The nuclear project in the Bulgarian Danube town of Belene, which has stalled over funding problems, will need EUR 200 M to be maintained, according to the head of the holding, which groups the country's top energy assets. "Now it is not a good time for suspending the project, it should be sustained even though with minimum of funds," Boris Pekov, chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bulgarian Energy Holding and executive director of the state enterprise “Radioactive waste” said on Thursday. According to Pekov freezing the project will also cost money.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109649 109649 Diplomacy Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:40:06 +0200 A representative of Russia’s Interior Ministry said exclusively for Novinite.com the Russian police had not infringed on Bulgarian diplomatic premises during Thursday’s police raid on the Bulgarian Industrial Center in Moscow. Albert Istomin, Deputy Head of the Press Center of the Economic Security Department, told Novinite.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109648 109648 Crime Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:59:58 +0200 Bulgaria Chief Prosecutor, Boris Velchev, has stated that the full list of people who have been in contact with “Krasio from Pleven’ will be published in a few days time. Velchev, speaking after attending the Bulgarian Parliament, said that with the help of the State National Security Agency (DANS) the list would be published to stop speculation as to who is in Krasio’s little black book. Bulgaria's Supreme Judicial Council (VSS) earlier announced the names of five new magistrates, who have been in contact with the famous businessman ‘Krasio from Pleven’. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109646 109646 Bulgaria in EU Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:40:27 +0200 A high-ranking official from the Czech presidency has said the country will leave the European Union after the Lisbon Treaty comes into force, reports say. “After the Lisbon Treaty comes into force, the Czech Republic will lose its state independence. President Vaclav Klaus is fully aware of this.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109647 109647 World Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:37:07 +0200 Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group, has “categorically” denied Israel’s allegations that it was the intended recipient of weapons discovered on board the Francop. The vessel was seized by Israel’s Navy on Wednesday and towed to the port of Ashdod. Examination of the ship’s cargo revealed an arms cache, one of the biggest it had found, Israeli military sources stated. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109645 109645 Domestic Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:34:58 +0200 Bulgaria PM, Boyko Borisov has stated that a Parliamentary vote of confidence might be held on the National State Security Agency (DANS). Borisov speaking in Parliament on Thursday, added that “I don’t need DANS to support the government or our party... It is time for the former members of DANS to retire and create a party to compete in the next elections.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109644 109644 Diplomacy Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:29:20 +0200 Thursday morning's raid of the Russian police on the Bulgarian Industrial Center in Moscow has been caused by suspicions for the production and sale of pirate CDs. The police force came in order to search the commercial offices of the Bulgarian firm Millenium 2001 Ltc over doubts that it was involved in the production and sale of pirate CDs, the press center of the Bulgaria’s Ministry of Economy, Energy, and Tourism reported. The firm has a plant for the production of CDs in Zelenograd, which located 30 km away from the Moscow airport of Sheremetyevo. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109643 109643 Diplomacy Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:53:35 +0200 Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry is “seriously worried” by the events related to the raid of Russian police forces OMON at the Bulgarian Industrial Center in Moscow early Monday morning. This has been announced by the Foreign Ministry press center regarding the search of apartments at the residential building of the Center by 23 OMON officers. The Foreign Ministry said it had instructed the Bulgarian Ambassador to Moscow to intervene in the case, and reminded that the Bulgarian Industrial Center in Moscow enjoyed diplomatic immunity under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109641 109641 World Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:49:36 +0200 French Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, has stated that although Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai is “corrupt” NATO must accept that “he is our guy”. Karzai was named president for his second term on Monday after his main opponent Abdullah Abdullah, said he would not take part. The first round of election results were marred by massive fraud. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109642 109642 Finance Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:44:40 +0200 The general opinion of Bulgarian economists is that the government’s draft budget for 2010 can be defined as realistic. Bulgaria will emerge from the current crisis provided there are no more global cataclysms, according to Petar Ganev from the Institute for Market Economy (IPI). The draft budget for 2010 may be regarded as positive, even though it is not as radical as it should be, in his expert opinion. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109640 109640 Diplomacy Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:18:22 +0200 The surprise police raid of the Bulgarian Industrial Center in the Russian capital Moscow Thursday morning has targeted Nikolay Nikolov, a representative of the Millenium 2001 firm. This has been announced by a spokesperson of the Bulgarian Embassy in Moscow as cited by BGNES. 23 masked Militia officers raided Nikolov’s apartment early Thursday morning with a Prosecutor’s search order. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109639 109639 Domestic Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:07:24 +0200 Bulgaria's Supreme Judicial Council (VSS) has announced the names of five new magistrates, who have been in contact with the famous businessman ‘Krasio from Pleven’. Tsoni Tsonev, the Chairman of the corruption commission at VSS, stated late Wednesday that the total number of magistrates who have liaised with ‘Krasio’ had now been confirmed as 18. He added that “by the end of the week all of the magistrate’s names who have been in contact with Krasio will be published.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109638 109638 World Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:34:06 +0200 General Motors (GM) has confirmed that it plans to cut 10 000 jobs across its European car unit Opel, which includes the Vauxhall brand in the UK. The announcement comes a day after GM said it was cancelling its deal to sell Opel to Canadian car parts firm Magna. Unions in Germany said workers would begin walk-outs from Thursday in protest at GM's decision, the BBC reported. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109637 109637 Business Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:10:56 +0200 The gambling industry in Bulgaria is going to collapse because of the increase of the gambling tax approved by the Bulgarian Parliament on Wednesday. This has been stated Thursday by the Bulgarian Association for Entertainment and Gambling Games regarding the increase of the gambling tax from 10% to 12% (15% was also considered by the MPs.) ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109636 109636 Diplomacy Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:37:11 +0200 A special unit of the Russian police, or “Militia”, has raided residential buildings at the Bulgarian Industrial Center in Moscow. According to the Bulgarian Embassy in Moscow, the Militia officers behaved rudely, the Bulgarian National Radio reported. It is still unclear what was the motivation of the Russian police for the raid.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109635 109635 Society Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:14:52 +0200 An average of 140 people per 10 000 of the Bulgarian population have the A(H1N1) virus also known as swine flu. This means that a little over 100 000 Bulgarians have the new flu, said Bulgaria’s Health Minister, Bozhidar Nanev, in Parliament Thursday. Six Bulgarian Districts – Gabrovo, Burgas, Yambol, Silistra, Targovishte, and Stara Zagora – have declared a swine flu epidemic.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109634 109634 Industry Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:02:41 +0200 The workers of Bulgaria’s bankrupt steel mill Kremikovtzi are awaiting delayed salaries and social security payments totaling BGN 56 M. This has been found by the Mission for protecting the rights of the workers at the plant set up in October 2009, as cited by the Sega Daily. The salaries and welfare payments are due for the period from December 2008 until September 2009.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109633 109633 Crime Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:39:54 +0200 The residents of the Bulgarian Danube city of Ruse have been worried over sneakers hanging on power lines, which is believed to be a sign of redistribution of drug dealing activities. A pair of black sneakers have been found to be hanging on electricity wires in front of the city opera house, and that another pair of white sneakers is hanged on power lines on the central Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd. The hanging of sneakers on power lines is believed to be used by drug gangs in US cities for marking territories. ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109632 109632 Domestic Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:13:32 +0200 The Bulgarian state lands that were swapped during the term of the Stanishev government are worth over BGN 1 B. This was announced Thursday night by Agriculture Minister Miroslav Naydenov, who also told the bTV channel that unfavorable land swap deals in his Ministry formerly controlled by the ethnic Turkish party DPS were carried out in such a way that senior DPS leaders avoided all responsibility. Naydenov also said the government initially thought only 4 500 decares of forest plots had been restituted unlawfully to the former Tsar and PM Simeon Saxe-Coburg.... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109631 109631 Sports Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:48:43 +0200 Both of Bulgaria’s top bodybuilders Hristomir Hristov and Dimitar Dimitrov won gold medals in their categories at the 63rd Men’s World Amateur Bodybuilding Championship in Doha, Qatar. Late Wednesday night, Bulgaria’s most successful bodybuilder of all time, Hristomir Hristov, won the gold medal in the 80 kg category. This is Hristov’s second world title ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109630 109630 Sports Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:33:19 +0200 The New York Yankees have triumphed over the Philadelphia Phillies winning their 27th title in the US Major League Baseball World Series. Late Wednesday night Eastern US Time, the Yankees beat the Phillies 7:3 in Game 6 of the World Series final on the new Yankee Stadium in front of over 50 000 people. They won the US Major League Baseball World Series final with four wins vs....