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Bulgaria May Be 1st State Visited by New EU President Van Rompuy
Bulgaria's PM Borisov (back second on the right) said Van Rompuy (front first on the right) might visit Bulgaria in December. Photo by EPA/BGNES

Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy has been selected by EU leaders Thursday night as the first President of the European Union under the Lisbon Treaty.

UK EU Commissioner Catherine Ashton has been selected EU's first "Foreign Minister" or High Foreign Policy Representative.

The election of Van Rompuy and Ashton to the new top EU jobs was decided at the special summit of the leaders of the 27 EU member states.

Van Rompuy is seen as a low-key consensual politician with a reputation of a coalition builder. He is reported to have enjoyed the crucial support of the France and Germany for the top EU job.

Rompuy is to assume office starting January 1, 2010, after the coming into force of the Lisbon Treaty on December 1, 2009.

More information on first EU President Herman Van Rompuy is available HERE.

Immediately after his election Thursday night, the first EU President stated that Europe must play an important role in the world.

Van Rombuy spoke in favor of the organization’s continued enlargement, as long as the potential new members meet the required criteria, as quoted by BGNES.

“Europe is a union of values, and has the responsibility to play and important role in the world,” President Van Rombuy declared in his first news conference.

President Van Rombuy said his “profile” as a EU head would have to do with “dialogue, unity, and consensus”.

Belgium’s still acting Prime Minister, who is known as a specialist on brokering consensus, vowed to direct the negotiations with the EU Council in such a way that all 27 member states would come out of them as winners.

The 27 leaders of the EU have described their special summer to elect the first EU President, and the EU High Commissioner on Foreign Policy – in the face of Catherine Ashton from the UK – as a historic meeting because of the unanimity that they achieved.

The Bulgarian Parliament officially declared August 23 a Day of Commemoration of the Victims of the Crimes Committed by Communist and other Totalitarian Regimes.

The Thursday discussion to support the European decrees to condemn the crimes of Communist regimes, however, triggered heated debates among the parliamentary left and right wing.

Maya Manolova, from the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party, said that some Members of the Parliament had yet to realize that very recently Europe celebrated the 20th anniversary from the fall of the Berlin Wall and they reminded her of the Japanese soldier found alive in the 70s, in the Philippines jungle, not knowing World War II was over.

“This a great metaphor, but who is the soldier today? Who is hiding in their own jungle, defending Communism, without knowing the Berlin Wall is down? We made a generous offer to you; we want to honor all people who have died defending their convictions...”, Ivan Kostov from the right-wing Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB) replied.

On October 7, the Parliament voted against the proposal for August 23 to be a national holiday and day off work.

August 23 is also marked in Bulgaria for the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising against the Ottoman Turkish Empire.

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South Korean centers for training and qualification of workers will be opened in Bulgaria in 2010, according to Labor Minister, Totyu Mladenov.

In Mladenov’s words, the training centers will be located at the plants owned by South Korean investors.

The Labor Minister announced in Sevlievo Thursday that “serious” South Korean investments were expected in Bulgaria starting 2010, and that the Bulgarian state would do its best to provide Korean businesses with a sufficiently qualified labor force.

The South Korean investors are said to be interested in hi-tech operations in Bulgaria. Their investments in production operations will go hand in hand with the respective training centers.

According to Mladenov, the Bulgarian state has achieved similar agreements for investment and qualification centers with businesses from Israel and China.

Mladenov’s announcement about the expected South Korean investments comes after he visited South Korea at the end of October 2009 as part of a government delegation led by President Georgi Parvanov.

Parvanov himself has invited the Korean giant Hyundai to set up a joint venture with Bulgarian companies for the production of tankers for compressed natural gas. This idea had its follow-up in a deal between Bulgaria and Azerbaijan sealed in Sofia last week during the visit of Azerbaijan’s President, Ilham Aliyev, which includes the setting up of a joint venture for natural gas transfer including through tankers for compressed gas.

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Bulgaria is an abnormal situation in which the unemployment is rising while the business sector is creating jobs but cannot find the skilled workers needed.

This was stated Thursday in the town of Sevlievo by Bulgaria’s Labor Minister, Totyu Mladenov.

“It is not normal to have an unemployment rate of over 8%, i.e. 300 000 unemployed, and to witness how the private sector is unable to find qualified laborers,” Mladenov said reiterating his statements from Tuesday when he met with the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria.

In his words, Bulgaria’s private sector creates about 10-12 000 jobs every month but many of the vacancies cannot be filled because of a shortage of qualified laborers. Some 5 200 positions for skilled labor in the fields of the processing and extracting industry, health care and education remained unoccupied in October 2009.

“Bulgarians must understand that because of the dynamics of the global economy their only opportunity to have a chance of the labor market, and to receive higher pay is the constant qualification and re-qualification,” Mladenov declared.

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The Chinese state-owned company China Luoyang Float Glass Group is still interested in investing in the former glass factory in Bulgaria’s northeast city of Razgrad.

After a visit in April 2008, representatives of the Chinese holding visited Bulgaria for the second time, and met Thursday with Finance Minister Simeon Djankov, and Todor Dimitrov who is a MP from the Razgrad District. They are to visit Razgrad on Friday.

In April 2008, the Vice President of CLFG, Li Wei, announced the Chinese holding was going to invest at least EUR 80 M in the former “Diamond” factory in Razgrad, which was shut down in 2000 over financial troubles.

In 2007, its assets were bought by the Plovdiv-based firm Via Properties, with which the Chinese company is planning the investment.

CLGF is a state-owned company, and ranks third largest in the world in production of flat glass. The plant in Razgrad is expected to employ 300 wokers.

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Bulgaria's unemployment rate increased by 0,2% in October 2009 reaching 8,23%, according to data of the Employment Agency released Thursday.

In October 2009, Bulgaria’s unemployment has grown by 2,38% compared to the same month of 2008.

The number of people registered as unemployed in the Agency bureaus around the country grew by 7 400 reaching 304 915. 19% of the newly unemployed come from the processing industry, 16% from the trade sector, 10,8% from state institutions, and 8,2% - from the construction sector.

The lowest unemployment levels were recorded in the Districts of Sofia – 2,58%, Burgas – 5,07%, and Varna – 6,17%. The highest percentage of unemployed is in the Districts of Smolyan – 14,94%, Montana – 13,65%, and Targovishte – 13,59%.

A total of 12 039 job vacancies were available in October, including 9 585 in the private sector. At the end of the month, 5 891 of those remained vacant.

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According to reports in the Indonesian press the Bulgarian government has made a USD 30 M investment in the fertilizer industry in East Kalimantan, Indonesia.

In a surprise report the Bulgarian government is also said to be interested in the coal potential in East and South Kalimantan, vivanews.com stated.

The Indonesian Foreign Ministry's Director General for American and European Affairs Retno L.P. Marsudi said Thursday that the investment which has been made by the Bulgarian government shows the foreign investors’ trust to Indonesia. The Bulgarian agriculture sector is also allegedly interested in Robusta coffee from Lampung.

A bilateral meeting between Indonesia and Bulgaria in Senggigi, West Lombok led to agreements on politic, economy, agriculture, mining and tourism. Both countries also agreed to increase the trade in the agricultural sector according to reports.

Marsudi concluded; “The improving political relation between Indonesia and Bulgaria is followed up by the partnership in economic sector which is focused on the mining and agricultural sectors.”

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The Members of the Bulgarian Parliament offered Thursday the latest surprise regarding the alcohol and cigarettes tax increase.

The new excise duties were changed and increased on second read during the Budget Committee meeting from their values approved on first read. The move makes the Parliamentary Hall voting crucial for the final decision.

The hard liquor tax, according to the latest stakes, would increase by BGN 0,72 per liter. The increase also includes the traditional homemade grape and fruit brandy - “rakia” where just the first 30 liters would be free of taxation. Only beer tax remains unchanged.

The cigarette tax will be BGN 100 for 1 000 cigarettes plus 23% of the sales prices. This will reduce the price difference between cheaper and more expensive cigarettes, but all cigarettes will be sold for over BGN 4 for a pack.

The opposition voiced once again their opinion the price hike would lead to an increase of cigarette and alcohol contraband while tobacco makers believe the move would not lower the staggering number of smokers in the country and would rather lead to people rolling tobacco, smoking cheaper cigarettes, or buying them on the black marker

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Bulgaria's former largest steel mill “Kremikovtzi” had withdrawn the application for a complex permit for its environmentally clean productions.

The move has happened a month ago, the Minister of Environment, Nona Karadzhova, announced Thursday, adding the permit would not be issued.

The deadline for the mill to obtain the permit expired more than a year ago – in October, 2008. “Kremikovtzi” is now on the so-called “stand by” regime, proposed by Bulgaria to the European Commission as a response to questions regarding the expired deadline to issue the permit.

On Wednesday, Bulgaria's government ruled out adopting a proposal for two of the biggest bondholders of indebted Kremikovtzi steel mill, state-owned companies, to acquire a majority stake in it to prevent an imminent shutdown.

200 workers from the plant gathered in front of the Economy and Energy Ministry Monday, calling on the state-owned gas provider Bulgargaz and the state power utility NEK, two of the major creditors in the plant, to become majority owners.

Key Bulgarian ministers made it clear last week that bankrupt steel-making giant Kremikovtzi would most likely be liquidated, since 80% of Kremikovtzi’s creditors have disapproved the action plan to save the steel-maker, presented by the administrator.

The sprawling communist-era behemoth near Sofia was declared insolvent in August last year and has suffered huge loss of production.

Workers have yet to receive BGN 56 M in unpaid salaries. Some 3 000 employees have been dismissed or have left the company, with some 3 170 staff still on the books.

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Deepining cooperation on international security, and assisting in Bulgaria’s military modernization are the top priorities of the new US Ambassador to Sofia, James Warlick.

Warlick spoke Wednesday during the official hearing before the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. The Committee is to approve Warlick's official nomination by President Obama to become Ambassador to the Republic of Bulgaria.

Warlick further announced that his second priority would be to promote energy security through transparency, diversification of supplies, and energy efficiency .

Other priorities listed by the future Ambassador are: support for Bulgaria’s efforts to promote the rule of law and implement legal and judicial reforms to combat corruption and organized crime; expanding bilateral trade and economic relations, helping US businesses to find investment and marketing opportunities and encouraging Bulgaria to strengthen and improve its business climate; and, developing deeper ties of cooperation through people-to-people programs.

In his speech Warlick gave high praise to Bulgaria's efforts in Afghanistan and the bilateral relations between the two countries.

"If confirmed, I will continue to build a relationship based on mutual respect and a deep friendship between the people of Bulgaria and the United States. I will listen to Bulgarian concerns and be an advocate for America and our values," Warlick said.

The full text of James Warlick's address read here.

The Republican Senator Jim DeMint is reported as noting during the hearing that Bulgaria's support for the American army and NATO's missions is vital and voicing hopes the friendship with Bulgaria would deepen even further, especially in the light of possible future frictions in the Black Sea Region.

DeMint pointed out that the US commitments in Central and Eastern Europe have helped a great deal the success of the democratic transition, adding that without America's leading role, the region could experience a slow down in democratic changes or even make some steps back.

The Committee asked the Nominee to become the next US Ambassador to Bulgaria about his views on energy security and the Bulgarian economy.

In response Warlick pointed out that Bulgaria's energy sector is 90% dependent on Russian supplies – a fact that reflects on the political relations between the two countries, but explained the current Bulgarian cabinet is well aware if this fact and makes efforts to diversify energy sources such as the “Nabucco” gas line, wind and solar energy, “clean” coal and others. The Nominee further stressed on the importance of improving the effectiveness and the transparency of the mining industry in Bulgaria.

Regarding Bulgaria's economy, James Warlick said the expectations are that the Gross Domestic Product will go down while the unemployment rate would climb higher than the current 8%, but pointed out that as a whole Bulgaria's economy is stable without a need for a loan from the international Monetary Fund while the 10% business tax makes the country an attractive investment location.

During the same hearing, the Senators also listened to the speech of Mary Bruce Warlick, the spouse of James Warlick, who has been nominated by President Obama to become the next US Ambassador to Serbia.

The Committee pointed out that the simultaneous nominations of two members of one same family is a historical moment for the US.

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Senate Foreign Relations Committee

November 18, 2009

Madam Chair and Members of the Committee,

I am privileged to appear before you today as the President’s nominee to be the next American Ambassador to Bulgaria. I am honored by the confidence expressed by President Obama and Secretary Clinton through this nomination. If confirmed, I pledge to work closely with this Committee and other Members of Congress to advance our nation’s interests in Bulgaria and in the region.

I am pleased that my wife, Mary, a career Foreign Service Officer nominated by the President to serve as Ambassador to Serbia, is on the same panel. She, along with our three children – Jamie, Jason, and Jordan – have provided support as we have served around the world to advance our country’s interests. I am also pleased that my mother, Rose Warlick, could join us today.

For more than two decades, I have served as a career diplomat in the Department of State. Overseas, I have had assignments in Europe, South and Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, including Iraq. Domestically, I have been responsible for U.S. policy at the United Nations and other multilateral organizations and for political-military and security issues for

Europe and the former Soviet Union. These experiences have prepared me for the challenges and responsibilities as Chief of Mission at Embassy Sofia.

Bulgaria is a close partner in the international community as a NATO ally since March 2004 and a member of the European Union since January 2007. Bulgarian troops fought beside us in Iraq and are with us today in Afghanistan, where close to 500 soldiers are part of the NATO force. Bulgaria is a source of peace and stability in the region and has contributed peacekeeping forces in Bosnia and Kosovo.

U.S.- Bulgarian cooperation is deep and our relations are excellent. U.S. military units train in Bulgaria with Bulgarian troops. Bulgaria has accomplished economic, local governance, and institutional reforms. U.S. companies have participated in Bulgaria’s economic upswing with the United States being the only non-European country ranked among Bulgaria’s top ten investors.

If confirmed, I will continue to build a relationship based on mutual respect and a deep friendship between the people of Bulgaria and the United States. I will listen to Bulgarian concerns and be an advocate for America and our values. I will work to:

-- Deepen cooperation with Bulgaria on international peace and security, especially on overseas military operations; and assist in Bulgaria’s military modernization;

-- Promote energy security through transparency, diversification of supplies, and energy efficiency;

-- Support Bulgaria’s efforts to promote the rule of law and implement legal and judicial reforms to combat corruption and organized crime;

-- Expand bilateral trade and economic relations, helping U.S. businesses to find investment and marketing opportunities and encouraging Bulgaria to strengthen and improve its business climate; and,

-- Develop deeper ties of cooperation through people-to-people programs that highlight the strengths of our two societies.

Madam Chair and Members of the Committee, thank you for this opportunity to appear before you. I would be pleased to answer any questions that you may have.

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Bulgaria might become the first EU state outside of Belgium to be formally visited by the newly-elected first EU President, Herman Van Rompuy.

This was announced by Bulgaria’s Prime Minister, Boyko BOrisov, shortly after the 27 EU leaders pick Van Rompuy as the first President of the Union under the Lisbon Treaty, the Bulgarian National Radio reported.

Before becoming EU President, Van Rompuy had planned a formal visit to Bulgaria on December 14, 2009, in his capacity as Belgian Prime Minister.

Borisov congratulated Van Rompuy immediately after his election, and was told by the new EU President that he would do his best to make the planned visit to Bulgaria unless the responsibilities of his new position prevent him from that.

PM Borisov has stated that the election of both Van Rompuy, and of first EU High Representative on Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton was good for Bulgaria, and for the European Union.

He has welcomed the fact that the Lisbon Treaty was finally coming to life.

Borisov said that he knew High Representative Ashton from her time as a Minister in the UK government, and that he had good relations with her.

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Herman Van Rompuy has been elected the first President of the EU under the Lisbon Treaty at the special summit of the leaders of the 27 EU member states Thursday night, November 19, 2009.

UK EU Commissioner Catherine Ashton has been selected as EU's first "Foreign Minister" or High Foreign Policy Commissioner.

Van Rompuy was born October 31, 1947 in Etterbeek. He is a Belgian Flemish politician and member of the CD&V (formerly called CVP) and the current Prime Minister of Belgium, succeeding Yves Leterme.

Van Rompuy was the Vice President of the CVP Youth from 1973 to 1975. From 1978 onward, he was a member of the National Bureau of the CVP.

In 1975-1980, he worked in the ministerial cabinets of Leo Tindemans and Gaston Geens and from 1988 to 1993 he was the President of the CVP.

He also was Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Budget from September 1993 to July 1999.

After his party's defeat in the 1999 Belgian general election, he became a member of the Chamber of Representatives. In 2004, he was designated Minister of State.

On July 12, 2007, Van Rompuy was elected as the President of the Chamber of Representatives.

His younger brother, Eric Van Rompuy, is also a politician for the CD&V and was a minister in the Flemish Government from 1995 to 1999 and his sister, Christine Van Rompuy, is member of the Workers Party of Belgium.

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Catherine Ashton was elected the first EU High Representative on Foreign Policy under the Lisbon Treaty by EU leaders Thursday night when Belgian PM Van Rompuy was elected EU President.

Catherine Margaret Ashton, Baroness Ashton of Upholland (born 20 March 1956) is a British Labour politician who is currently serving as the European Trade Commissioner; formerly, she served both as Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council.

On 19th November 2009, Baroness Ashton was appointed the first High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

Ashton has studied economics at London University. From 1983-89 she was Director of Business in the Community working with business to tackle inequality, and established the Employers’ Forum on Disability, Opportunity Now, and the Windsor Fellowship.

She chaired the Health Authority in Hertfordshire from 1998 to 2001, and her children's school governing body, and became a Vice President of the National Council for One Parent Families.

Ashton has 2 children and 3 stepchildren.

She was made a life peer as Baroness Ashton of Upholland in 1999. In June 2001 she was made a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Education and Skills.

In 2002 she was appointed minister for Sure Start in the same department. In September 2004, she was made a Parliamentary Under-Secretary in the Department for Constitutional Affairs, with responsibilities including the National Archives and the Public Guardianship Office.

Lady Ashton of Upholland was sworn of the Privy Council in 2006, and became Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the new Ministry of Justice in May 2007.

On 28 June 2007 the new Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, appointed her to the Cabinet as Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council.

On 3 October 2008, she was nominated as the UK's European Commissioner in the European Commission.

In November 2009, she became the first EU foreign minister.

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Sweden's prime minister has expressed disquiet about Russia's human rights situation after an EU-Russia summit in Stockholm.

Fredrik Reinfeldt, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency, said: "We exchanged views on human rights, the rule of law in Russia and democracy.

"This is an increasing cause for concern," he added.

Moscow and Brussels are still rebuilding relations after falling out over last year's Georgia-Russia war, the BBC reported.

EU leaders were also due to discuss key issues such as trade and energy with their Russian counterparts.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was quoted as saying that Russia hoped to complete a new economic co-operation pact with the EU soon.

"We are now agreeing the points of the document and I hope we will soon come to finalising the text of this document."

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The European Union has confirmed that in the bloc’s 2010 budget EUR 75 M will be allotted to Bulgaria for the closure of Soviet-designed reactors 1 to 4 at Bulgaria's Kozloduy nuclear power plant.

The decision was confirmed after after an all-day meeting of the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union regarding the EU 2010 Budget and more specifically the extra EUR 767 M to be given to the EU dairy sector for Bulgaria’s Kozloduy NPP decommissioning.

Bulgarian Socialist Party MEP and Ex-Foreign Affairs Minister reported the news after being part of the Bulgarian team at the negotiations. He stated that the expected EUR 300 M would be paid over the next 4 years to the Bulgarian government for Kozloduy.

Over the last ten years Bulgaria has received a total of EUR 550 M in compensation for the closure of four units at Kozloduy that had been deemed unsafe, but the government will now receive this extra EUR 300 M more under Europe's recovery plan.

Next year the European Court of Auditors will check plans for the use of the compensation funds for the closure of units at nuclear power plants in Bulgaria, Lithuania and Slovakia.

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European Union leaders will gather in Brussels later to select their first full-time president and foreign affairs high representative.

The heads of the 27 EU member nations are divided over which candidates to choose, and after-dinner negotiations are expected to last into the night.

Former UK prime minister Tony Blair had been an early favourite for president, the BBC reported.

But France and Germany look set to back a less prominent figure, the Belgian Prime Minister Herman van Rompuy.

The EU leaders will dine together on Thursday evening before beginning negotiations.

They are widely expected to strive for a balance in the two posts, with one likely to be filled by a candidate from one of the bigger EU states, the other from a smaller country.

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Bulgarian PM Boris Borisov has undertaken to renew the investigation into property managed by the ethnic Turkish party (DPS), or rather its leader Ahmed Dogan.

This has been announced on Thursday in the Bulgarian parliament by Ivan Kostov, leader of the Democrats for Strong Bulgaria party (DSB), following a meeting with the Prime Minister to warn him about the properties.

The investigation will probe some five properties: the famous "Boyana Saray" in the Boyana district of Sofia; the Casa Domini hotel in Ribaritsa; the Orpheus spa complex in Devin; Rosenets park, close to Burgas; and the Palace of the Children, in Drandar - Dogan’s native village.

During their meeting, Kostov had reminded Borisov of the warning by DSB in 2008, in which they had insisted on a parliamentary investigation of the properties.

In his written submission to the Prime Minister, they have proposed that Bulgaria's National Security Agency (DANS) check into any money laundering by the owners of the properties, and that the National Revenue Agency (NRA) should conduct a full review of the revenues, incomes and expenses, the companies’ balance sheets and those of the owners of the properties in question.

The aim of these investigations would be to discover the sources of those incomes and whether local taxes had been paid, said Kostov.

Citing one alleged example, Kostov said that Dogan had not handed in Hermes Foundation tax declarations and had not included such information in his own declarations according to the law on Publicity of Property of Individuals at High State Positions.

The Anti-Corruption Commission of the previous parliament had conducted an investigation, depositing some evidence with the State Prosecutor's office, but this had come to a stop, reminded Kostov. He had now insisted on a renewal of the investigation, and the PM had undertaken to conduct it.

A week ago, Borisov said that responsibility on the part of the leader of DPS could only with difficulty be uncovered, as Dogan never signed anything in his own name. However, the documents that Kostov had now presented included some with Dogan’s signature, he pointed out.

Lyutvo Mestan, deputy chair of the DPS, stated in the parliamentary lobby that his party would not obstruct, but would assist any investigation concerning DPS.

"We support all investigations into the DPS, including those initiated by Kostov, who has the warmest feelings for our leader Ahmed Dogan", added Mestan.

“After these checks though, I want to ask with what resources would this anti-DPS campaign continue,” he said. Mestan stated that there is a deliberate intention to "criminalize" the ethnic Turkish party, DPS.

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Bulgaria Chief Prosecutor Boris Velchev has proposed that the Bulgarian constitution should be changed to “abolish the legal untouchability of the Chief Prosecutor.”

Velchev stated that there is no room for the currently used legal saying ‘Only god is above the Chief Prosecutor’, in a democratic society. He added that the proposed changes in the constitution would allow the Chief Prosecutor to only deal with guidance to all the prosecutors in Bulgaria and supervision of and supervision over the legality of all prosecutors throughout the country.

The Chief Prosecutor, according to Velchev, should become a normal administrative head of the judiciary, with the power to focus on methodological unification of prosecution practices.

Velchev concluded that legal cases should be mad against every corrupt magistrate who has been identified in the’ Krasio’ case that has shaken the Bulgarian judicial system.

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Bulgaria's Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, issued an order Thursday to put a halt on all Council of Ministers budget expenses for Christmas cards and gifts.

The order comes on the heels of an earlier decision of the PM banning expenses for flowers and coffee for State guests. The latest ban includes cards, promotional materials, calendars, gifts, and parties, among others.

The order aims at eliminating unfounded budget expenses and further includes all committees and agencies affiliated with the Council of Ministers, the government hospital and the National Compensatory Housing Fund.

Borisov also insist that the Ministries and the District Governors refrain from similar expenses, the Council of Ministers press center reports.

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Bulgaria's Supreme Judicial Council (VSS) announced Thursday the last 13 names of magistrates who have been tangled in the so-called scandal with Krasio from Pleven.

Krasimir Georgiev aka “Krasio from Pleven” is an individual who, allegedly, offered magistrates to secure their appointment to high ranking positions through the vote of the VSS in exchange for EUR 200 000 in cash.

VSS also announced that legal proceedings have been initiated against 18 of the judges and prosecutors who are proven to have been in contact with Georgiev.

17 are magistrates who have had two-way contacts with Krasimir Georgiev and have competed for high-ranking positions within the Bulgarian judicial system. The 18th is the judge from the District Court in the Black Sea capital of Varna, Stoyan Popov, who had applied for several positions, had not been elected as Chair of the District Court, but had made and received phone calls from Krasio.

Another 6 prosecutors and judges have been proven to have had between 5 and 33 two-way phone calls with Krasio but they did not apply for high-level judicial assignments. The VSS informs there isn't any evidence those phone calls have been connected to any job applications or professional activities, thus there is no reason to initiate legal proceedings against the six.

The third group involves 4 magistrates who received phone calls from Krasio, but never dialed him. The Chair of the Sofia District Court, Georgi Kolev is among the 4; he had a total of 3 phone conversations with Georgiev.

The last group includes 2 magistrates whose phone numbers have been saved in Krasio's cell phone, but contacts have never been made.

The VSS decided to resume appointments of magistrates beginning Friday and to conclude the legal proceedings in the shortest possible time frame.

In addition to the magistrates, it was revealed Wednesday that 4 former and current Members of the Parliament also had contacts with Krasio.

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For the first time in Bulgaria's history a former Member of the Parliament has been convicted for insulting a colleague.

The information was reported by the press center of the Sofia District Court Thursday.

The unprecedented guilty verdict is for the former MP from the National Movement of Stability and Prosperity (NMSP) party, Olimpi Katev, who used rude qualifications in addressing the Member of the European Parliament from Bulgaria's far-right, nationalist “Ataka” party, Dimitar Stoyanov.

The Court does not cite the exact words, but in an interview Thursday the leader of “Ataka”, Volen Siderov, who is also Stoyanov step-father, says they included threats and foul language.

As response, Stoyanov filed a civil suit against Katev. A videotape of the Parliamentary session in question, produced by the Bulgarian National Television (BNT), presented as evidence, confirmed the accusations of insulting words and qualifications.

Katev appealed the verdict, but the appeal has been thrown out by the Court. In addition to the guilty verdict, he is sentenced to pay BGN 1 as compensation to Stoyanov and BGN 2 000 for the Court expenses.

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Sergey Ignatov has been approved by the Bulgaria Parliament to become Bulgaria’s new Education, Youth and Science Minister.

Finance Minister Simeon Djankov presented Ignatov’s credentials to Parliament and he was sworn in soon after. The new appointment comes after Education Minister Yordanka Fandakova was elected new mayor of the capital Sofia in a landslide on Sunday, replacing the former mayor and current head of government Boyko Borisov.

Ignatov said, in his first words after being sworn in, that the new Law on Secondary Education will be ready by the end of November and that by the end of January 2010 a new curriculum will be presented.

"I have just been proposed to head the education department and I am just as surprised as you. Boyko Borisov does it in such a way that you can not say no," Ignatov told journalists in parliament in his first comment after the news broke.

Sergey Ignatov is an egyptologist, has obtained a PhD at Saint Petersburg State University and has specialized at the All Souls College in Oxford. Ignatov has so far served as deputy minister at the education department and as rector of New Bulgarian University.

He is author of several books, among which “The papyrus does not grow on rocks”, “Egypt of the pharaohs” and “The Body of God.”

Ignatov was born in 1960 in the Danube town of Vidin. Speaks English and French.

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Associate Professor, Todorka Kostadinova, was appointed Thursday as Bulgaria's new Deputy Health Minister.

The appointment of Kostadinova, who has a PhD in Economics, was made by Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, to replace Lyubomir Gaydov, who resigned in October.

Kostadinova was born in 1960 in the northeastern city of Dobrich. She graduated from the Economy University in the Black Sea city of Varna and later obtained a PhD in Economy from the Sofia University of National and World Economy. She is a lecturer at the “George Washington” University in Washington DC, the University in Bern, Switzerland, and the Medical University in Vienna, Austria.

During the April-June, 2004 period Kostadinova served as a consultant for the World Bank at its Washington DC headquarters where she did an analysis and assessment of Bulgaria's preparedness for compliance with the European health and social policy standards.

For the last three months Kostadinova worked as a Parliamentary secretary for the Health Ministry.

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A 27-year-old pregnant woman infected with the swine flu A(H1N1) virus has died Thursday in the Black Sea city of Burgas, the hospital press center informs.

The baby has been delivered and is doing fine.

Another woman, whose baby has also been delivered, is in critical condition in the same hospital and is been monitored round the clock while a third pregnant woman, who is suspected to have been infected with the virus, has been admitted to the Emergency Room, but has left later on her own will.

In addition, a 40-year-old Burgas man, also suspected to have been infected with swine flu had died in the ambulance on his way to the hospital. The man had been ill for several days and had been trying to recover at home. He called the ambulance after his condition worsened Thursday, but the doctors were not able to help him.

The hospital further informs all patients with swine flu symptoms are being treated with the most modern medication available for the cost of BGN 2 000 per day. The medical staff reminds all Burgas residents, especially pregnant women, children and people with chronic diseases, to limit their contacts and seek professional help immediately after feeling ill,

The Thursday fatalities in Burgas, including the suspected A(H1N1) ambulance death case, bring the swine flu death toll in Bulgaria to 16. A 36-year-old man from the northern town of Gorna Oryahovitsa, became Bulgaria's 14th victim of the A(H1N1) virus on Tuesday after developing double pneumonia.

On Wednesday, Bulgaria's Chief Epidemiologist, Dr. Angel Kunchev, stated the Health Ministry will call off the national swine flu epidemic at the end of this week due to a fall in cases of infection. He, however, concluded that a second wave of swine flu will hit Bulgaria but he added that it is too early to say when or if it will certainly happen.

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Bulgaria PM Boyko Borisov officially received on Thursday the team from the Military Medical Academy (VMA) that had earlier returned from Ukraine.

He expressed his great admiration for the work they had done in their mission to assist fellow Bulgarians living in Ukraine’s Odessa region in the fight against the flu epidemic, the government press center has announced.

At Minister Bozhidar Dimitrov's initiative, five medics from VMA, led by Colonel Asen Petkov, visited four cities and the same number of villages in the Odessa region, where almost 300 000 Bulgarians live.

Modern medical equipment, medicines and books to the value of BGN 300 000, paid for by the Bulgarian government, had been flown to the aid of the expatriate community in the Odessa region.

Equipment for examining critically ill patients - pulse oximeters, infusion pumps, and aspirators - was donated to five hospitals in the Ukrainian cities of Izmail, Bolhrad, Tarutyne and Artsyz.

During their work there the medics did not find any cases of the dangerous flu A(H1N1).

Anna Kuznetsova, the head of the cabinet of Minister Dimitrov, and the Chair of the Association of Bulgarians of Ukraine, Anton Kisse, were both present at the reception.

The mission participants told PM Borisov that the VMA team had been extremely warmly welcomed by the Bessarabian Bulgarians in the Odessa region. The minister without portfolio, Bozhidar Dimitrov, who is responsible for the welfare of Bulgarians abroad, emphasized the importance of rendering “special attention” to them.

At the meeting, the organization of Bulgarians of Ukraine expressed their gratitude for the measures the government consistently takes in support of Bulgarian communities abroad.

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Bulgaria's Chief Epidemiologist, Dr. Angel Kunchev, has stated that the Health Ministry will call off the national swine flu epidemic at the end of this week due to a fall in cases of infection.

Kunchev stated that there has been a significant drop in cases of people infected with the A(H1N1) virus and said he expected that the epidemic is over. He added that Blagoevgrad, Gabrovo, Pazardzhik, Pleven, Silistra and Yambol remain the regions in which the swine flu virus is most widespread.

Kunchev concluded that he fears a second wave of swine flu will hit Bulgaria but he added that it is too early to say when or if it will certainly happen.

A 36-year-old man became Bulgaria's 14th victim of the A(H1N1) virus on Tuesday after developing double pneumonia.

The man died in the hospital in the northern Bulgarian town of Gorna Oryahovitsa, thus becoming the first swine flu victim in the Veliko Tarnovo District.

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Two people were buried Thursday in Sofia when a building in the so-called “Sugar Factory” complex collapsed.

The incident happened after two Roma men entered the building to look for scrap, according to a Darik radio report.

The Civil Defense informs that rescue teams, including experts from the Bulgarian Red Cross and a canine unit, have been immediately dispatched to the location upon receiving the signal. One of the men has been found dead while the search for the second one is continuing.

The complex of the old sugar manufacturing factory in Sofia is declared a historic site and has been left unattended and crumbling for some time. Hours after the incident, the Culture Ministry notified the Prosecutor's office about the poor management on the part of the building's owners. The Ministry's press center further informs they will do a probe of the way the owners have been preserving the site and violations will be penalized to the full extent of the law.

The Sofia City Hall lists the “TBI Real Estate” company as owner of the building. The Construction Control Directorate has issued an order to them to secure the crumbling site. The Head of the Directorate is quoted as saying that the company began construction works, but later halted them for unknown reasons, adding the owner will be issued a penalty and a fine for not fulfilling the City Hall's orders.

The former owner “Sofia Mel” also received numerous notices to secure the building, which they, too, failed to fulfill, leading to the tenants leaving the premises, including the Bulgarian National television (BNT), which used to keep its archives there. The property has been sold to “TBI Real Estate” only a few months ago.

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Bulgarian officials claim to have succeeded in calming the inhabitants of Samokov, following the stabbing on Wednesday of a Roma teenager.

The Bulgarian Interior Ministry has announced that security has been maintained, and that any tensions between the Bulgarian and Roma communities have been defused.

After meeting with Roma leaders in Samokov on Thursday, Kalin Georgiev, Secretary-General of the Interior Ministry (MVR), said: “I see no reasons for adding fuel to the fire. During our talks, none of the Roma leaders allowed himself to say the words ‘revenge’ or ‘blood for blood’.”

He said that the stabbing incident had instead been a matter of hooliganism, a conflict between teenagers.

“With the Roma leaders we talked about ethnic tolerance, about understanding, about the fact that we are all part of one family and about the problems of the Roma,” he added.

Asked about the security situation in the local schools, Georgiev replied that this had been over-exaggerated. He stated that the normal levels of security were adequate, with no need for the deployment of any special forces.

"I think that the problem is calmed down now and we have to give it time to fade away. To me the most important thing is not to allow an over- exposure of the conflict - which does not have an ethnic character. Samokov is a cultural and tourist center and we should not, through our actions, lower the reputation of the resort," he said.

Meantime, the leader of Evroroma Party, Tsvetelin Kanchev, confirmed that: “In Samokov, there is no tension between Bulgarians and Roma. This tension has been artificially created.”

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Ashraf El Hagog was at the center of the Libyan Aids scandal, in which he and five Bulgarian nurses were accused of deliberately infecting 426 babies with HIV.

Now he is divorced from his Bulgarian wife, unemployed, and living with his parents in the Dutch town of Woerden.

When he and the five Bulgarian nurses were finally released by Libya, and flown to Sofia on July 24, 2007, they were accompanied by presidents, ambassadors and other important people.

"During that rush of freedom I heard a thousand promises about how wonderful the future was going to be," El Hagog said during a recent interview with NRC Handelsblad.

After his release, El Hagog was given Bulgarian nationality because as a stateless Palestinian he would have been left out of the deal with Libya. His parents and sisters are recognized as refugees in the Netherlands and will receive Dutch citizenship.

As a Bulgarian, El Hagog is allowed to reside in the Netherlands, but he can only work 10 hours a week and he is not allowed to study.

His lawyer Flip Schüller last year tried to get him permanent residency on humanitarian grounds, but the Netherlands justice system turned him down. He was free to go to Bulgaria, they said, his life was not in danger there.

Two and a half years after his release El Hagog feels abandoned. All he wants is a normal life, he said. "I want a job, I want a family. I'm not asking much, just a residence permit in the Netherlands so I can study or work here. There is nothing for me in Bulgaria."

To read the full interview in English click HERE

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The Bulgarian Finance Ministry has published online on Thursday another declassified document dealing with a risk assessment of the Trakia Highway project.

The 118-page report, by PriceWaterhouseCoopers – Bulgaria, is entitled “Concession of Trakia Highway”. It contains an analysis of “possible risks in the realization of the project on behalf of the government and possible recommendations for optimization”.

This is the latest in a series of publications of previously classified contract and project documents by the Finance Ministry.

Earlier in November, a report of conflict of interest between the Bulgarian National Road Infrastructure Agency and EU funding was made available online, as were two of a set of three documents concerning Bulgarian government consultancy contracts with Crown Agents.

The Trakia Highway report can be accessed HERE

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The Sofia Administrative Court ruled on Thursday that Sofia Municipality should pay BGN 2 161 in compensation to a citizen attacked by stray dogs.

28-y-old Ogniana Madzharova had sued the municipality on two counts for dog bites suffered to her knees and calves.

The incident had occurred last summer in Sofia city center. The woman was walking home in the dark close to Zaimov park after an evening spent with colleagues.

The barking dogs had jumped on and attacked her. She could not run away, as one of them sank its teeth into her leg.

"I felt a severe pain. I started shouting, but it bit me a second time on my calf," said Madzharova.

Her colleagues had responded to her cries for help, and had taken her to Pirogov hospital, where the woman had received stitches and treatment for gashes and bleeding.

"The wounds healed after two weeks, but I was too afraid to go out of my home" said Madzharova.

Sofia Administrative Court accepted the defense argument that it was inaction on the part of Sofia Municipality that had allowed this situation to occur. The same dogs had been the subject of 13 other complaints by members of the public.

"It is the responsibility of municipalities to take away stray dogs, to disinfect them and, if necessary, to castrate them and then let them go again. With aggressive dogs, a special intervention is needed,” stated attorney Sofia Razboinikova.

“If that cannot be done, it is the obligation of the appropriate services to destroy them", she added.

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The Director of the Interior Ministry ‘Enforcement of Sentences’ department, Petar Vasilev, has stated that out of the 9000 people currently in Bulgarian prisons, 2000 are drug addicts.

Vasilev, speaking in an interview for bTV, said that Bulgaria’s prisons are a fertile ground for HIV and hepatitis with 1 syringe being used by up to 100 prisoners." He added “it is not correct to solve the problems of society behind prison bars... Prison guards can not be expected to be the only people responsible for solving the drug problem.”

“Drugs enter the prison system in toothpaste; There is no closed system in the world that has solved the drugs problem in prisons. The easiest way to fight drugs in prisons is to help the drug addicts to become clean.”

Vasilev concluded by stating that annually 7-8 prison guards are fired for abuse of their position, which is tempting with wages of BGN 500-800 a month.

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Yordan Lechkov, the Mayor of Sliven, has on Thursday demanded the resignation of the Bulgarian Minister of Environment and Water, Nona Karadzhova.

The mayor announced that he will present his formal statement and supporting documents on Monday. He will also approach Prime Minister Boyko Borisov concerning his demand, as well as the National Fund at the Finance Ministry and the European Commission.

The reason for this sacking demand is the suspension of the second phase of a municipal water treatment project in Sliven, a town in the eastern part of Bulgaria.

Lechkov commented that there had been no explanation as to why the eco-ministry had sent a letter to the project executors stating that the project should be stopped.

The first phase for replacement of the existing water supply and sewerage network in Sliven was financed by the ISPA Program for Bulgaria, and the second by the "Neigborhood Environment" program.

On Wednesday, Nona Karadzhova had announced that Yordan Lechkov wanted a 20% advance payment on the project, and not 10%, as is the procedure with all similar programs.

"We have no such problems with any of the other 150 municipalities. If an exception is made for the Mayor of Sliven, they will all be adversely affected", the eco-minister commented.

Yordan Lechkov is best known for his footballing exploits. He scored the legendary goal against Germany in the USA 1994 World Cup quarter final that secured Bulgaria a bronze medal, thus becoming a Bulgarian national hero.

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Jeanne-Claude, artist and wife of Bulgarian-born Christo, has died at 74, Bloomberg reports Thursday.

Jeanne-Claude died Wednesday night at a New York hospital from complications of a brain aneurysm.

Jeanne-Claude Denat de Guillebon was born on June 13, 1935, in Casablanca, Morocco, to a French military family, according to a biography on the couple’s Web site. She was educated in France and Switzerland and earned her university degree in Latin and philosophy from the University of Tunis.

The couple’s 2005 project in New York, “The Gates,” placed panels of free-flowing orange fabric suspended from gateway frames along 23 miles of the Central Park’s walkways. The two-week exhibition drew 4 million visitors and generated USD 254 M from hotel stays, restaurants and other cultural attractions, according to the city.

Though they collaborated in creating their art projects, Jeanne- Claude handled the business part of the projects while Christo, who was trained as an artist, generated ideas.

Jeanne-Claude is cited as saying that after settling in New York City they made the joint decision to present Christo as the lead artist in their projects and it wasn’t until 1993, when “Christo’s hair had turned gray and mine had turned red, that we could finally tell the truth. And that is why my name appeared.”

Other projects by Jeanne-Claude and her Bulgarian-born husband included the 1995 “Wrapped Reichstag” in Berlin, the 1983 transformation of islands off Miami into lily pads using pink fabric, and, in 1991, a simultaneous display of huge umbrellas in Japan (blue) and in California (yellow).

.

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Manchester United's striker Dimitar Berbatov has expressed his happiness after becoming the top scorer of all time for the Bulgarian National Football Team.

After scoring twice against Malta in Wednesday’s football friendly, Berbatov has 47 goals in 76 matches surpassing the previous record of Hristo Bonev with 46 goals and former Bulgarian star Hristo Stoichkov who has 37 goals for the national team.

Upon returning to Sofia Thursday, Berbatov admitted that breaking the top scorer record of the Bulgarian National Football Team had been one of his goals.

“I had been aiming at that for a while. I am very proud of my achievement now. My next goal is winning the Champions League. I hope this will happen in this year’s edition. I came very close to winning it twice, and I hope the third time it will work out,” Berbatov declared.

He said Bulgaria’s half Stilyan Petrov of Aston Villa had a lot more matches for the national team than him, and wished him to break the record of former Bulgarian goalkeeper Borislav Mihaylov who holds the current record with 112 matches.

Berbatov also said he was satisfied with the 4:1 win against Malta in the friendly but stressed that the Bulgarian team had missed many shots on goal.

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After Wednesday’s final World Cup play-offs it has now been decided which 32 nations will join the 2010 football party in South Africa next June.

On Wednesday, Greece and Algeria both secured places in the Finals next summer with wins over Ukraine and Egypt respectively, with three further teams from the Europe Zone of qualification also decided.

Portugal beat Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0 on aggregate to book a place in the Finals, while Russia were beaten by Slovenia 2-2 on aggregate, with Slovenia winning on away goals to gain a place, while the Republic of Ireland lost 2-1 to France on aggregate for Les Bleus to seal a place in the World Cup Finals.

Uruguay beat Costa Rica 1-0 in the 2nd-leg of their play-off, with Uruguay securing a place in the World Cup Finals with a 2-0 aggregate win over the CONCACAF fourth-place finishers.

The last of the qualification places went to New Zealand, who beat Bahrain 1-0 to secure their first FIFA World Cup Final appearance for 27 years, since their last appearance in Spain in 1982, premiershiplatest.com reported.

The teams that have automatically qualified for the FIFA 2010 World Cup Finals, South Africa, plus the teams that have secured a place in the Finals after winning their play-off’s:

EUROPE ZONE (13 places available – The four final play-off places now decided):

England,

Spain,

The Netherlands,

Italy,

Serbia,

Denmark,

Slovakia,

Switzerland,

Germany,

Greece *

France *

Portugal *

Slovenia *

(* secured a place in World Cup 2010 South Africa via the play-off's.)

ASIA ZONE (Four automatic places, plus one play-off place):

Australia,

DPR Korea,

Japan,

Korean Republic.

AFRICA ZONE (5 automatic places sealed, plus South Africa automatically qualify as the host nation):

South Africa (Hosts),

Algeria * (beat Egypt 1-0 in play-off's to qualify for 2010),

Cote d’Ivoire,

Nigeria,

Cameroon,

Ghana.

SOUTH AMERICA ZONE (Four automatic places, plus Uruguay, who beat Costa Rica to qualify):

Brazil,

Chile,

Paraguay,

Argentina,

Uruguay * (beat Costa Rica in play-off's to secure place in World Cup 2010)

NORTH, CENTRAL AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN ZONE:

Mexico,

Honduras,

USA.

OCEANIA ZONE (New Zealand beat Asia Zone runners-up Bahrain 1-0 in play-off to qualify):

New Zealand *

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In a surprising move the Sofia City Court postponed Thursday the case against energy tycoon Hristo Kovachki.

The Judge, Alexandra Iordanova, based her decision on the fact that the two legal advisors of the National Revenue Agency (NRA) failed to present a valid power of attorney. The NRA has filed a civil suit against Kovachki for compensation in the amount of BGN 16,7 M.

Kovachki's attorney, Ina Lulcheva, reacted strongly to the decision since a penalty case cannot be postponed over violations related to a civil suit, according to Bulgaria's Penalty Code. Lulcheva declined, however, to comment if the decision is triggered by political pressure and said the defense council would not request the Judge's removal from the case despite their utter disagreement with her rule.

The problem arose after the Court established that the NRA legal advisor did not have the right to appear at penalty trials and his power of attorney has expired because it was signed by the former Finance Minister Plamen Oresharski.

The case will resume on November 24 when NRA must present valid power of attorneys signed by Finance Minister Simeon Djankov.

Kovachki's defense team further say they might request for the case to be returned to the Prosecutor over significant discrepancies between the preliminary proceedings and the official charges and that the trial is held under the speedy procedure.

12 of the total of 22 witnesses appeared before the Court Thursday. Kovachki, himself, arrived 20 minutes late and entered the Court through the back entrance to avoid representatives of the media.

The energy tycoon is officially charged with tax evasion amounting to BGN 16,7 M for the 2005-2008 period from four of his businesses.

Unnamed sources from the energy sector claim the charges involve import of used equipment for the heating utilities in the cities of Burgas and Pleven that had been transferred trough several businesses in order to avoid the Value Added Tax (VAT)

Kovachki, whose party failed to win seats in July's parliamentary election, has diverse business interests, ranging from manufacturing to banking and from energy to retail.

He owns the Thermal Plants "Maritsa-Iztok 3" in Dimitrovgrad and "Bobov Dol", several mines, as well as the heating utilities in Vratsa, Burgas, Veliko Tarnovo and Pleven, the grocery chain "Evropa" and the "Atomenergoremont" company.

Believed to be one of the richest men in the Balkans, Kovachki has denied any wrongdoing.

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Two of the four Bulgarian Members of Parliament who were exposed to have been in contact with notorious ‘businessmen’ Krasimir Georgiev, has denied knowing him.

“I state with full responsibility that I have no recollection of establishing contacts with the person Krasimir Georgiev,” declares Lyutvi Mestan, Deputy Chair of the ethnic Turkish party Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) in a letter to Chief Prosecutor Boris Velchev, in which he demands that he be presented all available data about his alleged connections with Krasio.

Mestan and two other DPS MPs – Kasim Dal and Erdoan Ahmedov – were revealed Wednesday by Yane Yanev, Chair of the Parliamentary Anti-Corruption Committee, to have been had phone conversations and exchanged SMS Text messages with Georgiev, aka ‘Krasio the Black’, in 2008 and 2009. The information came from Krasio’s mobile phone address book, which contains 1 040 numbers.

The fourth MPs exposed to have had dealings with Krasio is Kiril Dobrev from the Bulgarian Socialist Party. Dobrev denied that he ever knew Georgiev.

“Lyutvi Mestan and Kiril Dobrev may be denying that they know Krasio the Black but according to the presented official data intelligence devices had been used on them legally showing that there were calls and SMS texting between him and the MPs,” said Iskra Fidosova, Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Group of the ruling GERB party.

In her words, those MPs will have to give explanations before the prosecutors and the courts about their connections with Krasio.

The Krasio affair started after in October it became clear that ‘Krasio’ was a ‘piggy bank’ who is alleged tot have offered magistrates to secure their appointment to high ranking positions through the vote of the Supreme Judicial Council in exchange for EUR 200 000 in cash.

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Bratzigovo is an impoverished and dilapidated but picturesque small town at the foot of the Rhodopa mountains. The miserable existence of the most vulnerable of the people living here - the kids at “Vassil Petleshkov” child care institution - has been transformed into a fulfilling one thanks to the efforts of Mirko Schwanitz, a German journalist and benefactor.

************************

Maria is 16 years old. The smiling young lady has been at the home for five years after being abandoned by her parents. Her blond hair, beautiful green eyes and soft voice make her discernible among the sea of dark-skinned faces.

“I do like it here, the director is nice and I have many friends,” says Maria as she hands me a round loaf as a welcoming gesture.

The girl gives the impression of an active and communicative child, but has a stiffness in her attitude that betrays long years of living in strictly disciplined environment. The same holds true for the other children, aged from 7 to 20, who have gathered to welcome dozens of guests and journalists for what certainly will be the event of the year for them – the opening of a modern kitchen, sponsored by German benefactors, which will give them the rare chance of obtaining professional qualification before leaving the home.

Тhe change that the “German uncles”, as the children call them here, has been dramatic, making the home an exception in a field, known in Bulgaria for its chronic neglect, filthy conditions, and the use of physical restraints.

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Mirko Schwanitz passion for Bulgaria started with a visit in 1996, whose impact on his life was extraordinary. Having worked as a journalist since 1989 with a focus on Eastern and Southeastern Europe, Schwanitz received an assignment by a big German newspaper to write an article about Bulgarian child care institutions. The report, however, was never published, which meant that the international outcry for which Mirko was hoping, was fading into an illusion.

“I had written reports and articles about 120 Bulgarian children, who viewed me as a saviour, the Uncle from Germany, who would make a difference in their lives,” Schwanitz recalls. “I felt as if I had capitalized on the misery of these children without actually doing anything for them. I decided I will not be just an observer, but a man of action.”

Committing himself to the cause about which he had only written so far started during the times of the severe economic crisis in Bulgaria in the 90s that escalated in the winter of 1996 and eventually toppled the government.

“I returned to Bulgaria to help, to take supplies, food, clothing and medical aid. But I kept asking myself after that what? What will happen after the food is eaten and the clothes are worn away?”

The troubling questions gave birth to the Association for assisting Bulgarian homes for children in a bid to help turn round the care system for the abandoned kids.

“If only I knew how many difficulties lie ahead of us, I would have hardly embarked on this adventure. I had turned from a journalist into a hamster caught in a turning wheel.”

Yet he says he is not disappointed, nor is he in despair, quite the opposite.

“There are many German donators, who want to help and these are not necessarily rich people or big companies,” he claims.

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Reform may be coming too slowly to institutions for abandoned children in Bulgaria, but the difference the German donators have made to the home in Bratzigovo is impressive. No evidence of human rights abuses, inhuman and degrading treatment and appalling neglect. The efforts of the donators have supplemented the patchy and slow reforms, providing a life cord to the most vulnerable.

The pioneer project, called “Future for you” after an eponymous non-governmental organization, is worth EUR 186,000, collected with the joint efforts of the French association Bonne Mine, Renovabis, the solidarity action of the German catholics, the readers of Rhein Zeitung newspaper from Koblenz, German people and companies.

Planned as a social enterprise, the kitchen will give chance for high-level professional training to eighteen children every year, who come from different homes across the country. The course will last two years and will be assisted by German experts. The kitchen will provide food for 300 socially disadvantaged people and the hopes are that within a year the project will start generating revenues.

“The main problem of the abandoned children has long stopped to be self-care. Their main problem is the transition phase, when they leave the home and have to integrate into the society,” says Mirko Schwanitz.”Many of the children are forced to take up deplorable jobs and fall prey to unloyal employers. They face a big risk of falling into the whirlpool of crime, prostitution or violence. Our project shows them a way out.”

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The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) says growth and recovery are expected in 2010 in just about all world regions.

For its 30 member countries, rich nations including the US and UK, it has more than doubled its growth forecast to 1,9% for next year, from 0,7%.

But the OECD warns developed nations not to expect a smooth ride, the BBC reported.

It said growth was being "held back by still substantial headwinds" and would be "modest" for some time.

The very measures that are helping richer nations to recover pose risks to that recovery, the OECD says.

The UK, for example, needed to come up with a concrete plan to ease concerns about the stability of the public finances, it added.

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Tens of thousands of people have lined the streets of Belgrade, capital of Serbia, to pay their last respects to the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Pavle.

The Patriarch, who led the Church from 1990, had died on Sunday, aged 95. He had been admitted to hospital two years ago, suffering from heart and lung conditions.

On Thursday, at his funeral, the open coffin has been carried in silence through the streets leading to the main Orthodox Cathedral, St. Sava.

Patriarch Pavle was known for his personal modesty and humility, and was a respected linguist and theologian.

In his 19 years as Patriarch, he saw the demise of communism and a rise on Serb nationalism, during which time the Church became increasingly influential.

He was criticized in some quarters for failing to restrain hardline clerics during the Balkan Wars that followed the collapse of Yugoslavia. He had also strongly criticized Kosovo’s declaration of independence from Serbia.

Later on Thursday, he will be buried according to his request in the suburban monastery of Rakovica.

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Hamid Karzai has been sworn in for a second elected term as Afghan president following an election mired in fraud.

In his inauguration speech, Karzai addressed the key question of corruption, saying his ministers had be "competent and just".

Karzai said that within five years he hoped Afghan security forces would take the lead and the role for foreign troops would be reduced.

He also invited his defeated rivals to join him in working for peace.

Kabul's streets were almost empty on Thursday as security forces set up numerous roadblocks ahead of the ceremony, the BBC reported.

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The American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that a computer system malfunction has affected flight plans, causing delays and cancelations nationwide.

The system processes flight plans, but as it is not functioning properly, flight controllers are having to enter their plans manually.

Delays are expected to continue until the problem is solved, but the safety of planes in the air is not an issue, the FAA stated.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has been worst affected, according to US media reports, with New York airports reporting minor delays.

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A bomb blast outside the main gate of a court building in the north-western Pakistani city of Peshawar has killed 16 people, and injured 26 others.

The court is located on the busy Khyber Road and the area is generally crowded during the morning, the BBC reported.

Last week a car bomb targeted Pakistani intelligence offices on the same road, just a couple of kilometres west.

The building is also close to the Pearl Continental Hotel, which was targeted by a truck bomb earlier this year.

More than 100 people were killed in a blast at a market in Peshawar last month.

Attacks across Pakistan have increased dramatically as the army continues its offensive against the Taliban in South Waziristan near the Afghan border.

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