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American Ambassador James Pardew looked with interest around the only acting submarine 'Slava' (Glory). Head of the General Staff Nikola Kolev said that the USA haven't officially demanded Bulgaria to "freeze" its submarine. Photo Petko Momchilov
Maria Ilieva (quintet) has won loud applause at the International Jazz Festival of Bansko. Pressphoto BTA Photo: Bistra Boshnakova
Slap On The Wrist For 3 Americans Caught Spying on The Macedonian Army.
Makfax
Three Americans were detained briefly and released by Macedonian security authorities on Saturday, after they entered the area of main Skopje's barracks of "Ilinden" and spotted by army guard taking pictures, Army Spokesman col. Blagoja Markovski confirmed to Makfax Monday.
"John Smith (26) from Missouri, his girlfriend Audrey McMain (20) from California and David Dziewit (51) from Virginia were detained Saturday afternoon by the army guard when they entered 200 meters into the banned area of Skopje barracks of "Ilinden". They were spotted taking pictures of Roman aqueduct, the old airplane models and the military objects. The filming material was confiscated and three Americans were handed over to the police and released latter", col. Blagoja Markovski said.
He explained that three U.S citizens did not enter Macedonia from the official border crossing to Kosovo, but from the KFOR checkpoint, which is under the Greek contingent control.
"John Smith is a software specialist into the Computer Center at the main KFOR Kosovo base "Bondsteel". David Dziewit also works in that base. But John's girlfriend Audrey McMain entered Macedonia illegally and police expelled and banned her to enter the country ever", Markovski said.
Police Spokesman Voislav Zafirovski confirmed to Makfax that three U.S. citizens were detained and after an hour latter released on Saturday.
"We put a ban stamp into the passport of Mrs. Audrey McMain because she made a felony by taking pictures into the forbidden area", Zafirovski said.
The government official, speaking on condition of anonymity said Macedonian authorities "suspect three Americans entered banned military area due to spy activities".
U.S Embassy in Skopje confirmed that "three U.S. citizens were detained and latter released by Macedonian authorities" on Saturday.
"Yes, three Americans were detained and released. They were not military employees", U.S. Embassy Spokesman John Katzka said.
A U.S official, speaking in condition of anonymity said, "John Smith and David Dziewit are "contractors", engaged in the KFOR base "Bondsteel".
"They live in Skopje and work in "Bondsteel". But, John's girlfriend Audrey McMain will leave the country", said the U.S. official.
Macedonians Detain Three Americans.
By KONSTANTIN TESTORIDES, Associated Press Writer
SKOPJE, Macedonia (AP) - Macedonian authorities briefly detained three U.S. citizens after catching them taking pictures inside a military compound, an army spokesman said Monday.
A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Macedonians suspected the three of spying.
The three Americans John Smith, 26, from Missouri, Audrey McMain, 20, of California and David Dziewit, 51, from Virginia were spotted Saturday by army guards as they took pictures with still cameras inside a military facility in the Macedonian capital, Skopje.
Macedonian authorities did not provide the hometowns for the three Americans.
They ventured 200 yards into the closed military area and were photographing "an ancient Roman aqueduct there, but also old army planes and other military objects," said the army spokesman, Blagoja Markovski.
"The filming material was confiscated and the three Americans handed over to the police," Markovski told The Associated Press.
Smith and Dziewit are both employees at Camp Bondsteel, the U.S. Army base in neighboring Kosovo. McMain is Smith's girlfriend, Markovski said.
The three will face no charges in Macedonia and were released Saturday night.
Their whereabouts were not immediately known.
The U.S Embassy in Skopje confirmed the detention, but made no comment on the spying charges.
Maj. Mark Ballesteros, a spokesman at the U.S. base in Kosovo, said the men were civilian contractors at Bondsteel and that the military was considering what administrative action against them.
Foreign Observer: A Decade Of Huge Change.
Reality Macedonia
By Sasha Uzunov
 Plaoshnik, Ohrid, 10.8.2002. A young woman talking over a mobile phone during the solemn Orthodox Christian ceremony of transferring the earthly remains of St. Clement to the newly-restored church. Photo by Filip Stojanovski
As an Australian journalist visiting Macedonia, one of the things that strike me about the Macedonian people is their thirst for information, pure unadulterated information! There are so many newspapers, magazines and television stations in many languages; and the local people follow the news with such passion.
When I was in this small Balkan nation ten years ago time I saw first hand the country's up-and-coming journalists breaking down the barriers put up by decades of communist rule. The transformation in a decade has been breathtaking!
The telecommunication revolution in the form of mobile telephones and the internet has also played its part in bringing Macedonia from out of the cold. Now anyone can become a reporter by simply calling a radio or television station and passing on information or creating his or her own web-page.
 Lihnidos amphitheatre, Ohrid, 11.8.2002. SMS mania in the crowd during the climax of the Superhiks concert: almost everybody dancing. Photo by Filip Stojanovski
Despite the technological advances in news gathering, we should never be complacent when it comes to the freedom of the press, a major cornerstone of any democratic state. It is very important for any professional journalist to maintain his or her integrity by being independent of the political parties. I have observed that some Macedonian journalists are not afraid to ask the hard questions of politicians or to get involved in some western-style investigative journalism.
Another encouraging sign is the advent of current affairs style programs not afraid to tackle important social issues or expose bureaucratic stuff-ups.
However, the Macedonian media should create their own style of news presentation and reporting. Simply coping American or British styles is not the way to go. Some newsreaders on Macedonian television try too hard to look serious or authoritative by using a deep voice or having stern expression on their faces.
Last year's short-lived war in Macedonia has been an obvious magnet for the international media. You know the cliché: sex, scandal and bloodshed sell papers! However, at the moment the world's war correspondents are too pre-occupied with the West's war against terrorism in Afghanistan and other parts of the world.
You can bet your bottom dollar that if Macedonia were plunged into war again that CNN, the BBC and other ambulance chasers would be here in a flash!
And then would pack up and leave in a hurry once the "action" was over!
---------------------------------------------------
Sasha Uzunov is an Australian freelance photo-journalist with over 10 years experience. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (Australia) and is a member of the International Federation of Journalists. From 1995-2002 he served in the Australian Army as an infantry solider and completed two tours of peacekeeping duty with the United Nations in East Timor.
KREMLIN - ARCHIVES - BULGARIA.
BTA
Bulgaria in Soviet Secret Archives.
Sofia, August 12 (BTA) - "Stalin's Guidelines on Bulgaria's Governance" could be an equally revealing title for a recently published book, "Bulgaria in the Secret Archives of the Kremlin," according to its author, Professor Angel Vekov.
The book presents authentic documents from declassified archives of Communist Party and government institutions, the historian said, interviewed by BTA. The basic material is taken from transcripts of shorthand records of proceedings of Stalin's meetings with Bulgarian prime ministers Kimon Georgiev, Georgi Dimitrov, Vassil Kolarov and Vulko Chervenkov.
In Bulgaria, the author has used archives of the Communist Party Central Committee, particularly file stock gathered at the time for Kolarov and Dimitrov. The appendices contain excerpts from "Eastern Europe in Russian Archives," a two-volume collection of documents published by the Russian Academy of Sciences.
The book covers the period between 1944 and 1956. It lends particular prominence to political repression in Bulgaria, the "Russian connection" in the execution of opposition leader Nikola Petkov, and the death sentence on prominent dissident Traicho Kostov which, the author says, was passed in Moscow.
Joseph Stalin's relationship with Bulgaria was closer and longer-standing than that of any other foreign political and state leader, Vekov said. The documents presented in the book suggest that his influence on Bulgaria was not entirely negative. As leader of a great nation, he contributed to the preservation of Bulgaria's territorial integrity after World War II, the scholar said.
Stalin recommended that Bulgaria should not simply follow the Soviet example, but should also seek its own patterns of development. He believed that the monarchy would not necessarily hinder the building of Socialism in this country, the author said.
Certain things remain to be weighed on the scales of history before Stalin's influence could be fairly judged. Not all his acts were destructive, although the destructive effects of his policy outbalance his positive contribution, Vekov believes.
KOSOVO-BULGARIAN POLICEMEN.
BTA
Sofia, August 12 (BTA) - A group of 20 Bulgarian policemen, including 2 women, left for Kosovo Monday to join KFOR, the press office of the Ministry of the Interior said.
The group includes Bulgaria's Policeman of the Year for 2001 - Simeon Simeonov. Sixteen of its members have already taken part in UN missions in Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The group will join the other 80 Bulgarian observers in Kosovo, replacing the 20 Bulgarians who returned home several weeks ago.
The Bulgarian group will be included in the border police guarding the Kosovo-Macedonian border.
The Bulgarian units have once again been placed in charge of Kosovska Mitrovica, one of the hottest points in the conflict, in recognition of the high professionalism manifested by them, according to the press release. The greatest part of the Bulgarian contingent is traditionally deployed there.
The twenty Bulgarian policemen were selected by an expert commission of the UN. They passed English language, marksmanship and driving tests and medical check-ups.
Bulgarian policemen have been taking part in UN peacekeeping missions for ten years now. Now Bulgaria has 100 police observers in UNMIK in Kosovo, two in the OSCE mission in Kosovo and 34 in UNMIBH in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
MISSILES-DESTRUCTION-PM.
BTA
PM Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Inspects Telish Unit Where Preparations for the Destruction of SS-23 Missiles Are Underway.
Sofia, August 12 (BTA) - Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and General Nikola Kolev, Chief of the General Staff of the Bulgarian Army, inspected Monday morning the unit in the village of Telish, near Pleven (Northern Bulgaria) where preparations for the destruction of Bulgaria's SS-23, Frog and Scud missiles are underway, the Government Information Directorate said.
In this unit the warheads are separated from the airframes and the Prime Minister's visit is at the invitation of the Chief of the General Staff of the Bulgarian Army, the press release specifies.
On Monday an expert group of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) and the Chemical Technology and Metallurgy University in Sofia made public its stand that the engines of the SS-23 missiles should not be destroyed by burning. This conclusion of the experts is based on studies of the terrain in the region of the Zmeyovo in the southern region of Stara Zagora, the chemistry of the incineration process and other information, according to a fax BTA received from BAS. The incineration method would pose a risk to people's health and the environment, the exports claim.
The Defence Ministry has been sent information and proposals for alternative methods for destroying the fuel of the SS-23 missiles, the BAS fax also says.
Soccer Referee Anton Getsov Beaten Black-and-Blue.
Standartnews
Ivan Ivanov
Dimitar Nikolov
Police thinks that revenge of students for demanded bribe is the main lead.
41-year-old Anton Getsov is a teacher of Bulgarian Language in the University of Veliko Tarnovo. The associate professor has the fame of the only football referee in Bulgaria who lives in a prefab and uses public transport. In 1999 after a scandal he was laid off as an international referee. Two years later at the request of Georgi Kamishev he was restored to his post.
Unknown assailants beat black-and-blue the international football referee - Anton Getsov. The assault took place on Saturday about 5:15 p.m. in Veliko Tarnovo, just in front of his house at 'Dragan Tsonchev' Str. The referee came home from a regular practice session at 'Ivailo' stadium, when all of a sudden he was attacked by three tough men on the pathway in front of his house. First, one of the attackers knocked down Getsov. Then two other men began to beat him with rubber batons and kicked him with their hobnailed army boots. A mother with child found the referee in a helpless condition. She called an ambulance which drove Getsov to the local hospital. The victim underwent four surgeries so far. He's conscious and his life is not endangered, said Dr. Milanova from the ophthalmic ward in Veliko Tarnovo hospital. To well-informed sources, the police in Tarnovo investigates three leads. The first is connected with his work as football referee, The second, is that he might have become a victim of an accidental attack of street gangsters. The most likely reason for the assault against the Assoc. Professor, however, is a revenge of dissatisfied students of the Tarnovo University, said well-informed sources. For several year the result of exams held by Assoc. Prof. Getsov do not depend on one's knowledge, the students maintain.
BG Export to Romania Runs at $64.62 Million
Standartnews
from early-2002 to the end of May, Krassimira Yankova, trade advisor in the Bulgarian embassy in Bucharest, said for BTA. Romanian export to Bulgaria is worth 59.26 million in the same period. Within the five months of the year Bulgaria for the first time in five years struck positive balance with our northern neighbor, Yankova said further. To her, the positive result was planned in the previous year, when the negative trade balance of this country reduced threefold. Motor lubricants, canned foods, cosmetics, cash-boxes, ketchup, electric and motor trucks, kaolin and metals are the main export commodities of Bulgaria, while the import from Ronamia comprises raw materials, timber, nitrogen fertilizers, propane-butane.
'Boeing' and 'Airbus' to Be Repaired in Sofia.
Standartnews
Nevena Mircheva
The Lebanese firm IMC searches for a site for building a plant near the airport.
Lebanese businessmen will build a plant for repair of planes in Bulgaria. The IMC firm, which was licensed in the USA, is one of the four in the world licensed to repair 'Boeing' and 'Airbus', as well as Russian planes, Vice-Minister of Economy Milen Keremedchiev said. He met with the businessmen during his visit in Lebanon last week. Keremedchiev offered them to have a look at sites in Bulgaria, because in our country they could repair Russian planes, too. The Lebanese delegation arrives in Sofia tomorrow. The businessmen will look at the Sofia airport to choose a site, suitable for the building of the halls. The contractors will visit Plovdiv, Varna and Bourgas, too.
Hotel-Keepers Demand Tourist Police.
Standartnews
Nina Rangelova
Resort's fees remain in the municipalities' budgets from next year.
Overcrowded resorts, noise and crime, torment the holiday-makers in Bulgaria, complained touroperators at a meeting with President Georgi Parvanov. The forum 'Role and Position of the Black Sea Municipalities in the Development of Tourism' in Slanchev Bryag (Sunny Beach) was held at the initiative of the Head of State. Deputy-ministers, governors of Dobrich, Varna, Bourgas, mayors and touroperators participated in it. Tourist police units have to be formed to defend the tourists from gangsters, hotel-keepers offered. The resorts' fees will remain in the municipal budgets from January 1, 2003. The money will be accumulated in a special fund meant for reinvestments in tourism. These are part of the amendments to the Local Taxes and Fees Act debated at the working meeting.
Why Tobacco Capital Will Be Disqualified.
Team of 'Standart'
The favorite company of the government mention Bulgartabac's liability of 37 million levs both as investments and as capital's growth.
As 'Standart' daily has already pledged, a new series of publications begins, to reveal the main 'merits' of Tobacco Capital Partners' offer, which melted hearts of Vice-Premier Vassilev and all known and unknown middlemen and assistants who are digging the grave for the Bulgarian tobacco industry. The Privatization Agency (PA) declared on July 22 that Tobacco Capital Partners offered 71.185 million euro for direct investments in the holding for a 5-year term. It sounds striking, indeed. Yet, what do the 280 pages of the candidate's offer show in fact? The investments envisaged for cigarettes' ventures are worth 9.550 million euro - less than all other candidates; in the processing factories - 5.600 million euro; in the manufacturing of auxiliary materials - 985,000 euro and in the distribution network - 1.100 million euro. The investments total 17.235 million euro. The biggest mystery are other investments of 49.600 million euro 'in the holding and/or in emissions of the ventures'. One can't but be puzzled! But, dear readers, the cheek of these guys is unmatched. They've "modestly" asked for something else: 37 million euro for payment of debts to be considered as an investment and at the same time TO BE ACCEPTED AS CAPITAL'S INCREASE. And finally, obviously presuming that in the PA and in the government they are idiots, Tobacco Capital Partners casually interjected that the pay-off mechanism of all overdue debts of Bulgartabac Holding subsidiaries both to the fisc and to 'Tobacco' Fund, is the figure of substitution in that liability, settled in art. 102 of the Obligations and Contracts Act. Congratulations! If it comes true, these subsidiary corporations of Bulgartabac Holding will have a new creditor - Tobacco Capital Partners, or whoever else they will transfer their own receivables. And they are experts in such transactions. The sad experience with the privatization of Balkanpharma has already shown it. So, enough about the investments, or to be more accurate - about the pseudo-investments of Tobacco Capital Partners. It depends on you, dear privatizors, if there will be real privatization of Bulgartabac, or you will give it away as a present. If that's true, you should say it straight and let's stop the vaudeville.
INFLATION - JULY.
BTA
July Inflation at 0.1%
Sofia, August 12 (BTA) - July inflation in Bulgaria stood at 0.1%, the National Statistical Institute reported Monday.
Cumulated inflation, July 2002 on December 2001, was 1.2%. Calculated year on year, January-July inflation was 7.3% and July inflation was 5.5%.
The base index of consumer prices in July 2002 stood at 104.6, calculated on the basis of the average annual level of consumer prices in 2001.
A price fall, July on June 2002, was recorded for foods (3.6%), non-foods (0.1%), and public catering (0.7%). Service fees rose by 6.5%.
July prices were lower than the June levels for the following food categories: pork 6%, beef and veal 2.1%, poultry meat 1.9%, minced meat 1.6%, fish and fish products 2.6%, milk 0.7%, yoghurt 2.1%, cheese 2.2%, eggs 0.9%, flour 1.2%, vegetable oils 1.1%, fruit 5.5%, vegetables 21.4%, haricot beans 2.5%, and sugar 1.9%.
July prices were higher than the June levels for the following categories: electricity 18.1%, central heating 10.1%, water supply 1.9%, beauty and barber services 1.3%, and outpatient care 1.9%.
Hristo Fotev's Tragedy Isn't an Isolated Case.
INTERVIEW Standartnews: Stanka Pencheva
Milla Ivanova
We should be blamed for our own plight, famous Bulgarian poet Stanka Pencheva says.
- Do you have inspiration in difficult time like the one we live in?
- I don't like this word - 'inspiration'. Let's call it the drive to write. In contrast with youth when one gets older this desire comes after longer and longer pauses...
- Great Bulgarian poet Hristo Fotev passed away. He shivered in his cold flat winter and his telephone was switched off. How would you comment on that?
- I think that Hristo Fotev lived his life the way he wanted and understood it, that's why his poetry is unique... The case 'Hristo Fotev' has been commented many times. I'll add only that there are dozens of other artists who are ashamed to complain about their poverty and don't want to be pitied.
- What's mistake do the Bulgarians make? Why are we living like in a vicious circle for 12 years already?
- I'll mention only two of the reasons, maybe the main ones. The first is the belief (and the practice) that to create something new the old should be totally destroyed. The second mistake is our naive and infantile expectation that someone from outside will help us, an expectation that someone else is to arrange our home. As far as the rulers are concerned, maybe we deserve them...
/abr/ No One Was Aware That BG Burned Missiles in 1973.
INTERVIEW Standartnews: Simeon Petkov
Evgeni Genov
Ten years ago we destroyed nuclear devices for SS-23, says reserve general Simeon Petkov.
Reserve General Simeon Petkovski is former Vice-Minister of Defence in two cabinets - those of Lyuben Berov and Ivan Kostov. Before he headed the Missile and Artillery Department to the Defence Ministry. He is from the first alumni of Bulgarian officers who graduated from the Artillery Academy in Russia.
- Mr. Petkovski, several times you protested against the demolition of our SS-23 missiles, as well as Scud and Frog? What is actually worrying you?
- Everyone understands that the decision to destroy the missiles is strictly political. However, I wonder why before taking this decision the deputies have not consulted with army experts? That's what hurts me.
- Much has been told about our missiles. Some people even said that they are depreciated. Is it true?
- No, Scud are, but SS-23 are modern and highly precise missiles. They are made after Stelt technology. But... if we have to destroy them to become a NATO member we shall do it. Bulgaria bought SS-23 for $ 100 million. Ex-USSR sold them cheap to us, their actual price is about $ 500 million.
- It is known that SS-23 missiles were with nuclear charges. What has happened with these devices?
- In 1991 the government took the decision to destroy them and we did. I was the chairman of the respective commission.
- How exactly did you destroy them?
- With a plastic explosive at the range in Zmeevo. We worked without much noise, so no one understood what's going on.
- Very few people know that we have already destroyed missiles in Bulgaria. No one knows when or how we did it. Is it true?
- In 1973 we destroyed 43 Scud-1 and Frog missiles. They didn't have combat parts, so we destroyed only carriers.
- Is the demolition of SS-23 risky?
- No, not at all. The whole panic and noise about it are absolutely unnecessary. The engines can be burned in our smelters. There are several ways to do it. Solid fuel can be removed. The gun powder is highly effective, it can be cut with a water jet, they have such devices in Neftochim. In one missile there are about 2,300 kg of gunpowder. It can be cut into smaller pieces and then be burnt. Sale of Bulgartabak Depends on MRF.
INTERVIEW Standartnews: Dikme
Candidates' answers will be discussed by the government, says Minister Dikme for BNR.
- Mr. Dikme, you maintained that the offers should be corrected. You said so in the beginning of this week and the bidders themselves were prepared to offer higher bids. What can you say about the Premier's opinion, namely that after the envelopes had been opened it wouldn't be appropriate to make corrections. Does it affect your stand?
- The stand I've taken is actually not only mine, you know that the parliamentary group of the MRF shares it. Last Thursday we had a sitting and took the decision that obliged me to see if there were possibilities to improve the offers. However, the question should not be considered one-sidedly. A comprehensive improvement is needed, having in mind that 80 questions were offered to bidders. Already two weeks ago I said that all four offers do not seem satisfactory to me, there are too many omissions and significant discrepancies. I hope that a political decision will be taken to resolve this problem. The government has not yet discussed the case of Bulgartabak. I expect that the Privatization Agency will send its preliminary report to all ministers along with the report prepared by the consultants. Thus, each minister will be able to give his opinion. The decisions that have to be taken are difficult and very important.
- It would be illogical if Bulgartabak is not sold out while MRF is a part of the ruling majority, i.e. following the rules of your party. Some people even tend to think that Bulgartabak will become a test for the political unity of your coalition and assume that in the autumn the two parties in it may divorce because of Bulgartabak?
- Bulgartabak cannot be privatized without the consent of the MRF. This answers all of your questions.
- If it comes out that in this privatization deal the shady interests are prevailing, could it happen that the deal would be put off?
- For this a political decision is needed, in my opinion. After the report is prepared the issue is to be discussed at a cabinet's sitting.
- The society has been unnerved by the Bulgartabak stories. To your mind, what is the reasonable term needed for finding some solution?
- Bulgartabak had to be sold as soon as possible and to the best possible buyer. But everything that has happened shows that all aspects of the case must be discussed in a quiet atmosphere and in detail. Only then can we take a final decision. |
