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Tourists look at the Gold Treasure of Panagyurishte in the Plovdiv Museum of Archaeology. Pressphoto BTA Photo: Vladimir Yanev
Bulgaria's Max Mirnyi returns to France's Paul-Henri Mathieu in the first set of an opening round match at the RCA Championships in Indianapolis, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2002. Mirnyi defeated Mathieu, 6-2, 7-5. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
SITUATION IN CRISIS REGIONS.
MIA
It is calm and no gunshots are heard early Tuesday in Tetovo region, which was not the case during Monday night, MIA's correspondent reports.
Shootouts have been registered from the Teke, "Kuzman Josifovski-Pitu" barracks, Gorna Carsija, Kupenik, Sipad, Vonvardarska and Ciglana settlements, the SEE University, "SS. Cyril and Methodius" elementary school, and from "Gjorce Petrov," "Stipska" and "Murat Baftijari" streets, Interior Department says.
Gunshots have been registered from Odri, Dobroste, Neraste, Otusiste, Prsovce, Tearce, Glogji, Mala Recica, Gajre, Selce, Zerovjane, Radiovce, Dolna Lesnica, Palatica and Strimnica.
Shootouts have not been aimed at direct targets, police says.
The intensity of the shootouts in Kumanovo - Lipkovo region has been decreased in the past few days, MIA's correspondent from Kumanovo reports.
Police sources say public order and peace have been violated 12 times with shootouts that came from the villages of Matejce, Slupcane, Opae and Ropajce.
Peace Deal Needs Implementing.
makfax
Macedonia marks the first anniversary of signing a Western brokered peace deal in Ohrid last year that ended seven months insurgency and pull out this Balkan country from severe bloodshed.
One year after the peace agreement was sighed by four party leaders, two Macedonian and two Albanian, Macedonia still faces armed incidents and thousands of displaced people from the former crises-affected areas.
The accomplishments of a peace deal, which provided more rights for Albanians with constitutional changes, are real, but both, Macedonians and Albanians are complaining that after a year, there is still a lot to be done to restore peace and confidence among different ethnic groups.
By signing the Ohrid Agreement, the Macedonian leaders set an example for others. They literally saved their own country. A civil war would have meant many victims and huge damage throughout the country. This was avoided", senior civilian representative of NATO in Macedonia, Ambassador Nicolas Biegman said in a statement delivered to The Associated Press.
The Alliance and the European Union were deeply engaged to prevent the large scale spreading the civil war in Macedonia. During seven months armed conflict that Albanian insurgents started in February 2001 demanding more rights for its ethnic group, at least 80 civilians, soldiers and policeman were killed, few hundred were injured and more than 170,000 people were expelled from their homes. Insurgents controlled more than 160 villages in a northwestern region of Macedonia.
NATO sent its troops to collect weapons from Albanian insurgents as a key point to set up grounds for signing a peace deal. More than 4,000 weapons were collected from NLA rebels by NATO soldiers in a three months British led mission "Essential Harvest" that lasted till September last year.
NATO, EU and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) are still engaged in a process for restoring peace and confidence.
"Since the Parliament adopted the basic principles of the Framework agreement in November last year, almost every month we have witnessed developments that have brought about grater peace and stability, as well as economic recovery and interethnic reconciliation, respecting the territorial integrity of the country and furthering its integration into the European structures", EU chief for foreign and security policy Javier Solana said in his written statement.
A lot has been achieved within one year, but continuos efforts are needed. The upcoming elections and the campaign leading to them, conducted in a free and fair manner, without violence and intimidation, will be an important contribution", Solana said.
"New terrorist groups keep emerging within the Albanian corpus. There is still no security in former crises areas, large number of displaced Macedonians still have no chance to return to their homes, while armed incidents happen almost every day. Also, there are still statements from Albanian politicians for revision of a peace deal, saying that Albanian demands are not fully met", ruling VMRO-DPMNE Spokesman Vladimir Gjorcev said.
"We still can not use Albanian language in a Parliament. There is a lot to be done to enlarge the number of Albanians into the civil administration. We have the legislation, but we need to implement what was agreed", Democratic Party of Albanians senior official and Labor Minister Bedredin Ibrahimi said.
The former NLA spokesman Agron Buxhaku told The Associated Press that his Democratic Union for Integration, party that emerged from former NLA rebels, is "content with the implementation of a peace deal".
"We can say that the Framework agreement was historical. It means stability, restoring the confidence, economic development and chance for Macedonia to set up democratic standards which will prepare the country for membership into the Euro-Atlantic institutions. If the Ohrid Agreement is to be fully implemented it means that Albanian question is solved and Macedonia will become a country where all people are equal and free", Buxhaku said.
"Now we can look towards the future. The Ohird agreement provides the citizens of Macedonia, whatever their ethnicity, with the tools to build a modern, democratic state", NATO Ambassador Nicolas Biegman said.
REGULAR GOVERNMENT SESSION.
MIA
Macedonian Prime Minister Ljubcho Georgievski informed on Tuesday's governmental session that Greek Ambassador to Macedonia Ioannis Ikonomu notified him about the positive response of the Greek Government regarding the signing of bilateral Agreement on the Macedonian citizens that temporary reside and work in Greece.
According to Government's Spokesman Gjorgji Trendafilov, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy will be engaged in the technical aspect of the Agreement.
The Agreement will include the procedure for obtaining visas and health insurance of the season workers - Macedonian citizens.
The Government reviewed the requests from the Police, the Army and the Defense Trade Unions on increase of salaries, but according to Trendafilov it was noted that "their salaries are drastically higher than those of the other employees in the public administration."
He reminded that the Law on Macedonian Army's service would be enforced on January 1, 2003 and it included finances for systematic corrections, "which are four times higher than the means pointed out by the employees as problematic."
Trendafilov informed that regarding the basis of the pension insurance, the Government's position was to take into consideration the ten best paid years of the employee that is being retired.
Trendafilov emphasized that the final decision referring to the sale of the publishing house "Nova Makedonija" would be adopted at the next governmental session.
The Government has concluded that it was necessary to review the recommendations of the World Bank, according to which "the sale at this moment was not very favorable," as well as the recommendations of the consultant hired by the World Bank. The consultant believes that the Slovenian company as a purchaser will take over the debts amounting to Euro 16 million and will secure the jobs. According to Trendafilov, the bidder has probably submitted the investment plan to the Economy Ministry and the Government will be notified about the bank guarantee at the next session. "The Government prefers all employees to keep their jobs and the debts towards the state institutions and the public enterprises amounting to Euro 16 million to be written off," Trendafilov said.
The Government did not discuss NATO's request for providing additional protection for OSCE monitors during the parliamentary elections.
"I do not see a reason why NATO soldiers should be deployed in Novo Selo village, Strumica area. There are certain misunderstandings, as the existing mission includes support and protection of OSCE monitors in the crisis regions. The Government has not thought about any other decisions," Trendafilov explained. "However, if this happens then it would mean changes in NATO's mandate, and there is no reason and mood for changing the mandate in Macedonia," he said.
"The police and not the Army should secure the polling stations," Trendafilov said.
According to him, these opened issues will be discussed at today's meeting between Prime Minister Georgievski and NATO Ambassador to Macedonia Nicolaas Biegman.
Regarding the security situation, the Government has reviewed the
rehabilitation of the houses in Aracinovo village and the demarcation of the northern border.
At the Tuesday session presided by Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski, the government was informed on the meeting between Prime Minister Georgievski and Greek ambassador in Macedonia Ioanis Ikonomu held also on Tuesday.
At the meeting Prime Minister Georgievski was informed on the positive reply from the Greek government in regard to the request from the Macedonian government for signing of agreement for seasonal work.
This agreement refers to engagement of unemployed persons from Macedonia who with assistance from the ministries of foreign affairs and labor and social policy will be engaged as seasonal workers in Greece.
At the session, the government adopted the report for the realization of the program for public investments in Macedonia in 2001. In the past year total of US $150 million were realized from the program for realization of public investments for the period 2001-2003, or approximately 37% of the planned funds.
Significant influence on the low level of realization of the projects had the decreased quantity of capital expenses from the budget. Namely, from the planned amount of $11.210,8 million total of 7.140,1 million were realized.
Also, the funds from the Macedonian Telecommunications were not completely realized. Out of the planned 2.535 million denar, a total of 1.391,9 million was realized, which represent decrease of 45%.
Seen by sectors, most of the investments in 2001 were realized in the traffic - $57,2 million, the energy - $19,9 million and education - $10.6 million.
The investment activities in 2001 were realized mainly from the Budget of the Republic of Macedonia in amount of $38.17 million, than from the funds - $22.17 million, the funds gained from the sale of the Macedonian Telecommunications - $21.09 million and the funds received from the countries-donors in amount of $16.88 million.
At the session, the government passed a decision for changes in the decision for reimbursement of the clients of the bankrupt savings banks "TAT", "Alfa S" and "Lavci." According to the new decision, the funds meant for compensation of the clients of these banks will be increased on Euro 3.148.000, which will enable complete compensation of the clients whose deposits are under Euro 1.000.
As Elections Near: Bosnian Arms in Macedonia.
Reality Macedonia
By Sasha Uzunov, Skopje
Macedonian police have recently captured smuggled weapons from Bosnia bound for use by suspected Albanian guerillas in an attempt to disrupt upcoming elections in September.
Forty-five Russian-made surface to air missiles, 500 Kalashnikov semi-automatic rifles, and over six hundred 82mm calibre mortar rounds were confiscated during a raid conducted in the north-western Macedonian town of Gostivar, which has a large ethnic Albanian population.
A spokesman from the Macedonian Interior Ministry confirmed that the police raid took place and weapons were seized.
"I can't go into too much detail, because the matter is still under investigation," he said.
Mr Craig Ratcliff, NATO spokesman in Macedonia, said that his organization and the international community were well aware of weapons smuggling as a very serious issue in the Balkans.
"But it's not NATO's mandate in Macedonia to protect that country's borders. Ours is to protect the international observers in the country," he said.
The weapons seizure has added to the already tense situation in Macedonia.
Skirmishes on the Macedonia-Kosovo border have increased in both number and intensity over the last month.
The Macedonian government has claimed that Albanian guerillas, which it labels as terrorists, from the newly formed Army of the Republic of Ilirida, have conducted cross-border raids in recent weeks in order to provoke another war.
The Macedonian government is a coalition consisting of the nationalist VMRO-DPMNE, lead by Prime Minister, Ljupco Georgievski, and the Democratic Party of Albanians, headed by Arben Xhaferi.
Last Friday NATO arrested 19 suspected terrorist in ethnic Albanian-dominated Kosovo along the border with Macedonia. However, NATO is refusing to say if there is a connection between the captured suspects and the Army of the Republic of Ilirida.
Mr Vlado Buckovski, deputy leader of the Social Democrats, SDSM, Macedonia's largest opposition party, has accused the government of inventing the Army of the Republic of Ilirida as a way of frightening voters into maintaining the status quo.
Pressure from the United States and the European Union ended the short-lived war in Macedonia last year between that country's security forces and ethnic Albanian guerillas known as the National Liberation Army (NLA), which were supported by elements from the KLA.
The Macedonian government and ethnic Albanian political parties, including Albanian rebels, signed the western-brokered peace plan known as the Ohrid Framework Agreement last year, which guarantees rights for the country's ethnic Albanian population.
Albanian rebels also received an amnesty from the Macedonian President, Boris Trajkovski, to get them to the negotiation table.
Ali Ahmeti, an ex-NLA commander who was amnestied, has formed his own political party, which will take part in Macedonia's up-coming general election on 15 September this year. Ahmeti is also on the United States's black list of international terrorists.
However, the Army of the Republic of Ilirida, a NLA splinter group and disowned by the more moderate ethnic Albanian political leaders, has expressed strong opposition to the Ohrid Agreement and threatened to use violence in the lead up to the election.
Major Zoran Sekulovski - New Army Spokesman.
Reality Macedonia
By Irina Gelevska
Skopje - Major Zoran Sekulovski will be the new spokesman of the Macedonian Army (ARM). He is a ARM communications specialist.
The current Army Spokesman Colonel Blagoja Markovski will leave Macedonia to attend National Defense course in Sofia, Bulgaria, in the next few months.
On August 14, Colonel Markovski will officially present the new Army Spokesman to the media. Major Sekulovski will take over the job in September.
Major Sekulovski speaks English very well.
Macedonia remains tense a year after peace deal.
By KONSTANTIN TESTORIDES, Associated Press Writer
SKOPJE, Macedonia - The security and political situation in Macedonia is still unstable, officials of the Balkan nation's two main ethnic groups said Tuesday, the first anniversary of a Western-brokered peace deal that ended an armed ethnic Albanian rebellion.
Macedonia still experiences sporadic violence, and thousands of people remain displaced from their homes.
The peace agreement, which provided more rights for minority Albanians through constitutional changes, led to the deployment of some 1,500 NATO-led international peacekeepers.
The ethnic Albanian rebels said they launched the insurgency to win more rights for their minority, a third of Macedonia's 2 million people. After the peace agreement was signed, the rebels agreed to disarm, and the government has implemented several reforms improving minority rights.
However, both Macedonians and Albanians are complaining that a year later, there is still a lot to be done to restore peace and confidence among different ethnic groups following months of clashes that left at least 80 civilians and soldiers killed and hundreds injured.
"New terrorist groups keep emerging within the Albanian entity," said Vladimir Gjorcev, a spokesman for the ruling Macedonian party.
"There is still no security in former crises areas, large number of displaced Macedonians still have no chance to return to their homes, while armed incidents happen almost every day," Gjorcev said.
Some ethnic Albanian politicians are equally dissatisfied.
"We still cannot use the Albanian language in the parliament," said Bedrin Ibrahimi, a senior official of the Democratic Party of Albanians.
"There is a lot to be done to increase the number of Albanians in the civilian administration," he said. "We have the (new) legislation, but we need to implement what was agreed."
Javiar Solana, the European Union's foreign policy chief who helped broker the Ohrid agreement, said in a statement Tuesday that the peace deal has "brought greater peace and stability" to the Balkan region.
"A lot has been achieved within one year, but continuos efforts are needed," Solana said.
Macedonia's year of peace.
By Bill Hayton
BBC Balkans analyst
The deal came after weeks of talks at a lakeside villa.
It is one year since the signing of the peace agreement which ended seven months of fighting in Macedonia.
The agreement, negotiated in the country's lakeside resort of Ohrid, began a process of political reforms - in return for which ethnic-Albanian rebels agreed to end their uprising.
It has been largely successful, but relations between the country's Macedonian and Albanian populations remain difficult.
The deal was never a popular one.
Huge step.
Although all the leaders of Macedonia's four main political parties put their names to it, they only did so after weeks of difficult negotiations in the president's villa.
The government was threatening an offensive.
In effect, the majority-Macedonian population agreed to give greater political and social rights to the ethnic-Albanian minority in exchange for peace.
Neither side was happy with the compromise, but the then leader of the ethnic-Albanian rebels, Ali Ahmeti, still believes it was a major breakthrough.
"The Ohrid Agreement is historic," he says.
"Two communities agreed after 100 years of disagreement and contradiction.
"Regardless of what people say, the Ohrid agreement is certainly a huge step - even though it can't be said that it is ideal."
Outside pressure.
The agreement was only possible because of strong pressure from the United States and the European Union.
But the current EU representative, Alain Le Roi, prefers to stress the role of Macedonian politicians.
"To the international community it's still a very important date, because it shows how Macedonian party leaders have been able to find a compromise which has been, I must say, very effective in this last year," he says.
"If we compare the conflict in Macedonia to all the conflicts which happened in the Balkans you can see how mature the Macedonian parties were to be able to find this compromise."
But Macedonia's politicians are unwilling to take any credit for the agreement.
Indeed no official events were planned to mark the anniversary and there is almost no mention of it in the local media.
In the run-up to elections next month, there are few votes to be won in championing an agreement which is widely regarded as a foreign imposition.
Separate lives.
After the agreement, a Nato-led peacekeeping force supervised the collection of several thousand weapons from the rebel National Liberation Army - just a fraction of the total they were suspected of possessing.
That was followed by months of difficult negotiations in parliament to amend the country's constitution and pass new laws.
Almost all the legislation envisaged in the Ohrid Agreement has now been passed, a multi-ethnic police force now operates in ethnic-Albanian areas and the agreement has prevented serious fighting.
But the situation remains tense and the two communities have grown even further apart and live largely separate lives.
The peace process only continues with financial and political pressure from the US and EU.
A year on, the Ohrid Agreement looks like a successful piece of diplomacy but a less successful attempt at reconciliation.
And with parties on both sides of the ethnic divide using fear and nationalism to win support in the forthcoming election, it's unlikely to make any progress in that direction for some time.
Peace is more than the absence of war, but in Macedonia the absence of war is welcome enough.
BULGARIA - TORRENTIAL RAINS - DAMAGE.
BTA
Weeklong Torrential Rains Cause Lv 500,000 Damage in Bourgas Region, Lv 230,000 in Four Municipalities of Silistra Region.
Sofia, August 13 (BTA) - Torrential rains over the last week alone caused some 500,000 leva damage in Bourgas Region (Southwestern Bulgaria). The worst hit municipality, Aytos, suffered damage estimated at 450,000 leva.
Fifteen houses were inundated, and a hailstorm destroyed 40 per cent of the crops, Civil Protection said Tuesday. A 50 m long landslide in the southern part of the old town in Nessebur (on the Black Sea) has been activated.
A 62-year-old man was killed by a lightning on Saturday. In the Soushevo Village, Zavet Municipality, Razgrad Region (Northeastern Bulgaria), a Monday evening hailstorm smashed the windows of residential and office buildings, damaged roofs and hit farm crops. Another two municipalities of Razgrad Region, Koubrat and Tsar Kaloyan, were also badly hit by strong wind and a hailstorm Monday evening.
The Alfatar Municipality in Silistra Region (Northeastern Bulgaria) will ask the Central Governmental Commission on Management of Natural Disasters and Industrial Accidents for an extra 3,700 leva for disaster response. Four municipalities in the same region will apply for a total of 230,000 leva to mitigate the effects of storms in July and early August.
Civil Protection says six population centres in Razgrad Municipalities and 14 population centres in Pavel Banya Municipality have been left without electricity.
A 20-minute storm that swept through the Pavlikeni and Polski Trumbesh municipalities (Northeastern Bulgaria) on Monday damaged and blew off the roofs of residential and public buildings and destroyed crops.
Hailstorms inflicted heavy damage on the sunflower and maize crops outside the villages of Ivancha and Obedineni near Polski Trumbesh and the villages of Boutovo and Vurbovka near Polski Trumbesh, Civil Protection said.
In the neighbouring villages of Brenitsa and Belitsa near Toutrakan (Northeastern Bulgaria), the maize was completely shelled by the hailstorm.
Between 40 and 50 per cent of the tobacco crop has been lost in the Stefan Karadja Village, Glavinitsa Municipality (Northeastern Bulgaria). The three villages has suffered 50-60 per cent damage to their vineyards, and vegetable plantings in the residents' subsidiary farms have been destroyed.
Microdams in the affected areas are under constant surveillance, and commissions have been formed to assess the damage, Civil Protection said.
Emergency teams of Civil Protection, the water and sewerage and electricity distribution utilities and the local road maintenance services are working on normalization of the situation, Civil Protection said.
There is no risk of a flooding of the Danube, the Danube River Study and Maintenance Executive Agency said at 4 p.m. local time on Tuesday.
The river level has reached 298 cm at Vidin (the critical mark is 1,019 cm), 273 cm (756 cm) at Lom, 161 cm (644 cm) at Oryahovo, 178 cm (884 cm) at Svishtov, 156 cm (881 cm) at Rousse, and 162 cm (785 cm) at Silistra.
On August 14, the Danube water level is expected at 212 cm at Rousse and 203 cm at Silistra. The water marks in the Bulgarian sector of the Danube are being constantly watched.
MACEDONIA - BULGARIA - YUGOSLAVIA.
BTA
Skopje, August 13 (BTA) - Officials of Macedonia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Bulgaria Tuesday signed a protocol determining the point of convergence of the three countries' common borders.
The protocol was due for signature about a month ago but certain technicalities delayd its signing.
The document practically finalizes the formal procedure, after which demarcation on the ground of the international border between Macedonia and Yugoslavia can begin. Skopje and Belgrade agreed that the demarcation of their common border should start from the convergence point with the Bulgarian border.
According to an official announcement of the Macedonian Foreign Ministry, the tripartite protocol approved the geographical coordinates, the shape and the type of the trilateral monument that will mark the convergence point of the Bulgarian, Macedonian and Yugoslav borders and which is expected to be installed shortly.
Fortress Built before 4,500 Years Discovered.
Standartnews
Krasimira Slavova
An archeological expedition discovered a fortress most probably built in the later Bronze Age (2750-2500 BC) close to the village of Mihalich near Svilengrad. The stronghold resembles the ones discovered in Greece and Asia Minor. Archaeologists suppose that it was built by a rich Thracian nobleman. The find is described as one of the best preserved monuments from the Bronze Age.
KOUNEVA-DENMARK.
BTA
Problems of Bulgaria's Judicial System Do Not Differ Greatly from Those in Other EU Candidate Countries, Kouneva Says.
Sofia, August 13 (BTA) - Following the legislative amendments adopted by Bulgaria to improve its judicial system, its problems in this area do not differ greatly from those in the other EU candidate countries, European Affairs Minister Meglena Kouneva, Bulgaria's Chief Negotiator with the EU, said in an interview for Bulgarian National Radio.
Kouneva and Justice Minister Anton Stankov left for Copenhagen Monday where they will meet their Danish counterparts Bertel Haarder and Lene Espersen.
Kouneva said that justice, home affairs and European policies regarding refugees are among Denmark's priorities as holder of the rotating EU presidency.
There are grounds to believe that negotiations on the Justice and Home Affairs Chapter are nearing completion but this cannot happen overnight, Kouneva said. Bulgaria can demonstrate a clear vision in this field and when the time comes for this country to join the EU its judicial system will be in no way inferior, and in some ways maybe even better than the judicial systems of some of the older EU members, she added.
On Tuesday Kouneva is scheduled to meet Danish Minister for Refugees, Immigration and Integration and European Affairs Bertel Haarder. This meeting is very important because of the possibility it provides to receive information on the priorities of the Danish presidency of the EU, Kouneva said.
She added she will acquaint her Danish counterpart with the priorities in Bulgaria's European integration policies.
PRESIDENT - MISSILES.
BTA
President Accepts Experts' View that SS-23 Missile Engines Should Not Be Incinerated.
Sofia, August 13 (BTA) - President Georgi Purvanov accepts a conclusion drawn by experts of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) and the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy (UCTM) that the method of incineration, suggested for the destruction of the engines of Bulgaria's SS-23 missiles, is inappropriate, the President's Press Secretariat wrote in a press release Tuesday.
Purvanov met with General Nikola Kolev, Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces, and Deputy Defence Minister Ivo Ivanov to discuss the expert report.
In line with the position expressed by the Consultative Council on National Security and on the basis of the expert assessment and the discussion with General Kolev and Deputy Defence Minister Ivanov, the President believes that the destruction of the safer missile components should continue, and that prompt steps should be taken to identify a method for the destruction of the SS-23 engines that will not be applied at a military practice range and will not pose any hazards to people's health or the environment, the press release says.
On Monday, a group of BAS and UCTM experts announced their conclusion that incineration is inappropriate for the destruction of the engines of the SS-23 missiles, as the method involves health and environmental hazards. The conclusion is based on on-site studies at the Zmeyovo artillery practice range in the southern Stara Zagora region, the chemical aspects of incineration and other available information.
The experts suggested to the Defence Ministry other methods of destruction for the fuel of the SS-23 missiles. The Defence Ministry said Monday these methods are to be considered.
On Tuesday, the Defence Ministry said that General Kolev, Deputy Defence Minister Ivanov and Deputy Environment Minister Manuela Georgieva discussed the conclusions of the independent experts. The Defence Ministry said it agrees that incineration is unacceptable for the engines of the SS-23 missiles because the process is contingent on weather conditions and therefore difficult to control.
The participants in the meeting decided on the formation of a working group of experts from the Ministries of Defence and Environment and scientists who contributed to the independent expert assessment. They are to begin work later in the day to identify the safest method.
The demolition of all other components of the country's SS-23 and Scud missiles and FROG rockets is proceeding according to schedule, the Defence Ministry said.
US Ambassador to Bulgaria James Pardew said in Haskovo, Southern Bulgaria, that the sites for the destruction of the missiles are to be determined solely by the Bulgarian Government, and that the US is simply assisting the process.
Taking a reporter's question about the possibility to have the Bulgarian missiles destroyed in the US, Ambassador Pardew said that many missiles have been destroyed in the US under an anti-missile treaty with Russia. He added, however, that this treaty does not allow the US to receive SS-23 missiles on its territory.
Ambassador Pardew was in Haskovo to present a 300,000-dollar grant for renovation of the local General Hospital for Active Treatment.
A doctor suggested that the US is providing financial support to the hospital in an attempt to stop public protests against preliminary tests and the possible subsequent destruction of missiles at the Koren military practice ground in the region. The Ambassador said the doctor should apologize for the insulting suggestion.
More than a year ago, a US Peace Corps volunteer who lived in Haskovo raised the issue about the need to renovate the hospital, the Ambassador noted. He also said that the US Department of Defense had decided to release this grant several days before his arrival in Bulgaria, and that he decided on visiting Haskovo several weeks ago. So the allegation that the US is trying to bribe people in the region is rather insulting, Ambassador Pardew said.
Meanwhile, Bourgas Regional Governor Ivan Vitanov told a news conference that the Municipal Council of Sungurlare (in the southeastern Bourgas region) is planning to urge public protests against the possible destruction of missiles at the Novo Selo practice range. The step will be taken unless people in the Sungurlare Valley are familiarized in detail with the type and number of missiles to be destroyed there and the possible impact of the process on people's health and the environment, Vitanov said.
Some 400 persons gathered in the village of Mokren (the Kotel area in the Eastern Balkan Range) for a one-hour rally to protest against the possible destruction of missiles at Novo Selo. Fifty of them came from nearby Padarevo. The protest was supported by the municipal administration of Sungurlare.
The protesters carried signs reading: "No to SS-23 Missile Destruction at Novo Selo!" and "Gentlemen, Don't Poison Us, Protect Our Health!" They threatened "civil disobedience" unless the authorities provide an "adequate answer" within a week.
Three officers from 3rd Army Corps Headquarters came to the spot to answer questions posed by the public. Colonel Kircho Nikolov, Head of the Public Relations Department with 3rd Army Corps Headquarters, said that no SS-23 components will be destroyed at Novo Selo. "If we receive instructions on the number of missiles to be destroyed, the method of destruction, and the type of the missile components, we will come here and tell you," Nikolov said.
Simeon Will Get Yellow Cacti.
Standartnews
Krustina Marinova
PM will be presented an unique bouquet from the Botanical Garden in Balchik.
Yellow prickly plants in luxurious wrapping will probably receive as a present PM Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in Balchik. The unique bouquet with special message is made of an exotic cactus which blooms once in 100 years. In Balchik hectic preparation for the visit of the PM is underway. Mayor Krasimir Mihaylov renovates the house with the minaret where PM Saxe-Coburg-Gotha will be proclaimed an honorary citizen of Balchik. The decision was taken by the municipal councilors in 2000. It will be a reward for the the merits of Simeon's father, King Boris III. 75-year-old Georgi Chakov showed three unique photos of King Boris III. They will be given as a present to the PM by mayor Mihaylov. The photos capture the visit of King Boris III in Balchik on November 2, 1942.
Vassilev To Subordinates: I Want Smiles Only.
Standartnews
Nevena Mircheva
Milen Keremedchiev reprimands BG trade representatives for evading duty.
The most important thing is how you smile and shake hands, Vice-Premier Nikolay Vassilev told the trade attaches yesterday. He read a lecture to his stunned subordinates teaching them to charm foreign investors with smiles and designer business cards. There's lack of coordination between trade representatives and the Bulgarian ministries in charge, Deputy-Minister Keremedchiev admitted. He reprimanded his subordinates for chaotic work and told them that they fail to notice important projects. He warned some 50 trade attaches not to get at odds with other BG diplomats and not to play truant. Severe disciplinary penalties for dodging are envisaged, Keremedchiev warned.
BG Business Presented in Kuwait and Dubai.
Standartnews
Days of Bulgarian business in Kuwait and Dubai will be held in mid-October, Milen Keremedchiev said. The presentation of the Bulgarian products will be organized also in the USA and Canada, where Vice-Premier Nikolay Vassilev will pay a visit. Day of BG business will be sponsored by our trade attaches in Spain, Germany and Moscow.
Electricity by 18.1% More Expensive in July.
Standartnews
Victoria Serafimova
Prices of the central heating by 10.1% higher, 0.1% inflation in July, statistics show.
Because of the higher prices of electricity and heating from July 1 the National Institute of Statistics (NIS) reported 0.1% of inflation for the month. The prices of electricity rose by 18.1% and those of the central heating - by 10.1%. Water supply in July is by 1.9% more expensive, NIS reported. 1.2% is the inflation rate since the beginning of the year. For the period January-July compared with the same period of the last year it's 7.3%, statistical data read. In July the prices of foods have decreased by 3.6%. The price reduction of vegetables is the biggest - 21%.
Mass Bankruptcies of Companies Looming.
Standartnews
Miglena Georgieva
Over 60 percent of people in the Rhodopes live on credit.
Chain of bankruptcies is looming due to large-scale interfirm liability, finance expert Petkan Iliev said. The debts exceed 1 billion levs. Over 7 billion levs are the liabilities between companies and that's a huge problem we are facing, government source said. As early as the beginning of September the cabinet will work out new schemes for debts' settlement among ventures. These liabilities may cause an avalanche of bad consumer credits. The high rate of unemployment in this country (some 18 percent) further exacerbates the poor financial situation of the firms. Over 60 percent of the population throughout the Rhodopes are shopping on tick or opt for barter, which may mean the end of market economy in this country, finance expert Joseph Avramov added. The annual GDP growth should be 4 - 6 percent until Bulgaria joins the EU. In 2002 the GDP growth will be 3%, Avramov said further. To the experts, the grey economy forms some 20 percent of GDP. Financial police should be set up, Avramov proposed.
Tobacco Capital to Drive Away 3,000 from Bulgartabac.
Team of 'Standart'
The government's favorite plans a drastic downsize of employees by the New Year.
As 'Standart' daily has already informed, in a few days Tobacco Capital Partners will be disqualified from further bidding for Bulgartabac. Even the two most ardent lobbyists of the government's favorite company in the working group - Nikolay Vassilev and Krassimir Katev - are apparently crestfallen and startled by the insolence of their cronies.
In our yesterday's edition we've said that the 'partners' are not at all intended to make investments. Now we're going to tell you about embarrassing facts in Tobacco Capital Partners' offer.
Currently, the workers and employees of the holding total some 9,000, while the friends of the vice-premier nail down that as early as 2002 the staff will be downsized to 6,250. Moreover, by the end of the five-year period the figure is reduced to 6,000.
To cut it short - we expect some 3,000 workers to remain in the street only in those several months till end-2002, if the 'partners' seal the deal. Furthermore, the guys make the reservation that the holding's staff number will be in line with the specific need in the respective period. They deny to accept sanctions for non-fulfillment of the privatization contract concerning the number of personnel employed in the holding.
What will happen with thousands of people who will be ousted? The guys specify it in the offer - the staffcuts will start in the areas and ventures with low efficiency.
So all should be ready, except for the three factories which are well-known.
The offer lacks specification of the markets where the 'partners' are intended to sell Bulgartabac's production. The holding's restructuring program is an utter confusion. The finance security of the offer and the money's origin are wrapped up in utmost obscurity. We shouldn't overlook also the notorious new draft of privatization contract the 'Partners' propose.
Their 'ideas' concern fresh burdensome liabilities and guarantee by the state for five-year term, rather than 1 year, as it was envisaged in the regulations; compensations paid by the state in case of undeclared debts, as well as for future environmental damages, etc.
Those who are not aware should know, that the rules of bidding stipulate:
* the privatization contract of the PA is mandatory and may be only detailed additionally, but can't be changed;
* the bidder who is worried about risk, should assess the risk and offer a lower price, thus insuring himself against future failures.
Obviously, that doesn't carry weight for the government's top favorite candidate. It wants both to win the tender and to arm-twist the state and to take back part of the money paid.
We have no choice but ask who gives orders and specifies the rules of the game actually - the Bulgarian state with its institutions, group of lobbyists and kinsmen, or the notorious brokers - profiteers from London and their Bulgarian friends.
No Money For Decommission of Reactors.
INTERVIEW Standartnews: Emil Vapirev
Beltcho Tsanev
The money is enough only for first stages of small units' decommission, says Emil Vapirev.
Associate Professor Emil Vapirev is the chairman of the Committee for Peaceful Use of Atomic Energy (CPUAE) that on Tuesday the Council of Ministers will rename into Nuclear Regulation Agency. He studied nuclear physics in Sofia University and started his career as a physicist in the "Kozloduy" nuclear power plant. For over ten years he's been teaching reactor physics in Sofia University.
- Mr. Vapirev, in 2000, when the nuclear power plant in Kozloduy became independent from the National Electric Company the cash flow to the funds meant for decommission of nuclear reactors and nuclear waste management was not sufficient. How is it now?
- There's no problem with the two nuclear funds. There was a certain slow-down in cash flows, but by the end of this year we'll catch up.
- Nevertheless, the readers, i.e. taxpayers, ought to know what are the sums you have accumulated.
- All in all there is about 210 million levs in both funds.
- Isn't it too little?
- In terms of ensuring safety of the decommission of small units and management of radioactive wastes the sums are insufficient indeed.
- Before the end of the last year these funds were part of the state budget. Consequently, they were used for all other purposes. What is the situation now?
- This is the question to Finance Ministry. The only thing I know is that this money doesn't bear interest.
- Is this money enough to start the safe decommission of units 1 and 2 of NPP Kozloduy?
- Many analyses have been made throughout the world to find out how costly is the decommission of a nuclear power unit. We also made certain assessments. The money we have will suffice only for the first stages of the decommission. Yugoslav Leader Opposes Deal with U.S. on New Court.
Reuters
BELGRADE (Reuters) - Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica has come out against a U.S. request for a bilateral deal to prevent American citizens from being turned over to the new International Criminal Court (ICC).
The United States, which has roughly 5,000 peacekeepers in the U.N.-administered Yugoslav province of Kosovo, strongly opposes the new court and has approached countries to negotiate bilateral agreements to avoid the prosecution of American personnel in their jurisdictions by the ICC.
Kostunica, whose predecessor Slobodan Milosevic is on trial for war crimes at the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia in The Hague, said any agreement to exempt people from prosecution by the ICC would undermine international law.
"Those who would enjoy immunity from prosecution would not only sleep soundly, but would also be encouraged to keep committing crimes," state news agency Tanjug quoted Kostunica as saying late Monday.
His remarks reflect a widespread feeling in Serbia that Washington is applying double standards, pressuring Belgrade to cooperate with The Hague tribunal while it seeks to win exemptions for its own citizens from the ICC.
FEAR FOR PEACEKEEPERS.
Washington says hostile nations may abuse the ICC to bring politically-motivated cases against Americans, notably its troops on peacekeeping missions around the world. It had threatened to veto such missions.
The U.N. Security Council in July agreed unanimously to give U.S. peacekeepers a year's exemption from prosecution by the ICC, which was set up in The Hague on July 1 this year to deal with war crimes and other gross human rights violations.
Switzerland Tuesday also thwarted U.S. efforts to win immunity for its citizens.
Foreign Minister Joseph Deiss said Switzerland would extradite U.S. nationals to the ICC if necessary. Any bilateral agreement would undermine the court in tackling atrocities such as genocide and war crimes, Deiss said.
"The second reason is maybe even simpler. We think such a contract is not necessary because a situation in which American soldiers would undertake peacekeeping operations in Switzerland would be very unlikely, if not impossible," he said.
Canada and Norway have also shunned such deals.
Yugoslavia's eastern neighbor Romania became the first to sign a deal with the United States this month.
Romania is an aspiring NATO member, and EU officials have said they fear other mostly eastern European NATO candidate countries were under U.S. pressure to follow suit. The EU is a strong supporter of the new court.
Yugoslavia is not a candidate for NATO membership but wants to join the alliance's Partnership for Peace cooperation scheme.
"The real question is whether this court will try everyone and really be a court or try only some and, in that case, will not be a court," Kostunica said.
The president's comments are in line with his frequent attacks against "selective justice," which he normally levels at the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague. He has accused the court of bias against Serbs.
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