Former leader of the Party for Democratic Prosperity Nevzat Halili, who was accused by the Macedonian Ministry of Interior that he was political representative of the new paramilitary organization "Army of the Republic of Ilirida", was arrested by KFOR in Pristina.

 

As the Radio Free Europe reported on Wednesday, together with Halili KFOR arrested several other persons, his associates.

 

According to KFOR, Halili and his associates planned to renew the military activities in the Republic of Macedonia in order to obstruct the pre-election campaign.

 

As MIA reports, KFOR spokesperson Drew Andersen reported that six persons were arrested on Monday, but she did not reveal their identity.

 

Voislav Zafirovski, spokesman of the Ministry of Interior, confirmed the information about Halili's arrest, adding that the Ministry of Interior has not issued a warrant for his arrest, so this case remains under the authority of the Kosovo administration.

 

 

 

The security situation in the Republic of Macedonia can become sensitive, especially before the elections and to certain extend it can be violated by groups that are displeased from the solutions incorporated in the Ohrid Agreement, who remained armed and who cross the border between Macedonia and Kosovo, Macedonian Defense Minister Vlado Popovski said Wednesday, elaborating the possibility for serious armed incident before and during the elections.

 

"The information that such armed groups exist have been confirmed, as well as the attempts for these organizations to be financially and technically supported.

 

However, these groups in general do not represent any serious and organized structure," minister Popovski said, adding that these goups do not enjoy support from the local population or from the international community.

 

Popovski believes that these groups will try to undermine the normal election process, to cause anarchy, thus disabling the process of consolidation of Macedonia. He underlined that the Macedonian Army (ARM) has the capacity to deal with this threat.

 

Regarding the arrests of Albanians-extremists by KFOR, Popovski said that it was expression of the policy of the international community for disapproval of any violation of the processes that are going on in Macedonia and in Kosovo.

 

"The international community is giving clear signs through the interventions realized by UNMIK and KFOR that it aims to provide normal conditions for the realization of the processes in Macedonia and in Kosovo," Popovski said.

 

He assessed the arrests as specific manifestation of the international community policy, which, in his opinion, "does not provide room for doubts if that was a short-term or long-term policy aimed to help to Macedonia to maintain its territorial integrity and sovereignty."

 

As Popovski said the demarcation of the border in the Kosovo section of the Macedonian-Yugoslav border will be carried out based on the Agreement for demarcation signed between the Republic of Macedonia and FR Yugoslavia, "and third partner is unnecessary."

 

As he said, during the demarcation in the Kosovo section "practical assistance can be asked from KFOR, which guards the border from the Kosovo side."

 

Regarding the chances of the Republic of Macedonia for entry in NATO, Popovski said that the country fulfills the conditions for integration in the Alliance, and reported that NATO estimated the continuous reforms in the Army as "true step for gaining efficient and dynamic model."

 

Explaining the conditions for NATO membership, Popovski pointed out that "there is no methodology for precise defining of every aspect from the conditions, but there is general methodology, based first of all on the certainty of the one who makes the assessment if the conditions were fulfilled."

 

"It is a question if certain Army can completely defend the national sovereignty of the Republic of Macedonia and to declare readiness for participation of certain units in peace missions."

 

Regarding the political assessment of the conditions, "one may say that some time should go by before the NATO member-countries offer full-fledged membership to Macedonia, because they believe that there are still some problems with the neighbors, such as the name dispute with Greece, or because they believe that the region is still not stable on a long-term basis.

 

 

 

Presenting the coalition economic program, Minister of Economy Nikola Gruevski said that this coalition, in cooperation with the party New Democracy, believed in independent Macedonia as a country with powerful economy and social justice, aiming at full integration with the European Union.

 

"When we took the power Macedonia was at difficult crossroad. Now, the country's economic survival presents no challenge. Poverty reduction, better living standards and the country's development are the real challenges. We have already made the first steps towards these goals. We, together with the World Bank, have worked out a strategy for poverty reduction, which is to be fully realized in our next mandate. Our priority is to enhance the economy and create conditions for decent life of each citizen. This strategy is also our book of report on our work for the last four years," Gruevski said.

 

He said that the VMRO-DPMNE and LP coalition was for liberal economy, based on democratic understanding and respect of freedom, ideas and responsibility of an individual. Development of the market and competition were the basic elements of the coalition's economic policy, Gruevski said.

 

"Higher standard of the population is the coalition's ultimate goal. Therefore, we shall foster real growth of personal consumption from 3 to 4% per year.

 

Price stability is also one of the main prerequisites for attraction of foreign investors. Therefore, we shall keep the inflation rate under full control in the next mandate, i.e. 3-5% per year," Gruevski said.

 

Referring to tax policy, he said that VMRO-DPMNE and LP would keep fighting against tax evasion and grey economy. This coalition would also complete the process for resolving the two main problems of the Macedonian economy - large debts of enterprises and survival of the loss-making companies.

 

"The government, which VMRO-DPMNE and LP will constitute after the elections, will replace the traditional industrial policy with new, modern one, meaning instead of supporting strategic enterprises, the concept for open market fight will be promoted. We shall build a digital village, which will take Macedonia in the internet-era and open new jobs for few thousand highly educated people," Gruevski said.

 

In the next mandate, the VMRO-DPMNE and LP coalition would complete the privatization process in the agricultural sector, grant average assistance to 50,000 farmer families, he said.

 

Gruevski said the Government would also invest in attractive tourist locations and in their advertising throughout the world.

 

In the next four years, the Government would take measures to solve the pollution problem in Veles, and invest in projects in regard with energy, water supply, irrigation, sewerage, gas network, roads, schools, clinics and environmental protection, worth US $ 2 billion.

 

"In the next mandate we will invest in those programs and spheres that will open most jobs. Investments in small businesses, the employment of young persons, the technology and the innovations, the trade, agriculture and infrastructure projects will stimulate the opening of new jobs. We do not promise rapid and spectacular success because there is no such thing. We promise work and better life," Finance Minister Nikola Gruevski emphasized.

 

He reminded of the period four years ago, when the state was "in years-long economic collapse, the hard earned money of the citizens were robbed and devaluated through the pyramidal savings banks, the houses and the properties of their ancestors were brutally taken away and no one even thought that someone would return them to the owners, the enterprises were given to the newborn tycoons who tried to avoid to pay the installments, the public funds were seriously impaired, and the foreign debts were increasing for hundreds million dollars annually"

 

"Today, after four years of enormous efforts, the Macedonian nation led by its Government, knows that there is hope," Gruevski said.

 

Vice Premier Zoran Krstevski speaking of the Macedonia's integration within Europe, said that the main goal of the Coalition was to accelerate the process of European integration. "The coalition VMRO-DPMNE and LP in cooperation with the party New Democracy, promises to realize everything that is foreseen in the Stabilization and Association Agreement, in the next four year mandate. We can promise that by 2006, Macedonia will be ready to request fully-fledged membership in EU. This will allow us to reduce the dateline set in the Agreement from ten to six years, thus proving that Macedonia remains to be one of the key leaders in the process of European integration in the region," Krstevski emphasized.

 

He underlined that this governmental coalition has succeeded to regulate the relations with all neighboring countries, provided dozens free trade agreements, thus liberalizing around 95 percent of the trade exchange in the region and enabling increased flow of capital, labor force and investments.

 

"In the future we will continue the policy of regional cooperation in all spheres, especially in the infrastructure connection of the region, we will continue the cooperation with the other aspirant countries for EU membership, we will enable economic growth of Macedonia, and special attention will be paid to the transboundary cooperation. We will work intensively on Macedonia's admission in the Schengen zone, and we hope that in the next three years the Macedonian citizens will have the same privileges as the citizens of the aspirant countries for EU integration," Krstevski said.

 

Minister of Foreign Affairs Slobodan Casule spoke of the political part of the election program. He emphasized that Macedonia must be a free society with democratic principles, which would enable freedom to all citizens.

 

"Macedonia must be secure and internationally active. As a Government now and in the future we will create security, not in order to become NATO member, but because that is our obligation and basic right of the citizens. We propose regional concept for security and solidarity with NATO's standards.

 

We will build such security system, in which the borders will be invisible for the citizens, but we also create barriers for the organized crime," Minister Casule said.

 

VMRO-DPMNE, Liberal Party and New Democracy will commit for freedom of speech and press, of associating and religious belief, equality between the genders, legal state, independent judiciary, ownership inviolability, and nurturing and promoting of the interethnic relations.

 

 

 

At the press conference held on Wednesday, the trade unions of the "Macedonian Railways" public enterprise and "Fersped" company accused the management of "Fersped" that it carried out illegal transformation and privatization of the company, for which the "Macedonian Railways" will file a lawsuit with a request the confiscated capital to be returned.

 

They explained that after in 1989 the "Macedonian Railways" and the former "OOZT fersped", which operated within the "Macedonian Railways", established the LTD company "Fersped" with capital proportion of 51% for the "MR", "the contacts between the two companies seized." This meant termination of the rights of the MR over their capital, and the employees did not have access to information concerning the transformation, privatization and the management with the company.

 

Based on a request from the trade unions, the authorized governmental institutions checked the privatization of the company and concluded that the material rights of the workers were violated, which, as the trade unions' officials said, gives them the right to claim returning of the capital.

 

It was concluded that the founding deposit, i.e. the 51% of the stocks, were illegally transferred to the stockholders.

 

The inspection showed that after the privatization the company director, according to the stock register, had 50 stocks and his deputy Kirica Trajkovska - 41. After the privatization the quantity of their stocks drastically increased: 1.242 for Nakov and 1.292 for Trajkovska.

 

In this manner, the Fersped manager illegally earned almost DM 1,5 million and Trajkovska - DM 550,000.

 

After this, Sterjo Nakov and the former director of the agency for Privatization, Sukarev, made a contract for sale of the company, estimated to be worth DM 21,7 million.

 

According to the findings from the inspection, the 16 company managers owned only 3.66% from the majority of stocks of the company at the moment of privatization, meaning they did not own the necessary 10% in order to be able to privatize the company. However, in the stock register they reported that they own 13.99% of the stocks.

 

The Privatization Agency asked from the company to submit report explaining the manner how the internal stocks became common, but this request never received reply.

 

According to the trade unions, the Privatization Agency in this case acted illegally, because it did not reveal these irregularities.

 

Also illegally, the Agency issued only 6.6% of the total value of the stocks to the Fund for Pension and Invalid Insurance, instead of 15%.

 

In the second stock register, company director Nakov owned 4,236 stocks or 23,38% of the company, and his deputy Kirica Trajkovska - 1,631 stocks or 9% of the company.

 

The stockholders claim that Nakov and Trajkovska became owners of the company thanks to the fraud realized in cooperation with some persons from the former government.

 

Due to this situation, the stockholders demand from the central depositary to delete the stocks registered as property of the managers, including the stocks owned by Sterjo Nakov and Kirica Trajkovska.

 

President of the "Macedonian Railways" Simeon Bundalevski reported that the company would file a lawsuit, demanding protection of its rights and returning of the stolen capital, thus asking to become owner of the "Fersped" stocks.

 

Dragoslav Dimevski, former member of the Fersped management team, said that although this process was taking place before the elections it had nothing to do with politics.

 

 

 

The security policy of the Republic of Macedonia is aimed toward protection of the citizens, guaranteeing of the independence and territorial integrity of the country, support of the national political and economic institutions and complete participation in the Euro-Atlantic and global processes of integration, cooperation and maintenance of the internal peace and stability, spokesman of the Macedonian Army HQ colonel Blagoja Markovski said at the press conference Wednesday held in honor of August 18, the Day of the Macedonian Army.

 

"We can contribute to the stability and security in the region and our entry in NATO would be a positive expression of the stability in Europe and the region as whole," colonel Markovski said.

 

"The ARM is on its combat positions and remains ready to defend its sovereignty and integrity," he said, assessing that there is a need from "more efficient peace development in Macedonia."

 

He pointed out that primary tasks of the armed forces are to defend the territorial integrity and independence of Macedonia, which is reflected in the commitment for engaging of the armed forces in case of aggression.

 

The combat against the terrorism, as Markovski said, "became one of the main tasks of the armed forces, while the tasks for securing the border are to be transferred to the newly established border police, in accordance with the strategy for integrated management with the border."

 

Spokesman Markovski said that the implementation of the new program for reforms of the armed forces 2002-2007, worth $152,8 million, would be covered from the military budget.

 

The planned military force in time of peace will be composed of 12,000 soldiers, of whom 40% recruits and 60% professional soldiers.

 

The military force will have personnel of 60,000 members.

 

As Markovski reported, the modernization of the military air forces was intensified during the crisis. They will reach the zenith of their combat readiness by the end of this year. The military air defense has four fighter planes SU-25, 12 assault helicopters MI-24, nine transportation helicopters and three light training planes ZLIN-24L. The air defense battalion is equipped with systems SA-13 Arrow and SA-16 Needle SHORAD.

 

Regarding the systematic activities from the Partnership for Peace, Markovski said that the emphasis was put on the language training, democratic control of the forces and defense structures, planning and budgeting of the defense and management with resources, consultations, command, military education, military exercises, as well as operational, material and administrative aspects of standardization.

 

Replying to a journalist's question, Markovski said that the Army has information about existence of armed groups and individuals, mainly in the former crisis areas, but, as he said, since this is a matter of 200 persons who are not connected in formations, they do not represent a force that can jeopardize the security of the Republic of Macedonia.

 

Regarding the three persons, U.S. citizens, of whom two are employed in KFOR base Bondsteel in Kosovo, who were detained three days ago due to unauthorized entry in the Skopje military barracks "Ilinden", Markovski said that according to the information of the army, this is not a matter of attack against the security of the military barracks, but a thoughtless gesture of these persons.

 

At the press conference, Blagoja Markovski said that from September 1 he would continue his military education in the School for national defense in Sofia, announcing that new spokesman of the Army would be Zoran Sekulovski.

 

 

 

Macedonian Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski opened Wednesday the renewed clinic for pulmonary diseases and allergies, and the clinic kitchen, located in the Clinic Center in Skopje.

 

The clinic is part of the building where the internal clinics are located. The clinic is established in 1975, and this is its first reconstruction ever since.

 

"Its reconstruction started in July 2000 with funds provided by the Health Fund and from the sale of the Telecom, in amount of 300,000. These funds enabled the complete reconstruction, internal renewing and procurement of body pletizmograph, which is the only such device in Macedonia," director of the clinic professor Dr. Dejan Dokic said.

 

Macedonian Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski said that it was not understandable why there was no reconstruction in the internal clinics for such a long time. He added that the government completely supported this reconstruction and expressed satisfaction from the fact that the employees finally received modern conditions for work and for adequate treatment of the patients.

 

The reconstruction of the clinic includes complete replacement of the old electrical installation, replacement of the water pipes and sewerage system, new windows and window frames, and complete interior equipping.

 

Also, an alarm system was introduced, through which the patients will be able to call the medical personnel at any time. With donations from Lek-Skopje and "Glaxo Smith Klain", new apartments were built, while the science department was equipped with donation from OHIS.

 

The clinic is now equipped with two new bronchoscopes, one for early diagnostics, as well as with a spirometer for functional lung assessment.

 

According to the World Health Organization, the 21st century is century of allergy diseases. In Macedonia there are about 100,000 persons ill of asthma and 200,000 patients with allergy rhinitis.

 

At the opening of the clinic kitchen, Georgievski said that this modern building, where the food for the needs of all medical institutions in Skopje will be prepared, was worth approximately Euro 3,5 million, with additional Euro 1,5 million invested in the equipment. Most of these funds were provided from the Health Insurance Fund, and one million Euro was provided through the PHARE program.

 

The construction of the clinic kitchen started in 1991.

 

 

Monthly Heroin Consumption Totals 60 kg in Bulgaria, 20-25 kg Sold in Sofia Alone.

 

Sofia, August 14 (BTA) - Since the beginning of 2002, police have apprehended 1,400 persons distributing drugs in Bulgaria, BTA learnt from the Press Centre of the National Police Service Directorate (NPSD). At present, the monthly consumption of heroin in Bulgaria approximates 60 kg, of which 20-25 kg are sold in Sofia alone.

 

As a result of active border interdiction measures, since the start of the year there has been a shortage of narcotics on Bulgaria's domestic market, experts find. This is the reason for the influx of a very low-quality synthetic drug called "piko," police warn. Criminal groups in Bulgaria are trying to create conditions for local production of drugs and for obviation of the need of trafficking.

 

Police have information that numerous opium fields have been planted in Afghanistan after the war and the drugs consignments reaching Bulgaria most often originate from there. The NPSD expects an intensification of trafficking attempts at the end of the year.

 

The largest number of drug addicts live in Sofia, Plovdiv, Bourgas, Varna, Pleven and Rousse. These cities also have the most ramified drug distribution network, according to the police.

 

The widest spread narcotics in Bulgaria are cannabis, heroin, synthetics and cocain.

 

The southern Bulgarian Black Sea coast is now experiencing an acute shortage of drugs, said the Director of the Bourgas Regional Directorate of Internal Affairs, Major General Krassimir Petrov, quoted by the Bulgarian media. The interception of two consignments totalling 115 kg of heroin at the Malko Turnovo border checkpoint two months ago has led to a dramatic scarcity of the drug in Bourgas.

 

Since the beginning of the year, the National Service and regional units for combating organized crime have seized 88 kg of generic amphetamine, more than 12 kg of amphetamine tablets, 407,000 Captagon tablets, 1.5 kg of opium, and 0.5 kg of amphetanine base.

 

Seventeen drug addicts died of overdose and inferior-quality narcotics in the first half of 2002.

 

 

 

Edirne, Northwestern Turkey, August 14 (by Peter Syarov of BTA) - The regional and mayoral authorities of Edirne view positively Bulgaria efforts to preserve its cultural and historical monuments in the Turkish town, Consul General Georgi Dimov said Tuesday, interviewed by BTA.

 

"This attitude is motivated by the ambition of the local government to promote Edirne as a tourist destination. Without doubt, the Bulgarian cultural and historical monuments are building blocks in the town's cultural history, and they attract tourists, particularly the Sts Constantine and Elena Church and the St George Church built in the 1860s and 1870s," Dimov said.

 

Besides the two churches, other examples of the Bulgarian heritage are a military graveyard dating back to 1912 and the Peter Beron Boys' College which operated until 1913.

 

The two churches are listed in a Programme for Mutual Preservation of Immovable Cultural and Historical Heritage, which Bulgaria and Turkey signed at culture ministers level in Sofia in June.

 

The document stipulates restoration of the St George Church in Edirne until next year. According to the related design project and financial assessment, the undertaking will cost 170,000 leva (equivalent to 86,900 euros).

 

The Bulgarian Government has already transferred 50,000 leva to the project fund account and an equal amount is about to be added. Sofia Mayor Stefan Sofiyanski has promised to raise another 50,000 leva, and Atanas Shterev MP has donated 1,000 leva in personal funds. Patriotic members of the business community are expected to provide the rest.

 

Formally ordained Father Alexander has been in charge of the St George Church for a year. He was born in Edirne and graduated in theology in Sofia.

The older Bulgarian church, Sts Constantine and Elena, was built in 1869. It has suffered from robbery and fire, and now it is in ruins. The area is untended and the ramshackle building is dangerous to the kids of the neighbourhood who play there sometimes.

 

Following talks with Bulgarian government officials, the regional authorities of Edirne raised funds to have the place cleared and a solid fence put up within several weeks from now. During preliminary talks the sides have considered the possibility to recruit volunteers from among architecture and archaeology students from Bulgaria and the Thracian University of Edirne to take down what has remained of the dilapidated roof.

 

"Although the restoration of the church will cost a lot, these two initial steps are a mandatory prerequisite for its salvaging because a possible accident may force its deliberate and final demolition," the Consul General said.

 

A Respect for Religion Programme underway in Turkey provides a chance to take care of the Bulgarian military graveyard in Edirne. Meeting with Metropolitan Galaktion of Stara Zagora and other Bulgarian officials, the Mayor of Edirne pledged to have a wall built around the place, Dimov said.

 

In 1948 the Turkish State requisitioned the place, but even now it is designated as a Bulgarian military graveyard on town maps. "No one knows today how many and what persons have been buried there, so Bulgarian institutions - the Institute for Preservation of Cultural Monuments in the first place - are supposed to look into the issue," the diplomat said.

 

The building of the former Boys' College currently houses an orphanage. The Bulgarian authorities are planning the mounting of a memorial plaque and, perhaps later, the arrangement of a "memorial corner" to revive the memory about the old school.

 

 

 

No Conflict with EU or US Authorities over International Criminal Court Issue.

 

Sofia, August 14 (BTA) - Bulgaria is not in conflict with the European Commission or the United States over the issue about the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Deputy Foreign Minister Petko Draganov said Wednesday. Draganov gave an interview from Copenhagen for Bulgarian National Radio. He is in the Danish capital for consultations between the two countries' foreign ministries.

 

"No such conflicts exist. It all boils down to exchange of opinions and elaboration of views, a process in which Bulgaria seeks to defend its interest," Draganov said.

 

The foreign ministries of Bulgaria and Denmark have held consultations on the general possibility to conclude bilateral agreements under the conditions prescribed in Article 98, Paragraph 2 of the Rome Statute which inaugurated the International Criminal Court. The initiative has come from the Bulgarian authorities, Draganov said.

 

"Bulgaria would like to share in the formulation of a European position on the issue, as the country is a party to the Rome Statute. As most other European countries, Bulgaria would like to see the International Criminal Court function effectively. It is in this context that opinions and ideas have been exchanged," he said.

 

The current consultations are a follow-up to the expression of the Bulgarian position during a vote at the United Nations Security Council, he said. Back then, Bulgaria abstained from voting. Last week the Foreign Ministry said the US Government had recommended that the Bulgarian Government consider an agreement on the surrender of persons to the International Criminal Court.

 

Active dialogue on this proposal is underway now.

 

Romania has been the first country to sign such an agreement with the US, and the country has been criticized by the European Commission for this move.

 

Switzerland has declined a similar proposal.

 

The US has warned that it may discontinue military assistance to countries which refuse to conclude agreements on immunity for US nationals in the event of prosecutory proceedings conducted by the International Criminal Court.

 

On Tuesday, US Ambassador to Sofia James Pardew said there will be no consequences for Bulgaria if the country does not sign a bilateral agreement with the US on immunity for US nationals with respect to International Criminal Court practices.

 

"Bulgaria would like to bridge the gap between the differing positions," Draganov said. "We are analyzing the draft agreement proposed by the US."

 

He did not mention a likely date for the completion of the consultations.

 

 

 

Bulgarian Companies Can Share in Railway Renewal in Arab World, Transport Minister Petrov Says.

 

Sofia, August 14 (BTA) - Bulgaria can sell surplus railway wagons to Lebanon, Transport and Communications Minister Plamen Petrov told a news conference Wednesday.

 

He summed up the result of his talks in Lebanon and Jordan, where he accompanied Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha on his recent visits.

 

Excellent opportunities are opening up for participation of Bulgarian companies in the reconstruction and extension of the railway infrastructure of Lebanon and Jordan. Apart from the Transport Construction and Reconstruction State-Owned Enterprise, private companies can also join the projects, according to the Minister.

 

Lebanon and Jordan can give Bulgaria a bridgehead to the rest of the Arab World. The business communities in both countries are very well disposed to Bulgaria. There are fine prerequisites for intensification of economic relations with the Arab countries, Petrov said.

 

Ships of Navigation Maritime Bulgare are making six journeys a month to Beirut. Negotiations will be held on freighting the Bulgarian vessels to transport phosphates mined in Lebanon.

 

The Lebanese company IMC wants to repair aircraft in Bulgaria. Interest has also been expressed in building repair facilities for Boeing, Airbus and Tupolev airliners.

 

A renowned British company is showing interest in a concession for the new bulk cargo terminal at the Port of Bourgas (on the Black Sea), Petrov said.

 

The facility is to be completed by June 2005, with 19.21 per cent of the construction and dredging work being executed by the end of July 2002. Hard work continues on the construction of a new breakwater, an access canal and the 2A bulk cargo terminal.

 

 

 

"Not a Single Foreigner Will Come to Bulgaria if Manipulation, Chicanery Follow Bids Opening," PM Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Says.

 

Balchik, on the Black Sea, August 14 (BTA) - Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha again ruled out the possibility that the potential buyers of an 80 per cent stake in the Bulgartabac Holding Group be asked to improve their bids.

 

"We are clear what we expect from the West and where, and how any competitive bidding must be conducted in an intelligent, clear and transparent manner. Once the bids are opened, if manipulation and chicanery begin, I don't think we'll see any other foreigner ever coming here to Bulgaria. Let this be crystal clear," the PM said, asked to comment on the withdrawal of second-ranked Metatabak Consortium from the Bulgartabac sale procedure. The Prime Minister also added that the Government will not be perturbed by speculation and allegations in its readiness to finalize the deal.

 

Asked whether Bulgaria will sign an agreement with the US granting US citizens on Bulgarian territory immunity from the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, the Prime Minister answered: "The opinion of the European Union is not yet official. We must first wait to see what they will say, a decision should not be rushed."

 

 

 

Nothing Harmful to Health, Environment Will Be Done in Missile Destruction, PM Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Says.

 

Balchik, on the Black Sea, August 14 (BTA) - "Absolutely nothing that would be harmful to health, the environment and, ultimately, to the country itself would be done," Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha said Wednesday, answering a reporter's question about the methods of destruction of Bulgaria's SS-23, Scud and FROG missile systems.

 

"A lot of people are dealing with this subject, there is a lot of talk about it. An independent commission has been entrusted with this matter. I, too, am open to alternative solutions, but I would rather not mention them at this point lest I influence the commission. The right time will come," the PM added.

 

Environment and Water Minister Dolores Arsenova, who joined the PM's tour of Balchik, recalled the conclusion of a team of independent experts that incineration is an inadvisable method. "Now that there is an opinion that this method is inadvisable, we, too, reject it as a possibility," Arsenova said. She noted that the independent working group is expected to come up with alternative suggestions.

 

Asked whether it might prove that no place in Bulgaria is suitable for the destruction of these missiles, the Minister said that this is highly probable.

 

Problems concerning the destruction of the missile systems were discussed at the Defence Ministry on Wednesday by the US Ambassador in Sofia James Pardew, Deputy Defence Minister Ivo Ivanov and the Chief of General Staff of the Bulgarian Armed Forces, General Nikola Kolev, the Defence Ministry said in a press release.

 

The working group at the Defence Ministry considered alternative methods for the demolition of the SS-23 delivery vehicle on Wednesday, the Environment and Water Ministry said in a press release. The group consists of Deputy Environment and Water Minister Manoela Georgieva, Deputy Defence Minister Ivo Ivanov, the Chief of General Staff General Nikola Kolev, experts of the two ministries, and scientists of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. The working group will meet again at the Defence Ministry on Thursday.

 

A demolition method will be selected that is environmentally safe and does not present a public health hazard, the Environment Ministry said. According to the working group, the method should be technologically feasible and financially affordable and should allow meeting the deadline for the missiles' destruction, October 30, 2002.

 

Stara Zagora Mayor Evgenii Zhelev, Stara Zagora Municipal Council Chairman Ivan Bozhkov and Stara Zagora Regional Governor Maria Neikova will be invited to the Defence Ministry on Friday to get familiar with the work of the group.

 

 

 

KABUL, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Bulgaria's defence minister is due in Afghanistan next week to see Bulgarian troops serving in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), a statement from the Bulgarian embassy in Kabul said on Wednesday.

 

Minister Nikolai Svinarov's visit will be the first by a senior Bulgarian official since the Taliban collapsed last year.

 

He is also to hold talks with high-ranking Afghan officials including his counterpart, Mohammad Qasim Fahim.

 

"Svinarov...will attend the change of the Bulgarian contingent in ISAF and will deliver a donation from the Republic of Bulgaria to Afghanistan," the statement said.

 

He would hand over 27 tonnes of "technical equipment," it added.

 

Bulgaria has dozens of troops serving in the 5,000-strong, Turkish-led force charged with maintaining law and order in Kabul.

 

Two Afghan ministers have been assassinated since September 11, one of them Vice President Haji Abdul Qadir -- gunned down in broad daylight in Kabul. A suspected bomb plot against senior officials, possibly including President Hamid Karzai himself, was foiled in July.

 

Karzai is currently protected by U.S special forces, and ISAF is training 240 Afghan bodyguards to protect top government officials.

 

Karzai has repeatedly demanded that ISAF expand its mandate beyond Kabul, with stability fragile across the country, but there is no sign the international community will agree.

 

 

 

Justice Minister Stankov Says Justice/Home Affairs Chapter in EU Accession Talks May Be Closed by Year-End.

 

Sofia, August 14 (BTA) - Returning from a visit to Denmark on Wednesday, Justice Minister Anton Stankov said that during his meetings in Copenhagen he raised the question on the possible closing of the Justice and Home Affairs chapter in EU accession talks. In Denmark Stankov was accompanied by Deputy Interior Minister Boiko Kotsev.

 

"We are optimistic that Bulgaria may close the Justice and Home Affairs chapter during the Danish presidency of the EU," Stankov said.

 

He described his visit to Denmark as successful. Stankov and his Danish counterpart Mrs Lene Espersen discussed questions of the reform in the Bulgarian judiciary. The Danish official said Bulgaria has made big progress, Stankov said.

 

He said also he does not see any essential requirements for the Justice and Home Affairs chapter that Bulgaria has not met. The report on corruption, containing information from all ministries, will be ready soon and then reviewed by the anti-corruption commission, which will submit the document to the cabinet and the Prime Minister, Stankov said.

 

He said the report does not list data on instances of corruption among minister or MPs.

 

"Bulgaria is yet to come up with official position about the International Criminal Court," Stankov said, answering a reporters question if this country will sign the bilateral agreement set forth by the United States. "Bulgaria will not rush with the decision on the matter and when it makes it, it will be in the context of this country's foreign policy priorities, membership in NATO and the EU," Stankov said.

 

"No pressure is exerted on Bulgaria, either from the EU or the United States; nor is anyone forcing us to make a choice between the two. Such an idea is insulting," Deputy Foreign Minister Petko Draganov said. He too paid a visit to Denmark. He said a mutually acceptable decision will be sought and that consultations are continuing with all EU member states as well as with the United States.

 

Draganov said Bulgaria will act taking into account its national interests and after analyzing the concrete situation and the concrete legal provisions. "The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry is working on the issue and the negotiations are coordinated by Foreign Minister Solomon Passy," Draganov said.

 

 

 

VARNA, one of the leading ports on the Black Sea, is experiencing steady growth in its highly diversified maritime trades.

 

Last year the port handled a total of 5.83m tonnes of cargo, 4.8% more than in 2000.

 

Based on the 2.92m tonnes throughput recorded in the first six months of this year the port authority expects total volume for this year to be around 6m tonnes.

 

If this figure is achieved it would mean a further increase of about 3% in total cargo volumes.

 

Varna is an important bulk cargo handling centre and last year the volumes of coal and coke shipped through the port increased appreciably compared with the year before.

 

This year, however, there has been a slight slowdown in these sectors as a result of economic conditions in the country.

 

There has, in contrast, been a sharp rise in Varna's bulk cereals traffic, strengthening the port&'s position as Bulgaria's leading gateway for grain.

 

In the first half the port handled 351,000 tonnes of bulk cereals compared with 408,000 tonnes in the whole of last year.

 

Fertilisers, liquid chemicals, cement, clinker and soda ash are among other key bulk cargoes. Last year clinker shipments were the fastest growing cargo type, with throughput jumping to 396,000 tonnes from 193,000 the year before.

 

As well as being a bulk cargo centre, Varna is also Bulgaria's leading container port. While this business is still on a relatively small scale in global terms, it is expanding rapidly.

 

The port&'s box throughput last year was 45,126 teu, 21% more than in 2000, while in the first half of this year a total of 24,796 teu moved across Varna's quays.

 

This suggests that a full year figure of 50,000 teu is well within reach, which would give Varna another year of double-digit growth as far as the container sector is concerned.

 

In tonnage terms the increase this year in container traffic is even more impressive. Last year 501,000 tonnes of containerised cargo were handled, up from 415,000 tonnes in the previous 12 months, a rise of 20.7%.

 

Between January and June this year, however, throughput was more than 296,000 tonnes, suggesting that a further 20% growth to around 600,000 tonnes is on the cards.

 

While Varna is achieving success as a gateway for domestic Bulgarian export and import traffic, one of the main aims of the port authority is to attract more transit cargo.

 

In January this year the port authority set up a working group to explore ways of boosting this part of its business.

 

Already authority reports that as a result of this initiative various transport service packages are being developed in co-ordination with the port of Rousse, Navibulgar, the Bulgarian River Shipping Company, Bulgarian Railways and Port Fleet 99.

 

There are, however, several obstacles the port has to overcome before it can win more transit business. Some observers point to the relatively unfavourable treatment by customs of goods imported by sea compared with those that come in by road.

 

In addition, slow customs clearance at Varna port is an issue, although computerisation initiatives are helping to address this problem.

 

To provide the infrastructure needed to sustain the increases that have been achieved by Varna in both the bulk and containerised cargo sectors, investment is being made by the public and private sectors.

 

A number of development projects have been completed in the past year, while others are at the planning stage.

 

Last November, for example, a new grain loading facility at Varna East was inaugurated withy investment made under a Bulgarian-Dutch co-operation and

technical assistance programme.

 

In addition, the port authority recently purchased three bucket-loaders to enhance grain and other dry bulk handling activities.

 

As part of efforts to improve Varna&'s bulk liquid handling capabilities a joint venture called Oiltanking Bulgaria has been set up, with participation from Oiltanking, Union Minier-Pirdop Med and the port authority.

 

This company has constructed, and is now operating, a liquid chemicals facility in the Berth 2 area of Varna West.

 

The first phase of this project was completed in 10 months and started operating last September. Since then the Oiltanking Bulgaria terminal has been successfully handling product tankers, loading primarily sulphuric acid cargoes.

 

Container handling facilities have also improved with the repaving of the whole of the container terminal in Varna East and the modernisation of a Paceco container gantry crane.

 

Through the South Balkan Development Initiative, Varna has also received additional landside container handling hardware, including a reach stacker and four terminal tractor-trailer sets.

 

There are plans to award concessions for the existing container terminals to private sector companies, which would be required to make a certain amount of investment according to the length of the concession.

 

If progress is made on such plans, there is general agreement that this would improve the quality and cost of services as well as the port&'s competitiveness in general.

 

Looking forward, the port has drawn up a general master plan which envisages building further terminals for grain, containers and ro-ro traffic as these are required by the market.

 

The new grain facility will be built on the north shore of Lake Varna and will feature a 240 m long berth, with a draught alongside of 15 m, equipped with two belt conveyors, each with a capacity of 600 tonnes an hour.

 

Silos with a capacity of 120,000 tonnes would also be constructed, with a road and rail unloading station.

 

A new container terminal is to be constructed in two phases on the island under the Asparuhov bridge, and this project will be triggered when container traffic reaches around 70,000 teu at the existing terminals.

 

This new facility would be designed to handle vessels up to 4,000 teu size with a draught of 12.5m, and would be equipped initially with two dedicated container gantry cranes.

 

Nearby, on the same island, the port authority plans to develop a ro-ro terminal in two phases.

 

The first stage would have a capacity of 40,000 TIR truck moves a year and the second a further 42,000.

 

This terminal would feature an 80 m quay front and would be able to accommodate ro-ro ships with draught of up to 10.7 m.

 

While preliminary expressions of interest in participating in these three projects have been received by the port authority, it is early days and it is likely to be approaching the end of the decade before any of them become operational.

 

One proposal that is moving ahead more quickly involves Agropolichim, which has expressed an interest in building a liquid chemicals terminal at Varna West.

 

This project is now being taken forward, the port authority reports.

 

Outside the cargo sector Varna Passenger Terminal is an important part of the port's facilities.

 

In recent weeks a new service linking Varna with Nesebar and Istanbul has started up using the catamaran ferry Sinan Pasha.

 

Operated by Varna company Hellios Tours, the Sinan Pasha has space for 450 passengers and can operate at a speed of up to 33.5 knots.

 

Sailings at present are twice weekly in each direction, and if the service is successful there are plans to include Odessa in the schedule.

 

By Don Hill

 

The Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo has asked for an apology from United Nations police for an incident at a monastery earlier this month in Gracanica, near the Kosovar capital, Pristina. Police held the 70-year-old prioress for several hours of questioning about marijuana they said was growing on monastery grounds. RFE/RL reports that the plants turned out to be wild hemp.

 

Prague, 14 August 2002 (RFE/RL) -- A campaign by United Nations police against marijuana cultivation in Kosovo has sparked a squabble with the Serbian Orthodox Church. Police from the United Nations Mission in Kosovo, or UNMIK, detained and questioned the prioress of Gracanica monastery near the Kosovar capital, Pristina, early this month. The church is seeking an apology.

 

The incident occurred after UNMIK authorities noticed that a field they had been using to land their helicopters included vegetation that appeared to be marijuana. The field belongs to the monastery.

 

UNMIK police spokesman Derek Chappell told RFE/RL that this is a common occurrence. "I'd just like to emphasize the fact that at this particular time of the year, there are marijuana plantations being found all over Kosovo. Many of them -- they're in Serbian and Albanian areas -- [do] not involve deliberate cultivation of this plant for unlawful purposes. We are mindful of that, and we are not prosecuting everybody. We are very understanding," Chappell said.

 

However, on the evening of 7 August, UNMIK police visited the Gracanica monastery and took 70-year-old Mother Efrosinia next door to police headquarters, where they questioned her for several hours. Father Sava Janjic, speaking for the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo, said church leaders were incredulous. "Mother Efrosinia is one of the most respected spiritual persons, who is especially known for her simple and loving heart. And she's probably the last person who could be growing cannabis on her land," Janjic said.

 

Janjic said hemp is an herb growing wild all over Kosovo. The term "cannabis" is often used to describe plants cultivated for their leaves and flowers, which can be smoked. The same or similar plants grown for their tough fiber -- used to make cloth, rope, and paper -- often are called industrial hemp or "jute." The plants are cultivated in different ways and harvested at different times.

 

Janjic said: "Hemp is a plant here in Kosovo that poor people once raised in order to make clothes. So it still can be found in many Serb gardens today."

 

Janjic sid that, though Efrosinia was released and returned to the monastery, she was frightened and humiliated. He said the Church issued a statement but has been dissatisfied so far with the police response. "We mentioned in our public statement, which was authorized by the bishop, that they should make an apology, and I'm still not aware that they have made any. They just said, 'O.K., we actually.... It's wild-growing hemp and the case is closed,'" Janjic said.

 

The police and the church versions of the incident vary in some details. Janjic said police offended cloister rules by entering the building after dark. "The next day, the police bulletin noted that they actually found 100 square meters of cannabis. And it was actually [the day after that] that the chief of the police, Charles Weber, confirmed to the media that the cannabis that allegedly was found in the monastery garden was just wild-growing hemp," Janjic said.

 

In his account on behalf of the police, UNMIK spokesman Chappell makes no distinction between hemp and marijuana, although he conceded that the police harbor no further suspicions that marijuana is being harvested unlawfully at the monastery. He said, however, that police arrived at the cloister well before 8:30 p.m., as was stated in the Church version. "I mean, we certainly didn't take her out in the middle of the night. The time that is logged for this incident is 7 o'clock in the evening," Chappell said.

 

Janjic said the Serbian Orthodox Church -- preoccupied with widespread vandalism and legal difficulties in Kosovo -- wants to avoid magnifying the Gracanica incident. "We are not going to push this forward very much because, simply, we have so many other troubles and problems that we simply cannot concentrate on so many issues. Unfortunately, this kind of behavior is actually making Serbs lose confidence in international authorities and police," Janjic said.

 

Asked late yesterday by RFE/RL whether UNMIK police are considering issuing an apology, Chappell responded: "Yes. That's certainly possible. You know, I think we try to be very sensitive to religious concerns here because we understand how important they are."

 

He said the apology probably will be kept at a local level. "If an apology will help to smooth relations and help move forward, then we'll certainly do that," Chappell said.

 

Chappell said the likely next step would be for Chief Weber to walk next door to the monastery and speak to church representatives.