Series of shootings from various infantry weaponry were registered overnight in Tetovo region, MIA's special correspondent reported.

 

According to Tetovo Interior Department, the series of shootings came from the villages of Trebos, Ozormiste, Palatica, Zelino, Strimnica, Radiovce, Celopek, Zerovjane, Mala Recica, Dzepciste, Tearce, Prsovce, Otusiste, Neraste and other villages as well.

 

Shootings were also registered overnight coming from the city stadiums, the military barracks "Kuzman Josifovski - Pitu", the Red Cross warehouse, Tetovo Teke, settlements of Kupenik, Gorna Carsija and the Rasadiste locality near Tetovo - Popova Sapka road.

 

The shootings were of lower intensity and were not aimed at direct targets.

 

Two armed persons committed attack Tuesday afternoon over three workers of the Construction Company "Beton" -Skopje on the Tetovo - Gostivar highway.

 

As the Interior Ministry spokesperson Voislav Zafirovski announced, the attack took place around 16:30h Tuesday at the junction near Brvenica on Tetovo - Gostivar highway, in a parked bus property of "Beton" Construction Company - Skopje, when two armed persons of Albanian nationality, one of them wearing a black uniform, robbed three of the workers.

 

The attackers opened fire at the workers, took their IDs and threw them afterwards.

 

As MIA's correspondent reported, one of the workers was attacked and suffered injuries in the head and body.

 

Due to the security reasons the case was not reported in the Interior department in Tetovo, but in a police station in Skopje.

 

Traffic patrol was attacked Tuesday afternoon on the street "Ivo Lola Ribar" in Tetovo. There are no injured policemen.

 

Interior Ministry spokesman Voilslav Zafirovski said fire was opened from a "Ford", whose driver disobeyed the order to stop. The incident took place at 15,45 hour, near the kindergarten "Potok".

 

The police department in Tetovo is familiar with the identity of the offenders and it takes necessary measures to bring them under custody.

 

There were 19 registered cases of violations to the public order and peace with series of shootings in Kumanovo - Lipkovo region overnight. The shootings were not aimed at direct targets.

 

As MIA's correspondent reported, shootings came from the villages of Ropaljce, Matejce, Lojane, Opae and Vistica.

 

According to army sources, there were no registered movements of armed persons on the ground.

 

 

 

"We have to be objective and we should say what we can offer from this sector. We cannot offer the Macedonian police, as they patrol on the ground and maximally take care of establishing the public peace and order after the constitutional law order was restored. It is a fact that we no longer have crisis regions, we use a new terminology and we speak of former crisis regions not only in declarative manner but also practically because the incidents have been reduced and are insignificant compared to those during the war for our fatherland and the implementation of the Plan for establishing round a clock police patrols," Boskovski said.

 

He emphasized that there were several "gangs" is the country, which literally terrorize the Albanian population in Kumanovo municipality and Skopje villages mainly inhabited with Albanians. This is even more obvious in Tetovo and Gostivar region, where several former NLA members have "divided" the entire region. According to Boskovski, some of these gangs operate on Tetovo - Jazince road, some on the old Tetovo - Gostivar road and some on Tetovo - Gostivar highway.

 

"The police have increased the presence of the police patrols, both visible and invisible, which have a good position and wait for these criminal gangs in order to arrest them. The police have covered the terrain but it is very naïve to say that the security is not jeopardized. It is almost a utopia to expect that, after one hard war and a hard crises we have all witnessed," Boskovski said.

 

The attacks on Tetovo - Gostivar road are not ethnical or national, but they are simply criminal.

 

According to Boskovski, the gang members know nothing about having a decent work and it is obvious that no progress has been made towards the "philosophical theories developed by the representatives of the international community, that these gang members would allegedly re-socialize and would return to their normal life."

 

In that respect, the Interior Ministry guarantees something that is safe. Minister Boskovski goes along Tetovo - Jazince road and Tetovo - Ohrid highway on a daily basis and recommends the movement along the highway.

 

"The more we travel along Tetovo - Gostivar and Skopje-Tetovo-Ohrid road, the more we can guarantee the security of the citizens. If only certain people travel on that road, or if we behave like the Macedonian President who never went through this region since the re-establishment of the constitutional law order, then we cannot be safe. The bandits already have a selective approach and know that there are less cars that travel on this road, meaning that it is less likely for them to be discovered. But one thing is for sure, the police hold good positions and we have a well developed action plan," Minister Boskovski emphasized.

 

He stressed that Macedonia has one of the most advanced police units on the Balkans, police equipped with most contemporary weaponry and technique necessary for preventing the most serious crimes, the robberies, the organized crime and drugs. In comparison with the past, the results from the functioning of the Macedonian police are much better.

 

Considering the cooperation between the Macedonian police and NATO mission "Amber Fox," Boskovski said that "the orders are well-known, there is no much space for politics or explanations." NATO's mandate is strictly determined by the Macedonian Government, while the Macedonian police operates in compliance with the Law, the Constitution and the internal acts.

 

The cooperation with TFF is highly professional. Considering the fact that the process of peaceful reintegration is completed, "Amber Fox" have no obligation to be present in the Macedonian villages from the former crisis regions, because the Macedonian police patrols in that region. On the other hand, the representatives of the Macedonian security forces patrol in the region covered by the Army.

 

"I must admit that we are satisfied with the work of the 'Amber Fox.' We are satisfied with their decisiveness to help us to handle the remains from one classical aggression, which was imposed to Macedonia. The last results from the operations of the military forces and UN civil authorities in Kosovo our thesis on existence of "Ilirida" are being confirmed, although the opposition denies that. These newly established groups do not have the support, that once NLA has enjoyed it, meaning that all parties are ready to respect the Framework Agreement," Boskovski emphasized.

 

Regarding the reaction of Justice Minister Ixhet Memeti about the citizenship that was granted to 3,500 persons, Boskovski said that "Memeti's reaction was provoked by other reasons."

 

"I most responsible claim that each ethnic Macedonian has the right to obtain Macedonian citizenship. If the next Minister of Interior Affairs continues this patriotic and holy task, I expect to finally find out how many Macedonians there are all over the world. If Ireland has issued 40 million citizenship, why Macedonia should not issue 3-4,000 citizenship, when it has cultural and historical roots, spiritual and many other values. I think that this is brutal act by the unaware Macedonians, columnists and other persons, including Ixhet Memeti who does not speak about and does not reveal the information that in 1992 and 1993, the citizens with no permanent address and even the foreigners were given the address of the Interior Ministry," Boskovski underlined, adding that according to the Constitution the state was obliged to take care of the Macedonian minorities.

 

"Dimce Mitrev" Street - the address of the Interior Ministry, is in fact the address of those persons that meet all conditions for obtaining citizenship and cannot get a passport on their foreign address. Then without the knowledge of the minister or any other official, they are enlisted in the Citizen's List, are issued personal identity number and automatically are included in the Voter List.

 

"It means that those persons will come to Macedonia to vote, leaving all their other responsibilities behind," Boskovski said, adding that it did not mean that they would vote for the ruling party or the opposition.

 

He underlined that the Macedonian police was not an amateur organization and no one should offend the Ministry's experts. According to Boskovski, the persons employed in the Ministry are working in this field for more than 10-20 years.

 

"The full documentation on how the citizenship can be obtained was given to the journalist. It is not a taboo, because this Minister will be remembered in the recent Macedonian history because of his transparency. My activities are not aimed to last only for a day, but the results of my activities should mark the time when I was a Minister in the Ministry of Interior Affairs," Ljube Boskovski said in his interview for MIA.

 

 

 

At today's session, the Government has decided to sell the publishing house "Nova Makedonija" by the following terms: keeping of all employees, overtaking of debts and investing of Euro 6 million in the next four-five years, government spokesman Gjorgi Trendafilov said Tuesday.

 

"The selling agreement has not been signed yet. Fifteen days after its signing, the new owner is to pay for the shares and take over the management of "Nova Makedonija", including all obligations of this house towards its employees and public companies," Trendafilov said, adding that the new owner is to pay a total of Euro 15,8 million.

 

The Government, in cooperation with the Ministries of Labor and Social Policy, Economy and Finance, has decided to grant food package, worth Denar 6,000, to about 30,000 employees at companies that have been facing extreme financial difficulties. The project, which is to be realized by the Bureau for Goods Reserves, will also assist to companies engaged in food processing, which have product surplus.

 

Referring to the Voter List, Trendafilov said that Justice Minister Ixhet Memeti apologized "for some developments in his ministry that took place without his knowledge", while the Interior Ministry explained that there was a difference between "home and residential address".

 

At today's session, presided by Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski, the Macedonian Government reviewed and adopted the notice from the Shareholders' Association on National Payment Card.

 

Namely, according to the Law on payment operations, the National Payment Card can be sold only to banks that are authorised to carry out payment operations. In order to enhance the privatisation process of the non-privatised part of this shareholders' association, the Government adopted conclusions that authorise the Steering Board of the Privatisation Agency to begin with the selling of shares of the Shareholders' Association on National Payment Card through the Macedonian Stock Exchange on long-term securities.

 

The amount and the price of the shares of this shareholders association will be determined with prior written instructions by an authorised person from the Ministry of Finance. The lowest price of the shares' sale will be the nominal one, with a possibility for its enhancement.

 

According to the Government decision, citizens with convertible certificates that have been issued to regulate the demand of the clients from savings banks "TAT", "Alfa S" and "Lavci", along with the bonds for payment and foreign currency deposits of citizens, as well as the ones with denationalisation bonds will be able to purchase shares from the sale of the National Payment Card.

 

At today's session, the Government reviewed and adopted the Information on the tax treatment of alcohol beverages, in accordance with the Law on excises and the request of the WTO Secretariat for equaling of the excise of wines from grapes and other kinds of fruits.

 

The Government obliged the Ministry of Finance to prepare a draft-law on excises, which would introduce a new system of excises and a different approach in the calculation of the excise burden. According to the Government recommendations, the level of excise burden of alcohol beverages will be determined in accordance to the directives of the European Union.

 

The Government also adopted the Information on the realisation of the indication plan for use of the means of the compensation fund PHARE from 2001 in amount of 150 million denars. Namely, these means are intended for three sectors: 30 million for social protection, 70 million for environment and 50 million for administration.

 

Assessing the urgency for realisation of project "Salvation of the Dojran Lake", the Government adopted a decision for the Ministry of Finance to pass a decision for directing of the means from the above mentioned projects, as well as carry out the necessary activities for its realisation.

 

 

 

The Channel 3 of the Macedonian Television (MRT) was launched today at noon.

 

According to broadcast schedule, Albanian-language program will be aired 10 hours each day, whilst the Turk, Vlach, Serbian, Roma and Bosnian-language program will be aired two hours a day.

The Albanian-Language Editorial Office had completed the preparations for the broadcast throughout the country. Deputy Director of Macedonian Televison, Xhabir Ahmeti said this was a momentum when the Albanians will re-acquire the part of the state-run television.

 

 

Lone Cat 2000 Bulgarian-British Military Exercise Kicks Off at Graf Ignatievo Air Base.

 

Graf Ignatievo Air Base (Southern Bulgaria), August 20 (BTA) - The Lone Cat 2002 Bulgarian-British military exercise opened ceremoniously at the Graf Ignatievo Air Base on Tuesday. The Bulgarian and British commanders of the exercise, Deputy Chief of Air Staff Brigadier General Mladen Kazakov and the commander of No. 6 Squadron of the Royal Air Forces, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Sears, expressed their satisfaction with the opportunity for joint training of the Bulgarian and the British air forces and wished the participants success and sunny days during the exercise.

 

The Lone Cat 2002 exercise is part of the programme for bilateral military cooperation with Britain. Participating on the British side are 14 pilots and 130 servicemen from Squadron No. 6 of the Royal Air Forces with eight Jaguar combat aircraft and three transport aircraft. Participating on the Bulgarian side are ten pilots and 67 servicemen with six MiG-21 and four Su-25 aircraft from the Graf Ignatievo and Bezmer air bases.

 

The Lone Cat 2002 exercise is to be held at Graf Ignatievo and the Koren Training Centre. The Bulgarian and the British military pilots will be performing joint training flights from August 21 through 29.

 

The exercise will be closed on August 30.

 

A day before the closure, on August 29, there will be a demonstration of flights open to Bulgarian and British journalists.

 

The exercise includes low and medium altitude joint flights, maneuvers to avoid antiaircraft firing, air strikes and aircraft firing practice. The aircraft will not overfly populated centres; the low altitude flights will be performed within specially designated areas. Bulgarian pilots will perform 32 flights with the British Jaguar planes.

 

 

Crews with three Mi-17 helicopters and a Bel-206 helicopter will be on duty at the Kroumovo Air Base near Plovdiv round-the-clock to ensure the security and safety of the exercise.

 

After the opening of the exercise, Lieut. Col. Sears told journalists that he and his colleagues were taking part for the first time in a bilateral exercise with representatives of the air forces of an East European country and that they were eager to start the joint flights. Captain John Davy, a pilot, showed the journalists his Jaguar aircraft.

 

The commanders of the exercise began the planning of the training flights and the missions to be carried out during the flights.

 

According to Brig. Gen. Kazakov, Lone Cat 2002 will mark the final stage of the Bulgarian crews' preparation for the Cooperative Key 2002 exercise due to be held in France in late September and early October.

 

 

 

Delegation of Defence Ministry, General Staff of Bulgarian Armed Forces Leaves for Afghanistan.

 

Sofia, August 20 (BTA) - A delegation headed by Defence Minister Nikolai Svinarov and Chief of General Staff of the Bulgarian Armed Forces General Nikola Kolev are leaving late on Tuesday evening on an official visit to Afghanistan, the Defence Ministry press centre said.

 

The servicemen who will replace their counterparts of the Bulgarian military contingent participating in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan are leaving on board the same plane. Late on Sunday an Il-17 carrying over 20 ton of materiel for the second contingent took off for Afghanistan.

 

The programme of the visit includes meetings with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Vice President and Defence Minister Marshal Mohammed Fahim, ISAF Commander General Hilmi Akin Zorlu, and Brigadier General Manfred Schlenker, Commander of the Multinational Brigade of which the Bulgarian contingent is a part.

 

The delegation will attend the ceremony of the Bulgarian contingent rotation and will give as a gift to the army of Afghanistan technical equipment comprising armament, ammunition and communication equipment.

 

On February 6, 2002 by proposal of the Government, the Bulgarian Parliament endorsed the participation of 40 Bulgarian servicemen with their personal weapons and ammunition, equipment, a sanitary processing module and equipment for logistic and communications support in the British military contingent in the operation conducted in fulfilment of the UN Security Council resolution under the commandment of the United Kingdom. The money apportioned to cover the expenses amounted to 2.9 million leva.

 

At the end of February, there were more than 140 candidates to join the contingent, including two women. Thirty servicemen and a civil person were selected for participation in the UN-led mission in Afghanistan. They were trained at 38th regiment for nuclear, biological and environmental protection at Moussachevo.

 

The first group of the contingent left for Kabul on February 18, the second one arrived there on February 21. After some difficulties in deploying the equipment, the complex for sanitary processing was put into operation on March 5 and the Bulgarian servicemen were praised for their work. The initial term of the mission was three months but it has been extended and it was decided that the Bulgarians would be replaced by another group of servicemen.

 

On March 30, Defence Minister Nikolai Svinarov and Mohammed Fazil Saifi, Charge d'Affaires of the Embassy of Afhanistan in Sofia, signed an agreement on grant aid in the form of armament, ammunication and communications equipment. Under the agreement, the Interim Government of Afghanistan will receive 400 assault rifles, 8 mine launchers, 27 antitank devices, 8 machine guns, ammunition and 30 radio stations. Parliament ratified the agreement on Augustr 2, 2002.

 

 

 

Danube Water Level Rises by 10-15 cm but Still Below Critical Point.

 

Sofia, August 20 (BTA) - The water level of the Danube river has risen by 10-15 cm on the average over the past 24 hours but is still far from the critical point, the desk officer of the Civil Defence State Agency said.

 

The water level measured at Vidin on Monday was 520 cm, while the critical one is 950 cm; at Rousse it measured 335 cm, the critical level being 680 cm.

 

The water wave from Hungary is expected to reach the Bulgarian section of the Danube on Friday or Saturday, as a result of which the water level of the Danube river will go up by about 1 m, but experts predict it will not reach the critical point.

 

The protective facilities at Vidin are monitored regularly, the Civil defence State Agency said. No emergencies are expected at the moment.

 

 

 

Ruling Majority Promises More Money for Interior Ministry in Next Year's Budget.

 

Sofia, August 20 (BTA) - The parliamentary majority promised to make sure there is more money for the Interior Ministry in the budget for next year and the socialists said they would support in Parliament the action that the Interior Ministry is taking against crime and drugs trafficking. The positions of the two parties emerged after Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Gen. Boiko Borissov met Tuesday with their leaderships, and were made public by Plamen Panayotov, the floor leader of the ruling Simeon II National Movement (SNM), and Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) deputy leader Roumen Petkov.

 

The opposition Union of Democratic Forces voiced regret that the President refused to follow their calls to summon the National Security Consultative Council. However, the President has invited to a meeting Interior Minister Georgi Petkanov, the Interior Ministry Chief Secretary and Prosecutor General Nikola Filchev.

 

Meanwhile the Interior Ministry press office said that 143 criminals have been arrested in the last 24 hours as part of an ongoing operation aimed at identifying and apprehending people involved in the illegal drugs business. 64 are in police custody for 24 hours and four for 72 hours. Two have been put under what the Interior Ministry calls "permanent restraint measure".

 

The police started its large-scale operation last Saturday, a day after several shootings in central Sofia injured three alleged drug lords and two innocent passersby.

 

At the meeting with the Interior Ministry Chief Secretary, the SNM floor leadership found that the Interior Ministry bodies are taking all necessary measures to counter crime, Plamen Panayotov said after the meeting. He also said that the agenda of the coming parliamentary session will include changes in the Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Interior Ministry Act, the law on control over weapons and ammunitions, as well as the Code of Civil Procedure and the Commercial Code, all of which will result in faster and more efficient justice and better protection of citizens.

 

Gen. Boiko Borissov said that this week the Interior Ministry will get 4 million leva for the gas for its vehicles in the ongoing operation. He also said that they have been promised at least 100 cars and early next year a helicopter, and that the ruling majority have assured him that they will consider a pay raise for the Interior Ministry employees as of next budget year.

 

Boiko Borissov recalled that he has been insisting for introducing a 5-year term for the chiefs of the National Security Service, the National Service for Organized Crime Control and the National Police.

 

He said that arrests have been made already in connection with the shootings in Sofia last week. He answered in the affirmative to the question whether there is reason to take in custody some of the victims in the shootings, who are in hospital now.

 

BSP's Roumen Petkov said after the talk with Gen. Borissov that the priorities in the meeting were the impression of a missing statehood, the collapse of confidence in the ruling majority, the efforts of criminal group of take advantage of this situation and the security of ordinary people. At the meeting were also the BSP deputy floor leader Lyuben Kornezov, the former chief of the National Investigative Service Boiko Rashkov and former Interior Ministry chief secretary Tsvyatko Tsvetkov.

 

"We stated explicitly that for us it is very important not to allow a politicization of the crimenogenic situation in this country," Roumen Petkov said. He described as unserious opposition UDF leader Nadezhda Mihailova's call to convene an extraordinary session of the National Security Consultative Council in connection with the escalation of crime over the past week.

 

The President has repeatedly raised this issue at the meetings of the Consultative Council and at the regular meetings with senior representatives of the Ministry of the Interior, the prosecuting magistracy, the investigative authorities and the court, Petkov argued. "According to our information, the Ministry of the Interior is using all its resources and the situation is under control," he added.

 

BSP is also planning meetings at the Prosecutor General's Office and the National Investigative Service, as well as with the leadership of the Ministry of Justice. Then it will undertake the respective parliamentary initiatives.

 

"I hope that in September Parliament will discuss and analyze the proposed legislative amendments," Boyko Borissov said.

 

The UDF regrets that the President did not respond positively to its request for convening the National Security Consultative Council. The subsequent initiatives of the head of state have shown that the situation actually requires serious analysis and direct commitment of the state institutions, UDF Spokesman Nikolay Mladenov said Tuesday.

 

The UDF press office said that the party leadership met Tuesday to discuss the reactions and the political effect of Monday's statement by UDF leader Nadezhda Mihailova. By its request to convene the National Security Consultative Council the UDF sought familiarization of the political forces with the measures to be undertaken by the institutions to guarantee Bulgaria's security and stability, Mladenov said. In his words, the shootouts in Sofia are an effect and not the cause of attempts at destabilizing this country on the eve of NATO's summit in Prague.

 

The Government's strategy for fighting crime should be ready by mid-September, Deputy Justice Minister Sevdalin Bozhikov said later on Tuesday, emerging from a meeting with representatives of the BSP. According to Lyuben Kornezov, Deputy Floor Leader of Coalition for Bulgaria, the organization of the fight against crime leaves much to be desired and at its session on Thursday the Government should discuss concrete measures to make it more efficient which it will move in Parliament. Kornezov voiced Coalition for Bulgaria's concern regarding Bulgaria's negotiations on the Justice and Home Affairs Chapter of the acquis.

 

 

 

Japan Grants $ 386,000 for Loudspeaker System for Culture Palace.

 

Sofia, August 20 (BTA) - Foreign Minister Solomon Passy and Japanese Ambassador to Bulgaria Yasuyoshi Ichihashi on Tuesday signed and exchanged official notes on a grant of 46.3 million yen (equivalent to 386,000 US dollars) to be used for loudspeaker equipment for the National Palace of Culture (NDK) in Sofia.

 

The grant comes as a response by the Japanese Government to a request of the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry for assistance to replace the outdated loudspeaker system at Hall One of NDK. The Palace is the largest cultural centre in Southeastern Europe, and Hall One, which can seat 3,880 spectators, is the largest hall of its kind in Bulgaria.

 

Passy thanked the Japanese Government and said that Japan is one of the largest donors and primary partners to Bulgaria not only among Asian countries but also worldwide. The Foreign Minister also noted the personal contribution of Ambassador Ichihashi in this context.

 

The Ambassador said the Japanese authorities expect that the equipment will be used most effectively and will serve to promote cultural activities.

 

NDK Director General Hristo Droumev thanked the Japanese Government and the Japanese Embassy as well as the Bulgarian Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Culture for the arrangements they have made for the donation.

 

Droumev told BTA he hopes that the new equipment will go into operation by April 2003. A Japanese team is expected to install and test the system; the related costs will also be covered by the Japanese Government.

 

Since 1991, the Japanese Government has provided a total of 551.2 million yen (4.6 million US dollars) in grant aid to Bulgarian cultural institutions. The beneficiaries include National Television, the State Musical Academy, the Sofia Philharmonic, the National Academy of Theatre and Film Art, the National Library, the Ivan Vazov National Theatre, the National Gallery for Foreign Art, the National Institute for Cultural Monuments, NDK, the Boyana Church, the Judo Federation, and the Sofia Puppet Theatre.

 

 

Stephan Kioutchukov

 

Three million euro will give the EU to support small business' development in this country, it transpired after the yesterday's meeting of Finance Minister Milen Velchev with the Dimitris Kourkulas - leader of the EC delegation to Bulgaria. The money will be used for establishing business incubators in seven BG districts, incl. Madan, Pazardzhik and Vratsa. The funds will help the population in these regions, especially those who want to have their own business, to get information, have access to the Internet and use consultant's and legal advice. The project started as early as 2000, but further was put on ice, due to incorrect work of Ivo Kostov from the Economy Ministry, Finance Minister Velchev elaborated. Bulgaria will ask for a 6-month extension of the project's deadline, because of the delay in funds raising. Deputy-Minister of Economy - Sofia Kassidova, and Hassan Hassan - deputy-minister of regional development also attended the meeting with Mr. Kourkulas.

 

 

 

Bulgarian-Korean Trade Up 58% in January-May.

 

Sofia, August 20 (BTA) - Trade between Bulgaria and the Republic of Korea increased by 58% in January-May this year compared to this time last year, Economy Minister Nikolai Vassilev said Tuesday after a meeting with the visiting Minister of Trade at the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Hwang Doo-yun. The Korean government official arrived here Tuesday at the head of a government and business delegation on the invitation of the Bulgarian Economy Minister.

 

In the first five months of this year, Bulgarian export has grown by 82% and

the Korean import into Bulgaria 52%. Bulgaria normally runs a deficit in its trade with Korea, Nikolai Vassilev said.

 

During the same period, the number of Korean tourists in Bulgaria has increased by more than 20%.

 

Korean companies will make debut on the International Plovdiv Fair at its autumn edition this year, said also the Economy Minister. Among the participants will be Hyundai, Samsung Electronic and Daewoo Electronic.

 

More Korean businessmen are expected in Bulgaria on several other delegations later this year.

 

At the same time Bulgarian businessmen are preparing for a trip to Korea before the end of the year. Among them will be representatives of machine building companies that will show their products in Korea.

 

On Wednesday, representatives of 17 Korean companies will participate in a business forum in Sofia's Sheraton, said Hwang Doo-yun. They are trying to establish contacts with potential Bulgarian partners.

 

At a meeting between Bulgarian Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Trade Minister Hwang Doo-yun on the first day of the delegation's visit, the sides voiced shared satisfaction with the progress in bilateral relations.

 

The agenda of talks also includes the expected invitation for Bulgaria's NATO membership and the country's aspiration for EU membership. The Korean Trade Minister said they paid special attention to the opportunities for increasing Korean investment in Bulgaria. He said that his country's interest in Bulgaria is not just as in a market but as a stepping stone for exports to third countries.

 

Bulgaria exports to Korea artificial yarn, copper, aluminum and other scrap, and imports from Korea cars, TV sets, computers and other commodities.

 

 

Team of 'Standart'

 

He served both Kostov and the King, now he turned against them, too.

 

What does the government do when it reaches a deadlock? It puts in action its lackeys. That's what powers-that-be did yesterday. After they saw that it's impossible to sell 'Bulgartabak' under the counter to their favourite, 'Tobacco Capital Partners', the governors turned for help to their faithful servant Vladimir Karolev. 'The deal with Michael Chernoy for 'Bulgartabak' is impossible even if all Bulgarians back him', Karolev said yesterday. He added that there was no sense in selling the tobacco holding to a man who can't return to Bulgaria. That was the truth! Nothing can be sold to Chernoy who has proved his investments in Bulgaria. But everything can be sold to the four lawyers from 'Tobacco Capital' and a Dutch offshore company without business history, management or capital. Great! But that is not called a deal, but a shady affair. And when it comes to the fact that Chernoy is now banned from Bulgaria, everybody remembers how he was expelled. After Ivan Kostov's commissioned it. The truth was disclosed by leader of MRF Ahmed Dogan. Yesterday Karolev said another thing, too: 'Bulgartabak' had to be as separate businesses. We understand that some of the power-vested are willing to replenish their bank accounts. But, gentlemen, in Bulgaria your own strategy for privatization of 'Bulgartabak' is still valid. And exactly your strategy forbids the holding to be sold out in pieces. Wasn't it your idea to save the tobacco branch? As a matter of fact, who is Vladimir Karolev? An man with no principles whose business is to be a lackey. Under Kostov's rule and under the rule of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Why does he do that? Obviously his business isn't going well. And about his business deals a lot can be said. He is one of the men who took part in the scandalous privatization of 'Balkanfarma'. It's clear as daylight that to earn some money, he's ready to turn into a poster face and voice of those who are giving Bulgartabak as a present to a handful of international profiteers. The only unintelligible thing is: Why exactly a man like him should advise us? Karolev, we know everything! And if you decide to speak again, we'll tell what we know.