"Over 75% of 4,300 submitted requests for property denationalization are solved, Gruevski said, expressing hope that the denationalization process will be completed in two-three years. The former government was focused on the privatization process, neglecting the denationalization one, which started in 1997 on request of the international community and citizens, Gruevski said.

 

"The former government considered that returning of properties would be disastrous for the country and the future generations. The denationalization process has been in effect for two years, and we can see that it does not present any burden to this and future generations," Gruevski said.

 

He said that many people did not believe in the government intention to return their properties, considering that the denationalization process was some kind of the government's game, as it was the case with the former government, he said.

 

"But we are persistent in enforcing of the Denationalization Law, and the results are obvious," he added.

 

Macedonian Finance Minister Nikola Gruevski handed over Saturday 28 property denationalization certificates to citizens of Gostivar, Tetovo and Kicevo, as well as to monasteries "St. Jovan Bigorski", "St. Atanasie" and "St. Anastasij".

 

The certificates refer to returning of 13,564sq. m. construction land, 238,489sq. m. cultivated land, 147,000 sq. m. business premises and securities at amount of Denar 22,6 million.

 

"In 1998, when VMRO-DPMNE took the power, the party promised that it would return the property to citizens, unjustly taken away from them 50 years ago. At the end of the government mandate, I am pleased to say that 76% of the 4,300 submitted requests are solved and properties is returned to the real owners," Gruevski said.

 

 

Prince Cyril comes for a crash visit, probably because of Bulgartabak.

Two internationally known speculators blackmailed Bulgaria yesterday in London. Their names are Dominique Redfern and Radenko Milakovic. These people were implicated in the destruction of Balkanpharma and now they are trying to exert pressure on the BG government and make it give out Bulgartabak to them. Deutsche Bank will give up on Bulgartabak if Bulgaria asks for more money, they threatened. "If the deal is reconsidered it would mean that Bulgaria is deviating from the right course", they said further. Who are these people to say what course should Bulgaria follow? And what is the risk if exactly they give up the deal? This is not clear. Neither is it clear what's so bad in asking for more money for the holding and more serious guarantees for the livelihood of thousands of people? Cornered by the facts the two admitted that Deutsche Bank is still out of the deal. The Bank would buy government's favorite, Tobacco Capital, a day before the agreement with it is signed. And what if it doesn't? In London they keep silent. Another scandalous statement Redfern and Milakovic made is that they were going to appoint notorious Georg Tsvetanski as a chief of Bulgartabak. Currently his case is examined by the prosecution and tax authorities. Support for this couple may come from Prince Cyril who today comes on a crash visit to Bulgaria. The well-informed sources maintain that he is going to ask his father for explanations why his partners have not got the holding as yet.

 

 

 

SOFIA (Reuters) - Yugoslav driver Todor Stamenkovic, 29 and navigator Steva Raus, 27, were taken to hospital after their Suzuki left the road and caught fire on the first day of a European championship rally event in east Bulgaria on Saturday.

 

The pair are in intensive care, but their injuries are not life-threatening, local state news agency BTA said. Stamenkovic has up to 40 percent second and third degree burns.