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Dr Atam Sarkisyan and a team of doctors at the Stara Zagora Hospital delivered triplet boys: Krassimir, weighing 2.400 kg, Roberto, weighing 2.370 kg, and Daniel, weighing 2.150 kg.On photo: The second baby, Roberto, in a baby incubator attended by Dr Nevena Stoyanova. Pressphoto, BTA Photo : Svetlozar Nedev
SITUATION IN CRISIS REGIONS.
It is relatively calm in Tetovo crisis region early Wednesday without any shootouts, MIA's correspondent reports.
Occasional shootouts have been heard overnight in Tetovo that came from areas of the town and some villages.
Police sources say shootouts have been registered three times around midnight from Gorna Carsija and Kupenik settlements and Rasadiste locality near Tetovo - Popova Sapka road.
Tuesday night has been calmer than the previous nights in Kumanovo - Lipkovo region, MIA's correspondent reports.
Public order and peace have been violated seven times with volleys of fire and sporadic shootouts form the villages of Slupcane, Vaksince and Matejce.
Shootouts have been aimed at no direct targets.
Sources of the Macedonian security forces on the terrain say that occasional shootouts mainly in the evening in some Lipkovo villages show that there are still armed criminal persons who are out of control.
BALKAN FESTIVAL OF FOLK SONGS AND DANCES.
The performance of Croatian Folk Ensemble "Lado" at the Ohrid Balkan Festival confirmed the quality of this year's manifestation as one of its best editions so far.
Folk Ensemble "Lado" started its performance last night with the famous national folk dance of "Ladarski" and went to perform six more dances from around the state. Over a thousand of spectators at the festival scene of Dolni Saraj rewarded the guests with deserved applauding. This is the first time that this ensemble performs at the Ohrid Festival of Folk Songs and Dances.
In the course of next month "Lado" Ensemble will be the only European representative at the World Folk Happening, which is to take place in the city of Minneapolis - USA. This ensemble was founded in 1949 and had performances all around the world, taking the role of culture ambassador of its country.
The performances of "Lado" Folk Ensemble were highly reviewed at several world presentations of folk songs and dances. Ivan Lusic is the Art Director of this ensemble.
The Istanbul Folk Ensemble of "Sysli" also had its performance at the Ohrid Folk Festival. This Ensemble was founded three years ago and this is their first performance at this festival.
The "Sysli" Folk Ensemble was founded on amateur basis and has 39 members. The Ensemble performed five dances from the east and the south of Turkey: a folk dance with spoons, a humor dance and an old traditional folk song. After their performance in Ohrid they are leaving for Poland to perform at a festival there.
Folk Ensembles from Macedonia ("Tanec"), Bulgaria ("Pirin") and Serbia ("Branko Krsmanovik") had excellent performances at this year's Balkan Festival, gaining audience's sympathies with its professionalism and artistic achievements and by presenting the folklore heritage of their countries.
AGREEMENT ON PARTNERSHIP PARTICIPATION OF CANADA POST IN MACEDONIA POST.
Macedonian Minister of Transport and Communications Ljupco Balkoski and Vice President of "Canada Post" Robert Chretien signed Wednesday in Skopje an Agreement on joint project for partnership participation of "Canada Post" and "Macedonia Post." According to the agreement, new postal operator will be established, which will be operational in the next 20 years.
"The agreement, which will be realized in three stages by 2022, will contribute for better and more efficient results and new postal services, as well as for more efficient financial operations of 'Macedonia Post," Minister Balkoski said after the signing of the Agreement.
He informed that the first stage from September 1 to December 31 would focus on financial analyses of the former operations and an investment plan for the next year would be developed. In the second stage, in the course of 2003 the postal technology that should be applied will be determined, the postal services will be defined, the employees will undergo training and joint local postal operator will be established.
"The 20-year period of current operations will begin with the third stage, with the technological implementation and the execution of the business and investment plan. The volume of postal operations will increase and the standard of the postal services will improve," Balksoki said.
According to the agreement, despite the constant over-employment in "Macedonia Post" there will be no dismissals. The employees will be employed in the new domestic postal operator and in the future they will work according to the new organizational setup of the post.
"Canada Post" will pay five percent of the realized profit between 2004-2007, ten percent between 2008 - 2012 and thirty-two percent between 2013 - 2022, which will be allocated to the Macedonian Budget.
The local post operator, according to the Agreement is obliged to invest around 40 million in "Macedonia Post."
Balkovski explained that the model and the way of functioning of the new
postal operator would be determined in 2003, adding that the Macedonian Government would appoint the director of "Macedonia Post" by 2004.
"With the Agreement, a new era for 'Macedonia Post' will begin, by improving the postal services, increasing the standards and the professionalism of the employees. Macedonia will become an operational center for postal services on the Balkans," Minister Balkovski said.
Answering to a journalist question, Balkovski said that the prices might increase depending on the financial analyses. However, the rise will be in compliance to the Law on Postal Services.
The Agreement was signed after two-year negotiations between the Macedonian Ministry of Transport and Communications and the management of "Canada Post," and after two memorandums on cooperation were signed in Skopje and Ottawa.
"Canada Post" has implemented more than 130 successful projects in 55 countries by offering consultant services, providing solutions for contemporary postal technology and transformation of posts.
NGO Organizes Basic Education for Albanian Women.
Civic World
The association of Albanian women Perspektiva from Skopje held a graduation ceremony for completing primary (four years) education for 39 Albanian women from Skopje. The ceremony took place at the course location, in "Lirija" primary school in Skopje, on the 2nd of July, 2002.
 The number of illiterate Albanian women in Macedonia is immense. We did not go into details for the reason, but we tried as much as we can, to improve the situation. We prepared a project, and worked with the Ministry of Education on organizing lectures for the first four years of primary education through the specialized school Makarenko, which is under its jurisdiction. We solved the problem that the school conducts the 4th to 8th grade curriculum by getting a permit to conduct 1st to 4th grade classes and continue to higher levels in the future... Because these women do not have any education, emphasized Nurie Selimi, president of Perspektiva.
The age of Albanian women who obtained these certificates ranges from 13 to 49. Most of them have families, and confess that having to help their own children with homework presents much difficulty.
 My daughter attends this school. I have one more child, and my husband and me are both unemployed. We live on welfare. I have never attended school. One day my daughter came home and told me about the opportunity to systematically acquire primary education through Perspektiva. I intend to continue studying and finish the primary school, and afterwards I plan to specialize in some craft. I hope that this will help me find a job. By the way, before this I was self-taught. I learned to write Cyrillic and Latin alphabets by myself, and even some writing in English. But now it is much easier to study something systematically and getting a certificate) for it when it ends, says Dzhevahira Aliu.
It is interesting, according to the participants, that most of the mothers completing this course had partially covered the primary education curriculum through by attempting to help their children do their homework.
 This is the second part of Perspektiva's project Literacy for Young Albanian Woman. The former group that successfully completed this course included Albanian women from the suburbs Metodija Andonov Chento, Gazi Baba, Dizhonska, Serava and Chair. Some of them already got a certificate for completed secondary education.
The Macedonian Center for International Cooperation provided financial support for this project.
D.M.
GERDJIKOV-AHANI-MEETING.
BTA
Gerdjikov, Ahani Discuss Economic and Cultural Cooperation between Bulgaria and Iran.
Sofia, July 10 (BTA) - National Assembly Chairman Ognyan Gerdjikov met Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Ahani who is visiting this country, the parliamentary press office said.
Bulgaria attaches great importance to cooperation with traditional partners like Iran, regardless of its European and Euro-Atlantic orientation, Gerdjikov told his Iranian guest. The meeting with Gerdjikov was the last on the programme of Iran's deputy foreign minister's visit to Bulgaria.
There are great prospects before the development of parliamentary ties between Bulgaria and Iran, Ahani said. On behalf of the speaker of the Iranian parliament, Ahani invited Gerdjikov to visit Iran as head of a Bulgarian parliamentary delegation, the press release says.
The two sides observed that there are factors favouring the development of bilateral relations like geographic closeness, well-developed transport links and traditions. The two sides identified the drop in bilateral commercial exchange as a problem the solution of which should be given priority, the press release says. Bulgaria and Iran will seek ways to increasing commercial exchange which is evidenced by the agreements on cooperation signed in export insurance and on the promotion of trade.
At the meeting it was declared that both sides attach particular importance to the development of cultural ties, scientific exchange and cooperation between universities.
NMS Wrangles over Filtchev's Immunity.
Standartnews
Pavlina Zhivkova
We must not hamper Filchev's efforts to put through amendments, Koshloukov grumbles.
The immunity of the top magistrates sparked off heated argument between the NMS MPs during the yesterday's sitting of their parliamentary group. Emil Koshloukov declared that in his opinion the amendment to the Judicial Power Act is redundant. If passed, it will enable one-fifth of the Supreme Judicial Council's members to demand to strip the Prosecutor General of his immunity. "I think that instead of causing headaches to Filtchev we must back up and encourage him in his efforts to defend the interests of the state", Koshloukov said further. "Filtchev pressed charges against four ex-ministers from the previous cabinet", he added.
Prosecutor: We Are Investigating Some More Kostov's Ministers.
Standartnews
"There will be some more ministers of the Kostov-led cabinet against whom indictments will be laid," said Tseko Yordanov, prosecutor from the Supreme Cassation Prosecution, yesterday. "We are carrying out a "Clean Hands" action, investigating thoroughly Mouravei Radev and Wilhelm Kraus," Yordanov said further. He accused the ex-cabinet of establishing a state monopoly over corruption. "If prosecution be transferred to the executive power, it would become part of the party organization of rulers, whosoever they would be," Yordanov thinks.
Government to Nationalize Ports.
Standartnews
Parvoleta Tsvetkova
Belcho Tsanev
Twenty privatization deals questionable.
"Hard political decisions should be taken soon about the ports, that came to be private property thanks to chinks in the law," Transport Minister Plamen Petrov said in Vidin yesterday. "We have two options: either to nationalize the ports, or shut our eyes to it. The issue is very complicated, because it affects foreign investors as well," the minister elaborated. According to the Marine Space, Inner Water Ways and Ports Act, all ports are state property. The private-owned ports number twenty. The Varna-based 'Petrol' port for unshipping fuels is one of the largest, Deputy-Minister of Transport Krassimira Marinova said. A new draft bill of the Port Act was submitted to the Council of Ministers.
Bulgartabak Sold to a Post Box.
Standartnews
In Amsterdam no one has ever heard of "Klar Inis", to say nothing of its links with Deutsche Bank.
"Klar Inis" - the authorities' favorite in the race for Bulgartabak privatization - proved to be a post box! The firm bade in the tender for the holding together with "Tobacco Capital Partners". It turned out, though, that it doesn't have either office or director in Amsterdam. "Klar Inis" was registered only a week ago, on July 1, 2002 and has a charted capital of mere 20,000 euro. These facts came to light during the reporters' inquiry carried out by "Standart" on location, in Amsterdam. At the address, mentioned in the registration papers, there is a functioning office, but people working there have never heard of such a company or of Bulgartabak. "Klar Inis" belongs to some obscure trust, "Deutsche International Trust Co. N.V.", that has never dealt in tobaccos or cigarettes. This so-called "trust" is represented by four procurators and the real figures who capitalized on Bulgartabak are hiding behind them.
BULGARIA - YUGOSLAVIA - CD PIRACY.
BTA
Sofia, July 10 (BTA) - Internal Mix Ltd., a company implicated in a CD piracy scandal in Yugoslavia, moved out of the address at which it was registered by the Sofia City Court in 1999 two years ago, BTA found.
According to the Yugoslav newspaper "Vecerne Novosti," the Sofia-based Internal Mix Ltd. is co-owner of a Belgrade company in whose warehouses the Belgrade police found a stamper, a master form, printing equopment and some 750,000 pirated CDs on July 7, 2002.
BTA found that the company was registered in Sofia by Milan Gavrilovic and Goran Vinkovic and notice of the registration appeared in the Unofficial Section of the "Official Gazette" No. 97 of November 9, 1999. According to an alteration of the company's court registration, gazetted on April 4, 2002, Goran Vinkovic became Managing Director of Internal Mix and the company was represented by him and his partner Milan Gavrilovic, jointly and separately. The alteration, however, did not cite a new registered office for the company.
For two years now, the flat at this address has not accommodated a company, BTA learnt from Tamara Lazarova, who is authorized to rent out the property which is owned by her relatives living in Canada.
Lazarova was unaware whether any company occupied the flat before that.
The Serbian news agencies BETA and TANJUG reported that the stamper was allegedly imported from Bulgaria into Yugoslavia by the General Disk Technology company. The disk-making equipment reportedly constituted "a foreign share participation by an enterprise in Bulgaria, whose founder and director also owned the enterprise in Belgrade."
The lawyer of General Disk Technology Slavisa Jovanovic told "Vecerne Novosti" that the CD stampers were legally imported into Yugoslavia.
Simeon Reneged on the 800 Days.
Standartnews
Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha reneged on his pledge to raise the living standards in 800 days. "It is a misunderstanding. I said we would do our best to make things better in 800 days," he said for BBC yesterday at the start of the harvest in Dobrudja. He admitted that he would not go into combatting corruption. "It is beyond the powers of one person or a cabinet," Simeon elaborated.
STATISTICS-INFLATION.
BTA
NSI Registers 1.7% Deflation in June.
Sofia, July 10 (BTA) - The National Statistical Institute (NSI) announced Wednesday a 1.7 per cent deflation for June. Inflation since the beginning of the year totals 1.1%.
In June foods depreciated by 3.7 per cent and non-foods by 0.3 per cent. Public catering prices marked up 0.1 per cent and the prices of services remained unchanged from May.
In June vegetable prices registered the steepest dip: cabbage prices decreased 59.4%, potato prices 40.5%, pepper prices 26.5% and cucumber prices 1.7%.
In June pork sold 3.9% cheaper than in May, eggs depreciated by 18.3%, milk by 1.9%, sugar by 2% and cooking oil by 1.7%.
Bread prices marked up by 1.8%, and chicken and tobacco products prices by 1.5% each.
NSI also registered a drop in the prices of liquid fuels and diesel fuel - by 2%, and of coal and petrol by 2.2%.
The goods and services included in the small consumer basket marked down by 2.1% in June and 1.2% since the beginning of the year. The drop in the prices of foods and soft drinks included in this basket is 3.3% from May.
Non-foods marked down by 0.3 per cent mainly because of the drop in firewood and coal prices. The 0.1% rise in public catering prices is on account of the 0.4% increase in water prices.
INSURANCE-FINANCIAL RESULTS.
BTA
Insurers Report 26% Growth in Life Insurance and General Insurance Revenue for First Quarter.
Sofia, July 10 (BTA) - Insurers reported a 26 per cent growth in their gross revenue from life insurance and general insurance premiums in the first quarter of 2002 compared to the like period of last year, said Roumen Gulubinov, Director of the Insurance Supervision Agency.
The largest increase in life insurance was posted by 12 companies including AIG Life (156 per cent), Allianz Bulgaria Life, Bulstrad Life, Vitosha Life and Dobroudja Mutual Insurance Society.
DZI (State Insurance Institute) ranks first by gross premium revenue from life insurance, controlling 34 per cent of the market. It is followed by Orel Life which controls a 18 per cent market share, and Allianz Life, controlling 16 per cent of the market.
The total premium revenue from life insurance was 12,614,676 leva in the first quarter of 2002. The premium revenue of DZI was 4,627,911 leva, of Orel Life 2,453,811 leva, of Allianz Bulgaria Life 2,217,531 leva, of AIG Life 942,492 leva, and of Bulstrad Life 694,909 leva.
The total amount of indemnities paid against life insurance policies was 7,121,471 leva in the period under review. DZI paid life insurance indemnities of 4,737,480 leva, Orel Life paid 697,919 leva, and Allianz Bulgaria Life paid 310,216 leva.
Of the 20 general insurers, the largest growth in the gross premium revenue was posted by Vitosha, 43 per cent; Allianz Bulgaria, 34 per cent; Bulstrad, 30 per cent; and Bulins, 29 per cent.
Bulstrad continues to be the leader in general insurance, controlling a market share of 27 per cent. Allianz Bulgaria ranks second, with a market share of 20.80 per cent, followed by DZI General Insurance, which controls 13.79 per cent of the market.
The total revenue from general insurance premiums in the first quarter was 112,894,209 leva. Bulstrad got a revenue of 30,952,096 leva, Allianz Bulgaria 23,480,007 leva, DZI General Insurance 15,568,455 leva, Bulins 11,032,716 leva, and Vitosha 7,269,797 leva.
In the period under review, the total amount paid in indemnities under general insurance contracts was 48,427,582 leva. Bulstrad paid 8,940,333 leva, Allianz Bulgaria 8,431,943 leva, and DZI General Insurance 7,339,134 leva.
The Insurance Supervision Agency supports the idea of the Association of Bulgarian Insurers to set up a catastrophic pool (a risk pool) for covering certain risks ensuing from natural disasters, earthquakes included. According to Gulubinov, the World Bank is interested to participate in such a pool. It is a participant in the catastrophic pools established in Turkey and Romania.
There are several variants of the World Bank's involvement in the pool - by providing financial support for its creation, by covering the expenses on indemnifying disaster-caused losses that exceed a certain amount, and by rendering assistance on marketing the risk coverage on the foreign reinsurance markets, Gulubinov said.
In his words, a minimum compulsory insurance of property against natural disasters has already been introduced in Turkey; preparations are underway in Romania to set up a catastrophic pool.
In general, only few Bulgarians insure their property, Gulubinov said. Their number in the big cities is very small, and practically equal to zero in small population centres.
At the moment, the Insurance Supervision Agency is taking part in the debate on a bill amending the Health Insurance Act, the purpose of which is to create conditions for increasing the number of companies providing voluntary health insurance. The bill is being discussed by the Health Care Committee of the National Assembly. According to Gulubinov, at the first stage of the development of voluntary health insurance only 5 or 10 per cent of Bulgarians will be able to afford to buy health insurance contracts.
A bill aimed to unite the supervision of insurance, pension insurance and investments is also in preparation, but work on it is still in an initial phase.
We Still Have to Work towards Synchrony with MRF.
INTERVIEW Standartnews: Kiril Miltchev
Konstantin Sabchev
MPs should enter into a register names of firms they are lobbying for, suggests Kiril Miltchev.
Kiril Miltchev, MP of NMS, was born in 1963. He studied Bulgarian linguistics and specialized in a literary agency in the USA. Miltchev is the author of 13 books, mainly philosophical essays. He was a press agent of Philip Dimitrov and worked in the information center to the Defense Ministry. Currently he is a vice-chairman of the parliamentary committee on human rights and religious confessions.
- Mr. Miltchev, what must be done to avoid scandalous incidents like the one with Kamen Vlakhov?
- A commission on ethics should be set up in the National Assembly.
- What authorities will it have?
- It will monitor the work of deputies from A to Z. There must be a special register where the deputies would enter names of firms and branches they are lobbying for. And whenever a respective commission debates the bills concerning the interests of these firms they wouldn't have the right to take part in the debates. In older democracies this is a common practice.
- If it were known who is lobbying for whom, probably the current friction between the NMS and MRF resulting from the replacement of local governors in Shoumen and Bourgas could have been avoided?
- I agree that we still have a long way to go before we reach the desired synchrony between our parliamentary groups.
- You had concluded a coalition agreement, hadn't you? Then why the gaffe became possible?
- The nominees for local governors are not discussed in parliamentary groups. They are appointed by the Premier and he, along with the government, takes the decision whom to dismiss or bring to office.
(Abr) |
