|
Enter content here
BG Bought Out Varna-Based Shipyard. The state-run shipping company 'Bulgarian Marine' bought the Varna shipyard for 35.5 million levs. Vice-Premier Nikolay Vassilev arrived in Varna especially for the bidding. He and Varna Mayor Kiril Yordanov (to the right) looked at their wristwatches till the last moment expecting for more bidders. Photo Impact Press Group
PURVANOV - MICROSOFT. President Georgi Purvanov met with MicroSoft Bulgaria Managing Director Teodor Milev, who presented him with a laptop with installed Bulgarian-language MicroSoft software. Pressphoto BTA Photo: Tihomir Penov
Pope John Paul II tours St. Peter's Square at the Vatican prior to his general audience Wednesday, April 3, 2002. The pontiff, who will turn 82 on May 18, cut back his participation in several Holy Week ceremonies because of what the Vatican described as arthrosis, a joint disease involving destruction of cartilage. Keeping up foreign travel despite his frail condition, Pope John Paul II will visit Azerbaijan and Bulgaria in May. (AP Photo/Massimo Sambucetti)
Twelve year old Sergey Karjakin (L) of Ukraine concentrates during a chess match against Vaselin Toplov of Bulgaria at the UAE Chess Grand Prix, April 3, 2002. Toplov after having an initial difficult time, secured a convincing win over Karjakin on the opening day. REUTERS/Anwar Mirza
FILE--Masked Palestinian gunmen march in front of the Church of the Nativity, traditionally believed to be the birthplace of Jesus, during a rally at Manger Square in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, in this Nov. 14, 2001 file photo. Scores of Palestinian gunmen were hiding inside the Church of the Nativity on Wednesday, April 3, 2002, seeking refuge from Israeli troops who invaded the city as part of an offensive aimed at crushing Palestinian militias in the West Bank. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)
MINISTER CASULE IN OFFICIAL VISIT TO SPAIN.
MIA
Macedonian Foreign Minister Slobodan Casule set out Wednesday for a two-day official visit to Spain.
On his first day of the visit, Minister Casule is expected to meet with editors and journalists from several Spanish media.
Casule is scheduled to have an interview with the Spanish National Television.
Foreign Minister is to address the Diplomatic Academy in Madrid Tuesday afternoon on a topic, "Republic of Macedonia and the challenges for stabilization of South Eastern Europe."
The meeting with his Spanish counterpart Josep Pique and the Spanish Senate President Esperanza Aguirre is scheduled for Thursday.
The meetings between Casule and his Spanish interlocutors will focus on the current political and security situation in Macedonia and possibilities for intensified bilateral relations between the two countries, particularly in the sphere of economy.
Casule and Pique will share opinions on international developments and activities in combat against international terrorism and organized crime.
They will also discuss the necessity for faster ratification of the Macedonian-EU Stabilization and Association Agreement, as well as for accelerated allocation of the financial means, pledged at the recent Donors' Conference for Macedonia.
Macedonia's aspirations to become NATO member in relation with the forthcoming Alliance Summit in Prague will also be a subject of discussion.
PRESIDENT TRAJKOVSKI MET NATO AMBASSADOR BIEGMAN.
MIA
Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski received Wednesday the newly appointed NATO's Ambassador to Macedonia, Nicolaas Biegman.
At the meeting the interlocutors expressed their mutual satisfaction from the cooperation between Macedonia and NATO, which was continuos in the past few years, and stressed that the current mission of the Alliance to Macedonia "Amber Fox" plays significant role in restoring the constitutional law order on the territories affected by last year's crisis.
President Tarjkovski stressed that Macedonia sees a partner in NATO and that their common goal is to achieve lasting peace and stability in the region as well as realizing Macedonia's strategic goal - integration and fully-fledged membership in the Alliance, President's Cabinet announced.
Ambassador Nicolaas Biegman gave a statement after the meeting with the Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski, saying that his priority would be achieving of stability in the country "in any possible way".
"In my opinion, the present situation in the country has much improved in comparison to last year, and I hope that it will improve even more during my six - month stay here," Biegman said.
Regarding the relation between his new function as NATO's civil representative and Netherlands' taking over the command of "Amber Fox" mission, Dutch diplomat Biegman said that "those were two separate issues and it was just a mere coincidence." As Biegman explained, he was designated for the duty before the option of Netherlands' taking over NATO's mission was reviewed.
OSCE SPOKESMAN: INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SUPPORTS THOSE WHO REJECT VIOLENCE.
MIA
"The peaceful police redeployment clearly points out that those who work in favor of Framework Agreement and reject the violence are supported by the international community and by the citizens in this region who desire peace," OSCE spokesman to Macedonia Florin Pasnicu said, expressing satisfaction from the police entrance in Kumanovo and Tetovo villages, which were related to last year's conflict.
To a question how would OSCE protect the reservists who participated in the conflict when they would return to their homes especially in Matejce village, as there have been some threats already, Pasnicu said that he did not hear of any problems with the reservists, but "if there were any problems they should be resolved with the 24h police patrols in the village, which should guarantee safety to everyone."
NATO spokesperson Craig Ratcliff announced that such security risks and threats would be resolved through the patrols and the contacts with the local communities. "Because that is fear we will discuss this with the local authorities," he said.
OSCE representatives believe that the presence of the Albanian flag in the villages in which the police enter does not contribute towards confidence building. "We have constantly passed this message to the local authorities. On the other hand there is Law that regulates the disposal of the symbols. Maybe new rules would be introduced as a result of the implementation of Framework Agreement, but at this moment OSCE respects the laws that regulate the use of state symbols," Pasnicu said.
Commenting on the information that some graves were dig and frescos were destroyed in Matejce monastery, Pasnicu said that "OSCE knew that such vandal acts still happen" despite the permanent patrols of their monitors and therefore they have already requested from the local residents to do something in order to prevent these acts.
Regarding the possibility Netherlands to take over "Amber Fox" mission, NATO spokesman said that talks have already began for extending the mission and if it would be necessary another state would take over the command. "It is no secret that Netherlands is considered to take the leading role. At this moment they seriously consider that option, if that is requested from them," Ratcliff said.
Making comments on statement by Parliament's speaker Stojan Andov who said that the parliamentary elections could be held on 22 September, EU spokesperson Irena Gjuzelova stressed that despite the agreement reached between EU special envoy Alain Le Roy and the leaders of VMRO-DPMNE, SDSM, PDP and DPA the elections to be held 15 September, "according to the Constitution Andov will make the final decision."
"The consensus has some political weight, but the final agreement depends on Andov. If the elections on Kosovo, Yugoslavia are held on 21 September, the international monitors could not provide full monitoring in Macedonia as it was scheduled, i.e. it would be partial. The monitors do not have sufficient time to complete their activities on Kosovo and to arrive to Macedonia, because they would be also present during the counting of the votes," Gjuzelova explained.
Lyubka Kachakova - Member of King's Politburo.
Standartnews
It's likely that Interior Minister Petkanov will be nominated. The King's MPs were surprised by the decision of Simeon to take the party leader's office. All the NMS MPs were expecting Plamen Panayotov to be the leader. A rumor was spread yesterday in the parliamentary lobby that the Frenchmen had advised Simeon to take the lead, claiming that this was the only way to overcome the intraparty strife. NMS sources, however, maintain that it will show as early as the fall if the new formation is successful. The statutes and leadership are expected to be completely changed then.
Pavlina Zhivkova
Elka Vladova Reinstated In Customs.
Standartnews
No reshuffles are made, we just met the court's ruling, 'Customs' agency sources maintain.
Neika Krasteva
Elka Vladova was reinstated in her office of deputy-head of the 'Customs' Agency. The order, signed by Finance Minister Milen Velchev, was handed her at 1:00 p. m. yesterday. So far, she's to take over the post of recently dismissed Marian Abrashev. There are no reshuffles. Structural reforms in the customs are likely to be made , but only after we receive the report of the 'Crown Agents', the Agency sources said further.
BG Marine to Rescue the Shipyard.
Standartnews
An Indonesian candidate dropped out of the tender, new sale prognosticated.
Irena Tsekova
'The Bulgarian Marine' shipping company bought the Varna shipyard. The state-run venture paid 35.5 million levs for the bankrupt works. 'Bulgarian Marine' bid at the tender versus 'Eurometal' - owner of 'Stomana' (Steel) - Pernik. Other aspirant - Indonesian 'Sigasco', fell off the bidding, since it couldn't get the deposit payment certificate to participate in the tender. Vice-Premier Nikolay Vassilev arrived in Varna especially for the bidding.
BG Production of Cigarettes in Russia Suspended.
Standartnews
Former head of the holding admitted that his signature was forged.
Pavlina Zhivkova
Bulgartabak suspended the production of Bulgarian brands cigarettes in the Russian town of Podolsk yesterday, Georgi Popov - director of the holding, said. No contract on the establishment of the joint venture - 'SK Bulgartabak - Podoslk', was found out during the checkup of the venture's documentation. The inquiry in 'Rosspatent', however, proved that the licence on production and trade of Bulgarian cigarettes was null and void. The document was undersigned by the now former head of the holding - Boiko Kishkov. Though he said, he had never signed a contract of the kind. It's not clear with whose blessing the joint venture had worked so far, Popov commented. The Podolsk plant is working jointly with 'Shoumen BT". Bulgarian brands - 'BT', 'MM' and 'Rhodopes' are manufactured there. 'We won't suffer losses anymore. We can manufacture the same brands of cigarettes in Sochi in case of demand," the Director assured. The Directors' Board will soon vote for issuing of a new licence to the Podolsk joint venture.
Simeon to Acknowledge His Mistakes.
Standartnews
The parties withstood, we got aware it's better if they existed.
Roumen Yankovski, political scientist
Today it's much easier to say what Simeon does not, or can not, or should not do, rather than to say what he wants, or can or should do. For a year we lived almost in future: with expectations, hopes, fears and uncertainty. What the Leader of the New Age did? He did not try to throw history back, he did not infringe upon the currency board and privatization. NATO and EU remained the priorities of the foreign policy. The crushing blow on the political system did not devastate the parties and did not plunge the country into chaos. His national movement trod its winding path, together with its leader, to a "common" party. Both the parties and the Republic's institutions withstood the revaluation and it transpired that it was better to keep them, rather than to lose them. The hyper expectations did not come true. The "new morality" was also cracked. The year of Simeon is over and the belief of Bulgarians in magic solutions is also over. What did he do? Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha successfully turned the political one-man show into a movement holding half of the seats on parliament. Ultimately, a ruling worthy of the MRF participation came into power. The party and political system which Simeon swept like a devastating hurricane, learnt a lot from him. Simeon draw the world's attention to Bulgaria: at first through the exoticism of the King-Premier model, later through the view that the exoticism turned to be working somehow. The bad thing is that Simeon did not put his words into deeds. His credit rating is not just getting down - it is evaporating. The social dispositions are undergoing changes at a dangerously high speed. The worst option of this trend is that Simeon's opponents themselves are to keep him in power till the time comes to divide the electoral heritage. The third problem is connected with the fact that Simeon came into power with the mighty support of myths. Many of these myths had already come to nought: Simeon himself turned from a myth into a prime-minister in a year. The myth, however, of the good leader and evil background survived. This myth erodes the mission of the prime minister. And could be overcome only in the case if the leader acknowledged his mistakes. It will be the real test for the leader.
War Waged Against Customs.
Standartnews
Smuggling provided not only for the bandits, but for many party organizations, too.
Neyka Krasteva
Everything shows that the war against the tries for stricter control on the Bulgarian customs won't end soon. On the contrary, it becomes even more bitter. There are clear signals that smuggling will be bridled. And there are tries this to be hindered in all ways and by all means. Because the smuggling channels provided not only for the criminal groupings, but for many party organizations, too. Until recently the attacks were mainly by criminal groupings. And this was easy to understand. But some UDF politicians started to do the same. This fact is not only indicative. It's disgraceful. Obviously the important thing is constant stir to be caused around the customs in order customs officers not to be able to do their job. And not only their job connected with smuggling. But the closing of one of the most important chapters in the negotiations for joining the European Union - this for the customs, is lying ahead Bulgaria. The chance this to become now, while Spain is chairing the EU, is huge. If the Western countries decide that we could be their outer boundary, our joining to the EU will be easy and quick. And the merit for that won't be to the UDF opposition.
(PY)
The Biggest Church in Smolyan Region To Be Built up.
Standartnews
The first sod of the cathedral will be turned on Sunday.
Nevelina Krassenova
The construction of the biggest Orthodox church in Smolyan region starts. The first sod of the cathedral which will have 1665 sq. m. all out built-up-area will be turned on Sunday in downtown Smolyan. Initiator and main sponsor of the cathedral is lawyer and businessman Todor Batkov, who comes from this region. On the occasion of the first sod the well-known for his high posts in 'MobilTel' and Levski Todor Batkov has donated funds for a vegetarian offering for 500 people and 2,000 levs for foodstuffs for the orphanages in the region. His wife Zdravka Batkova will chair the association, which will build the Orthodox church.
(PY)
Patriarch Maxim Invites Pope To Synodal Palace.
Standartnews
Silvia Nikolova
Patriarch Maxim sent a letter of invitation to Pope John Paul II informing him of the place and the hour of their appointment, said Neophyte, Metropolitan of Dorostol-Cherven yesterday. The meeting of the two spiritual heads will take place in the Synodal Palace, at 11.30 a. m. on May 24, the Metropolitan specified for "Standart". The letter was composed and sent after all the bishops voted for it at the Holy Synod, in line with the Orthodox oecumenical legislation and diplomacy. "No one voted against the visit of Pope John Paul II to the Synodal Palace," Metropolitan Neophyte elaborated.
Vatican confirms May visit to Azerbaijan and Bulgaria.
AP
VATICAN CITY - Keeping up foreign travel despite his frail condition, Pope John Paul II will visit Azerbaijan and Bulgaria in May, the Vatican said Wednesday.
It was the Vatican's first confirmation of the trip that had long been in the planning stages.
The Vatican said it will take place May 22-26, but did not give details.
John Paul, who will turn 82 on May 18, cut back his participation in several Holy Week ceremonies because of what the Vatican described as arthrosis, a joint disease involving destruction of cartilage.
The Vatican on Tuesday denied an Italian newspaper report that surgery was planned on his ailing knee.
The pope's voice is often slurred and his hands tremble, both symptons of Parkinson's disease.
The May trip is part of John Paul's efforts to improve relations with non-Catholics.
Azerbaijan, a former Soviet republic in the Caucasus mountains, is heavily Muslim while Bulgaria is predominantly Orthodox Christian.
Bulgarian leaders hope a papal visit will help dispel lingering suspicions that Bulgarian secret service officers were involved in the 1981 assassination attempt on the pope by Turkish gunman Mehmet Ali Agca.
Three Bulgarians suspected of complicity in the shooting were acquitted by an Italian court for lack of evidence.
Doychin Vassilev's Film Nominated.
Standartnews
The film 'White Dreams' by Bulgarian mountaineer Doychin Vassilev was nominated for the Grand Prix at the cinema festival in Trento, Italy. The organizers informed Vassilev, who in 1997 climbed Everest, of the festival and he would attend the 8-day show and the ceremony on May 4. 'White Dreams' was shot by Doychin during his expedition to the 8-thousand metres high Himalayan peak of Lhotze in 2000. The film is dubbed in English by the author, who hopes to find distributors abroad.
Mara Kalcheva
(PY)
BULGARIA-MIDDLE EAST.
BTA
Bulgaria Will Continue to Work Actively and Constructively for Ending Violence in Middle East.
Sofia, April 3 (BTA) - As a nonpermanent member of the UN Security Council, Bulgaria will continue to work actively and constructively for ending the violence in the Middle east and for finding a lasting settlement of the crisis in that region, it is said in a statement of the Information and Public Relations Directorate of the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry circulated on Wednesday evening.
The statement cites as an example of this ambition the support Bulgaria recently gave in the vote on Resolutions 1397 and 1402 of the Security Council, adopted on March 12 and 30, 2002 respectively.
The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry recalls the above facts in connection with an Agence France Presse (AFP) item informing about a memorandum of the Council of Arab Ambassadors in Sofia which appeals to the Bulgarian Government to contribute to ending the dangerous developments in the Middle East, an appeal made to all members of the Security Council.
Referring to an Arab diplomatic source, an AFP despatch from Sofia reported that the Council of Arab Ambassadors in Sofia had handed a memorandum to Bulgaria, a nonpermanent member of the UN Security Council, insisting that the country give its support to the Palestinian cause.
"The Council of Arab Ambassadors in Sofia is convinced that Bulgaria, together with other countries, will contribute to ending the dangerous developments," the memorandum says. It points out the Arab ambassadors' conviction that Bulgaria "will take part in the international efforts for respecting the sovereignty of the Palestinian autonomous authority and for averting the danger of explosion in the region," the AFP item says.
EURO-INTEGRATION.
BTA
Govt. to Discuss Communication Strategy for EU Accession Next Thursday.
Sofia, April 3 (BTA) - The government will discuss next Thursday the communication strategy for EU accession and the accompanying action plan, Chief Negotiator with the EU Meglena Kuneva said after a two-hour meeting on Wednesday with the leaderships of the parliamentary groups of the Simeon II National Movement and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, the government and the chairpersons of the parliamentary committees.
A Euro-integration ministry is not planned, Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha said after the meeting. "We will choose an appropriate way to highlight the significance of Euro-integration," he added.
The action plan will clarify the main characteristics of the accession talks to the Bulgarian public and will define the right media image that Bulgaria should pursue abroad, Kuneva said.
The communication strategy follows the logic of the acquis communautaire chapters and is divided into three parts that cover the period until the completion of the negotiations, the runup to the actual accession and the post-accession period. The structure of the strategy is related to the coordination between the different state departments, Kuneva said.
No money has been budgeted for the financing of the communication strategy in 2002 but financing will be allocated for this purpose in the 2003 budget bill, Kuneva said. Funding could probably be found under the Phare program; the assistance of the delegation of the European Commission will be solicited, she said. Bulgaria has already secured technical assistance from the Dutch government.
GREECE-PROJECTS-COOPERATION.
BTA
Plovdiv (Southern Bulgaria), April 3 (BTA) - 470,000 euros have been invested in energy-saving projects in several Bulgarian municipalities under a programme financed by the Greek Interior Ministry which was launched in 1997. Several of the projects have already been completed.
The results of the programme, which is run in Bulgaria by the EETAA Greek agency for regional development and local self-government, were presented at a meeting in the Plovdiv city hall Wednesday. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Greek Ministry, diplomats of the Greek Embassy in Sofia and the Consular Office in Plovdiv, as well as the municipal administrations of Sofia, Plovdiv, Smolyan, Radomir, Veliko Turnovo and Haskovo.
EETAA representative for Bulgaria Nikolaos Kafandaris outlined the projects implemented within the programme, whose aim is to introduce energy-saving technologies and increase energy efficiency in the state and private sector.
Under one of these, the heating of the Plovdiv local home for elderly people was rationalized. The home main boiler and the burners of the smaller boilers were replaced and a micro-processing control system introduced. 66 solar collectors were installed, heating 7,000 litres of water up to 60 degrees every day. Once the new heating system is put into operation, the Home will save some 50,000 leva annually.
CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION-PROJECTS.
BTA
Sofia, April 3 (BTA) - Bulgaria suggests that part of the financing made available under the Phare Cross-Border Cooperation Programme for construction of border crossings between Bulgaria and Greece should go towards repairs of the approaches to the two countries. This was announced at a news conference by Hassan Hassan, Minister of Regional Development and Public Works. He co-chairs the Bulgarian-Greek monitoring committee on cross-border cooperation.
A Phare Cross-Border Cooperation Programme for 2002-2006 is expected to be agreed within a month. It is expected to allocate 151 million euros to Bulgaria for border crossings, roads and approaches to highways.
Bulgaria's ambition is to join the EU by 2007, which makes it pointless to build the last crossing, Roudozem-Xanthi, for which the time limit is 2007. Bulgaria suggests that, by analogy with European practice, a common crossing should be built there, which would save Bulgaria and Greece some 8 million euros each.
The Ilinden border crossing is expected to be built by September. A tendering procedure is open for the Makaza crossing and a tender for construction of the Podkova-Makaza road will start in May. The three crossings had to be completed by 1998 under a 1995 Bulgarian-Greek agreement.
CHINA-BULGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTER-VISIT.
BTA
Bulgarian Foreign Minister Passy Assesses Visit to China Beijing, April 3 (BTA spec. corr. Roumyana Kinkina) - The political declarations made during the official talks in China by the Bulgarian and the Chinese side clearly outline the foundations of the future political and economic relations between the two countries, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Passy told BTA and Bulgarian National Radio at the end of his four-day official visit to China. During his visit Passy conferred with Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan, Vice Premier Qian Qichen and Li Ruihuan, Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
Passy underscored Bulgaria's declaration that it will continue its policy towards China clearly formulated in the Bulgarian-Chinese Agreement signed 1998 by then president Peter Stoyanov. The document points out that Bulgaria recognizes and has always recognized a single China and regards Taiwan as an integral part of China's territory.
Bulgaria received assurances that China respects and understands Bulgaria's foreign political choice and its desire for integration in the EU in particular.
Foreign Minister Passy noted that his visit took place at the beginning of Bulgaria's two-year term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. In 2002 and 2003 Bulgaria and China will cooperate within the framework of the UN Security Council and in this respect Bulgaria will be an important partner of the People's Republic of China, Passy said. Bulgaria should use this two-year period in a most rational way, he added.
The visit was planned so as to precede the official visit to China of Bulgaria's Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Nikolay Vassilev which starts on April 22, Passy said and added that China is the world's largest market with an annual commodity turnover of 500,000 million US dollars and enormous investment opportunities. Bulgaria cannot stand aside at a time when countries around the world are showing economic interest in China.
The Bulgarian foreign minister expressed his conviction that Bulgaria's new policy of overcoming ideologization towards China will yield clear economic results.
The high level of the foreign minister's meetings, both at government and at party level, proposed by the Chinese side, is indicative of China's marked interest in contacts with the new Bulgarian Government, Passy said.
During his official visit to China the Bulgarian foreign minister also met with the Mayor of Beijing and the Deputy Mayor of Shanghai, with ambassadors of NATO and EU countries in Beijing and with the Chairman of the Jewish Community in the Chinese capital Shimon Freundlich.
Passy and the delegation accompanying him, which included businessmen, also visited China's largest city Shanghai and the nearby Pudun economic zone.
Ponomariov loses chess battle of the sexes.
AP
By ROBERT HUNTINGTON, Associated Press Writer
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Women's world champion Zhu Chen of China eliminated her male counterpart, FIDE world champion Ruslan Ponomariov of the Ukraine, in the first round of the FIDE Grand Prix chess event here on Wednesday.
The event is the first in an ambitious series of Grand Prix Tournaments sponsored by FIDE, the World Chess Federation.
Further events are planned for Moscow, Dubrovnik, India and Rio de Janeiro later this year. Each tournament is supposed to have a prize fund of at least dlrs 120,000, far above the usual in elite chess events. Each event consists of 32 players playing two-game matches at rapid time controls.
In the first game of Wednesday's match, Ponomariov was lucky to escape with a draw due to his opponent's time trouble. In the second game, Zhu Chen, with Black, won a pawn on move 27 and successfully squelched Ponomariov's attempts at counterplay.
In the other first session matches, Russians Alexey Dreev, Alexander Khalifman and former world champion Anatoly Karpov advanced along with Bulgarians Kiril Georgiev and Veselin Topalov and Frenchmen Joel Lautier and Etienne Bacrot.
Also advancing were last year's FIDE world champion, Vishwanathan Anand of India, as well as Spain's Alexei Shirov, Azerbaijan's Teimour Radjabov, Hungary's Peter Leko, Ukraine's Vassily Ivanchuk and Georgia's Zurab Azmaiparashvili.
Alexander Grischuk of Russia and Nigel Short of England needed sudden-death playoffs to eliminate Russians Alexander Morozevich and Peter Svidler, respectively.
Ponomariov won the FIDE title in January by beating Ivanchuk in Moscow in the finals of a marathon championship that began as a series of two-game knockout matches with 128 players.
Zhu Chen won the women's title in a similar knockout tournament with 64 players that coincided with the preliminaries of the men's championship.
Since 1993, chess has been in a state of civil war with two world champions and two camps at loggerheads.
In that year, Kasparov broke away from FIDE to form the Professional Chess Association and defended his title twice under its auspices before it was dissolved in 1998.
Firms to Agree upon Pipeline in 4 Days.
INTERVIEW Standartnews: Hasan Hasan
No state-run consortium about the pipeline is to be formed, Deputy Regional Minister Hasan Hasan maintains.
Hasan Hasan is Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works. He is in charge of all the projects financed from the pre-admission funds of the EU. Hasan is co-chairing on behalf of the Bulgarian party the working committee for the Bourgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline. He has been authorized to carry out the negotiations and protect the national interests in the project.
Pavlina Zhivkova
- Mr Hasan, the memorandum with Greece and Russia on the pipeline Bourgas-Alexandropoulus will be signed on April 6. Is Bulgaria ready to take part in this project?
- Bulgarian firms have been awaiting for quite a time now to sign the memorandum in order to start work on forming a consortium and making commitments in line with the contract. I expect the memorandum to be signed on April 6 and all its texts to be specified.
- Recently, Minister Paskalev said that a state-run consortium is to be formed, i.e the state is to form a consortium of its own.
- The statements made by Minister Paskalev aim at finding an optimal version of protecting the national interests. I'm doubtful that such an approach - the participation of state-owned firms - will contribute to the implementation of the pipeline.
- If the proposal of the Bulgarian party for establishing of an interstate venture be accepted, how is the Bulgarian share to be allotted among the firms?
- The decision taken by the Council of Ministers shows the way in which the Bulgarian participants in the project are to be selected. The methods have also been specified: negotiations with firms having enough financial and technological capacities. We welcome all the firms that meet these two major criteria. We think that the Bulgarian share should be balanced in terms of distribution in order to guarantee the national interests: employing indigenous working force and using materials of native production.
- How will the state exercise control over the implementation of the project?
- We have to exclude any versions of eliminating the Bulgarian firms. We would be exposed to such a danger if there were ventures in a transbalkan consortium to play on behalf of two or three countries.
- Will Bulgaria profit from the pipeline?
- From the transit taxes only, this country will receive $35 million per year. The indirect profits are to be made as early as at the start of the construction works: Bulgarian materials and work force hired for 3 years. Later we are to sell power at the pump houses to pump the oil down the pipes - yet another energy market. |
