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Velchev Supplied Police with Gas. Gen. Boiko Borissov moved deeply Finance Minister Milen Velchev, too. We will provide an extra sum of 2.5 million levs on police cars, Velchev declared after their meeting. The money will guarantee that the gas for cars on the beat won't be 650 grams from June on. Photo Marina Angelova
Macedonian riot police officers guard the entrance of the Macedonian Parliament in front of workers from Macedonian companies that are losing money during a social protest in Skopje, Thursday, April 4, 2002. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
Members of Macedonian Special Police Forces clash with protestors trying to enter the Macedonian Parliament, April 4, 2002. Thousands of workers from Macedonia's big loss-making companies which are soon to be closed went on a strike on Thursday, demanding better social rights. (MACEDONIA OUT) REUTERS/Ognen Teofilovski
The "We, the Women" newspaper awarded the Business Woman of 2001 Prize to Veska Tsvetanova, owner and founder of hunting wear maker Apolo OOD. Photo: Mrs. Tsvetanova with her husband and son. PressPhoto BTA Photo: Bistra Boshnakova
A flare and bullets fly over Bethlehem's center during an Israeli army attack late April 4, 2002. Armed Palestinians holed up in the city's Church of the Nativity running out of food and water, but refusing to surrender. Meanwhile, Israeli forces widened their West Bank offensive by overrunning the city of Nablus. Photo by Magnus Johansson/Reuters
Riot Police Averts Protesters From Breaking Into Parliament Building.
Makfax
The riot police thwarted a group of enraged protesters who appeared determined to break into parliament building.
The striking employees in loss-making enterprises got enraged when syndicate leaders were not allowed to meet representatives of parliament. They had reportedly broke the police cordon and attempted to enter the parliament building. Riot police intervened and the enraged protesters had retreated back.
Some 1.000 employees in loss-making enterprises massed today outside parliament building, urging the parliament to adopt the law on early retirement and health insurance for those who are about to lose their job.
The parliament building underwent security upgrades in the wake of protesters threats that they will enter the parliament and stay there as long as the government upholds their terms. As many as three police cordons safeguard the security outside the parliament building.
The protesters called on the government to enforce the law on early retirement (25 years of service) and to provide financial assistance (EUR 50 per month) to those who are about to lose their job. This assistance should be disbursed as long as they meet the conditions for early retirement or find another job.
Macedonian government sees these demands as unacceptable, noting that the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) made it clear that such demands are not to be accepted given the widening budget deficit.
SITUATION IN CRISIS REGIONS.
MIA
Two detonations were heard overnight in the village of Lisec in Tetovo town, as well as several detonations in town's area, Media Activity Center at the governmental Coordinate Crises Management Body announced Thursday.
Shots were also heard from a machinegun on "JNA" street, while flares were spotted in Tetovo area.
Occasional volleys of fire were registered in Skopje villages of Aracinovo and Grusino. In Kumanovo - Lipkovo region, apart from the rare sporadic shots and volleys of fire coming from the village of Vaksince. Flares were fired as well.
In Gostivar region, public order and peace was also violated.
It is relatively calm Thursday morning in Tetovo, compared to the night when shootouts with high intensity were heard around 01.00h, coming from the central city area, MIA's correspondent reported.
Some of the bullets fired, ended in the windows and walls of the residential facilities in the area. The offices of Tetovo self-government and "Dora" restaurant, as well as some other facilities on the street of JNA were completely demolished.
The main approaches of this street were blocked with vehicles Thursday morning, while on the sideways, many persons of Albanian nationality were seen.
According to police sources, there was a shootout between two rivalry groups of Albanians. The police forces are not able to get there yet, and the traffic is still halted.
Shots from other town districts as well as from the surrounding villages were registered also overnight in Tetovo and its area.
According to Tetovo Police Department, series of riffle and sporadic shots were registered Wednesday night at 23:30h, coming from the village of Lisec and Rasadiste locality. After a pause of 20 min, two strong detonations were heard in the area of Sara Mountain, in the village of Lisec.
It was a relatively peaceful night in Kumanovo - Lipkovo region, MIA's correspondent reported.
Six cases of violation of the public order and peace were registered Wednesday night between 21 and 05h. Series of 12 sporadic shots were fired from the villages of Nikustak and Matejce. The shots had no definite targets.
The ethnically mixed police teams continue their patrolling activities according to the plan and with the scheduled dynamics.
MINISTER CASULE IN OFFICIAL VISIT TO SPAIN.
MIA
Macedonian Foreign Minister Slobodan Casule who is in official visit to Spain will meet Thursday his Spanish counterpart Josep Pique and the Spanish Senate President Esperanza Aguirre.
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.
Foreign Minister Casule addressed Wednesday the Diplomatic Academy in Madrid on a topic, "Republic of Macedonia and the challenges for stabilization of South Eastern Europe.
PRESIDENT TRAJKOVSKI SUPPORTS COMMITTEE FOR STRUGGLE AGAINST CORRUPTION.
MIA
Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski who attended Thursday the annual assembly of Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, said to the journalists that he is satisfied with Government's decision to establish Committee for determining the allocation of means during Kosovo crisis.
"I am satisfied with the decision of the Government to establish such body for tackling the organized crime and corruption and I expect to see the results from the Committee's activities," Trajkovski said.
Regarding the letter sent by Minister of Interior Ljube Boskovski, who is also the Chairman of the Governmental Committee for preparation of a report on the humanitarian assistance during the Kosovo crisis and its distribution, in which he asked for the entire documentation of the received humanitarian assistance in that period, Trajkovski who was national coordinator for allocation of the assistance at that time said that the entire documentation could be examined within the Foreign Ministry or the Customs Administration, because there was customs declaration for everything that has come into the country.
"The documents on the assistance are not my private property. It should be examined within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I only carried out the political function in order to help to the people who were faced with existential problems," President Trajkovski said.
He reminded that the international community has carried out the activities for providing humanitarian assistance and its distribution, but believes "that if this issue is opened that it would mean that the international community is under suspicion."
"I would prefer this question to be posed firstly to those that sent the letter to me and the international organization, because they led and distributed the assistance. The international community distributed the assistance in coordination with the competent ministries at that time such as the Ministry of Interior Affairs, Finances, Labor and Social Policy, on Education and Transport and Communication," Macedonian President said.
Trajkovski informed that during Kosovo crisis, he had political meetings with all officials, heads of state and governments who visited Macedonia in order to reach political decisions for resolving the crisis, "which was an opportunity for destabilization of the country, for humanitarian, economic and social disaster."
In addition, Trajkovski said that the international as well as the domestic factors have obviously realized that the key threat to the democracy and the development of the democratic processes in the country as well as factor for destabilization of the countries in the region is the organized crime, which according to him has taken roots in the region.
"I believe that we would be frivolous to our friends and partners from the international community if this is considered as struggle between the political protagonists in the country. I stand for affirmation of the struggle against organized crime along with the Government and Minister of Interior. I do not see any contradiction, unless someone tries to switch the thesis that this is a clash between the Macedonian President and Prime Minister," Trajkovski said.
WHO PROVIDES SALARIES FOR EUROPEAN SOLDIERS IN MACEDONIA.
MIA
"The EU initiative to take over the military mission in Macedonia from NATO is excellent and we in the European Parliament support the High EU representative of common foreign and security police Javier Solana in those activities. Still we disagree with his urges the soldiers to be financed from the funds of the member-countries because in that case the European Parliament will loose the control over the operation," said Jost Lagendike, member of the European Parliament Foreign Policy Commission.
In his opinion, the question is if the costs for the operation would be covered by the joint European budget or by the member countries. Behind this question arises the problem with the control over the military operation, diplomats from Brussels comment. If the operation is financed from the EU budget the European Parliament will have control over it and if the mission is controlled directly from the funds of the member-countries it will be under control of the national parliaments.
"It is clear that all member countries want this mission to be realized. However, the European Parliament should be consulted if the funds are coming from the joint budget. I believe that any military operation should be under parliamentary control, but the national parliaments are not capable to do that due to a simple reason that what is important for one country is not important for other," Lagendike said.
In his opinion, Solana insists the member countries to finance the operation. France and Great Britain support Solana, while the Netherlands and Germany want joint financing. High sources from Brussels claim that there is already a debate going on in the EU on this matter.
The European Parliament believes that the elementary costs for the mission should be covered from the joint budget, mainly referring to the logistics, transports and the command. The member countries would cover the expenses for the regular soldiers.
NMS to Form Shadow Cabinet.
Standartnews
The secretaries of the King's party will duplicate ministers.
Pavlina Zhivkova
French political scientists recommended the NMS to form a Shadow cabinet, "Standart" was informed. It took place at a 3-hour confidential meeting with some 20 NMS deputies. The MPs were invited to listen to the advices of a French expert from the team of famous image-maker Jaque Seguella. The French expert formulated his ideas of turning the NMS into an electoral party. To him, the future leaders of the party had to elect national secretaries to cover the sectors of the ministers. Thus future cadres could be trained to take over, if necessary, the posts of those people in the cabinet who failed to cope with their work. No one knows who has invited the men from the team of Seguella, who is one of the best-paid image-makers worldwide. In 1990 he made the UDF campaign.
Sexes Equality Act Overridden.
Standartnews
Elena Yaneva
The Parliament overrode the UDF Bill on the equal opportunities for females and males yesterday after two-hour debates. To the draft, the employer is obliged to provide both sexes with equal chances and remunerations. They should respect the dignity of the subordinate ladies and not exert sexual harassment on them. The transgressors will be levied fines upon from 500 up to 1,000 levs.
'Capital' to Provide 'Democratsia' with Editor-in-Chief.
Standartnews
Iovo Nikolov - journalist in 'Capital' weekly, had been offered to take the office of the editor-in-chief of 'Democratsia' daily, sources from the UDF party organ said for 'Standart'. Nikolov reportedly rejected the proposal. Nikolai Mladenov, the UDF spokesman, and Edvin Sougarev refuted the information. Sougarev, Plamen Oresharski and Assen Grigorov - head of the UDF 'Information' department - paid a visit to the 'Democratsia' headquarters on Monday, to look over its financial and organization problems. A day later the three of them and the UDF National Executive Council had a special sitting, dedicated to the party newspaper. The final decision to replace the now editor-in-chief - Atanas Svilenov, was taken at the sitting.
Vatican Confirmed Pope's Visit to Bulgaria.
Standartnews
Silvia Nikolova
Pope John Paul II will pay a visit to Bulgaria from May 23 at night to May 26, Vatican's spokesman Joaquin Navarro Vals said yesterday at noon. The news was confirmed by Bulgaria's Foreign Ministry as well. Pope John Paul II will meet Patriarch Maxim on May 24 at 11.30 a.m. Earlier the Pope will attend the church service dedicated to the Day of the Cyrillic Alphabet and Culture at the "St. Alexander Nevski" Patriarchal Cathedral, employees from the Holy Synod specified. The letter by the Holy Synod to Pope John Paul II and his meeting with Patriarch Maxim were commented favourably," Bulgaria's ambassador to the Vatican Vladimir Gradev elaborated.
Painter - Deputy Minister of Culture.
Standartnews
Georgi Lipovanski will be the new deputy minister of culture. He headed the Gallery for Foreign Art and accepted to take over the post after he met Minister Bojidar Abrashev, Lipovanski himself admitted for "Standart" yesterday. He took this decision after Minister of Culture Abrashev approved his ideas of cultural policy. To Lipovanski, amendments to the legislation are necessary to free the state of the duty to re-allot funds in the cultural sphere. Lipovanski held the same post in the caretaker cabinet led by Stephan Sofianski.
BG Software at Half Price for the Schools.
Standartnews
Bill Gates greets Parvanov and presents him a laptop.
Elena Yaneva
'Microsoft' is ready to decrease twofold the prices of the Bulgarian software if the company is to equip all Bulgarian schools, Teodor Milev, representative of the company for Bulgaria, said after his yesterday's meeting with President Georgy Parvanov. The head of the state asked what preferences could be provided from 'Microsoft' for schools and universities. 'Such a price reduction could be reached with a bigger client, such as the Ministry of Education, for example,' Milev said. The prices of the software in Bulgarian language are between $1,200 and $2,000. The representative of 'Dell' Plamen Mateev, who also took part in the meeting, promised the schools to receive computers from them at a price by 2 percent lower than the ex-factory one. President Parvanov promised that he'll lobby for the realization of the idea for computerization of the schools. If the deal be sealed, the Ministry of Education will introduce the computer education as a subject for first-grade pupils in Bulgaria. 'Microsoft' presented President Georgy Parvanov with a 'Dell' laptop. It was handed to the President by representative of the company for Bulgaria Teodor Milev. The versions Windows HP and Office HP Professional in Bulgarian were installed in it. Owner of 'Microsoft' Bill Gates extended his greetings to President Parvanov and his expectations to meet him during the visit of the Bulgarian president to the USA.
(PY)
BG Companies Granted Privileges for Public Procurements.
Standartnews
The business needs support, Vice-Premier Nikolay Vassilev said.
Pavlina Zhivkova
Bulgarian firms will be granted privileges when bidding for public procurements, the MPs of the parliamentary economic committee voted for yesterday. The preferences for BG companies, however, will be regulated by a supplementary enactment of the Council of Ministers, to avoid any differences with the EU. To the preliminary Bill, the price offered by the Bulgarian firms at a bidding or competition on public procurements, will be given a discount by 10 percent. 'Our country is in a transitional period until its EU accession, so the Bulgarian business needs to be supported. The compromise will solve the issue to a certain extent,' Vice-Premier Nikolay Vassilev elaborated. The mobile operators will be exempted from duties in line with the Public Procurement Act, MPs decided further. 'This was the unanimous stand of the cabinet,' Nikolay Vassilev added. Otherwise, the investments, the restructuring and the sell out of the Bulgarian Telecommunications Company will be delayed, Vice-Premier said flatly.
Experts: We Could Sell out 'Kozloduy' NPP.
Standartnews
A special privatization strategy of the energy field ventures will be adopted by the cabinet and the National Assembly. The new owners should take into consideration the prices' regulation till the transitional period expires in end-2004. Until then, it is the Council of Ministers to specify the power tariffs for the population. The state will preserve minority share in the power distribution companies, to arrange property differences, Milko Kovachev, Energy Minister, elaborated. The privatization procedures for the ventures will start from June on. The of power plants will be sold out after the new Energy Act is to be passed. The NEC (National Electric Company) and Bulgargas will be denationalized after being restructured. The thermal power plants will be put on the market soon.
POVERTY-WORLD BANK STUDY.
BTA
Poverty in Bulgaria Twice the 1995 Levels, Despite Drastic Decrease Since 1997.
Sofia, April 4 (BTA) - Poverty in Bulgaria remains at twice the levels of 1995, although it has fallen drastically since 1997, states a draft World Bank study on living standards and poverty in Bulgaria, presented on Thursday at a workshop of the Bank in Sofia.
This conclusion is based on a national representative survey conducted in April 2001 by BBSS Gallup International with the support of the World Bank. The study measures living standards using per capita consumption.
The study found that living standards have rebounded since the 1997 crisis, when about 36 per cent of Bulgarians were defined as poor. The new household survey shows that poverty fell by nearly two-thirds to 12.8 per cent in 2001.
The survey found improvements in the living standards relative to the 1997 crisis. But living standards have no improved for all groups within society. Poverty in 2001 was concentrated among vulnerable groups, including large families, the unemployed and poorly educated. The study found Roma to be ten times more likely to be poor than others and ethnic Turks four times more likely to be poor.
The survey found that living standards in the cities, like Sofia, for instance, are higher than the average. Living standards remain lowest in the regions of Varna, Bourgas and Plovdiv.
The survey shows that the average size of a household in Bulgaria is 2.9. Larger families with five and more members form 30 per cent of the population and almost 60 per cent of the poorest strata of society.
The share of unemployment benefits in social benefits have doubled since the mid-1990s. The share of pension benefits has remained steady, according to the findings of the survey.
The two-day workshop on Living Standards and Poverty at which the findings of the study were presented and discussed was organized by the World Bank.
It was attended by Government officials, researchers, journalists, NGO representatives and social partners, the organizers said. The discussions will focus on the characteristics of living standards and poverty as well as on policy measures for improving living conditions in Bulgaria. Oscar de Bruyn Kops, World Bank Country Manager to Bulgaria, said.
Rush for Higher Schools.
Standartnews
The excitement started with a candidate-students' bourse, the price of the manuals ranges from 3 to 7 levs.
Ralitza Krasteva
The candidate-students' excitement starts today with the eight consecutive edition of the candidate-students' bourse. Till April 6 in the museum 'The Earth and The People' in Sofia more than 35 higher schools will present the latest information of the next school year. As a tradition in early April the biggest higher schools take part in the educational forum in all big cities. At it they present their candidate-students' manuals and matriculation documents. In Sofia the bourse lasts till April 6. On April 12 and 13 the bourse will be in Plovdiv, on April 16 and 17 - in Veliko Tarnovo, on April 18 - in Dobrich, on April 19 and 20 - in Varna. The information forum ends on April 26 and 27 in Stara Zagora.
(PY)
CEM is a Media Al-Qaeda.
INTERVIEW Standartnews: Hacho Boiadzhiev
If the rulers would replace the BNT Directors General by the means of adopting laws, they'd better appoint them, Hacho Boiadzhiev says.
- Mr Boiadzhiev, to you, how should the Bulgarian National TV (BNT) Directors General be selected?
- The way it is done in Austria, for example - to be elected by Parliament. This is the way to keep the art staff no matter that the director is replaced.
- In Bulgaria each ruling majority selects a servile TV director.
- Well, yes, but why should the mechanism be so sophisticated!
- What did you aim at while applying for the post of the BNT Director General?
- I wanted to prove that the Council for E-Media (CEM) was an Al-Qaeda of a kind which creates terrorists to struggle against the e-mediae. The now enforced Media Act was drafted by three women: Klara Marinova from the BSP, Neli Ognianova from the UDF and Milena Milotinova from the NMS. The favourite colours of their political forces are red, blue and yellow - the colours of Colombia's national flag. So, the BNT is like a narcotic cartel and each party, after coming into power, changes the rules in line with the party's own interests.
- Now you are a member of the BNT Art Council?
- I feel as if a tornado has swept out everything worthy at the BNT. The BNT and BNR (Bulgarian National Radio) have to be closed down and set up anew as the Bulgarian TV and Bulgarian radio. Under the Media Act at hand, the BNT and BNR Boards of Managers are only impeding the work of the Directors General. The new Board of Managers should have three priorities: a new structure of the BNT, a new program scheme and new rules. Anyone is sadly mistaken if assuming that people are to pay money to watch the rotten program that is broadcast now. Battle rages around Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity.
the Jerusalem Post
By Arieh O'Sullivan and Haim Shapiro
Smoke billows around Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity.
(AP)
BETHLEHEM (April 4) - Israeli tanks and infantry battled with Palestinian gunmen, some dressed as Israeli soldiers, in and around Bethlehem's Manger Square yesterday. The troops drove back the gunmen until about 200 shot their way into the ancient Church of the Nativity, built over the reputed birthplace of Jesus, to seek refuge.
The standoff sparked running negotiations between Israel and the gunmen through the Vatican. The army said the Palestinians continued to shoot from the church throughout the day. At least 10 gunmen were reportedly wounded inside the church.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's media adviser, Ra'anan Gissin, said Israel is making every effort to resolve the situation without bloodshed. But he blamed the Palestinians for violating the holy site's sanctity.
"Because of our military operation, they return to their old practice of trying to use and abuse churches and holy sites in Bethlehem as a refuge and as a place from which they can conduct their attacks against our forces," he told AP.
Elsewhere, a group of Tanzim gunmen took over the Santa Maria Church and held the priests and nuns there against their will, the IDF Spokesman said.
"The terrorists used the church as a position to shoot at Israeli soldiers, but the soldiers refrained from firing at the church," the army said.
The commander of the IDF task force in Bethlehem entered the church yesterday and took the clergy to a safer place, after the gunmen had slipped away undetected. However, the gunmen left behind the body of a comrade, who had been shot in the head.
A tank was positioned at the edge of Manger Square. Bethlehem Mayor Hana Nasser said soldiers had taken over the municipality building overlooking the square and the church.
"We in the IDF understand the symbolism of Bethlehem to the people of the world," said Col. Miri Eisen, a senior IDF intelligence officer. "That is why the chief of General Staff has given a direct order to the forces fighting in Bethlehem to hold fire on religious structures."
Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah told Israel TV that there were mediation efforts underway to solve the crisis. "We heard informally that the Israelis have taken a decision not to storm the church, which will be very wise," he said.
Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said Israel had "no intention to break into any church," but army officials said those inside would not be allowed to go free.
At least a dozen Palestinians were killed in the Bethlehem area over the past two days and reporters said the bodies of four gunmen were still lying on a side street near Manger Square.
The diplomatic representative of the Holy See, Papal Nuncio Pietro Sambi, noted last night the basilica is a sensitive and holy place and expressed the hope that a way could be found to avoid fighting.
"I would suggest patience and a way to solve the present situation that did not involve fighting, which could cause damage, but rather through negotiations," he said.
Sambi added that he hopes "this presence" in Bethlehem could be ended as soon as possible, because the situation of the residents of Bethlehem is painful, with shortages of food and other necessities.
A convoy of armored vehicles yesterday evacuated five Italian journalists and a group of other foreigners - including Americans and Britons - from the town.
The Italian journalists and an Armenian colleague were with the Palestinian gunmen in the compound of the Church of the Nativity.
One of the Italian journalists, RAI TV correspondent Marc Innaro, estimated there were about 300 gunmen inside the church compound, along with some civilians seeking refuge from the fighting. "They were very determined, not nervous, tired also, but not willing at all to surrender," Innaro told The Associated Press.
Innaro said a convoy of armored vehicles from the Italian Embassy, escorted by the IDF, evacuated the journalists from the town.
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said there is a proposal for European foreign ministers to intervene, and it "must be paid attention to." He said a high-level European Union delegation might be sent to the Mideast, but Israel must give them permission to meet Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, and so far the permission has not been given.
The other foreigners were at the Bethlehem Star Hotel, near Manger Square, the town's main plaza, and US federal police and other security officials evacuated them in a five-vehicle convoy, witnesses said.
Wearing flak jackets and sidearms, the US officers rushed into the hotel and used a loudspeaker to call the some 15 foreigners to come out. The forces were equipped with a list of the people they were to evacuate, witnesses said.
Among those taken out was Kunle Ibidun, 30, from Bristol, England, who was wounded in a demonstration two days ago. The same day, Ibidun found out his father had died of a stroke in England, and he has been trying to get out of Bethlehem since then, said Sean Riordan, an American in Bethlehem.
(News agencies contributed to this report.)
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