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Brigadier General Angel Zlatilov officially takes office as commander of the National Military Academy Vasil Levski. Photo: General Zlatilov kisses the flag of Bulgaria's oldest military school which was transformed into an academy under a parliamentary decree. PressPhoto BTA Photo: Naiden Naidenov
From left to right, Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou, Deputy Russian Prime Minister Vlentina Matvienko, Romanian President Ion Iliescu, Georgian President Euard Shevardnadze, Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov, Albanian President Rexhep Meidani, Turkish President A. Necdet Sezer, Black Sea Economic Cooperation Secretary General Valeri Chechelashvili, Azeri President Geidar Aliev, Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin, Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, and Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian pose for a group photo at the end of organization's meeting in Istanbul, Tuesday, June 25, 2002. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)
 Elite commandos and 6 armoured vehicles, led by IM Chief Secretary Gen. Boiko Borissov and Director of the National police Service Major-General Vassil Vassilev, stopped a massacre in the Romany neighborhood "Nov Pat" (New Road) in the town of Vidin. The war between the two clans (Petrovs and Naidenovs) ended up in two killed men and 6 wounded. A police officer was also injured. Law enforcement squads succeeded in taming thousands of people, fighting with rifles, guns, axes, knifes and iron bars. Three houses burned to ashes. Photo BTA
SITUATION IN CRISIS REGIONS.
MIA
Gunshots from different types of infantry weapons have been registered late Monday in Tetovo and neighbouring villages, MIA's correspondent reports.
Police sources say since late Monday until early Tuesday a series of gunshots have been registered from Teke, the reformatory, Gorna Carsija, Vonvardarska, Kupenik settlements, the area around the Red Cross warehouse, the railway station, "SS. Cyril and Methodius" elementary school, "Goce Stojceski" textile high school and Rasadiste locality near Tetovo - Popova Sapka road.
Interior Department from Tetovo says shootouts have been registered from lower slopes of Sar Mountain from the area of Varvara, Mala Recica, Gajre, Lisec, Odri, Dobroste, Palatica, Ozormiste, Trebos and Otusiste.
The situation in Tetovo is relatively calm Tuesday morning without any shootouts, police sources say.
In Kumanovo - Lipkovo crisis region sporadic gunfire was heard Monday night, MIA's Correspondent reported.
Burst of fire and occasional shootings were registered in ten occasions, coming from direction of the villages of Nikustak, Ropajce, Matejce, Cerkes and Lopate.
One Year Since the Disgrace of Arachinovo and the Big Protests in Skopje.
A reprint of an exclusive Reality Macedonia photo story published on June 25, 2001.
Reality Macedonia
Photos by Marko Georgiev
This is how it all happened...
Friday, June 22, 2001
Macedonian forces stared an offensive attack, to liberate the village of Arachinovo, only 7 km away from Skopje. Tanks, artillery, air support, infantry. The battles ware strong and severe. The resistance from the Albanian terrorists was strong, but broke down. The battles lasted for tree days, and in Sunday (Jun.24) afternoon, the terrorists from Arachinovo, put a white flag on several tall houses, as a sign of surrender. Six members of the Macedonian security forces lost their lives, liberating the village.
 After fierce fighting, Macedonian forces liberated the village of Arachinovo, a terrorist base threatening the 700,000 citizens of Skopje, the capitol of Macedonia.
Javier Solana, EU secretary for security and stability, arrived in Skopje the same day, and managed to press the Macedonian government to stop the fire.
Monday, June 25, 2001
The secretary for security and stability of EU (former general secretary of NATO), Javier Solana, made a secret deal with the Macedonian government, to get the terrorists out of the village of Arachinovo.
 NATO made its way to Arachinovo through political scheming.
The way to do it is bizarre and embarrassing for the Macedonian people:
Fifteen (15) air conditioned busses, escorted by KFOR and OSCE, enter the village, get the terrorists out with their weapons, with plan to transport them in Lipkovo region, which is held by the Albanian terrorists since May 4, this year.
Macedonian people, including the security forces that had been defending the country for four months feel betrayed and angry. They were risking their lives on the front lines, so that the terrorist that were shooting on them, get to go free in commodity, and protected by international forces. The village of Arachinovo, goes under control of NATO forces, not under the control of Macedonian security forces.
People from the village of Nikushtak made a barricade and blocked the road for the convoy. People from various places came to join and helped stopping the convoy transporting the terrorists, escorted by the NATO forces.
 Refugees from Arachinovo, who have lost everything to the Albanian terrorists, demanded an explanation from the Government.
At the same time, the refugees from Arachinovo, gathered in front of the Parliament building, asking for explanation why the military action against the Albanian terrorists that had been burning their houses is stopped. Over 5000 people from the capital city of Skopje join them and the riots started.
Skopje, June 25 (MIA) - Before 22:00 h on Monday several protestors from the crowd in front of the Parliament managed to enter in the building, where President Boris Trajkovski was holding a meeting with delegations of citizens and police.
Thousands of humiliated citizens of Skopje came to voice their outrage.
The protestors demanded an answer to the question why the action of the Macedonian security forces for cleaning of Arachinovo village from the terrorists stopped.
Protesters first replaced the new flag of Republic of Macedonia with the older version. Later, the official flag was also raised alongside the ancient one.
Minister of Internal Affairs Ljube Boshkovski held a brief talk with the representatives of the protesting reservists. Soon after that he had to be removed from the spot for his own safety. The protestors damaged two vehicles, property of the Ministry of Police.
Some people stumbled while the crowd was moving.
General of the police Risto Galevski addressed to the citizens and members of the reserve police composition around 23:45 Monday night and on the behalf of his superiors he appealed to everyone in front of the Parliament to withdraw and to allow to the security forces to continue to defend the country. He also appealed to the citizens that are deployed and all those that are not but want to be deployed in the reserve composition of the Police to check in the nearest police station.
Protesters also blocked the nearby streets.
Another police representative addressed the protesters and informed that police posts in Tetovo area and Arachinovo have been attacked. He appealed to the members of the reserve police composition to check in their units immediately. Afterwards the crowd started to withdraw from the Parliament.
Crowds are a great place to do business.
Besides the damaged police vehicles, which were in front of the Parliament's building, two stores in the City's Business Center were also damaged, as well one OSCE vehicle that was in front of "Kultura" Cinema. The windows on the building of the Parliament was also damaged.
PRIME MINISTER GEORGIEVSKI'S STATEMENT.
MIA
"At this moment we are not considering about replacing the Minister of Interior, Ljube Boskovski, and I do not know where are those speculations coming from. We are simply thinking about the electoral unit where we would put him," Macedonian Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski said at the formal opening of the angiography laboratory at the Cardiology Institute in Skopje.
Prime Minister Georgievski is not surprised by the statement given on Monday by the DPA leader, Arben Xhaferi, that the withdrawal of the draft for passports by the Government was a compromise and that it could destabilize the country.
"I will not be surprised if there are such statements throughout the entire pre-election campaign. This is another reason why I constantly underline that we must have in mind the resolving of the final status of Kosovo. Some serious European politicians, like Stability Pact coordinator Erhardt Busek said that Kosovo should be independent. If we do not find this statement radical, than why should we consider a statement given by Albanian politician to be such.
We have serious problems as a nation and as a country and we must deal with them," Georgievski underlined.
He does not believe that the region would be destabilized.
"We live in a continuous destabilization, starting from the denial of the border and the statements given by international politicians that Kosovo ought to be independent. We will hardly reach the end if we continue to analyze only fragments, this should be analyzed as a global problem," he said.
In his opinion, "it is a fact that after the establishment of Ali Ahmeti's party, the DPA and the other political parties in Macedonia have been maximally radicalized."
"I do not know how serious this is, but the establishment of that party practically leads to radicalization of the political vocabulary in the country," he said.
Asked about the passports and the DPA position in regard to that issue, Georgievski said that the Government did what it had to do at that moment.
"After the proposal for the passports we were a bit amazed by the reactions from some of the political parties. However, here everything is daily politics, which includes that decision as well. We cannot build policy on 0.5 percent from the Framework Agreement. Previously, 15 laws with the same spirit and vocabulary were adopted in the Parliament," he said.
In his opinion, "maybe one of the alternatives for closing this issue is another meeting among the leaders," he said, adding, "everything that is arranged among the five leaders is acceptable."
"In order for someone to leave from the Government, not a declaration but a resignation is needed, and the ministers are still active in the Government," Georgievski said, commenting the exiting of the VMRO-Vistinska party from the Government.
SESSION OF THE MACEDONIAN GOVERNMENT.
MIA
Spokesman of the Macedonian Government Gjorgji Trendafilov said that Tuesday's session was not focused on the dismissal of the Minister of Interior Ljube Boskovski.
"We can say that there are many elements that VMRO-DPMNE has to stick to and in general the party has stuck to such agreements so far," Trendafilov explained, answering the journalist question whether Boskovski's dismissal was an obligation arising from the Framework Agreement. He emphasized that he could not assume when and whether such thing would happen at all.
The Government also discussed the Information of the Finance Ministry about the implementation of the legal decision for procurement of fiscal cash registers regarding the announced protests of some of the retailers and craftsmen.
"The Finance Ministry and the Government have no intention of changing their mind. It seems that those persons complaining that this would harm their profits are politically involved," Trendafilov said.
"If they think that they have profited so far by evading the tax, we cannot say that it was true profit as they realized illegal revenues," he emphasized.
Trenadfilov reminded that the Finance Ministry has extended the deadline four times and has undertaken positive campaign to explain the necessity for procurement of fiscal cash registers and to explain the Law in regard with the struggle against the gray economy. "However, despite all efforts some still protest regarding the implementation of this law," Trendafilov said.
The session was also focused on the Information regarding the adoption of draft-laws in order to harmonize the national legislation with the one of the European Union, especially after the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement as a national strategic interest of Macedonia for political and economic integration in the European structures.
The Government also reviewed the Information of the Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry and Water Supply and the Hydrometeorology Bureau on hail protection. The information includes all undertaken activities as well as the future plans.
"The available capacities might not be enough for preventing the farming land from the hail," Trendafilov said.
To a journalist question whether the Finance and Foreign Ministers Nikola Gruevski and Slobodan Casule agree with the Macedonian Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski regarding the corruptness of some foreign journalists, Trendafilov said, "there were no remarks in regard to the Premier's statement made last week."
Trendafilov said that there is no new information considering the governmental draft-law on passports, which was withdrawn last week.
At the Tuesday session presided by Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski, the Macedonian Government discussed on the announced strike of the small businessmen, regarding the introduction of the fiscal cash registers.
The Government believes that so far many compromises have been made in favor of the businessmen, first of all through the amendment for reimbursement of the funds invested for purchase of the fiscal cash registers, so therefore, the Government believes that there is no room for additional compromises and that the fiscal cash registers would decrease the gray economy and would introduce respect for the legal state.
At the session, the Government determined its priority activities for combating the corruption, which will be realized through drastic decrease of the tax evasion, smuggling and money laundering. As main condition for successful prevention of the corruption, the Government outlined the inclusion of the political authorities in the adoption of the measures aimed to prevention from corruption, the responsibility of the institutions in regard to their tasks in this field, exact assessment of the costs, identification and procurement of the needed resources, transparency and access to information and support of the civic society. In that context, the need from involvement of the non-governmental organizations in the programs for combating the corruption was also underlined.
At the session, the Government also reviewed and adopted the information for development of a program for coordination of the national legislation with the one in the EU for 2002, based on a report for realization of the program developed in June 2001, in accordance with Article 68 from the Association and Stabilization Agreement between Macedonia and the EU.
The Government concluded that all subjects, especially the Sector for European integration, the members of the Working committee for European integration, the subcommittee for coordination of the Macedonian with the EU legislation, the departments for European integration and the legal departments in the ministries, ought to work more actively, in accordance with the set deadlines and timeframes.
At the session, the Government urged the meteorology department to develop a feasibility study for improvement of the system for hail protection.
CONFERENCE OF CEI MINISTERS OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
MIA
The Conference of CEI Ministers of Foreign Affairs will be held Wednesday in Ohrid. The current holder of CEI presidency is the Republic of Macedonia.
Macedonian Foreign Minister Slobodan Casule will preside over the ministerial meeting. The main topics will be the current situation in Central Europe and the role of CEI after the admission of new members in the European Union.
The representatives of 17 CEI Member States should adopt the budget for 2002 and approve the conclusions from Conference on CEI Co-operation held on Monday. The final document will be adopted at the end of the meeting.
A trilateral meeting is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Macedonia, FR Yugoslavia and Croatia, Slobodan Casule, Goran Svilanovic and Tonino Picula focused on regional co-operation mainly in the field of energetic and combat against the terrorism. The perspectives of the process of integration of the three countries in the European and Euro-Atlantic structures will also be discussed.
Interethnic Roundtable on Human Trafficking in Kumanovo.
IOM
As part of a program by the International Organization for Migration to raise awareness about human trafficking, a roundtable was organized by DAJA, a Roma NGO, and facilitated by IOM in Kumanovo on 21 June. Fifteen local leaders from the area from various ethnic groups including Macedonian, Albanian and Roma participated in the roundtable and discussed ways in which local NGOs and community members could work together to contribute to the fight against trafficking.
The event was hosted by the NGO Resource Center in Kumanovo, which is owned and operated by eleven NGOs from six different nationalities who work together on projects that benefit greater Kumanovo and its people. The roundtable sparked the interest of the group who have decided to continue to hold this roundtable on a monthly basis as a working group platform in which strategies may be discussed and projects may be designed.
ANGIOGRAPHY INTERVENTION CARDIOLOGY LABORATORY OPENED AT SKOPJE CLINIC CENTER.
MIA
At the Institute for cardiac diseases at the Skopje clinic center, Macedonian Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski formally put in use the new laboratory for angiography and intervention cardiology.
"The activities of the Government in 2000 provided certain surplus of money which today are becoming reality," Georgievski.
The newly opened laboratory will enable better health protection for the citizens, which is one of the priorities of the Clinic Center.
The Prime Minister expressed belief that "the current reforms that the Ministry of Health is carrying out will provide to our country modern and European health system."
Addressing the present, Health Minister Gjorgji Orovcanec said, "this investment is only a segment of the entire investment activity that the Government has been realizing in the past four years."
He reminded to the projects realized in the health sector so far, such as the laboratory for electro-fisiology, the complete renewal of the toxicology clinic and its upgrading in an urgent center, as well as the opening of two new blocs, one for plastic and the other for neuro surgery.
Regarding the speculations for the alleged presence of the "Koxsackie" virus in Macedonia, Orovcanec underlined, "the disease was definitely not confirmed, because all tests were negative."
"There is no epidemic, there are no new cases. Simply, there is no disease. If it eventually appears, we have the tests and we are prepared," he said.
Director of the Institute for Heart Diseases Sasko Kedev said that the newly opened laboratory is equipped with most sophisticated technology that enables intensive diagnostics and treatment of the patients with coronary artery disease.
The laboratory will hire 15 educated and young persons, as well as complete technical personnel.
The Macedonian Government provided the funds in amount of 1,3 million.
"The money come from the surplus in the budget for 2000 and are intended for procurement of medical technology," Kedev stressed.
He also reported that the Second Macedonian Congress for Cardiology that is to begin in Ohrid on Wednesday.
PERMANENT MUSEUM DISPLAY "MACEDONIA'S ETHNOLOGY" OPENED.
MIA
Macedonian Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski opened the permanent museum display "Macedonia's Ethnology" in the Museum of Macedonia Tuesday evening. This is the first complete exhibition of the ethnological department of the Museum after 1976, when the Ethnological Museum was moved into a new building.
Opening the display, Prime Minister Georgievski expressed his satisfaction from the significant investment efforts and the activities of the Government and the Ministry of Culture for improvement of the entire cultural infrastructure.
"We are experiencing a true renaissance in this field, Georgievski said, adding that the nurturing and continuing investments in culture would mean the perseverance of the country's spirit before the interior threats, as well as the ones of the world globalisation", Georgievski stated.
He emphasised that this exceptionally significant collection met the standards of world museology and ethnology.
The ethnologic display includes the presentation of original ethnographic items, models, ambiences, photographs and paintings at 2,500m2 of exhibition space.
The items, which have been gathered for a longer period throughout Macedonia, originate mostly from the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. The exhibition has several thematic entireties, which encompass folk customs and musical instruments, folk costumes and jewelry of the Macedonian population, but also of the Albanians, Turks, Vlachs, Romas, as well as architecture, weaving, crafts, ambiences of a town house and three village houses.
The financial support of the project, which presents the traditional material and spiritual culture of Macedonia, in amount of 100,000, was provided by the Macedonian Ministry of Culture. The 50,000 donated by the "Telecom" enabled the restoration of the Museum building wall, which damp delayed the display.
The preparations for the permanent ethnologic display have started 20 years ago. Regarding all Museum departments, the ethnologic one has the biggest fund of around 20,000 items, 10% of which are presented at the exhibition, i.e. 2,000 displays. Since this is a sensitive material, two years were needed for its conservation and preparation. The items will be conserved in every two years, or will be replaced with new ones that are kept in the museum depots.
According to the director of the Museum of Macedonia Dragisa Zdravkovski, "the skeleton of the exhibition will remain in the next 20 years, with little changes". Unlike the archeological, the historical and the icon departments, the ethnological one encompasses the largest space of the total volume of the Museum of Macedonia, which amounts at 12,000m2.
New Player For The Elections In Macedonia.
Reality Macedonia
By Irina Gelevska
Skopje - "These are critical times for Macedonia and we the Macedonian emigration abroad want to help our fatherland," says Nestor Oginar, the leader of "POMNI" (Remember), the new political party in Macedonia.
"We do not want to win the power. We want to return the trust of the people in the state institutions," says Oginar, adding that his party is new but, it will gain trust of the Macedonians in a way similar to Vasil Tupurkovski's party Democratic Alternative won the power for the Prime Minister Ljubcho Georgievski of the VMRO-DPMNE 4 years ago: by promising one billion US dollars from Taiwan.
"We can rise billions and billions of dollars, because the Macedonian emigration in USA, Canada, Brasil, Western Europe, and Australia, quite well off," says Oginar, who is rich and well known doctor of medicine in Washington DC.
The new political party "Pomni" announced that it will officially start the election campaign in July.
On 28th of June, the opposition parties lead by SDSM (Social Democratic Union of Macedonia) intends to make the first rally at the Skopje's main square.
BSEC-PURVANOV-SHEVARDNASZE.
BTA
Bulgarian, Georgian President Agree to Promote Good Bilateral Relations.
Istanbul, June 25 (BTA exclusive by Nahide Deniz of BBC) - Bulgarian President Georgi Purvanov met Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze Tuesday on the sidelines of the Decennial Summit Meeting of the heads of state or government and the foreign ministers of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) countries.
"Our relations with Bulgaria have always been good but there has been a standstill in their development for some time due to various problems. Things were cleared at our meeting with Mr Purvanov and we agreed to constantly promote good bilateral relations," Shevardnadze told BTA emerging from the meeting.
The Georgian President stressed that Bulgaria and Georgia have common interests, citing the "Silk Route" as an example.
"This is a global project of interest to both countries and we discussed our cooperation on it. We also dwelled on cooperation in the transfer of natural gas," Shevardnadze told BTA.
BSEC-ISTANBUL-PURVANOV.
BTA
President Purvanov: BSEC's Establishment Opened Road to Promising Regional Cooperation.
Istanbul, June 25 (BTA exclusive by Nahide Deniz of BBC's Bulgarian desk) - Speaking before the 10th meeting of the BSEC government and state leaders and foreign ministers Tuesday, Bulgarian President Georgi Purvanov said that the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) commands respect as regional and international organization.
"Ten years ago the leaders of the eleven Black Sea countries signed a joint declaration which put the beginning of the BSEC.
Today we mark the 10th anniversary of the organization. This organization is still too young but we can claim that we, the eleven states, opened the road to a very promising regional cooperation. We are different in terms of language, religion and culture, but we are the same in our efforts for good neighbourly relations, understanding and mutual assistance," Purvanov said.
The Bulgarian president noted that the Black Sea is the region's biggest natural resource. Although it was disputed during past wars, the Black Sea now unites the people living on its coasts. It is the very people of these countries that are the other big resource of the region, said the president. "We should use these two resources and protect them as the main source of prosperity," he noted.
The president pointed out that the Black Sea region is particularly receptive to large-scale and long-term investment in the energy, transport, telecommunications and trade, which is one of BSEC's main goals.
"We joined forces to build and develop an organization with strong institutions, now it is time to find specific ways to achieve greater efficiency, to implement regional infrastructure and other projects of benfit for everyone," said the Bulgarian president, adding: "That is why we attach special importance to the implementation of the Economic Programme which was adopted in Moscow in April 2001."
"A key factor for our success is Europe's growing interest in the Black Sea region and in particular in the implementation of joint projects," said Purvanov.
He stressed that BSEC's participation in the Stability Pact for Southeastern Europe can give an impetus to the development of the region and promote interstate contacts, which in turn is a factor for the region's stability.
Purvanov dwelled on the problem of international terrorism, stressing that the September 11 terrorist attack posed a threat to the world and to the region.
"The BSEC can play an important role in the fight against terrorism and we, the BSEC members, should outline more active measures for cooperation in the fight against terrorism, smuggling, and organized crime," said the Bulgarian head of state.
Bulgaria assesses highly the role played by the organization in the process of promotion of integration between the countries in the Black Sea region and will continue to contribute to its future success, Purvanov concluded.
SOUTHWEST PLANNING REGION-WORKING MEETING.
BTA
Bulgaria Needs Unitary Planning Document for Regional Development.
Sofia, June 25 (BTA) - Bulgaria utilizes only 50% of money provided by the EU, Regional Development Minister Kostadin Paskalev said at a working meeting with representatives of the Southwestern Planning Region.
Bulgaria should work out a unitary planning document for regional development with the involvement of the local authorities, the regional governors and the central government, Paskalev said.
He also said he is in favour of allowing the residents of each of the country's regions to elect their regional governor.
That would guarantee the governor's political impartiality and the implementation of long-term investment projects.
Paskalev noted the absence of local administrative structures in charge of regional development.
Paskalev said he will present on Friday to Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha the opinion of the National Electric Company (NEK) on the future of its Upper Arda Hydropower Company (UAHC) joint venture with Turkish holding Ceylan. The Bulgarian side will propose to Ceylan to sell NEK their 30% stake at face value plus an 8% interest. If the Turkish side is skittish about the offer, UAHC will be dissolved, Paskalev said.
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha is then expected to move the report to the Council of Ministers or name concrete steps to solve the problem, Paskalev said.
Under the 1998 agreement with Turkish side, the participation in the project of Ceylan Holding is not mandatory, he said, quenching fears that these developments could harm bilateral relations.
The NEK report comes in response to Ceylan's letter in which the holding wants NEK to buy them out of the project while Ceylan remain a contractor in a consortium with another Turkish company, Aideniz Group.
Asked about the progress of the Bourgas-Alexandrupoulis pipeline project, Paskalev said he expects Bulgaria, Greece and Russia to sign an intergovernmental agreement on the project in late 2002.
BOSNIA-SFOR-BULGARIA.
BTA
Sarajevo, June 25 (BTA) - A rotation of the main part of the guard company of the Bulgarian contingent in the NATO Stabilization Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina (SFOR) took place at the Butmir camp near Sarajevo on Tuesday, the Defence Ministry told BTA.
The second part of the company will arrive on July 2.
Since January 2002 the Bulgarian company has been guarding the SFOR headquarters. It comprises 149 volunteers - career servicemen with authorized armament and combat materiel, the press release recalls.
BULGARIA-NATO-VISIT.
BTA
Bulgarian Chief of General Staff Kolev Meets Supreme Allied Commander Europe Joseph Ralston.
Brussels, June 25 (BTA) - Gen. Nikola Kolev, recently appointed Chief of General Staff of the Bulgarian Army, on Tuesday met with Gen. Joseph Ralston, NATO'S Supreme Allied Commander Europe, the press centre of the Defence Ministry said.
Gen. Ralston expressed support for the efforts made by the new leadership of the Bulgarian General Staff in preparation for NATO membership.
This is Gen. Kolev's first visit to the NATO Headquarters.
Ge. Kolev and Gen. Ralston discussed some aspects of the Bulgarian military reform and the participation of Bulgarian troops in peacekeeping operations.
Bloody Vendetta in Vidin.
Standartnews
Parvoleta Tsvetkova
Riot police squad led by Gen. Borissov managed to stop bloodshed in two hours.
A Gypsy neighborhood in Vidin turned into a battle field. The fight sparked off because of a vendetta between two local clans. Fierce skirmish between two families - the Naidenovs and the Perovs - left two dead and many injured. Only interference of the police prevented further rage. The reason for the clash was disappearance of a 19-year-old Tsvetelin Perov. His relatives claimed that the boy was killed by Naidenov brothers, Nachko and Angel. They threatened with revenge which infuriated the Naidenovs' clan and on Saturday night they stormed the house of Tsvetelin. Shooting started from both sides. In the melee Georgi Malinov (41) was killed with an ax. He died in an ambulance on the way to Sofia. Several thousand took part in this free-for-all. Molotov cocktails set on fire three houses. Several people were gunned down with hunting rifles. Chief Secretary of Interior, Gen. Boiko Borissov was informed about the riot and immediately took over the command. Director of the National Police Service Major-General Vassil Vassilev, Director of the National Service for Organized Crime Combat, Col. Roumen Milanov, Director of the Gendarmerie Forces, Col. Zhivko Zhivkov, and No.1 firefighter, Col. Kiril Voinov, all joined in the operation. Police reinforcement was brought to the region - some 350 policemen arrived from Vratsa, Montana and Sofia along with gendarmerie officers, 60 riot policemen with dogs and 6 armored vehicles. Makeshift check-points were set up to look for arms, munitions and bottles with Molotov cocktail. By 2.30 p.m. the situation was under control. On Sunday it transpired that the day before policemen found Tsvetelin dead. A nineteen-year-old was brutally murdered. Within 24 hours the perpetrators - Naiden Naidenov (30) and his brother Angel (24) - were tracked down and apprehended. Both are kept in custody. The regional prosecutor's office has started a law suit against them.
Gaddafi's Son Defended Bulgarian Medics.
Standartnews
The infecting of Libyan children with HIV was not intentional as a result from conspiracy, but because of negligence, said Saif al-Islam, leader of the Gaddafi International Foundation for Charitable Associations in an interview for BBC. He elaborated that his foundation made an investigation of its own and established new HIV cases, after the Bulgarian medics were detained, which was indicative of violations in running the hospital, negligence and lack of discipline, causing the tragedy. All these conclusions are recorded in the report of the foundation and Bulgaria's Foreign Ministry was informed about it.
Minister Shouleva Plays with Fire.
Standartnews
Vladislava Pejeva
Minimum wage concept is the main tenet of BG legislation.
Minister of Labor and Social Policy, Mrs. Lydia Shouleva, has started a dangerous game with the poor. With enviable ease the vice of PM Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha concocts and promotes recipes for curbing unemployment and ensuring fresh cash for social insurance. The concept of minimum wage in Bulgaria is an anachronism, there's no sense in sticking to it further, announced Shouleva on the National Radio. In practice, though, all norms and standards of the social and labor code in this country are based on and linked with the minimum wage. Any change, involving minimum wage, would mean a totally new legislation. And nothing could be more absurd having in mind that in the 39th National Assembly the MPs sometimes spend a whole workday on one article only. If they don't scramble it finally. It would be interesting to know what will be the reference point in fixing social aids for electricity and heating for the poor if it's not the minimum wage. In Bulgaria the minimum wage is not at all a fictitious index. Because at the moment it is a corner stone for social and health insurance and taxation policy. In many laws punitive sanctions ensue from the minimum wage concept. This includes consumer credits the banks give. Apart from it, guaranteeing a minimum wage to people the state shoulders responsibility for their living standards. It shouldn't be left out that the minimum wage is also a factor that helps curb inflationary processes in national economy.
US Dollar Fell vs Bulgarian Lev
Standartnews
Stephan Kioutchukov
to 1.999 and even more yesterday, which is its lowest rate in the recent two years. The prices of the goods, however, remained the same because Bulgaria's import is predominantly from the EU and is dependent on the euro.
IMF - FINANCIAL MINISTER.
BTA
Meetings of Finance Minister Velchev in US.
Washington, June 25 (BTA) - Bulgarian Finance Minister Milen Velchev, who is on a two-day working visit to Washington, met with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Horst Koehler and other high-ranking representatives of international financial institutions, the information service of the Finance Ministry told BTA.
Velchev briefed Koehler on the economic data about Bulgaria in the second quarter of 2002, the progress of reforms, the intentions of the Government, and the implementation of the country's agreement with the IMF. On July 20, the IMF Board of Directors will make a review of the fulfilment of the agreement with Bulgaria.
During his meeting with Gerald Schiff, IMF Mission Leader for Bulgaria, Velchev and the IMF official discussed the schedule of raising the prices of electricity and heat power.
These prices are expected to be increased soon, by which Bulgaria will meet all its commitments under the agreement, and the mission leader will be able to recommend to the Board of Directors to approve the fulfilment of the agreement so far.
Velchev met with World Bank Executive Vice President Peter Woicke.
They discussed the meeting of commitments under PAL 1 (Programmatic Adjustment Loan) and some other projects, including the creation of a unified revenue agency (URA).
The bill on the establishment of the unified revenue agency was discussed by Velchev and Carlos Ferreira, Task Manager of the project, is expected to be submitted to the Council of Ministers for discussion on Thursday.
Velchev conferred with Peter Wicke, Executive Vice President of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a subsidiary of the World Bank that finances projects in the private sector only. The IFC expressed readiness to take part, along with other investors, in Bulgarian privatization projects.
Velchev had also a meeting with Bruce Jackson, Chairman of the US Committee on NATO. They discussed the financial aspects of Bulgaria's accession to the Alliance, as well as - only tentatovely, the commitments Bulgfaria would assume as a full-fledged partner of NATO, relating to defence spending, investments and other general parameters,based on the Bulgarian based on the government three-year projections.
The Bulgarian Finance Minister told Jackson about the steps taken by the Bulgarian Government to fight corruption and the actions for completing the reform of the army.
WHEAT-HARVEST-PROJECTIONS.
BTA
Agriculture Ministry Expects High Wheat Yield.
Sofia, June 25 (BTA) - Some 80 per cent of the land under wheat has been sown with high quality seed which justifies expectations of a high yield, Association of Grain Producers Chairman Dimiter Katrandjiev told the Consultative Council on Grain Tuesday, the Agriculture Ministry said.
According to grain producers, the main agritechnical measures in wheat growing have been implemented and the high quality of the wheat will provide good opportunities for export.
Bulgarian wheat stands good chances on the international markets, Sofia Commodity Exchange Deputy Director Hristo Milenkov said. There is a trend of a decrease in wheat production in countries like Russia, Ukraine and Romania - by 12.5, 16 and 25 per cent respectively. Grain shortages are also possible in Northern Africa, Milenkov said.
Wheat is also in short supply in Macedonia and it is counting on imports from Bulgaria, Agriculture Minister Mehmed Dikme said. This year's sunflower seed harvest is also expected to be good and between 350-400,000 tonnes of it may go for export. The Agriculture Ministry expects the barley harvest to exceed 1,200,000 tonnes.
Addressing the Consultative Council, Dikme spoke of the need to pursue of a balanced policy in the grain sector. He said the Ministry would defend the interests not only of producers but also of consumers in this sector.
At its next session the Governing Board of the State Fund Agriculture will decide on subsidies for preserving grain of the 2002 harvest and will discuss possibilities for opening an export subsidies line. The decision will be coordinated with the strategy for financial assistance of farm producers and the Fund's budget for next year, the Agriculture Ministry said.
Cabinet Doesn't Put Enough Efforts to Protect N-Plant.
INTERVIEW Standartnews: Nikita Shervashidze
Victoria Serafimova
Experts make mistakes that hamper our efforts to defend debatable units, maintains Nikita Shervashidze.
Nikita Shervashidze is the former chairman of the Energy Committee (now the Ministry of Energy). Currently he is a member of the Civil Committee for the Protection of "Kozloduy" Nuclear Power Plant. On June 10, the representatives of this organization filed in a claim in the EU court in Luxembourg against the stand of the European Commission which questions the safety of the small reactors in the BG nuclear power plant. On Sunday Shervashidze took part in the meeting initiated by President Parvanov. During the meeting ministers, politicians and experts were supposed to put their heads together and come out with a collective stand on "Kozloduy".
- Mr. Shervashidze, what has happened at the meeting with the President devoted to the N-plant's problems?
- We were hoping that the President will make an attempt to smooth out the most controversial points and help defend the interests of Bulgaria. Much to our regret, though, what we saw was beneath any criticism. We do support the Energy Ministry and the efforts of people who work there. However this doesn't mean that our support is unconditional. We have our critical remarks.
- What are they?
- For instance the concept of energy strategy. Only two figures are quoted in it and both are wrong. We don't say that they have worked out a bad strategy. We say that some figures are not only wrong, but may be used against us.
- And what are the options of the units' decommission that the President proposed?
- He tabled three scenarios - the most optimistic one is to keep functioning all the units. The second one is to keep going Units 3 and 4, fulfill the commitments made before the European Union and decommission the small reactors before 2006. We intend to attack the stand of the European Commission putting forward purely technical arguments. We want to prove that EU enlargement commissioner, Guenter Verheugen and his colleague, Loyola de Palacio are inexpert in nuclear power engineering. They are convinced that the reactors in Kozloduy are of Chernobyl type. Which is far from being true.
- Has any of the MAGATE missions arrived at the conclusion that the reactors are not technically safe?
- No such assessment has ever been made. And this is our most weighty argument. In Bulgaria there are enough nuclear power experts who can defend these arguments. Without small reactors our N-plant cannot function. If the first four units are stopped, it will be detrimental to the whole plant. Apart from it, decommission of Units 1 and 2 only will lead to a 15-percent rise in electricity prices, while the premature closure of the small units will result in even more substantial price increase. Bosnia Peacekeeping Mission Could End.
AP
By EDITH M. LEDERER, Associated Press Writer
UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The NATO-led peacekeeping mission in Bosnia could be forced to halt operations on July 1 over a U.S. demand that its peacekeepers be exempt from prosecution by the world's first permanent war crimes tribunal, Britain's U.N. ambassador said Tuesday.
It's "at least a theoretical option," Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock said. "It's just a question of how hard the parties to this issue want to play it. But it's not to be entirely dismissed that an individual peacekeeping operation may be held hostage to a much wider and deeper question."
The United States has threatened to end its participation in U.N. peacekeeping operations if the council does not grant American peacekeepers immunity from arrest and prosecution by the new International Criminal Court, which becomes a reality on July 1.
The U.N. Security Council on Friday extended the authorization for Bosnia's 17,000-strong NATO-led force, which includes 3,100 Americans, and the U.N. mission to train the country's police force until June 30, giving members more time days to find a compromise.
But Greenstock said "there's nothing on the table that looks like common ground at this moment."
The United States is the only vocal opponent of the court and its demand has put the council in a tough spot. Six council members have ratified the Rome treaty establishing the court including U.S. allies Britain and France, six others have signed and plan to ratify, and even China, which hasn't signed the treaty, backs it.
Former President Clinton signed the treaty, but in early May, President Bush's administration announced that it wants nothing to do with the court.
The United States objects to the idea that Americans could be subject to the jurisdiction of the new court if a crime is committed in a country that has ratified the treaty even if the United States is not a party. Washington says that would leave U.S. troops and citizens vulnerable to frivolous or politically motivated prosecutions for war crimes.
Supporters contend the treaty has safeguards against this.
Last week, the United States moved in the Security Council to get blanket protection from the court's jurisdiction for Americans taking part in all U.N. or U.N.-authorized peackeeping operations. Because of the impending extension it introduced an amendment for a specific exemption for the Bosnia mission.
Greenstock said there were four possible outcomes on June 30.
The Bosnian peackeeping mission could be extended for another short period.
The U.S. exemption issue could be temporarily settled and the mission could be extended for a normal six-month period while talks continue. There is no solution and the mandate for the Bosnian mission ends.
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