No shootouts are heard Friday morning in Tetovo crisis region unlike Thursday night when burst of fire and sporadic shootings have been heard until early this morning that violated the public order and peace.

 

Police and army sources say the intensity of the shootings has been increased between 21:00 until midnight when a series of firing were registered from Kupenik, Drenovec 2, Ciglana, Vonvardarska settlements, Tetovo Teke, the reformatory and "Kuzman Josifovski-Pitu" barracks.

 

During Thursday night shootings were also heard from Rasadiste locality and from the villages of Mala Recica, Trebos, Palatica, Ozomoriste, Dzepciste, Lisec, Gajre, Odri and Strimnica.

 

Police sources say that last night's shootings have been directed at unknown targets.

 

The body of a student from Tetovo para-university, who was shot in the head, was transported to the medical centre in Tetovo late Thursday around 21:00 hours.

 

President of the Tetovo Court of Original Jurisdiction, Dzemal Arifi, said that the student was shot at the apartment block "82" in Tetovo. The body was transferred to the Forensic Medicine Office.

 

The officials of Court of Original Jurisdiction - investigation department, the Public Prosecutor's Office and Interior Department conducted investigation and work on resolving of this case.

 

Sporadic shootouts have been registered Thursday in the period from 16:00 to 24:00 hours in Kumanovo - Lipkovo region, MIA's correspondent reports.

 

Sporadic shootings and burst of fire have been registered eight times from the villages of Lopate, Ropajce and Vistica. There has been no respond to the provocations.

 

Patrolling of ethnically mixed police teams continues in the villages of Tumanovce, Strima, Lukare, Izvor and Gosince.

 

 

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) - Bulgaria and the United States signed an agreement Friday to destroy the Balkan country's Cold War-era missiles.

 

Bulgaria, which hopes to join NATO, agreed to scrap more than 100 Soviet-made SS-23, Scud and FROG missiles, U.S. Ambassador James Pardew said after signing the accord with Defense Minister Nikolai Svinarov.

 

In a statement, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher praised the Bulgarian government and said the agreement was "a significant step forward in its strategic goal of joining Western security and economic structures."

 

Pardew said the missile destruction will improve Bulgaria's standing with Western alliances.

 

"They no longer have regional military value, they are an unnecessary cost to Bulgarians and they represent an obstacle to Bulgaria's strategic goals of joining Western defensive and economic structures," Pardew said.

 

Svinarov said the weapons to be destroyed "no longer correspond with the missions and the tasks of our armed forces, which have a defensive character."

 

The U.S. government will pay for the destruction, likely to cost several million dollars, Pardew said.

 

Bulgaria's SS-23 missiles are the last of that type known to exist, Pardew said.

 

The medium-range surface-to-surface missiles can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads, but Bulgaria has consistently denied having nuclear weapons. The Scuds are short-range missiles, and the short-range FROGs are meant for surface-to-surface use.

 

Bulgaria hopes for an invitation to join NATO during an alliance summit later this year in Prague, the Czech capital. NATO has urged Bulgaria to scrap the old missiles, saying they pose a safety risk.

 

The destruction of the missiles is expected to be completed by November, Boucher said Friday in Washington.

 

 

 

Bled, May 31 (BTA Special Correspondent Sevdalina Nikolova) - Bulgarian President Georgi Purvanov and his Yugoslav counterpart Vojslav Kostunica pledged at a meeting on Friday to step up bilateral relations in the political and economic field. The Bulgarian and Yugoslav Heads of State shared the view that the two countries should focus their joint efforts in the construction of the trunk road connecting Sofia and Nis and for the signing of a free trade agreement by the year-end, the press secretariat of the Bulgarian President said after the meeting.

 

Purvanov and Kostunica are in Bled to attend the Ninth Annual Meeting of Heads of State of Central European countries.

 

Purvanov said he supports the process of democratization in Yugoslavia and the country's inclusion in the European structures, such as the Council of Europe and the Partnership for Peace programme.

 

The Bulgarian President expressed a hope that developing Yugoslavia's legal framework by including regulations on the rights of national minorities will benefit the Bulgarian national minority there.

 

Purvanov hailed the agreement settling the relations between Serbia and Montenegro and said it will have a stabilizing effect in the region.

 

Kostunica invited his Bulgarian counterpart to pay an official visit to Yugoslavia, which, in the opinion of the two officials, should include signing of documents regulating bilateral ties.

 

 

 

Sofia, May 31 (BTA) - Foreign Minister Solomon Passy and Albanian Deputy Foreign Minister Luan Hajdaraga signed on Friday an agreement relaxing visa regulations between Bulgaria and Albania.

 

The signing of the agreement is linked with Bulgaria's new visa policy and the process of harmonization with the European standards, Passy said. The agreement is intended to facilitate travel and contacts for the two countries' nationals. The entry and sojourn requirements for holders of ordinanry passports are relaxed; no invitation is required in humanitarian cases and for package tourists.

 

Bulgarians and Albanians holding valid diplomatic or business passports will be able to enter and stay in the respective country for up to 90 days from the date of their first entry. This period can be extended in conformity to the legislation of the receiving country, said Passy.

 

The Bulgarian foreign minister expressed hope that the signing of the agreement would create favourable conditions for the further development of bilateral relations.

 

"The signing of the agreement is part of our intentions to see the two countries join the EU as soon as possible, and probably join NATO before that," Passy said.

 

Hajdaraga said the agreement would promote bilateral relations, especially in the economy. He called the document particularly important for Albania, which considers Bulgaria a friendly state. He reaffirmed that the two countries shared a wish for integration into the EU and NATO, and were ready to cooperate at the regional level.

 

 

 

INIS Liaison Officer Impressed by Level of Safety of Kozlodoui Sofia, May 31 (BTA) - "I was particularly impressed with the safety provisions I heard, the emergency preparedness and the overall safety programme," Charles Morgan, the US Liaison Officer with the International Nuclear Information System (INIS) of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told a BTA reporter after a tour of the Kozlodoui Nuclear Power Plant Thursday. He also said he was pleased that Bulgaria uses the US standards for training and emergency planning.

 

Another participant in the tour, French INIS Liaison Officer Christa Brulet, said that her country too uses a large share of nuclear power energy and this type of energy can contribute to the sustainable development of countries.

 

Even if there are problems now with the storage of spent nuclear fuel, these problems will be overcome by the new technologies, she said.

 

According to Turkish INIS Liaison Officer Olcay Sahin Seckin, Kozlodoui looks "very safe". She hopes that the N-plant will be in operation for many more years because her country buyers cheap electricity from it.

 

The INIS liaison officers visited Kozlodoui Thursday, which was the last day of the 30th international consultative meeting.

 

 

 

German President Tells Bulgarian Counterpart It Is Too Early to Say What Countries NATO Will Invite.

 

Ljubljana, May 31 (BTA spec. corr. Sevdalina Nikolova) - According to German President Johannes Rau it is too early to say what countries will be invited to join NATO. Rau said that during a brief meeting with his Bulgarian counterpart Georgi Purvanov Friday and was quoted by Purvanov's foreign policy secretary Georgi Dimitrov.

 

Purvanov is in Slovenia for the 9th meeting of the presidents of Central European countries Friday and Saturday.

 

Johannes Rau described as "good news" the words of EU commissioner Guenter Verheugen in Sofia Thursday about Bulgaria's progress towards EU membership. He believes it is good news because Verheugen is usually very critical.

 

On Rau's request, Purvanov informed him about the recent NATO Parliamentary Assembly forum in Sofia and the Bulgarian visit of Pope John Paul II last week.

 

The two heads of state agreed that unutilized opportunities exist for development of bilateral relations, including ways to bring more German investment to Bulgaria.

 

They also talked about Purvanov's visit to Germany November 5.

 

The Bulgarian efforts to join EU and NATO got special attention, and the Bulgarian side expressed a hope for Germany's support. President Purvanov thanked for the German support that Bulgaria has been receiving since the start of reforms, and for the fact that the administration of the German President are the first to invite the Purvanov team for exchange of expertise in Germany. The two sides agreed that cooperation between the two countries' presidential administrations will continue.

 

 

Standartnews
Nevena Mircheva

 

Plamen Panayotov will deliver a speech before the Russian Parliament
Bulgarian Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, parliamentary speaker Genadii Seleznyov and Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov during his June 3-6 visit to Moscow, the government's press office said. A declaration on economic, scientific and technical cooperation, a supplement to the agreement to settle mutual financial obligations and an interdepartmental agreement on cooperation between the two countries' culture ministries are prepared for signing during the visit. Saxe-Coburg-Gotha's itinerary also includes meetings at the Bulgarian Cultural Center with representatives of the Bulgarian expat community in Russia, the editors-in-chief of major Russian media, politicians and business people, the press release says. Saxe-Coburg-Gotha will lay wreaths at the Monument of the Unknown Soldier and will visit the Christ Saviour Church in Moscow.

 

 

 

Russian Atomic Energy Minister Arrives on Day's Visit Sofia, May 31 (BTA) - Russian Atomic Energy Minister Alexander Rumyantsev is on a day's visit to Sofia Friday to initial Bulgarian-Russian agreements in the nuclear energy industry and to discuss the future of this sector.

 

He was invited here by the Bulgarian Energy Minister Milko Kovachev.

 

"We will initial agreements and protocols connected with the development of the Bulgarian atomic energy industry and with the extension of the service life of existing nuclear facilities," the guest said upon his arrival at Sofia Airport.

 

He and his hosts will also discuss ways to expand the traditionally close relations between the two countries in this field.

 

The agenda of the visit includes meetings with Energy Minister Kovachev, with Economy Minister Nikolai Vassilev and with the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Kostadin Paskalev. Rumyantsev also hopes to meet with Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.

 

The first shipment of spent nuclear fuel has already reached Russia and it will accept more shipments in keeping with its commitments under the agreement with Bulgaria, said Rumyantsev.

 

He said that talks will continue in Moscow during the Russian visit of the Bulgarian Prime Minister next week. "We will discuss aspects of the development of the atomic energy in general and will look into ways of having this development reflect the existing technological and political situation and comply with the Bulgarian aspirations for EU membership," said the guest.

 

 

 

Who controls magistrates, prosecutors and judges, when they release on bail or discharge criminals, Gen. Boyko Borissov, IM Chief Secretary, asked a rhetoric question yesterday in his speech before the participants in the conference 'Police in Service of the Society' in the Sofia 'Princess' hotel. It isn't normal people investigated for 5 or 6 or even 20 to 30 pending cases to enjoy freedom. It is not the police to be blamed. The ones that should be blamed for this situation should be named, Borissov said further.

 

(PY)

 

 

 

Bank Austria Named Preferred Buyer of 99% Capital in Biochim Bank, Agreement Expected in 20 Days.

 

Sofia, May 31 (BTA) - Bank Austria was named preferred buyer of the 99%-plus government share in Biochim Commercial Bank, Finance Minister Milen Velchev told BTA. Velchev is also chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bank Consolidation Company (BCC) which is selling the bank for the government.

 

By the May 20 deadline, offers were submitted by Bank Austria, a consortium of the Bulgarian Roseximbank and the Russian International Industrial Bank, and a consortium of HEBROS BANK and Charlemagne Capital.

 

Bank Austria submitted the best offer. It had the highest price but price was not the only criterion, said the Finance Minister.

 

BCC and Bank Austria have 20 days to sign an agreement or else negotiations will continue simultaneously with all three candidates.

 

All bidders offered to buy the bank together with its bad credits.

 

The size of the guaranty will be specified in the next 20 days, and declaration will be requested from the buyer showing that everything is in order with the bank's credits and there will be no surprises, Velchev said.

 

BCC Executive Director Neli Kordovska said that the most serious negotiations will be on representation and guaranty.

 

Price is the only component of the offer that may not change, she explained.

One of the requirements of BCC is that the buyer keeps at least 67% of the Biochim capital for the next three years.

 

At the end of March the current profit of Biochim stood at 2.415 million leva and the share capital plus the profit at 44 million leva, Biochim Executive Director Plamen Dobrev told BTA.

 

The principal on off-balance bad debts totals 210 million leva which adds up to 450 million with the interest.

 

BCC opened the procedure for the privatization of Biochim on January 17, 2002, setting 95 million leva as the starting bid.

 

To be admitted to the procedure, potential buyers were required to have a five-year corporate history, own funds of at least 100 million leva, and be a commercial bank or a consortium in which the leading member is a commercial bank holding a full-service banking licence.

 

The BCC invited seven potential buyers to bid for Biochim: Bank Austria, Societe Generale of Paris, the Commercial Bank of Greece, TBI Holding, Bulbank, RoseximBank and HEBROS BANK. Four of them did due diligence study.

 

Biochim is Bulgaria's fourth biggest bank. BCC has already twice tried to sell it, and failed. The first time, in 2000, Neftinvestbank was named as buyer but subsequently BCC cancelled the choice over the unclear origin of the buyer's capital.

 

In the second attempt the only prospective buyer was HEBROS BANK which in 2000 was acquired by Regent Pacific Group. The deal failed because the buyer's price was much lower than what BCC was ready to accept.

 

 

Standartnews
Stephan Kioutchukov

The tax for a 15-year-old 'Lada 2105' amounts to 38 levs.

Owners of cars that are ceased from traffic because of damages, won't pay taxes. The protocol issued by the Traffic Police will be the evidence that the car is not used, sources from the Chief Tax Administration said. Automobiles of handicapped persons with motor's volume up to 1,800 cub m and power up to 100 hp will be tax free, as well as destroyed or stolen cars. Owners of automobiles will pay two kinds of taxes. The first is calculated due to the motor's power, and the second one is the toll. The sum of both duties for an old 'Lada 2105' totals 38.30 levs.

 

 

 

The programme of the 18th Europalia Festival, in which Bulgaria will be a guest country, was presented in Brussels on Wednesday. Bulgarian culture will be touring Belgium in the course of five months, starting in early October. The residents of various Belgian cities will be able to see the Thracian gold treasures and the Bulgarian icons, to listen to Anna Tomowa-Sintow and Nicola Ghiuselev, the Philip Kotev Folk Ensemble and the Detska Kitka Choir, world-famous pipe player Theodossi Spassov and pianist Lyudmil Angelov, and to see Maestro Emil Tabakov conducting the Sofia Soloists. "To most of us, Bulgaria is a faraway Balkan country, little known and intriguing," the Belgians admit. According to Jan De Bock, Secretary General of the Belgian Foreign Ministry, apart from being the birthplace of the myth of Orpheus, Bulgaria can also be considered as the birthplace of the myth of the bird Phoenix because it has risen renewed from its ashes so many times. For his part, Bulgarian Culture Minister Bozhidar Abrashev promised the hosts that they will not be disappointed. "In science and culture, Bulgaria has long been part of Europe, and our participation in Europalia is intended to prove precisely this," Abrashev said. Baron Paul De Keersmaeker, Chairman of the Foundation Europalia International, stressed that the presentation of Bulgarian culture in Belgium will go beyond the borders of his country because tens of thousands of citizens from all over Europe call Belgium their home. "Belgium is the ideal place for contact between the different European cultures," Baron Keersmaeker added. The festival will be held under the patronage of the King of the Belgians, Albert II, and the President of Bulgaria, Georgi Purvanov, who will attend its opening on October 3. Europalia began in 1969 and was initially held biennially, but later on became an annual event. The original idea was to familiarize the Belgian public with the other EU Member States. As an exception, Japan and Mexico have also been presented. Three EU associated countries have been "guest countries" so far as well: the Czech Republic (1998), Hungary (1999) and Poland (2001). Bulgaria is the first country of Southeastern Europe to be invited to take part in the festival.

 

 

 

Twofold European champion won the 100-m hurdles sprint.

 

Svetla Dimitrova is winner in the discipline 100-m hurdles sprint at the third international track-and-field women's tournament in Athens. Twofold European champion finished first for 13.11 sec. at strong dead-wind 9minus 0.5 m/sec.). Maria Korotieva (Russia) ranked second - 13.26 sec., while another Bulgarian athlete - Yana Kassova took the third place with 13.28 sec. Antonia Yordanova ranked fourth at the long-jump with 6.54 m. Tatyana Kotova (Russia) won the competition with world best result for the season - 7.03 m. Her compatriot - Victoria Seryogina, also notched up season's best at the high-jump with 197 cm.