Two men died on the spot, three women in the throes of death.

 

Two men were torn to pieces and three women severely injured by an old aviation bomb at a deserted military training ground. The tragedy occurred near the village of Karapelit, Dobritch, region at 1.10 p.m. yesterday, reported the Regional Directorate of Interior in Dobritch. The victims are treasure hunters from the village of Mirovtsi, close to Shoumen. They stroke the bomb seeking gold with a metal detector, said Major Roumen Ivanov. The killed men are Rashud Hashim (52) and Anton Angelov (40). Only one person from the group remained safe and sound. The treasure hunters hit on a metal object and when they touched it with a pickax the bomb exploded. Well into the afternoon the teams of the emergency ward, RDI-Dobritch and Civil Protection agency were collecting the remnants of the victims.

 

 

Victoria Seraphimova

The US 'National Fuel Gas' company will build two thermal power plants (TPP) in the capital city to replace 'Sofia' and 'Sofia-Iztok' (East) TPPs. The project was presented to Energy Minister Milko Kovachev in the USA. 'National Fuel Gas' will invest a total of $180 million in the construction works of both TPPs, which will start next year. To the US experts, the returns from the project may cover completely the debts 'Toploficatsia' (Central Heating Company) in Sofia owes to 'Bulgargas'. The Sofia municipality should give its stand on the issue next week. During his visit to the USA, BG Energy Minister also met the representatives of "Westinghouse Electric". The company had shown interest in the construction of 'Belene' N-plant. Milko Kovachev went to London yesterday to negotiate with the management of BNFL company - supplier of fresh nuclear fuel.

 

Stephan Kioutchukov

The sales are banned before the deadline expires.

 

New car may be imported as registered in the name of an invalid at five-year interval. The car can't be sold out till the deadline expires. More than that, an invalid is to be deprived of the right to import duty-free a second vehicle, stipulates the Council of Ministers' decree about import tax on automobiles, promulgated in the State Gazette. The second-hand cars may be imported on behalf of a physically handicapped person for a 3-year term. The owner may sell the car, or to import duty-free another one as early as the deadline expires. If someone, however, wants to change the automobile before that, he should pay the duties and VAT, he had been relieved of earlier. The state remits completely the disabled of duties and VAT, if the amount is up to $900. If the due sums exceed $900, the importer should pay the difference. The amendments are drawn up to reduce the import of de luxe limos imported and registered in the name of invalids against minimum payment. Almost half of the cars imported last year are registered as property of the disabled people. The ministers compiled a list of ailments which enable people to import cars free of customs duty or VAT. 

 

Vladislava Peeva

Many candidates push hard against government to take up the NPP construction, cabinet keeps silent.

 

In recent weeks many candidate-investors for the nuclear power plant in Belene have surfaced. Canada, Russia, France, Japan are all competing for the right to invest into the future Bulgarian atomic plant. The day before yesterday, the Czech Republic also joined in the race. It is clear that foreign interest to the still blueprinted plant has been provoked by the well-known statement PM Simeon Saxe-Coburg made at the constituent meeting of the NMS-party. Many days have elapsed since then, yet the government didn't give any sign that a decision had been taken by the Council of Ministers about the fate of the nuclear plant. Only the Council of Ministers is entitled to procure for the plant a mandatory license from the State Committee on Energy Regulation and a permit to start the construction from the National Construction Control Directorate. Without ministerial approval there is no sense to even talk about investments or construction works. Selling off NPP Belene would have served a relatively good chance to resolve the energy deficit problems forecast by the experts after the looming decommission of Units 1-4 of the NPP in Kozloduy. The solution must be found rapidly. The government must stop looking around undecided and finally assess all economically advantageous options and finger the winner. 

 

We are dissatisfied with the fact that adults are solving our problems without asking us, Ginka Hristova says.

 

Marta Kunova and Ginka Hristova - two Bulgarian girls, winners in the national competition "To Change the World for Children together with the Children", are attending the Children's Forum, which is an important side event of the Special Session on Children, held form May 5 to 7 in New York. "It's all right that the state regulates legally the conduct of parents, taking into consideration children's safety. It is inadmissible, however, that parents allow teenagers being in disco clubs at night, for kids' security is threatened," thinks 17-year-old Ginka. Bulgaria and two other East European countries seeking EU membership will be covered by a child welfare programme of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Labour and Social Policy Ministry's press office said Wednesday. An agreement to this effect was reached by Labour Minister Lidia Shouleva and UNICEF Regional Director for Central and Eastern Europe Philip O'Brien in New York City on Tuesday. Shouleva is leading the Bulgarian delegation to the current UN Special Session on Children, which is scheduled to close on Friday. Shirin Mestan, President of the State Agency for Child Protection, and Stefan Tafrov, Bulgaria's Permanent Representative to the UN, are also on the delegation. On Thursday, Shouleva will confer with Herbert Haupt, Austrian Minister of Social, Family, Youth and Women's Affairs. Shouleva is expected to address the sixth plenary meeting of the Special Session on Friday.