|
Ivailo Kalfin, 41,
nominated for the positions of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister,
has been elected to the 40th National Assembly Parliament on the list of
Coalition for Bulgaria (CfB). Before being returned to parliament, he was
President Georgi Purvanov secretary for economic affairs. He was MP of the
Left in the 37th National Assembly and of the 38th National Assembly - first
as a member of the Bulgarian Euro-Left parliamentary group and then as an
independent MP. As an MP he took part in the work of the committees on
budget and finances, foreign policy and European integration.
Daniel Vulchev, 43,
Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister, is an MP of the SNM in the
40th National Assembly. He was an MP in the previous Parliament where he
chaired the Committee for European Integration. Vulchev was a representative
of the Bulgarian National Assembly in the European Convention. He was also
co-chair of the Bulgaria-EU Joint Parliamentary Committee. Vulchev is a
member of the Political Council of the SNM and SNM Deputy Chairman.
Emel Etem, 47,
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Disaster and Accidents, has been
elected to the 40th National Assembly on the list of the Movement for Rights
and Freedoms (MRF). She was a member of the 38th and the 39th National
Assembly. Since February 2000, she has been Deputy Chair of the MRF Central
Council. Meglena Kouneva, 48, Minister of European Integration, is an MP of
the SNM in the 40th National Assembly. She was an MP in the previous
Parliament until September 5, 2001. From August 10, 2001 to May, 29, 2002
she was deputy foreign minister, and chief negotiator with the EU from
August 10. 2001. She is outgoing minister of European affairs.
Plamen Oresharski,
45, Finance Minister, is Deputy Rector of the University of National and
World Economic in Sofia and teacher at the University's Finances Department.
He was deputy finance minister in Ivan Kostov's cabinet. He resigned from
this position in 2001, when the Simeon II National Movement (SNM) won the
general elections, and left the Ministry although the SNM Finance Minister,
Milen Velchev, asked him to stay on. Until July 2003, Oresharski was a
member of the National Executive Board of the Union of Democratic Forces
(UDF) and deputy chairman of the party in charge of financial policy.
Roumen Ovcharov,
53, Minister of the Economy and Energy, is a member of the 40th National
Assembly. He was a member of the 38th and the 39th National Assembly and
deputy floor leader of the parliamentary group of the Left. He was first
deputy chairman of the Committee on Energy and, later, energy minister in
Zhan Videnov's |
|
government. He
is Deputy Chairman of the BSP Supreme Council.
Roumen Petkov, 44,
Interior Minister, is a member of the 40th National Assembly. He was elected
to the 39th National Assembly on the list of the Left. Between 1991 and 1995
he chaired the Municipal Council of the BSP in Pleven. Between 1995 and 1999
he was mayor of Pleven. Petkov is Deputy Chairman of the BSP Supreme
Council.
Vesselin Bliznakov,
61, Defence Minister, is an MP of the SNM in the 40th National Assembly. He
was an MP in the previous Parliament where he chaired the Energy Committee.
He was SNM deputy floor leader. Until July 2001 he chaired the Bulgarian
Nuclear Society. From April 6, 2002, he is a member of the SNM Political
Council and SNM secretary.
Georgi Petkanov, 57,
Minister of Justice. He is an MP of the SNM in the 40th National Assembly.
He was an MP in the previous parliament until he was elected interior
minister in Saxe-Coburg-Gotha's government on July 24, 2001. He became a
member of the SNM Political Council on April 6, 2002. He has been a lecturer
at the Faculty of Law of Sofia's St Kl. Ohridski University since 1974. He
was dean of the Faculty of Law in 1991-95, and deputy rector of the
University in 1995-97.
Nikolai Vassilev,
35, Minister of State Administration, is an MP of the SNM in the 40th
National Assembly. He was an MP in the previous parliament until he was
elected deputy prime minister and economy minister in Saxe-Coburg-Gotha's
government on July 24, 2001. He was elected deputy prime minister and
transport and communications minister in a cabinet reshuffle on July 17,
2003.
Asen Gagaouzov, 52,
Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, is an MP of CfB. Between
1999 and 2001 he was mayor of Sliven. He was a member of the 38th and the
39th National Assembly. He is a member of the BSP Supreme Council.
Peter Moutafchiev,
44, Minister of Transport, is an MP of the Coalition for Bulgaria in the
40th National Assembly. He was an MP of the 38th and the 39th National
Assembly. He was secretary of the CfB parliamentary group and chairman of
the BSP regional chapter in Plovdiv.
Djevdet Chakurov,
45, Minister of the Environment and Waters, was elected to the 40th National
Assembly on the MRF list. He was a member of the 39th National Assembly,
chaired the Committee on Environment and Waters, and was a member of the
Committee on Health Care. Chakurov is a member of the Central Operative
Bureau of the MRF in charge of relations with the European liberal parties.
In May 2005, he was |
|
|
elected Vice President of the
Liberal international and member of the Executive Bureau of the
organization.
Nihat Kabil, 43,
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry. He occupied the same position in
Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha's government, taking over in February 2005. Before
that he was deputy minister of agriculture and forestry in the same
government. He was elected to the 40th National Assembly on the list of the
MRF.
Emilia Maslarova,
56, Minister of Labour and Social Policy, is an MP of the Coalition for
Bulgaria in the 40th National Assembly. She is deputy floor leader of this
parliamentary group. She was an MP in the 7th Grand National Assembly
(1990-91), the 38th National Assembly (Democratic Left) and deputy floor
leader of the Democratic Left from June 4, 1998. Chaired the Democratic
Union of Women (1992). Member of the BSP Supreme Council. MP of the
Coalition for Bulgaria in the 39th National Assembly, deputy floor leader of
the Coalition for Bulgaria from June 2001, deputy chair of the Committee on
Labour and Social Policy. She was minister of labour and social affairs in
Andrei Loukanov's cabinet (Sept. 1990-Nov. 1991) and director of the Foreign
Aid Agency (1995-97).
Prof. Radoslav Gaidarski,
68, Minister of Health, is a member of the 40th National Assembly. Since
2003, he has been working at the Lozenets Hospital. He was on the team that
performed the first successful liver transplant operation in Bulgaria at the
Lozenets University Hospital (the transplant operation was made on
seven-month-old Pamela Penkova on November 18, 2004). On October 19, 2004,
Gaidarski got the Physician of the Year award (a honorary badge of the
Bulgarian Medical Association), and on April 6, 2005 he was awarded the
title Physician of Bulgaria established by the Life for Bulgaria National
Alliance and the Bulgarski Lekar newspaper. Gaidarski worked at the Medical
Academy in Sofia and headed the Clinic for Gall, Liver and Pancreatic
Surgery.
Stefan Danailov, 63,
Minister of Culture, is a member of the 40th National Assembly. He was in
the 39th National Assembly,y and chaired the Committee on Culture. He is a
member of the Council for Spiritual Development with President Georgi
Purvanov (as of April 25, 2002). Danailov is a member of the Executive
Bureau of the BSP Supreme Council. He has performed hundreds of parts on
stage and screen and is the winner of many awards.
|
New PM Stanishev Promises
Bulgaria Will Join EU in January 2007 and Be Prepared for EU Membership
Risks and Difficulties
Bulgaria will not just be an EU
member on January 1, 2007, but it will be well-prepared for the risks and
difficulties of this membership, newly elected Prime Minister Sergei
Stanishev said in his speech when he took office. Stanishev called EU
membership "a national priority", adding that everything possible would be
done to make up for the delay in meeting the commitments to the EU.
The government coalition and the
government will be able to meet the public expectations for a combination of
social and market principles, and implementation of the three main aims
around which the new Social Liberal coalition rallied: European integration,
fast economic growth and social responsibility. Stanishev said the new
government would seek constant dialogue with civil society, the national and
sectoral business organizations, the trade unions, the media and NGOs.
There are no easy solutions: the
government must consistently offer arguments and clear reasons for one
decision or another, so that people would know that it is working in their
best interest, he said. At a changeover ceremony at the Council of
Ministers, outgoing prime-minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha wished the new
government success, expressing confidence that it would serve Bulgaria
loyally. He stressed that this was the first time since democratic changes
began that a new cabinet would start its term in such good financial
circumstances: the fiscal reserve tops 5,000 million leva and the
over-performance of budget revenues is 1,000 million leva.
The parliamentary elections showed
that a large number of Bulgarians approve the liberal policy pursued. This
is one of the reasons why the Simeon II National Movement (SNM) joined the
new coalition and insisted on continuity in the government's work. "People
expect politicians to work increasingly hard in the name of a prosperous
Bulgaria. There is no time for confrontation, we must look for the unifying
factors as we did in forging our agreement. It is essential that the
coalition partners build mutual trust so that Bulgaria can have a stable and
effective government, which is the coalition's main aim," Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
said.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
As Ivailo Kalfin took over as foreign minister from Solomon Passy, the
latter highlighted Bulgaria's foreign policy landmarks of the last four
years: NATO membership, the EU Accession Treaty, active participation in the
UN Security Council and the OSCE Chairmanship-in-Office. "There are two
major outstanding tasks: the trial in Libya - and I hope that the medical
workers |
|
will be freed and back in Bulgaria
during your term - and the 502 days remaining to EU membership," Passy said.
Kalfin said foreign policy and European integration are most in need of
continuity.
DEFENCE Defense
Minister Vesselin Bliznakov said one of his main aims would be to boost the
prestige of the personnel of the Defense Ministry and the armed forces. He
took over from Nikolai Svinarov. Bliznakov will also seek to further enhance
the image of the General Staff and create conditions for transparency,
openness and higher social status of servicemen.
JUSTICE The Justice
Ministry will prioritize the judicial reform, the adoption of a number of
important laws, among them a new Criminal Procedure Code, and the case of
five Bulgarian nurses who are on Libya's death row, said newly elected
Justice Minister Georgi Petkanov, who has been interior minister over the
last four years.
FINANCE Finance
Minister Plamen Oresharski received the symbolic key to the Exchequer from
Milen Velchev. The latter said the fiscal reserve stood at 5,000 million
leva. Also, Bulgaria has an investment-grade credit rating, with a new
upgrade expected from Fitch credit rating agency on Wednesday. Veltchev
wished his successor to carry on with this series of upgrades to "AAA".
Oresharski said he would try to preclude any doubts about the country's
fiscal stability.
SOCIAL POLICY Taking
over from Hristina Hristova, the new Labour and Social Policy Minister
Emilia Maslarova highly praised what had been achieved and promised to
ensure continuity. She said there would be no substantial staff changes at
the Ministry. She would feel her efforts rewarded if, on joining the EU,
Bulgarians had living standards that made them feel like Europeans. "We have
fully reformed the administration, decentralized social services, and had no
shortfalls in social payments for years," Hristova said.
INTERIOR Interior
Minister Roumen Petkov identified three main lines of activity for his
Ministry: improving the Ministry's capacities for disaster and accident
response, improving officers' performance in solving murders and other
serious crimes, and promoting crime prevention. "The self-confidence of
Interior Ministry officers must be boosted, because they are the ones who
represent the State on the street."
ECONOMY AND ENERGY
"The amalgamation of the ministries of economy and energy into a single
ministry is perfectly natural and understandable," said Economy and Energy
Minister Roumen Ovcharov. "As the government's stake in the national economy
decreases, it is absolutely normal for the government departments handling
this stake to decrease as well. The functions of the State are being reduced
to
|
regulating and creating conditions
for the development of business without direct intervention." Privatization
will continue in cases where it will contribute to economic restructuring,
competitiveness and effectiveness, he said, adding that the Privatisation
Agency will remain under the authority of his Ministry.
HEALTH According to
Health Minister Radoslav Gaidarski, the most pressing task in the field of
health care is to make medical aid, specifically inpatient care and
specialized outpatient care, accessible to all citizens. His Ministry will
work to ensure transparency in the selection of medicine suppliers and to
discourage companies from setting unreasonably high prices for medicines.
CULTURE Actor Stefan
Danailov will continue teaching and acting during his term in office as
Culture Minister. "As Minister I will work for the good of Bulgarian
culture, motivated by the conviction that culture is one of the sources of
the nation's strength," he said. There are many problems in this domain, and
one of them is the need to increase financial capacities.
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
Each of the three parties in the government coalition will be represented in
the Education and Science Ministry by a deputy minister, and one of them is
likely to have two deputy ministers, said Education and Science Minister
Daniel Vulchev. The Ministry's immediate tasks are related to preparations
for the next school year and the repair of schools damaged by recent floods.
Longer-term issues concern matriculation exams and university admission
tests after the seventh grade.
ENVIRONMENT AND WATER
The Environment and Water Ministry will maintain continuity in its policies
after the changeover, said the new Environment and Water Minister, Djevdjet
Chakurov. "We will work as a team," he said. "As former chairman of the
parliamentary Committee on Environment, I know well the priorities in the
Ministry's work." Lyutvi Mestan MP said political continuity is strengthened
by the fact that the changeover at this Ministry is taking place between two
political forces which remain represented in the new government: the Simeon
II National Movement and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms.
TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS Transport and Communications
Minister Peter Moutafchiev will
prioritize the rehabilitation of railway infrastructure damaged by recent
floods. He will maintain continuity in the Ministry's policies.
Moutafchiev's predecessor, Nikolai Vassilev, became State Administration
Minister in the new
cabinet.
AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY
The creation of a Payments Agency and an Integrated |
|
Administration and Control
System for the absorption of EU funding after 2007 are the key priorities in
agricultural policy, said Nihat Kabil, who retained his post as Agriculture
and Forestry Minister. "Over the last few years, the Agriculture State Fund
won farmers' confidence by offering attractive opportunities under national
programmes and the EU SAPARD Programme," Kabil said. Besides financial
support to farmers, the Ministry will prioritize farmer training, the
provision of information, advice and technical assistance in plant
protection, the expansion of the National Gene Pool, and the preservation of
forests. Other important areas of work concern the development of land
ownership relations and land consolidation.
REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS
The new Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, Asen Gagaouzov,
took over from his predecessor Valentin Tserovski.
40th National Assembly
Fulfills Priorities Declaration - Chairman Pirinski
According to National Assembly
Chairman Georgi Pirinski, so far the 40th National Assembly has been
fulfilling the tasks, specified in its declaration of priorities.
Pirinski himself said this at a
news conference at which he reported on the Parliament's performance since
the beginning of its operation on July 11. During this period the MPs
discussed and adopted a total of 23 bills, related to Bulgaria's integration
into EU.
Eight of these have been passed on
second reading. The Foreigners' Act, the Commercial Code, the Bulgarian
Identity Documents Act, the Grain Trade Act, the Forests Act, etc. are among
the enacted laws.
The parliamentary committees keep
on working on the other bills, related to Bulgaria's membership of the EU.
In the period under review the National Assembly adopted on first reading 19
bills, including the draft Criminal Procedure Code.
Parliament Elects 24 Standing
Committees
Bulgaria's National Assembly
Wednesday elected the chairs, deputy chairs and members of its 24 standing
committees.
Nine of the committees are chaired
by MPs of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), six by MPs of the Simeon II
National Movement (SNM), and five by MPs of the Movement for Rights and
Freedoms (MRF).
The Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB), the United Democratic Forces
(UtdDF), the Bulgarian
|
Popular Union (BPU) and the Ataka
Coalition chair one committee each:
1. Economic Policy Committee
(Chairman: Yordan Tsonev, MRF);
2. Defence Committee (Chairman:
Angel Naidenov, BSP);
3. Foreign Policy Committee
(Chairman: Solomon Passy, SNM);
4. Internal Security and Public
Order Committee (Chairman: Nikolai Svinarov, SNM);
5. Budgetary and Finance Committee
(Chairman: Peter Dimitrov, BSP);
6. Culture Committee (Chair: Nina
Chilova, SNM);
7. Legal Affairs Committee
(Chairman: Yanaki Stoilov, BSP);
8. State Administration Affairs
Committee (Chairman: Vesselin Metodiev, DSB);
9. Energy Committee (Chairman:
Ramadan Atalay, DSB);
10. Health Care Committee
(Chairman: Borislav Kitov, BPU);
11. Human Rights and Religious
Denominations Committee (Chairman: Ognyan Gerdjikov, SNM);
12. Civil Society and Media
Committee (Chairman: Ivo Atanassov, BSP);
13. Environment and Water Committee
(Chairman: Georgi Bozhinov, BSP);
14. Children, Youth and Sports
Committee (Chairman: Svetoslav Spassov, SNM);
15. Education and Science Committee
(Chairman: Lyutvi Mestan, MRF);
16. Labour and Social Policy
Committee (Chairman: Hassan Ademov, MRF);
17. Local Self-Government, Regional
Policy and Public Works Committee (Chairman: Remzi Osman, MRF);
18. Agriculture and Forestry
Committee (Chairman: Vassil Kalinov, BSP);
19. Disasters and Accidents Policy
Committee (Chairman: Venelin Ouzounov, BSP);
20. Parliamentary Ethics Committee
(Chairman: Todor Batilov, Ataka);
21. Citizens' Complaints and
Petitions Committee (Chairman: Yordan Bakalov, UtdDF);
22. European Integration Committee
(Chairman: Atanas Paparizov, BSP);
23. Anti-Corruption Committee (Chairman: Boiko Velikov, BSP);
|
|
24. Transport and Communications
Committee (Chairman: Yordan Mirchev, SNM).
Oil Prices Put Bulgarian
Economy under Pressure
The Bulgarian economy has only a
limited capacity to offset the impact of soaring oil prices, according to
Bulgarian Industrial Association Chief Secretary Peter Denev. Unprecedented
oil price levels upset the day-to-day financial plans of Bulgarian
companies. The situation is compounded by the fact that much of the
country's industry depends on energy-intensive technologies based on the use
of conventional types of fuel.
One positive effect of the
resulting pressure is that it makes business persons more concerned about
the effectiveness of their investments. They have to seek energy-saving
solutions and use the services of energy auditors. The oil market situation
has a particularly adverse impact on the financial performance of air
carriers.
IMF Mission Talks in Sofia
The government should find a
balance between the expenses for covering the damage from the floods and for
13th bonus pensions and salaries, the IMF Mission Leader for Bulgaria Hans
Flickenschild said on
the 31th of August after
meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and State Policy on Natural Disasters and
Accidents Minister Emel Etem and Labour and Social Policy Minister Emilia
Maslarova.
A mission of the International
Monetary Fund arrived to Bulgaria for first talks with representatives of
the new government. Flickenschild agreed that the aid from abroad for
covering the damage from the floods will come later - the bulk of it
probably next year - but pointed out that the government should be
conservative in its spending and should first set money aside for what is
most necessary.
According to the official ministry
press release, Flickenschild and members of the mission were acquainted with
the intentions of the government in the social sphere. The IMF mission
leader said that productivity in Bulgaria is growing and salaries are
consequently expected to rise substantially in the coming years.
The fund, however, will stand firmly in support of stability of the
financial system, Flickenschild added.
Observers
of the Acceding Countries to Join European Parliament This Autumn
As of this autumn Bulgaria will be
able to set forth its stand and take part in the work of one of the most
influential European institutions - the European Parliament. Eighteen
Bulgarian MPs will be officially welcomed in the plenary chamber of the
European Parliament on September 26 together with their 35 Romanian
colleagues.
This date marks the beginning of
their term as observers in the European Parliament which will continue until
the two country's accession to the EU. The main task of the Bulgarian
observers will be to acquaint themselves with the way the European
Parliament functions and this is a challenge even to experienced
politicians.
Just like the representatives of
the ten countries that joined the EU in May 2003, one year before Bulgaria's
accession eighteen Bulgarians will join the European Parliament as
observers. This status will give them the right to attend the plenary
sessions of the European Parliament. However, they will not be able to take
the floor, vote or run for elective posts.
The Bulgarian MPs will also be able
to take part in the work of the committees and delegations of the European
Parliament where they will be able to set forth their stands when invited by
the Chairman but will again not be able to vote or run for elective posts.
Each observer will be able to join
one of the seven political groups of the European Parliament and take part
in its work. Usually the group is chosen in advance according to association
agreements between the parties. The sessions by political groups are an
important part of the everyday work of MEPs as they discuss draft directives
which Bulgaria will have to implement upon its accession to the EU.
So if they have the talent to
persuade, the Bulgarian MPs will be able to influence the vote in the
committees and at the plenary sessions. To successfully integrate into the
European Parliament, the Bulgarian MPs will also have to be fluent in one of
the two languages - English and French, in which discussions outside the
plenary chamber are held. After Bulgaria joins the EU its observers will
acquire the rights of MEP for the period until the next elections for
European Parliament due in 2009.
ECONOMY,
BUSINESS &
FINANCE
Gross External Debt Stood at
Nearly EUR 12,968 Mln in End-June
According to the
Bulgarian National Bank,
Bulgaria's gross external debt stood at 12,967.9 million euros (61.2 per
cent of GDP) at end-June,
reforms and a more fluid situation
within the EU itself. A second consecutive year of fiscal surplus (over 1%
of GDP) is expected in 2005. The Fiscal Reserve Account has allowed the
government to repay all outstanding Brady debt, which should underpin a
reduction in general government debt to around 30% of GDP by end-2005 from
39% of GDP in 2004.
The current account deficit remains
a weak spot of an otherwise strong macroeconomic backdrop, and highlights
the need to bolster domestic savings and cool down the economy. However,
much of the widening is driven by investment, and foreign direct investment
coverage of the external shortfall is one of the highest of all countries in
the 'BBB' rating range, Fitch said. Gross external debt remains relatively
high but net external debt as a share of exports of goods and services has
moderated and is well in line with those of rated peers. The public sector
in Bulgaria became a net external creditor in 2004, and this should rise to
nearly 10% of GDP or 19% of current account earnings in 2005.
Within the 'BBB' rating category,
only Russia ('BBB'), Kazakhstan ('BBB-'(BBB minus)) and Thailand ('BBB+')
are net public external creditors. Future progress up the sovereign rating
scale will in part hinge on further structural reforms designed to bolster
the flexibility of the economy and enable a sustained rise in GDP per
capita, an area where Bulgaria remains weak relative to rating peers. Public
finances should remain sound, and falling government debt should offer
flexibility when fiscal pressure rises in 2007 on EU-related issues. The
current account deficit is expected to remain sizeable, but will be heavily
financed with foreign direct investments, Fitch said.
Upon entering the EU, it is
expected that Bulgaria will move rapidly to adopt the Euro, although
reducing inflation to Maastricht reference levels will be a major challenge.
As and when Bulgaria adopts the euro, the focus of the rating will shift
from balance of payments issues to public finances and debt, where the
country has a clear strength, Fitch said.
Latest IMF Observance of
Standards and Codes Report on Bulgaria Finds Considerable Progress in
Improving Fiscal Transparency Washington D.C.
According to the latest report of
the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Bulgaria now covers many of the
fund's standards.
According to the IMF, Bulgaria has made considerable progress in improving
fiscal transparency since the 2000, much of it linked to European Union
accession requirements. Areas of
Assembly's rapporteur on the case
of the Bulgarian medical professionals in Libya,
was refused a visit to the nurses in prison.
The motive of the Libyan side was
that if Lloyd visits the Bulgarian medics, he should also meet the families
of the AIDS infected children.
Libya decided to introduce
the condition of holding parallel meetings after the visit of EU
Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner to Libya in May. During her visit the EU
Commissioner voiced concern over the unfair sentences imposed on the
Bulgarian nurses.
Lloyd agreed that the infection of
the children in the Benghazi hospital is a big tragedy. At the same time, he
stressed that the nurses, who are innocent, according to the Council of
Europe and their families, are also faced with a big tragedy. He said his
task as rapporteur on the case was to get familiarized on spot with the
progress of the trial, to establish whether the Bulgarian medics had been
tortured to extort confessions and whether their rights had been violated.
Lloyd will draft a report on the
case of the Bulgaria medics that will be discussed at the PACE session in
Strasbourg in October.
Bulgaria Has Readiness to
Send Drugs, Equipment for Treatment of Libyan Children with AIDS - Foreign
Minister
Bulgaria has readiness to send
medicines and equipment for the treatment of Libyan children suffering from
AIDS, Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin said after the first meeting of the
parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee.
In his words, the humanitarian aid
is part of the European action plan. Bulgaria will be an active participant
in providing this humanitarian aid. According to him, the severe
humanitarian problem in Libya should not in any way be related to guilt of
the Bulgaria medics which there is not.
Kalfin commented that the
initiatives of PACE representatives of the last days are part of the
international support for the Bulgarian cause. On every single occasion the
issue of the Bulgarian medics in Libya is raised by our international
partners - the EU and the United States - Kalfin noted.
On May 6, 2004, five Bulgarian nurses were sentenced to death by the
Criminal Court in Benghazi on torture-extracted charges of intentionally
infecting some 400 children with AIDS, while internationally renowned
experts state this is a case of intra-hospital infection. The nurses are
appealing their verdicts and expect a second-instance ruling on November
15.
|
IAEA to Cooperate Further
with Bulgaria in Safe Use of Nuclear Energy, Ionizing Radiation
According to the
Byung-Koo Kim,
Director for Europe,
Latin America and West
Asia at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Department of Technical
Cooperation, the Agency
will continue to cooperate actively with Bulgaria in the field of safe use
of nuclear energy and ionizing radiation sources.
He
met with Bulgarian officials to
discuss the implementation of four national projects for 2005-2006. The
projects concern assistance to the Bulgaria's Nuclear Regulatory Agency
(NRA),
technical support to overhaul the research reactor of the Bulgarian Academy
of Sciences, treatment of radioactive waste, and the development of the
national nuclear energy industry, Rogachev said. The sides expressed their
shared desire to cooperate further in the field of safe use of nuclear
energy and ionizing radiation sources.
BULGARIA
– EU
Prime
Minister Stanishev after First Talks in Brussels: No Doubt about Bulgaria's
EU Membership from January 1, 2007
Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei
Stanishev described as "extremely important" his meeting with European
Commission Vice President in charge of Enterprise and Industry Guenter
Ferheugen.
"We stated the government's and
Parliament's political will. We expect the EU and its members to honour the
Treaty so we can join the EU in 2007," Stanishev said after meeting with
Verheugen. The prime minister was confident that Bulgaria would manage to
make up for the delay in some areas.
There is no doubt that Bulgaria
will make the necessary efforts, Verheugen told the government delegation.
He had no apprehension whatsoever that Bulgaria might not complete the
reforms. He stressed that Bulgaria's efforts 16 months before its accession
date were comparable to those of the ten countries which joined last year.
After the
meeting
with the
Bulgarian
governmental delegation,
Jose
Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission said at a news
conference in Brussels,
that the
European Union wants Bulgaria to join it the soonest possible but there are
reforms which are to be carried out and this should be done quickly. The
fact that Bulgaria has a large and stable [parliamentary] majority is a good
sign, Barroso said. He praised Bulgaria's efforts and the fact that its
parliament worked in the summer.
up by 721.9 million euros (5.9 per
cent) from end-2004, when it totalled 12,245.9 million euros (63 per cent of
GDP).
Long-term liabilities amounted to
9,834.5 million euros (75.8 per cent of total debt).
Short-term liabilities stood at
3,133.4 million euros (24.2 per cent of total debt). General Government
foreign debt amounted to 5,193.4 million euros (24.5 per cent of GDP) at
end-June, compared to 5,824.7 million euros (30 per cent of GDP) at the end
of December.
The drop was mainly due to the
buyback of Brady interest arrears bonds in January. At the end of June,
Banks' foreign debt amounted to 2,019.3 million euros (9.5 per cent of GDP),
as against 1,712 million euros (8.8 per cent of GDP) at the end of 2004.
Other Sectors' debt was 3,650.9 million euros, up by 839.7 million euros
(29.9 per cent) from the end of 2004.
In end-June, the Direct Investment
liabilities were 2,104.2 million euros, up by 206.1 million euros (10.9 per
cent) from the end of 2004. In the first half of 2005, gross external debt
service was 2,452.1 million euros (11.6 per cent of GDP), compared to 729.8
million euros (3.8 per cent of GDP) a year earlier.
In the first half of 2005, loans
and deposits received from nonresidents stood at 1,907.7 million euros (9
per cent of GDP), compared to 1,471.3 million euros (7.6 per cent of GDP) a
year earlier.
Fitch Ratings Upgrades
Bulgaria's Long-term Foreign Currency Rating to "BBB" from "BBB minus"
Fitch Ratings, the international
rating agency, has upgraded the Republic of Bulgaria's long-term foreign
currency rating to 'BBB' from BBB minus and local currency rating to 'BBB+'
from 'BBB'. The country ceiling is also upgraded to 'BBB' from 'BBB-'. The
short-term rating is affirmed at 'F3'.
"Bulgaria's sovereign credit
fundamentals are underpinned by sound fiscal policy and falling government
debt, large foreign direct investment inflows, as well as rapid and
sustainable growth. They are also supported by the good prospects for
economic policy continuity with the government that has emerged from the
June elections," says Nick Eisinger, Fitch Analyst for Bulgaria.
The three parties that form the new coalition government share common views
on the need to maintain a prudent fiscal policy, to uphold the strictures
demanded by the currency board arrangement and to finalize the reforms
needed to secure Bulgaria's accession to the European Union, acooridng to
Firtch. Fitch still expects this to occur in January 2007, despite some
outstanding judicial
improvement include closure of most
extra-budgetary funds, publication of arrears data, clarification of
procurement, customs, and privatization legislation, strengthening of tax
and customs administration, reductions in quasi-fiscal activities of public
corporations, and development of a more medium-term approach to budgeting.
Bulgaria meets the requirements of
the Code in a number of areas, including the consistent use of the general
government as the basis for fiscal management, clear definition of the
fiscal roles of the branches of government, and independence of external
audit. Areas where Bulgaria approaches best practice include the timeliness
of within year fiscal reporting and reporting on the final general
government outturn, and debt reporting.
Effective implementation of
recently-enacted laws will, however, be crucial to achieving the level of
transparency stipulated in legislation. This will be a challenge given
long-standing weaknesses in public administration and control systems, the
report states. The list of spheres in which improvements are called for
seems longer than the list of successes.
There are insistent recommendations
to eliminate provisions permitting the government to spend, without prior
parliamentary appropriation, revenues that exceed those forecast in the
budget.
The IMF experts also recommend
publishing the budget execution report promptly at the time of its tabling
in parliament; significantly expanding the information provided to
parliament with the annual budget (e.g., full medium-term fiscal forecasts,
expanded information on fiscal risks, details of concessions, financial
asset holdings); discontinuing the use of company structures to carry out
predominately government fiscal activities; strengthening the independence
of the procurement agency; modernizing internal control; further
strengthening tax and customs administration; appropriating spending in the
budget to a more disaggregated level of administrative units, and reducing
the discretionary ability of the government to transfer funds between
appropriations during budget execution; and presenting a mid-year report to
parliament on budget execution.
A number of the above
recommendations should, as a matter of priority, be included in the Organic
Budget Law, the report states in conclusion.
BULGARIA – LIBYA
Council of Europe: Bulgarian
Nurses Sentenced to Death in Libya Are Innocent
Tony Lloyd, Vice-President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe (PACE) and the
EDUCATION
Some 100 Students to Be
Admitted to Newly-opened Euro-Swiss University of Vidin
During its first year of operation
the Euro-Swiss University of Vidin will admit some 100 students, Prof. Dr.
Wolfgang Kunel, founder and president of the higher educational
establishment, said at the BTA Press Club on Sunday. He has already unveiled
such universities in Lucerne (Switzerland) and Berlin.
Through the European credit
transfer system Bulgarian students would be able to continue or complete
part of their education in Lucerne, Berlin or any other European university,
Kunel said. The Vidin university will offer full-time, part-time and
distance training. It will begin operating as of the second half of January
next year.
The student enrollment campaign
will begin as of October 2005 and documents will be accepted in Sofia and
Vidin. Prof. Georgi Shoushoulov, head of the team of Bulgarian scholars
having developed the project on the opening of the university, said that the
establishment will have two facilities (offering training under a master and
a bachelor programme, respectively), four departments and 13 sections.
Majors include heating, ventilation and AC equipment; energy efficiency of
buildings; energy saving devices; vacuum process equipment and technologies;
public and business administration; rural and regional tourism; navigation,
management and exploitation of air transport and energy provision of air
transport. The annual fees will be comparable to the ones of the other
private universities in Bulgaria but will be lower than them, Shoushoulov
further said.
|
