site.btaSofia, Wednesday, February 9 , 2022, No.33
DNEWS 06:40:01 09-02-2022
TE0211DN.001 06:40
Daily News - Sofia, Wednesday, February 9 , 2022, No.33
Sofia, Wednesday, February 9 , 2022, No.33
PM Petkov Visits Belgrade, Discusses Connectivity
and Energy Cooperation with Serbian Leaders
BTA correspondents Assen Boyadjiev and Sofia Gospodinova
Belgrade
Connectivity and energy cooperation were on the agenda of the meetings of Prime Minister Kiril Petkov in Belgrade where he paid an official visit Tuesday. Maximum connectivity is important for the region for economic development to be parallel and to be sure that all synergies between the two countries have been unlocked, he said after a meeting in Belgrade with his Serbian counterpart Ana Brnabic.
Petkov's agenda also included meetings with President Alexander Vucic and Parliament leader Ivica Dacic. On his delegation were Energy Minister Alexander Nikolov and Deputy Foreign Minister Vassil Georgiev.
Petkov said that connectivity in the energy sector will be a huge priority because together we are much stronger. He noted that the Natural Gas Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria is a priority for Bulgaria and that it will give Serbia direct access to liquefied gas and gas from Azerbaijan.
There is a huge potential in having a single gas market and we would be happy to set it up fast, Petkov said. He said the connection between Bulgaria, Serbia, North Macedonia, and Greece should evolve into a single gas market.
Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said that her government and herself would gladly work to make bilateral relations even better. "We have excellent bilateral relations but there is room for improvement in the field of trade and economy," said also the Serbian government leader. She thanked Petkov for putting Belgrade among the capitals he visits early in his tenure. "It is very important for us," she added.
A press release by the government press office said that Petkov met with President Aleksandar Vucic. They discussed the construction of the motorway from the Kalotina checkpoint on the border with Serbia to Sofia, work on a Bulgarian language department at the University of Belgrade, the rights of Bulgarian people in Eastern Serbia, cooperation in the energy sector, transport and the encouragement of entrepreneurship.
Petkov thanked for the efforts of the Serbian authorities for integration of the Bulgarian national minority.
Defence Minister Yanev: No One Is Imposing Decisions Related to Our Security
Sofia - "No one, for any reason, is imposing on us decisions related to our security. Decisions are made in an alliance format after consultations and with consensus, with each member state presenting its sovereign national position," said Defence Minister Stefan Yanev here on Tuesday. He was speaking at the opening of the Annual Conference of the Chief of Defence.
The topic of this year's two-day forum is "Adapting the Armed Forces' Structure, Planning, Preparation and Deployment to the Requirements of the NATO Concept of Deterrence and Defence in the Euro-Atlantic Area".
Bulgaria is a sovereign state and all decisions related to taking specific actions in the area of defence are made by the Bulgarian Government and National Assembly, Yanev said.
"The region we live in today is faced with one of the most serious military-political crises since the end of the Cold War. This challenge requires us to respond appropriately and act bravely, decisively and in a nationally responsible manner," the Defence Minister said.
Yanev said that what is happening around Ukraine's border is a challenge for the Euro-Atlantic security and has a serious negative impact on Bulgaria's national security. The concentration of Russian troops in close proximity to Ukraine's border fuels tension, contributes to instability and gives Moscow a strategic advantage in achieving its political goals in the spirit of realpolitik. The process towards a lasting change in the strategic balance of powers in the Black Sea region continues, the Defence Minister said.
Yanev further noted that his Ministry's political leadership sees the need to concentrate efforts in five priority areas - people in defence, building and developing defence capabilities, military education system, innovations and research and development, increasing the administrative capacity, regulatory framework and by-laws.
He said that measures will be taken to address the large number of vacant positions for servicepersons and attracting high-quality staff to serve. Yanev noted that he and his team will do everything possible to renew this year the implementation of the project for the purchase of new armoured vehicles for the Land Forces.
Stefan Yanev further said that he will do everything possible for Bulgaria to fulfill as soon as possible its commitment to its allies to increase defence spending to 2 per cent of GDP by 2024.
The Chief of Defence, Admiral Emil Eftimov, told the Conference that NATO's deterrence and defence concept for Euro-Atlantic zone sets new challenges for the Alliances' armed forces concerning their role in implementing the concept and their defence capabilities and readiness.
The collective security system does not mean that a NATO member can ensure its defence at the expense of other allies. The principle behind this is solidarity in defence spending, which is accepted to be at least 2 per cent of countries' GDP, he said.
Chief of Staff of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe Admiral Joachim Ruhle is also taking part in the Conference in Sofia.
Speaking at a briefing after the Annual Conference of the Chief of Defence, Minister Yanev said that the topic whether US servicepersons can participate in the Bulgarian battalion will be discussed with representatives of the US Department of State, who are currently in Bulgaria.
Asked when the first F-16 fighters are expected to be delivered, Yanev said that there are delays. "Officially, we have a letter which says that the delivery of the first fighter jets will be delayed. The letter says this delay will be a few months," Yanev said, adding that more details will become clear after the meeting with representatives of the Lockheed Martin corporation, scheduled for Wednesday, Bulgarian National Radio said.
He also said that the training of the pilots who will be flying the new aircraft, continues.
COVID-19 Update: 8,012 New Cases, Test Positivity Rate at 21.36%
Sofia - A total of 8,012 new COVID-19 cases were identified in Bulgaria on Monday by 37,509 tests. The test positivity rate now stands at 21.36 per cent, show data posted on https://coronavirus.bg/.
A total of 75.69 per cent of newly infected people were not vaccinated against COVID-19. Monday's COVID-19 fatalities add up to 176, of whom 90.34 per cent were unvaccinated. A total of 5,782 people have recovered from the disease. The registered active COVID-19 cases are 261,577. A total of 6,256 people infected with COVID-19 are hospitalized, of whom 623 in intensive care units. The new hospitalizations on Monday were 1,145, of whom 87.07 per cent are unvaccinated.
A total of 5,671 vaccine doses against COVID-19 were administered on Monday.
Interior Ministry Starts Operation against Fake COVID-19 Certificates
Sofia - The Interior Ministry said here on Tuesday that it has launched an operation against fake COVID-19 green certificates.
The police is probing information about close to 3,000 fake certificates issued across five regions in Bulgaria and another 300 certificates issued to people abroad, including foreigners, who have not returned to Bulgaria.
A medical centre in Sofia is the main target of the operation. Checks are carried out in a few other regions as well.
Constitutional Court Says Justice Minister Can Propose Early
Dismissal of Prosecutor General, Two Supreme Court Presidents
Sofia - The Constitutional Court held anonymously that the Justice Minister is competent to propose to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) the early dismissal of the Prosecutor General and the presidents of the Supreme Court of Cassation and of the Supreme Administrative Court, if they are found in serious violations, systematically fail to fulfill their official duties, or their actions damage the Judiciary's reputation. The Constitutional Court's decision was published on its website on Tuesday.
The Constitutional Court's interpretative decision, adopted unanimously with ten votes, comes in response to a petition by the Council of Ministers on August 5, 2021. Judge Philip Dimitrov is the rapporteur in the case.
On July 22, 2021, the SJC's plenum left aside a proposal by the then caretaker justice minister, Yanaki Stoilov, for starting a procedure for the removal of Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev. The SJC's decision was made with 12 votes in favour and 8 votes against.
Stoilov's proposal was based on an alert from Interior Minister Boyko Rashkov (who was also the interior minister in the same caretaker government), containing details about alleged violations committed by the Prosecutor General.
Justice Minister Nadezhda Yordanova said in an interview on January 16 of this year that her Ministry is working on alerts that contain enough arguments that would warrant demanding Ivan Geshev's early dismissal from the post. According to her, there must be a clear and transparent procedure that could establish whether there are grounds for dismissing the prosecutor. Following the Constitutional Court ruling, Yordanova said at a news briefing that they have prepared and will submit shortly a motion for Geshev's removal. "It is an important safeguard against the encapsulation of the judicial power branch. We will start a procedure after an analysis of the actions and inaction of the Prosecutor General."
She added that an important consequence of the Constitutional Court ruling is that the Supreme Judicial Council will have to consider the motion on its merit.
The first time, the debate on the motion for Geshev's removal at the Supreme Judicial Council was based on whether it was admissible or not.
Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said he was happy after the Constitutional Court ruling. "It was very important to hear that the Prosecutor General does not have an only-God-above-me status and that there is a procedure whereby the Justice Minister can petition the Supreme Judicial Council for his removal," said Petkov. He added that from now on the Supreme Judicial Council has an important role to play, and expressed hope that the Justice Minister will submit convincing facts about unlawful actions by the Prosecutor General. "The question is whether the Supreme Judicial Council is up to the responsibility it is vested with by the Constitution," he added.
Counter-Corruption Commission Invites Justice Minister Yordanova
Again to Hearing over Complaints Against Prosecutor General
Sofia - The Counter-Corruption and Unlawfully Acquired Assets Forfeiture Commission (CCUAAFC) sent Tuesday a new invitation for a hearing to Justice Minister Nadezhda Yordanova where she is expected to provide details about alerts she said she has against Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev.
The Commission specified that it expects Yordanova to provide copies of complaints and alerts about Geshev. It also wants to know the specific dates when the complaints were received and whether the Ministry addressed them in any way.
The CCUAAFC first invited Yordanova to appear on Tuesday but she declined to do so, arguing that the commission had no legal grounds to demand of her to go to the hearing.
Prosecutor General Gives Explanations to
SCPO Prosecutor about Prime Minister's
List of Serious Crime Suspects
Dimiter Abrashev of BTA
Sofia
Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev has given explanations to a prosecutor of the Supreme Cassation Prosecution Office about a list of persons who, according to Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, have committed serious criminal and economic offences. Interviewed by BTA, Geshev said that at a meeting convened by Petkov last week the Prime Minister read out a list of names, some of whom were again mentioned by Petkov during a news conference at the Council of Ministers on Monday.
Geshev noted in the BTA interview that the reason for his February 4 meeting with the Prime Minister was the desire of the prosecution service for interaction between the judicial system and the executive government. "This is the only way to achieve the results the public wants in the fight against crime," Geshev said. "Therefore, the war which the Ministries of Interior and Justice are fighting against the prosecution service is not only contrary to fundamental constitutional principles but is also counterproductive and not in the best interests of Bulgarian citizens."
Geshev thanked Petkov for meeting with him and for giving the above-mentioned news conference. He recalled that late last month he travelled to Brussels in connection with a meeting of a European Parliament group monitoring the rule of law. Prime Minister Petkov was there at the same time. Geshev said he expressed the apprehensions of the Bulgarian prosecution service about the rule-of-law situation in the country and "the actual regression which has taken us back to the levels before we joined the EU."
"We have seen with concern how political and personal pressure and attacks against the judiciary and individual magistrates, circumventions and violations of the law, lack of interaction and interrupted dialogue between the institutions have brought back some categories of crime against which we think we had achieved visibly good results."
The Prosecutor General went on to say that the information he received from Petkov about the list of persons who are said to have committed serious criminal and economic offences, was referred to the competent authorities. He also provided explanations to a prosecutor of the Supreme Cassation Prosecution Office. He said that if more information is received, the supervising prosecutors will conduct checks. "The work of the Specialized Prosecution Office is particularly important here. I told the Prime Minister so. I hope that the potential of these well-trained people will be utilized. It should be stated clearly that their work is appreciated and highly approved of by our international partners and institutions," he said.
Geshev said Petkov is adamant that the specialized jurisdictions must be closed down, but Geshev and the prosecution service are opposed to the idea. The Prosecutor General expressed hope that the proposed closure of the specialized jurisdictions and of the Counter-corruption and Unlawfully Acquired Assets Forfeiture Commission is not a way to give 3 billion leva in frozen assets back to the oligarchs. "I hope for a broad professional debate involving European institutions, rather than changes in the dark."
Geshev believes that the ongoing push to bring him down is aimed against him personally, rather than being an element of the judicial reform.
Justice Minister in BTA Interview: There Was No Real Prosecution of Corruption in Bulgaria for Long Years
Sofia - Bulgarian Justice Minister Nadezhda Yordanova believes that there has been no real prosecution of corruption in Bulgaria for long years, and saying that loud is not a violation of the rule of law. "My fear is that there was no real prosecution of corruption crimes nor any effective sentences in corruption-related cases for long years. Raising these questions does not violate the rule of law," Yordanova said in a BTA interview on Tuesday.
She was referring to Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev's words in a BTA interview the same day, reiterating what he has said on a number of occasions, that the Justice Ministry and the Interior Ministry are fighting a war against him personally, that proposed changes in the judiciary are not part of a reform based on ideas, and that the rule of law is at risk. Geshev also said that there is a risk for Bulgaria to slip down to a position where it was before its admission to the EU.
Yordanova argued that speaking about the failures in prosecuting corruption and making planned changes in the legislation is a way to stand up for European values and for the idea that the law is the same for all.
Yordanova also said that the contemplated legislative changes including closure of the specialized prosecution services and courts - which handle cases of corruption and those involved high-ranking officials - have been put up for public consultation and various positions have started coming in. Several days ago the Justice Ministry sent out letters to all stakeholders, including the Prosecution Service, asking them to present their positions and ideas to be discussed before the legislative changes are finalized, said the Minister.
The prosecution service and Prosecutor General Geshev are passionate opponents of the plans to eliminate special jurisdictions.
She is adamant that there is no war between the institutions or an interpersonal conflict. "It is a matter of principle," the Minister said.
Prosecution Service Investigates Criminal Group
for "Golden Passports" at Investment Agency
Sofia - The prosecution service is investigating a criminal group at the InvestBulgaria Agency, involved in a suspected scheme for issue of "golden passports", Specialized Prosecutor's Office spokesperson Hristo Krastev told the media on Tuesday. The announcement comes a day after the prosecution service said that it was opening a probe into the "golden passports" scheme.
Actions are being carried out in the Bulgarian Investment Agency, the Bulgarian Citizenship Directorate of the Justice Ministry, the Migration Directorate of the Interior Ministry and the Economy Ministry.
According to Krastev, the criminal group at InvestBulgaria operated in the 2015-2021 period. Five investigators and two prosecutors are working on the case.
The State Agency for National Security has been instructed to check the origin of the money invested in Bulgaria by the passport holders, as well as whether the investment was maintained, said Krastev.
The prosecution service were alerted about the irregularities with "golden passports" by the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF). The alert named over 120 persons, mainly citizens of China and Russia, who had obtained residence permits in the 2015-2021 period under false pretense and with the help of the same intermediaries. They remitted an identical amount of money through a particular bank and were granted residence just by submitting photocopies of their statements of account.
Under the effective legislation, third-country nationals can obtain a permanent resident status if they invest at least 1 million leva and can be granted Bulgarian citizenship for a minimum 2 million leva investment without going through the cumbersome and time-consuming standard procedure.
The present government has already tabled legislative changes the eliminate that opportunity.
During a visit to Belgrade Tuesday, Prime Minister Kiril Petkov told reporters that while being an Economy Minister in the caretaker government in 2021, he found out about the "golden passports" scheme and delegated it to Kalina Konstantinova, who meanwhile was appointed Deputy Prime Minister for Good Governance, to look into the matter.
He believes that MRF is using the issue as a publicity stunt and pointed out that the MRF campaign against the "golden passports" started after the government submitted a bill to scrap this opportunity. "Our [government] coalition, submitted a bill which is now being considered by a parliamentary committee, and I promised that these golden passports will be done away with", Petkov noted. He finds it ridiculous that MRF are being so active on the matter now after doing nothing about it for four years.
Two Turkish Citizens Detained for Attempt to
Cross Bulgarian-Romanian Border Illegally
Vidin, on the Danube - Two Turkish citizens have been detained for attempting to cross the Bulgarian border illegally, said the Sofia Appellate Prosecutor's Office (SAPO). The announcement specifies that the investigation against foreign citizens is being conducted under the direction of the Vidin Regional Prosecutor's Office.
On February 4, at the Danube Bridge Vidin-Calafat border checkpoint , a 26-year-old Turkish citizen made an attempt to cross the Bulgarian border to Romania without the permission of the competent authorities. He was caught due to the intervention of the border guards and was detained. The man was in the car of another 38-year-old Turkish citizen.
At the request of the Vidin Regional Prosecutor's Office, the two foreigners were remanded in custody. The investigation into the case continues, added the SAPO.
11.2% of Bulgarian Youths Suffer from Mental Disorders
Sofia - Latest data show that 11.2 per cent of young Bulgarians aged 10-19 (703,808 boys and girls) suffer from a mental disorder, UNICEF Ambassador to Bulgaria Christina Dorothea de Bruin said at an online discussion here on Tuesday. The event was organized by National Ombudsman Diana Kovacheva.
The focus of the discussion were the consequences of social isolation during the coronavirus pandemic and the increase in aggression among children.
Kovacheva presented recommendations which will be sent to the Education and Science Ministry, such as: introducing tools of psychological assessment for the period of online classes and social isolation; measures for the support of mental health of children and school staff; online behavioral therapy for school students; providing psychologist or pedagogical advisor for every school.
Marina Angelova from the Bulgarian Psychoanalytical Society insisted that the Education and Science Ministry should develop an overall concept to improve mental health.
Bulgarian-Romanian Chamber of Commerce CEO Ivanova:
Growing Number of Romanian Companies Seek Customers in Bulgaria
Ruse, on the Danube - The business relations between Bulgaria and Romania are developing despite the pandemic. Bulgarian companies' traditionally bigger interest in Romania remained stable, while an increasing number of inquiries are being submitted in recent months by Romanian companies seeking customers in Bulgaria, the Bulgarian-Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BRCCI) CEO, Eleonora Ivanova, told BTA in an interview.
The Bulgarian side is looking for partners in traditional sectors, such as food and cosmetics, while there is growing interest in machine-building, Ivanova said. The BRCCI is receiving a growing number of inquiries by both sides about different raw materials, which is obviously normal given the crisis, which has lead to shortages and price hikes, she said. Software companies from both countries are seeking customers by offering specialized products in different sectors, such as agribusiness, the industrial sector, among others, Ivanova went on to explain.
Romania is one of Bulgaria's biggest trade partners
The BRCCI head said that, according to national statistics, Bulgaria's trade balance with Romania was positive between January and October of 2021 and amounted to 1.017 billion leva. The trade balance was only 516.7 million leva during the same period a year earlier. Preliminary estimates show that a record-high trade turnover is expected, which will surpass 2019, when the turnover was highest at 9.784 billion leva. Exports of Bulgarian goods to Romania has increased by 35.2 per cent, while imports have gone up by 26.2 per cent. Romania remains Bulgaria's second-biggest trade partner after Germany, Ivanova explained.
Transport connectivity problems between Bulgaria and Romania
Ivanova explained that one of the BRCCI's priorities, on which the Chamber has been working since its establishment, is transport connectivity. "At the beginning, when we established the Chamber, connectivity between the two countries was not on the agenda at all," she said. This issue has not only not been addressed throughout the years, but has become even more serious. She recalled that there are two bridges connecting the two countries, while trade has increased 17-fold, while tourist exchange has also gone up significantly. This has all lead to clogged up border checkpoints, while the COVID-19 measures have further aggravated the problem. "We heard the new Government's plans for [building] bridges and [improving] connectivity, but the reality and the possibilities are very different," she explained.
According to Ivanova, the Danube has a huge untapped potential. "We are working very actively on projects with partner organizations from countries along the Danube and we are striving to attract attention to the river and the opportunities it so generously offers, as long as they are appreciated and developed," she said.
The BRCCI was established in 2003 and its membership base approaches 90 companies, which come from almost all economic sectors. A vocational training centre was created under the Chamber, which offers Romanian language classes.
Doors Open Wineries Days to Take Place near Melnik on February 19 and 20
Sofia - Traditional Wineries Doors Open Days will take place near Melnik (Southwestern Bulgaria) on February 19 and 20. The event is dedicated to the day of the patron saint of gardeners and winegrowers, St. Tryphon, the Bulgarian Association of Independent Winegrowers (BAIW) told BTA.
The visitors will have an opportunity to see vine pruning rituals, take part in wine tours, attend local folklore music and dance performances, and, of course, will be able to try the local wines and traditional dishes. By organizing the festival, Melnik winegrowers aim to popularize their high-quality wines of local and international varieties, and promote wine tourism in the region, BAIW said.
The participating wineries are:
- Villa Melnik Winery (the village of Harsovo), www.villamelnik.com;
- Zlaten Rozhen Wine Cellar (the village of Kapatovo), www.zlatenrozhen.bg;
- Kapatovo Gardens and Vineyards (the village of Kapatovo), www.kapatovo.bg;
- Libera Estate (the village of Zornitsa), www.liberaestate.com;
- Zornitza Family Estate (the village of Zornitsa), www.zornitzaestate.com.
Each winery has its own programme of events, accessible online for anyone who is interested.
The organizers have also created the Melnik Wine Routes map which is free to download from the following links: https://villamelnik.com/regiona; https://www.facebook.com/melnikwineroutes/. It includes the locations of the wineries within the region, as well as some landmarks, such as the towns of Melnik, Sandanski and Petrich, the Rozhen monastery, the village of Rupite, and Samuil's fortress, among others.
The Doors Open Days initiative is supported by the municipalities of Sandanski and Petrich and will take place in strict compliance with all anti-epidemic measures.
BAIW is an association which unites family wineries from different regions in Bulgaria. Since its founding in April 2012, BAIW is a member of the European Confederation of Independent Winegrowers (CEVI - www.cevi-eciw.eu), alongside winegrowers' organizations from France, Spain, Portugal, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Slovenia, Italy and Hungary. CEVI represents more than 8,000 wineries.
President Radev Holds Working Meeting with EU Ambassadors,
EU Prospects of Western Balkans Among Discussed Issues
Sofia - Issues on Europe's agenda were discussed here Tuesday at a working meeting of President Rumen Radev with the ambassadors of the EU member states and Switzerland. The European prospects of the Western Balkan countries was among the issues and the President said that Bulgaria is working actively towards and supports these prospects because it is the surest way to security, stability and economic progress across the Balkans.
"This is why our country expects tangible results both in the fields of connectivity and the economy, and with regard to the open issues in relations with North Macedonia," Radev said. He mentioned as examples of open issues the rights of people with Bulgarian self-awareness in North Macedonia and hate speech against Bulgaria. "Ignoring those will slow down the progress [of Skopje] towards EU integration," said the President.
He agrees that the recent energizing of bilateral dialogue is a good sign. "But what Bulgaria expects is not new assurances: it expects constitutional guarantees that the rights of Macedonian Bulgarians will be respected by adding them to the preamble of the Constitution of North Macedonia along with the other parts of peoples."
The President believes that that should happen before Skopje opens EU accession talks.
The Bulgarian head of State praised the priorities of the French Presidency of the EU.
He also said that NATO is the backbone of European security "but the question remains about the deficit in the EU defence capabilities, and these are clearly seen during crises". He reiterated his call for closer integration of research and the European defence industry so as to optimize defence costs and increase the contribution of the EU countries to collective security.
Radev gave a high mark to the partnership among the EU countries in defence, including the joint exercises and air policing in Bulgaria amid the escalation of tensions over Ukraine.
Electricity Production from Baseload Power Plants Rises Further
Sofia - Electricity production from Bulgarian baseload power plants between January 1 and February 6, 2022 increased by 34.6 per cent compared with January 1 to February 6, 2021, according to latest data posted on the website of the Electricity System Operator. Between January 1 and February 6, 2022 the country's baseload power plants produced 5,289,804 megawatt-hours of electricity compared with 3,945,764 MWh a year earlier. The increase accelerated after it stood at 31.57 per cent in January 1 to January 23, 2022, year on year.
Total electricity production between January 1 and February 6, 2022 grew by 24.62 per cent, year on year. It amounted to 6,148,609 MWh, up from 4,933,801 MWh.
Electricity consumption in Bulgaria between January 1 and February 6, 2022 increased by 5.25 per cent compared with January 1 to February 6, 2021. It amounted to 4,822,531 MWh, up from 4,581,921 MWh a year earlier.
Bulgaria's surplus in foreign trade in electricity between January 1 and February 6, 2022 increased by 276.86 per cent compared with January 1 to February 6, 2021. This implies a decline compared with the 349.62 per cent registered between January 1 and January 23, 2022 compared with January 1 to January 23, 2021.
The share of renewable energy sources in the total amount of electricity transmitted nationwide between January 1 and February 6, 2022 expanded by 17.85 per cent. The share of renewables in the amount of electricity distributed nationwide went up by 25.21 per cent. In January 1-23, 2022 compared with January 1-23, 2021 the respective rates of increase were 38.46 per cent and 37.22 per cent.
Electricity produced by hydroelectric power plants between January 1 and February 6, 2022 decreased by 29.1 per cent compared with January 1 to February 6, 2021.
Economy Minister Ninova: The State Oil Company is Closing Down
Sofia - There is no question about it: The State Oil Company is closing down, said the Deputy Prime Minister for Economy and Industry and Minister of Economy and Industry Korneliya Ninova on Tuesday while presenting the 2022 draft budget before the relevant parliamentary committee. She added that she will soon submit draft legislation regarding the company closure.
Ninova said that the question of storing the oil reserves is still open. "We are considering the companies which have the legal obligation to store the reserves. They can pay for that obligation, these reserves, in the form of funds, which the state can purchase and store. It would be the state's responsibility to guarantee that they are not dependent on private interests, on a particular company that may or may not be storing them." The Minister added that sometimes less strict control in this field suggests that not all parties are doing their duty of keeping stocks. She believes that the government must secure storage locations, and the relevant companies must pay for them.
First Circumnavigation of Earth Highlighted at Sofia Exhibition
Sofia - Deputy Foreign Minister Irena Dimitrova and Spanish Ambassador to Bulgaria Alejandro Polanco Mata opened a multimedia exhibition called "The Longest Journey", highlighting the first circumnavigation of the globe five centuries ago, the Foreign Ministry's State Institute for Culture said on Tuesday. The show at The Mission Gallery in Sofia continues until February 25.
It aims to popularize the first circumnavigation of the Earth as a key journey in world history and to pay tribute to the research spirit of man and his search for knowledge and the unknown. The multimedia exhibition is conceived as a concept map of the first circumnavigation.
A long-awaited journey of mankind in the unexplored side of the Earth to the mythical Orient and the Spice Islands began 500 years ago in Seville, Spain. This voyage, started by Fernando Magellan in 1519, would prove the longest in an era: the first circumnavigation of the world, completed in 1522 by Juan Sebastian Elcano and the crew of the ship Victoria.
On August 10, 1519, two hundred and thirty-nine men left Seville on five ships. They crossed three oceans - the Atlantic, the Pacific and the Indian - a long and impossible journey in which the crew battled famine, disease and riots. Three years later, 18 men returned on a ship led by Juan Sebastian Elcano. Two previous expeditions were unsuccessful - neither Columbus reached India nor Magellan arrived at the Moluccas. Although Magellan played a very important role as a cartographer and organizer of the expedition, Elcano has the credit of the sailor who achieved it. After Magellan's death, Elcano took command of the fleet and carried out the mission, commissioned and funded by the Spanish crown, travelling the world west and returning to Seville.
The exhibition content is developed along a timeline which tells the most important events and feats from the first circumnavigation of the Earth. Fifteen panels combine attractive images and graphics with short messages. Seven of the panels have a QR code that provides visitors with additional multimedia information with audiovisual materials that evoke the sensations of this historic journey. They can be accessed from any digital device. The exhibition is accompanied by a short documentary that brings together all these videos and transports us to the world of travel and knowledge.
Couples in Love Can Buy Two Tickets for Price of One at Bulgarian Army Theatre
Sofia - To celebrate Valentine's Day, couples in love can buy two tickets for the price of one on February 13 and 14, said the Bulgarian Army Theatre.
"Traditionally, on February 14 couples can purchase one ticket to our plays with money and get the second one when they kiss. The ongoing pandemic shrank both our audiences and the number of hugs and kisses between them. The one thing that is never going to change however is the gift that we traditionally offer to the people in love," said the Theatre.
On Monday it will stage "What the Night is For / Do Not Disturb" starring Stefka Yanorova and Georgi Kadurin.
"This play by Michael Weller is both painfully honest and surprisingly funny. It tells the story of an impossible love, out of reach not because there is no will, but because sometimes things do not work out. The plot follows two former spouses, who are trying to rekindle their passion for each other in a New-York hotel room after having spent the last decade away from each other."
Bulgarian Drawing Wins Highest Award at International Children's Art Exhibition
Sofia - A Bulgarian child's drawing won the highest award at the 52nd International Children's Art Exhibition (ICAE) in Japan, the Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday.
The 7-year-old Yuliyan Shaklev won the highest award - of the Foreign Minister of Japan, with his drawing "Night over the City". The painting is one of the ten works that were chosen to receive the Foreign Minister's award. Yuliyan won second prize in the competition in 2021 together with Kalina Kyukchieva and Lyubomir Cholakov.
The ICAE competition was founded in 1970 in Osaka, Japan, and has been organized every year since then. The main goal of the initiative is the presentation of children's art from all around the world. It gives children aged 3 to 15 the opportunity to show their creativity through drawings and collages.
Some 35,000 art works from 35 countries took part in the competition in 2022.
For 15th Consecutive Year NAIM-BAS organizes Bulgarian Archeology Temporary Exhibition
Sofia - For the fifteenth consecutive year, the National Archaeological Institute with a Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (NAIM-BAS), with the support of 20 other museums, organized the temporary exhibition "Bulgarian Archeology".
The exposition presents the most interesting and impressive discoveries and researches from the past active archeological season. Among the exhibits are gold, silver and bronze ornaments, exquisite ceramic anthropomorphic figures and vessels, collective finds of silver and bronze coins, tools and weapons, and much more. Included are 40 sites illustrating the development of cultures in today's Bulgarian lands from the Paleolithic (over 100,000 years before our time) to the Middle Ages.
The exhibition "Bulgarian Archeology 2021" can be visited in the Central Hall of NAIM-BAS from February 16.
Strong Support for Bulgarian Christmas Fundraiser Is
Outcome of Campaign Transparency, Says President Radev
Sofia - The strong support for the Bulgarian Christmas charity campaign is a sign that Bulgarians trust the transparent and responsible process of distributing the donations and gives us hope that we live in a humane society, said President Rumen Radev Tuesday. He was speaking during the first meeting of the Bulgarian Christmas panel for 2022 and was quoted by the President's Office.
Bulgarian Christmas raises money to support child health care.
So far, the 19th edition, which started in November 2021 and will last one year, has raised 3,070,000 leva. This is the largest sum in the last 15 years of the campaign. More than 4,500 individuals and 400 companies have donated via bank transfer, another 380,000 text messages were sent and phone calls made, contributing to the charity fund.
So far, the President's administration has received 220 applications from health care providers to be included in the fund distribution. The requests are mostly related to drug therapy, rehabilitation, and various aids. Thirty hospitals have requested to buy medical equipment.
Donations can be made to Bulgarian Christmas all year round via bank transfer, payment terminal, ePay, UPay, by calling or sending a text message.
Taste Atlas Ranks Bulgarian Garash Cake Highest Rated in the World
Desislava Toncheva, BTA
Sofia
The Bulgarian Garash cake (''Torta Garash'') has received some of the highest ratings according to the culinary guide Taste Atlas (tasteatlas.com). The website is a map and a culinary guide of the best traditional dishes around the world and provides information on ingredients, history and best locations that serve each dish.
According to the website, the Garash cake is rated best cake, best chocolate dessert and best chocolate cake in the world, and fifth best dessert in the world overall. It's also the 50th best dish in the world and the 10th best in the city of Sofia.
Garash is one of the most popular Bulgarian desserts. It consists of five delicate walnut sponge plates layered with dark chocolate ganache. The entire cake is frosted in a shiny dark chocolate glaze and is decorated with coconut or orange sprinkles, nuts or chocolate toppings. It is very decadent and sweet and is usually served in smaller than average pieces.
The Taste Atlas website also details the history of the cake. It was invented by an Austro-Hungarian confectioner Kosta Garash in 1885. At the time, he was working at a lavish hotel in the city of Ruse (on the Danube), where he first served the cake. He later moved to Sofia and continued to prepare the cake, which soon became a renowned Bulgarian dessert that is nowadays found on the menus of numerous patisseries and restaurants across the country.
Garash cake is a popular dish served in many restaurants in Bulgaria, but the most popular places to try it, according to tasteatlas.com, are the Laguna Confectionary in Sofia and the restaurant chain Happy Bar & Grill. Goguide.bg recommends the Grand Cafe in central Sofia, where the cake is prepared according to a recipe passed down from generation to generation in the family of the chief confectioner. It has been compared to the original Garash cake served at the former Savoy Confectionery by older patrons who have been lucky enough to try the latter.
Apart from the Garash cake, the Bulgarian map on Taste Atlas shows meat dishes Banska kapama, Chirpan meatballs, Ribena chorba (fish stew), cured meats like pastarma file Elena, Panagiyrska lukanka, Strandzhanski dyado; baked dishes like patatnik and banitsa, the latter being the most popular Bulgarian dish; and Bulgarian yoghurt (''kiselo mlyako''), often cited as one of the oldest types of yogurt, which is the most popular dairy beverage in the world, according to the site.
Radoslav Yankov Drops Out in Men's Parallel Giant Slalom 1/8 Finals
BTA special correspondent Dimitar Velyov
Zhangjiakou
Bulgarian snowboarder Radoslav Yankov dropped out in the men's parallel giant slalom 1/8 finals here at the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 on Tuesday.
Yankov, who ranked 15th in the qualification run, was eliminated by Austria Benjamin Karl. The Bulgarian's performance was without serious errors, but he lost to Karl by 0.36 s.
This was nevertheless Yankov's third participation and best performance at the Olympics. He managed to make it in the qualification run. His best ranking so far was 19th in the Men's Parallel Giant Slalom during the 2018 Winter Olympics in Korea.
Bulgarians in Olympic Men's Individual 20km Biathlon Place 41st, 61st and 85th
BTA special correspondent Dimitar Velyov
Beijing
Bulgaria's Dimitar Gerdzhikov finished 41st in the men's individual 20km biathlon at the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 on Tuesday.
Gerdzhikov made two misses on the shooting range and crossed the finishing line 5:06.8 minutes behind the gold medal winner, Quentin Fillon Maillet of France who stopped the clock at 48:47.4 minutes.
Bulgaria's Vladimir Iliev, who finished 19th in the same discipline in Pyeongchang in 2018, made five misses on the shooting range and finished 61st. The third Bulgarian competitor in the race, Anton Sinapov, finished 85th.
Croatia Ready with Eurocent Designs, But Not Quite Yet
Sofia Angelova of BTA
Sofia
Croatia is heading unwaveringly towards the eurozone where it plans to become a full-fledged member in the beginning of 2023. Zagreb is preparing diligently for the historical moment: deadlines when parallel circulation of the euro and the Croatian kuna will begin have been set and the design of Croatian euro-coins was presented at the end of last week. The central bank governor, Boris Vujcic, availed himself of the occasion to inform Croatians that the operation of substituting the national currency for euro would cost over 900 million kuna (119 million euro).
Unlike the euro banknotes, identical for all euro-zone countries, euro coins and euro cents have characteristic design presenting the national symbols of each member country.
In Croatia's case, one of these is the chequy (Croatian checkerboard), which will be the background on all coins. The two euro coin will feature the geographical map of Croatia with the edge inscription citing a line from the 17th century pastoral play ''Dubravka" by Ivan Gundulic.
A design with Nikola Tesla was chosen for the 10c, 20c and 50c coins, and a design with ligature bound letters "H" and "R" in Glagolitic script was chosen for 1c, 2c and 5c coins to mark its traditional use in manuscripts.
The marten (kuna in Croatian, as the national currency is called) was initially intended to adorn the 1 euro coin. However, the designer Stjepan Pranjkovic withdrew his design after days of social media controversy as the coin in question bears an uncanny resemblance to an image taken by a Nottingham-based wildlife photographer Iain H. Leach.
Pranjkovic said he had decided to withdraw his proposal "in order not to complicate the situation any further by possible uncertainties surrounding the matter. I apologize to everyone, particularly to the Croatian National Bank, the Croatian government, and the Croatian public," Pranjkovic said in his letter. He also returned the best design award.
The best design carried a 70,000 kuna (9,300 euro) award. Index.hr news website also reported that he won two second-place awards, each worth 35,000 kuna (4,650 euro), meaning he won a total of 140,000 kuna (18,600 euro) for his three best-ranked designs.
At the beginning of the scandal, Iain Leach told the "Jutarnji list" that the photo was taken in 2005 in Scotland, that he did not mind it being used to adorn the coin, but he would want his authorship recognized and to receive some payment. The right decision had been made and that was the end of the story for him, he told Dnevnik.hr.
Competition runner Boris Ljubicic, who was not among the winners, told Dnevnik.hr that it had not been organized well for anyone could have sent a design, both specialists and non-specialists. In the long run 1,300 proposals had been received and were quite impossible to review.
The Union of Croatian Designers also issued a statement saying it expected the central bank to take the responsibility for the unprofessional competition, recalling that it had offered cooperation and support from the very beginning but that had been declined.
The image of Tesla also gave rise to polemics, for Tesla was an ethnic Serb but was born in a village today located in Croatia. When the Croatian central bank announced that his image could possibly appear on the euro coin, the Serbian central bank declared that if that happened it would take the respective steps before EU institutions for that would be "appropriation of cultural and scientific heritage of the Serbian people". Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic commented at that time that he considered the fact that Tesla was a Serb born in Croatia a plus and he saw no problem with that.
After some consideration, on Tuesday the central bank said it has decided to announce a new tender for the design and implementation of the Croatian side of the euro coin with a kuna motif, noting that the new tender will not jeopardize the timely production of Croatian euro coins, Dnevnik.hr reported.
Croatia joined the ERM II mechanism together with Bulgaria, in July 2020. The earliest date for euro adoption, which requires two years of ERM participation, is July 10, 2022.
In June 2021, Prime Minister Plenkovic said the government's ambition was to join the eurozone on January 1, 2023. The European Commission will assess Croatia's progress in May 2022. The official decision for euro adoption rests with the EU ECOFIN council and is expected to be in the summer of 2022.
In January, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic announced that from September 5, prices in the country would be displayed in both kuna and euro, until the end of 2023.
According to an Eurobarometer poll of July 2021, 61 per cent of the Croats support the adoption of the common European currency used in 17 of the 27 EU member states.
Today's Observances:
February 9
On this date in Bulgarian history:
1923: Alexander Stamboliyski forms second government (in office until June 9, 1923, when brought down by military coup).
1949: Bulgaria becomes member of UNICEF.
1996: Supreme Court repeals sentence against former Communist leader Todor Zhivkov and his former aide Milko Balev.
1998: Bulgaria wins its first Winter Olympics gold medal. Biathlete Ekaterina Dafovska earns the individual women's title in the 15 km event in Nagano, Japan.
1999: Twenty-one Bulgarian doctors and nurses are arrested in Libya in connection with the infection of 393 Libyan children with AIDS in the city of Benghazi the previous year.
2003: Bulgarian scientific base's chapel on Livingston Island, Antarctica, is consecrated.
Weather Forecast
February 9: Variable cloud, usually thick over the south. Minor snow showers in isolated areas, mainly in the mountains. Wind northwesterly, moderate; to subside by the evening. Lows: minus 3 C to plus 2 C, in Sofia minus 3 C. Highs: 7 to 12 C, in Sofia 6 C.
THE COAST: Variable cloud. Northerly wind will slow down to up-to-moderate speeds; to turn northwesterly in the afternon. Highs: 8 C to 10 C. Sea water temperatures: 6 C to 7 C. Sea waves: 2 to 3 degrees Douglas.
THE MOUNTAINS: Strong northerly wind, reaching stormy speeds at higher elevations and exposed mountainsides. Considerable cloud, scattered snow showers. Conditions will be available for blizzards and snow drifts. Highs: 0 C at 1,200 metres above sea level, minus 4 C at 2,000 metres.
Source: National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology.
Exchange - Rates
Sofia, February 8 (BTA) - The Bulgarian National Bank sets the
rates of foreign currencies against the Bulgarian lev applicable
from 5 p.m. on February 8 to 5 p.m. on February 9, 2022. The
central rates are used for the purposes of accounting,
statistics, customs valuation and remittances. The commercial
banks set the exchange rates at which foreign exchange is bought
and sold.
______________________________________________
CURRENCY SWIFT CODE FOR LEVA
_______________________________________________
Australian Dollar AUD 1 1.22049
Brazilian Real BRL 10 3.2484
Canadian Dollar CAD 1 1.34838
Swiss Franc CHF 1 1.85475
Chinese Yuan Renminbi CNY 10 2.69265
Czech Koruna CZK 100 8.06229
Danish Krone DKK 10 2.6275
British Pound GBP 1 2.31835
Hong Kong Dollar HKD 10 2.19946
Croatian Kuna HRK 10 2.60032
Hungarian Forint HUF 1000 5.53918
Indonesian Rupiah IDR 10000 1.19124
New Israel Shekel ILS 10 5.32155
Indian Rupee INR 100 2.29411
Icelandic Krona ISK 100 1.37348
Japanese Yen JPY 100 1.48529
South Korean Won KRW 1000 1.42983
Mexican Peso MXN 100 8.30145
Malaysian Ringgit MYR 10 4.09684
Norwegian Krone NOK 10 1.94112
New Zealand Dollar NZD 1 1.13737
Philippine Peso PHP 100 3.33106
Polish Zloty PLN 10 4.31636
Romanian Leu RON 10 3.95517
Russian Rouble RUB 100 2.28006
Swedish Krona SEK 10 1.87281
Singaporean Dollar SGD 1 1.27424
Thai Baht THB 100 5.20085
Turkish Lira TRY 10 1.2573
US Dollar USD 1 1.71444
South African Rand ZAR 10 1.10887
Gold price (per troy ounce) XAU 1 3124.81
Advisory
to BTA's External Service
Subscribers
Sofia, February 9 (BTA) - Following are some of the main stories to be moved by BTA's External Service on Wednesday:
At its regular sitting, the National Assembly is scheduled to hold first-reading debates on the 2022 National Health Insurance Fund Budget Bill, the 2022 State Public Social Security Budget Bil, and draft amendments to the Corporate Income Tax Act.
***
At its regular meeting, the Council of Ministers is scheduled to review, among other things, a draft decision on designating GullivAir EOOD as the air carrier to service the flights between Sofia and Bangkok.
***
President Rumen Radev, Vice President Iliana Iotova, and Prime Minister Kiril Petkov will attend the graduation ceremony of the young doctors from the 2021 class of Sofia Medical University's Faculty of Medicine.
***
Prime Minister Petkov and the chief of the Prime Minister's political cabinet, Lena Borislavova, are expected to appear before the Supreme Prosecutor's Office of Cassation so as to provide information about the list of names which last week they mentioned they have of perpetrators of serious criminal and economic offences.
/DS/
Press - Review
Sofia, February 9 (BTA) -
HIGHLIGHTS
The topic of COVID-19 dominates the front pages of Wednesday's print dailies. Following is an overview of their front-page stories.
Trud: During the COVID-19 pandemic, abuse, violence, eating disorders, panic attacks, and fear have become an everyday occurrence for children in Bulgaria. They have become more closed-off, lonelier, more tense, more anxious, more aggressive, and have lost social and school skills, said National Ombudsman Diana Kovacheva during an online discussion on mental health and child aggression in and outside of school. She proposes, among other solutions, that a psychologist be available in every school.
Monitor: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected child support by reducing the collectability of the sums set by court rulings, the daily learned from the head of the Chamber of Private Enforcement Agents, Ivan Hadzhiivanov. "Legal cases on child support are a plus, but many people become jobless or go to work abroad, and we cannot collect the money that the court has ruled should be paid as child support. People sometimes pay and sometimes do not. When they have no incomes, there is nothing to be collected," he explained. Last year, collectability went up nearly two-fold, with private enforcement agents collecting 1 billion leva, compared to 655 million leva in 2020. This higher collectability is the result of agents not collecting debts in the course of four months in 2020, deciding themselves to do so in light of the COVID-19 situation that spring.
Telegraf: Bulgarians are treating themselves against COVID-19 with a veterinary medicinal product in the form of an injection solution for cattle, pigs, sheep and goats. The active ingredient in it is Ivermectin, which many believe to be a miracle-making product, despite the European Medicines Agency having firmly stated that it does not recommend its use for COVID-19 patients. Experts say that Ivermectin can be extremely dangerous, as it is toxic and one can easily overdose, yet people are using it based on recommendations on social networks.
24 Chasa: Defence Minister Stefan Yanev is preparing a quick deal for armoured fighting vehicles to be used by the future Bulgarian battalion combat group. The deal is planned as an in-house procedure worth 1.5 billion leva for the State-owned TEREM Holding, it transpires from replies by the Defence Ministry to the daily's questions. The Ministry also told 24 Chasa that there are statutory obstacles to the projects for the purchase of combat equipment, which is why changes are being drafted to the rules for the purchase of armament. At present, each deal exceeding 50 million leva needs the Government's approval and each deal worth over 100 million leva needs Parliament's approval.
Commenting on the topic, Capital.bg writes that even if the deal for the armoured vehicles gets magically signed within the next weeks, the first vehicles will arrive no earlier than 2 to 3 years, for which Bulgaria cannot wait in view of the current escalation of tension in Ukraine. "Today, the region is facing the biggest crisis after the Cold War, and what is happening in Ukraine directly threatens our security," Defence Minister Yanev said on Tuesday. This is a speedy evolution of his position on the topic that he presented several weeks ago: that there is no direct threat to Bulgaria's security, Capital recalls.
Duma: Shortly after the Constitutional Court on Tuesday held anonymously that the Justice Minister is competent to propose to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) the early dismissal of the Prosecutor General, Justice Minister Nadezhda Yordanova said she will table such a proposal at the SJC as soon as possible. The reasoning behind this proposal will be slightly different from that of her predecessor, caretaker justice minister Yanaki Stoilov, with the main hypothesis going to be that Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev has damaged the Judiciary's image. There is nothing political behind this proposal, Yordanova noted. Once he learned of the Constitutional Court's decision, Geshev expressed the hope that this is not part of a personal political vendetta against him.
POLITICS
24 Chasa has an interview with Derek Chollet, Counselor of the US Department of State, who takes questions about the main topics discussed with the Bulgarian authorities during his visit here Tuesday, US-Bulgaria relations, the situation at the Ukrainian-Russian border, the sanctions against Bulgarians under the Global Magnitsky Act, and the US Visa Waiver Programme. He says the US wants to strengthen the bilateral economic ties, to continue working with Bulgaria on the modernization of its Armed Forces and the strengthening of the bilateral security partnership, and to further broaden the academic and professional exchange programmes.
***
Monitor has an interview with political expert Dimitar Ganev, who talks about the relations between Prime Minister Kiril Petkov and President Rumen Radev, arguing that there is an institutional conflict between them, as observed before in democratic Bulgaria's history. Radev is distancing himself from the Cabinet in light of the negative attitudes towards the Executive that have began being observed. Conflicts within the ruling coalition can be expected as the negative attitudes continue to pile up, but that does not mean early general elections will be held for sure. The relations between the ruling majority and the opposition have been severed, Ganev argues, which is why he expects the judicial reform to fail.
***
Segabg.com presents the findings of an Eurobarometer showing that 49 per cent of Bulgarians see Bulgaria's EU membership as something good, as opposed to 13 per cent. The survey was commissioned by the European Parliament and was conducted at the end of 2021. Compared to its previous edition a year earlier, Bulgarians' support for the EU dropped by 7 per cent and their negative attitudes increased by 4 per cent.
ECONOMY
24 Chasa has 13 pages of articles under the headline "Trend Europe: It Is Time for Connected Balkans". The articles look into infrastructure projects planned to better connect the Balkan countries and the Interreg cross-border cooperation programmes in the 2021-2027 programming period. There is also an article by Regional Development and Public Works Minister Grozdan Karadjov, in which he presents his priorities in infrastructure.
***
Trud quotes data of the National Statistical Institute showing that nearly 160,000 people registered in labour offices in the last seven months. Since July 2021, each week the registered unemployed are more than those newly employed. Since the start of 2022, newly registered jobless people number over 30,000, while the newly employed total 14,500.
/DS/
END
/ТЕ/
TE0211DN.001 06:40
Daily News - Sofia, Wednesday, February 9 , 2022, No.33
Sofia, Wednesday, February 9 , 2022, No.33
PM Petkov Visits Belgrade, Discusses Connectivity
and Energy Cooperation with Serbian Leaders
BTA correspondents Assen Boyadjiev and Sofia Gospodinova
Belgrade
Connectivity and energy cooperation were on the agenda of the meetings of Prime Minister Kiril Petkov in Belgrade where he paid an official visit Tuesday. Maximum connectivity is important for the region for economic development to be parallel and to be sure that all synergies between the two countries have been unlocked, he said after a meeting in Belgrade with his Serbian counterpart Ana Brnabic.
Petkov's agenda also included meetings with President Alexander Vucic and Parliament leader Ivica Dacic. On his delegation were Energy Minister Alexander Nikolov and Deputy Foreign Minister Vassil Georgiev.
Petkov said that connectivity in the energy sector will be a huge priority because together we are much stronger. He noted that the Natural Gas Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria is a priority for Bulgaria and that it will give Serbia direct access to liquefied gas and gas from Azerbaijan.
There is a huge potential in having a single gas market and we would be happy to set it up fast, Petkov said. He said the connection between Bulgaria, Serbia, North Macedonia, and Greece should evolve into a single gas market.
Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said that her government and herself would gladly work to make bilateral relations even better. "We have excellent bilateral relations but there is room for improvement in the field of trade and economy," said also the Serbian government leader. She thanked Petkov for putting Belgrade among the capitals he visits early in his tenure. "It is very important for us," she added.
A press release by the government press office said that Petkov met with President Aleksandar Vucic. They discussed the construction of the motorway from the Kalotina checkpoint on the border with Serbia to Sofia, work on a Bulgarian language department at the University of Belgrade, the rights of Bulgarian people in Eastern Serbia, cooperation in the energy sector, transport and the encouragement of entrepreneurship.
Petkov thanked for the efforts of the Serbian authorities for integration of the Bulgarian national minority.
Defence Minister Yanev: No One Is Imposing Decisions Related to Our Security
Sofia - "No one, for any reason, is imposing on us decisions related to our security. Decisions are made in an alliance format after consultations and with consensus, with each member state presenting its sovereign national position," said Defence Minister Stefan Yanev here on Tuesday. He was speaking at the opening of the Annual Conference of the Chief of Defence.
The topic of this year's two-day forum is "Adapting the Armed Forces' Structure, Planning, Preparation and Deployment to the Requirements of the NATO Concept of Deterrence and Defence in the Euro-Atlantic Area".
Bulgaria is a sovereign state and all decisions related to taking specific actions in the area of defence are made by the Bulgarian Government and National Assembly, Yanev said.
"The region we live in today is faced with one of the most serious military-political crises since the end of the Cold War. This challenge requires us to respond appropriately and act bravely, decisively and in a nationally responsible manner," the Defence Minister said.
Yanev said that what is happening around Ukraine's border is a challenge for the Euro-Atlantic security and has a serious negative impact on Bulgaria's national security. The concentration of Russian troops in close proximity to Ukraine's border fuels tension, contributes to instability and gives Moscow a strategic advantage in achieving its political goals in the spirit of realpolitik. The process towards a lasting change in the strategic balance of powers in the Black Sea region continues, the Defence Minister said.
Yanev further noted that his Ministry's political leadership sees the need to concentrate efforts in five priority areas - people in defence, building and developing defence capabilities, military education system, innovations and research and development, increasing the administrative capacity, regulatory framework and by-laws.
He said that measures will be taken to address the large number of vacant positions for servicepersons and attracting high-quality staff to serve. Yanev noted that he and his team will do everything possible to renew this year the implementation of the project for the purchase of new armoured vehicles for the Land Forces.
Stefan Yanev further said that he will do everything possible for Bulgaria to fulfill as soon as possible its commitment to its allies to increase defence spending to 2 per cent of GDP by 2024.
The Chief of Defence, Admiral Emil Eftimov, told the Conference that NATO's deterrence and defence concept for Euro-Atlantic zone sets new challenges for the Alliances' armed forces concerning their role in implementing the concept and their defence capabilities and readiness.
The collective security system does not mean that a NATO member can ensure its defence at the expense of other allies. The principle behind this is solidarity in defence spending, which is accepted to be at least 2 per cent of countries' GDP, he said.
Chief of Staff of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe Admiral Joachim Ruhle is also taking part in the Conference in Sofia.
Speaking at a briefing after the Annual Conference of the Chief of Defence, Minister Yanev said that the topic whether US servicepersons can participate in the Bulgarian battalion will be discussed with representatives of the US Department of State, who are currently in Bulgaria.
Asked when the first F-16 fighters are expected to be delivered, Yanev said that there are delays. "Officially, we have a letter which says that the delivery of the first fighter jets will be delayed. The letter says this delay will be a few months," Yanev said, adding that more details will become clear after the meeting with representatives of the Lockheed Martin corporation, scheduled for Wednesday, Bulgarian National Radio said.
He also said that the training of the pilots who will be flying the new aircraft, continues.
COVID-19 Update: 8,012 New Cases, Test Positivity Rate at 21.36%
Sofia - A total of 8,012 new COVID-19 cases were identified in Bulgaria on Monday by 37,509 tests. The test positivity rate now stands at 21.36 per cent, show data posted on https://coronavirus.bg/.
A total of 75.69 per cent of newly infected people were not vaccinated against COVID-19. Monday's COVID-19 fatalities add up to 176, of whom 90.34 per cent were unvaccinated. A total of 5,782 people have recovered from the disease. The registered active COVID-19 cases are 261,577. A total of 6,256 people infected with COVID-19 are hospitalized, of whom 623 in intensive care units. The new hospitalizations on Monday were 1,145, of whom 87.07 per cent are unvaccinated.
A total of 5,671 vaccine doses against COVID-19 were administered on Monday.
Interior Ministry Starts Operation against Fake COVID-19 Certificates
Sofia - The Interior Ministry said here on Tuesday that it has launched an operation against fake COVID-19 green certificates.
The police is probing information about close to 3,000 fake certificates issued across five regions in Bulgaria and another 300 certificates issued to people abroad, including foreigners, who have not returned to Bulgaria.
A medical centre in Sofia is the main target of the operation. Checks are carried out in a few other regions as well.
Constitutional Court Says Justice Minister Can Propose Early
Dismissal of Prosecutor General, Two Supreme Court Presidents
Sofia - The Constitutional Court held anonymously that the Justice Minister is competent to propose to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) the early dismissal of the Prosecutor General and the presidents of the Supreme Court of Cassation and of the Supreme Administrative Court, if they are found in serious violations, systematically fail to fulfill their official duties, or their actions damage the Judiciary's reputation. The Constitutional Court's decision was published on its website on Tuesday.
The Constitutional Court's interpretative decision, adopted unanimously with ten votes, comes in response to a petition by the Council of Ministers on August 5, 2021. Judge Philip Dimitrov is the rapporteur in the case.
On July 22, 2021, the SJC's plenum left aside a proposal by the then caretaker justice minister, Yanaki Stoilov, for starting a procedure for the removal of Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev. The SJC's decision was made with 12 votes in favour and 8 votes against.
Stoilov's proposal was based on an alert from Interior Minister Boyko Rashkov (who was also the interior minister in the same caretaker government), containing details about alleged violations committed by the Prosecutor General.
Justice Minister Nadezhda Yordanova said in an interview on January 16 of this year that her Ministry is working on alerts that contain enough arguments that would warrant demanding Ivan Geshev's early dismissal from the post. According to her, there must be a clear and transparent procedure that could establish whether there are grounds for dismissing the prosecutor. Following the Constitutional Court ruling, Yordanova said at a news briefing that they have prepared and will submit shortly a motion for Geshev's removal. "It is an important safeguard against the encapsulation of the judicial power branch. We will start a procedure after an analysis of the actions and inaction of the Prosecutor General."
She added that an important consequence of the Constitutional Court ruling is that the Supreme Judicial Council will have to consider the motion on its merit.
The first time, the debate on the motion for Geshev's removal at the Supreme Judicial Council was based on whether it was admissible or not.
Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said he was happy after the Constitutional Court ruling. "It was very important to hear that the Prosecutor General does not have an only-God-above-me status and that there is a procedure whereby the Justice Minister can petition the Supreme Judicial Council for his removal," said Petkov. He added that from now on the Supreme Judicial Council has an important role to play, and expressed hope that the Justice Minister will submit convincing facts about unlawful actions by the Prosecutor General. "The question is whether the Supreme Judicial Council is up to the responsibility it is vested with by the Constitution," he added.
Counter-Corruption Commission Invites Justice Minister Yordanova
Again to Hearing over Complaints Against Prosecutor General
Sofia - The Counter-Corruption and Unlawfully Acquired Assets Forfeiture Commission (CCUAAFC) sent Tuesday a new invitation for a hearing to Justice Minister Nadezhda Yordanova where she is expected to provide details about alerts she said she has against Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev.
The Commission specified that it expects Yordanova to provide copies of complaints and alerts about Geshev. It also wants to know the specific dates when the complaints were received and whether the Ministry addressed them in any way.
The CCUAAFC first invited Yordanova to appear on Tuesday but she declined to do so, arguing that the commission had no legal grounds to demand of her to go to the hearing.
Prosecutor General Gives Explanations to
SCPO Prosecutor about Prime Minister's
List of Serious Crime Suspects
Dimiter Abrashev of BTA
Sofia
Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev has given explanations to a prosecutor of the Supreme Cassation Prosecution Office about a list of persons who, according to Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, have committed serious criminal and economic offences. Interviewed by BTA, Geshev said that at a meeting convened by Petkov last week the Prime Minister read out a list of names, some of whom were again mentioned by Petkov during a news conference at the Council of Ministers on Monday.
Geshev noted in the BTA interview that the reason for his February 4 meeting with the Prime Minister was the desire of the prosecution service for interaction between the judicial system and the executive government. "This is the only way to achieve the results the public wants in the fight against crime," Geshev said. "Therefore, the war which the Ministries of Interior and Justice are fighting against the prosecution service is not only contrary to fundamental constitutional principles but is also counterproductive and not in the best interests of Bulgarian citizens."
Geshev thanked Petkov for meeting with him and for giving the above-mentioned news conference. He recalled that late last month he travelled to Brussels in connection with a meeting of a European Parliament group monitoring the rule of law. Prime Minister Petkov was there at the same time. Geshev said he expressed the apprehensions of the Bulgarian prosecution service about the rule-of-law situation in the country and "the actual regression which has taken us back to the levels before we joined the EU."
"We have seen with concern how political and personal pressure and attacks against the judiciary and individual magistrates, circumventions and violations of the law, lack of interaction and interrupted dialogue between the institutions have brought back some categories of crime against which we think we had achieved visibly good results."
The Prosecutor General went on to say that the information he received from Petkov about the list of persons who are said to have committed serious criminal and economic offences, was referred to the competent authorities. He also provided explanations to a prosecutor of the Supreme Cassation Prosecution Office. He said that if more information is received, the supervising prosecutors will conduct checks. "The work of the Specialized Prosecution Office is particularly important here. I told the Prime Minister so. I hope that the potential of these well-trained people will be utilized. It should be stated clearly that their work is appreciated and highly approved of by our international partners and institutions," he said.
Geshev said Petkov is adamant that the specialized jurisdictions must be closed down, but Geshev and the prosecution service are opposed to the idea. The Prosecutor General expressed hope that the proposed closure of the specialized jurisdictions and of the Counter-corruption and Unlawfully Acquired Assets Forfeiture Commission is not a way to give 3 billion leva in frozen assets back to the oligarchs. "I hope for a broad professional debate involving European institutions, rather than changes in the dark."
Geshev believes that the ongoing push to bring him down is aimed against him personally, rather than being an element of the judicial reform.
Justice Minister in BTA Interview: There Was No Real Prosecution of Corruption in Bulgaria for Long Years
Sofia - Bulgarian Justice Minister Nadezhda Yordanova believes that there has been no real prosecution of corruption in Bulgaria for long years, and saying that loud is not a violation of the rule of law. "My fear is that there was no real prosecution of corruption crimes nor any effective sentences in corruption-related cases for long years. Raising these questions does not violate the rule of law," Yordanova said in a BTA interview on Tuesday.
She was referring to Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev's words in a BTA interview the same day, reiterating what he has said on a number of occasions, that the Justice Ministry and the Interior Ministry are fighting a war against him personally, that proposed changes in the judiciary are not part of a reform based on ideas, and that the rule of law is at risk. Geshev also said that there is a risk for Bulgaria to slip down to a position where it was before its admission to the EU.
Yordanova argued that speaking about the failures in prosecuting corruption and making planned changes in the legislation is a way to stand up for European values and for the idea that the law is the same for all.
Yordanova also said that the contemplated legislative changes including closure of the specialized prosecution services and courts - which handle cases of corruption and those involved high-ranking officials - have been put up for public consultation and various positions have started coming in. Several days ago the Justice Ministry sent out letters to all stakeholders, including the Prosecution Service, asking them to present their positions and ideas to be discussed before the legislative changes are finalized, said the Minister.
The prosecution service and Prosecutor General Geshev are passionate opponents of the plans to eliminate special jurisdictions.
She is adamant that there is no war between the institutions or an interpersonal conflict. "It is a matter of principle," the Minister said.
Prosecution Service Investigates Criminal Group
for "Golden Passports" at Investment Agency
Sofia - The prosecution service is investigating a criminal group at the InvestBulgaria Agency, involved in a suspected scheme for issue of "golden passports", Specialized Prosecutor's Office spokesperson Hristo Krastev told the media on Tuesday. The announcement comes a day after the prosecution service said that it was opening a probe into the "golden passports" scheme.
Actions are being carried out in the Bulgarian Investment Agency, the Bulgarian Citizenship Directorate of the Justice Ministry, the Migration Directorate of the Interior Ministry and the Economy Ministry.
According to Krastev, the criminal group at InvestBulgaria operated in the 2015-2021 period. Five investigators and two prosecutors are working on the case.
The State Agency for National Security has been instructed to check the origin of the money invested in Bulgaria by the passport holders, as well as whether the investment was maintained, said Krastev.
The prosecution service were alerted about the irregularities with "golden passports" by the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF). The alert named over 120 persons, mainly citizens of China and Russia, who had obtained residence permits in the 2015-2021 period under false pretense and with the help of the same intermediaries. They remitted an identical amount of money through a particular bank and were granted residence just by submitting photocopies of their statements of account.
Under the effective legislation, third-country nationals can obtain a permanent resident status if they invest at least 1 million leva and can be granted Bulgarian citizenship for a minimum 2 million leva investment without going through the cumbersome and time-consuming standard procedure.
The present government has already tabled legislative changes the eliminate that opportunity.
During a visit to Belgrade Tuesday, Prime Minister Kiril Petkov told reporters that while being an Economy Minister in the caretaker government in 2021, he found out about the "golden passports" scheme and delegated it to Kalina Konstantinova, who meanwhile was appointed Deputy Prime Minister for Good Governance, to look into the matter.
He believes that MRF is using the issue as a publicity stunt and pointed out that the MRF campaign against the "golden passports" started after the government submitted a bill to scrap this opportunity. "Our [government] coalition, submitted a bill which is now being considered by a parliamentary committee, and I promised that these golden passports will be done away with", Petkov noted. He finds it ridiculous that MRF are being so active on the matter now after doing nothing about it for four years.
Two Turkish Citizens Detained for Attempt to
Cross Bulgarian-Romanian Border Illegally
Vidin, on the Danube - Two Turkish citizens have been detained for attempting to cross the Bulgarian border illegally, said the Sofia Appellate Prosecutor's Office (SAPO). The announcement specifies that the investigation against foreign citizens is being conducted under the direction of the Vidin Regional Prosecutor's Office.
On February 4, at the Danube Bridge Vidin-Calafat border checkpoint , a 26-year-old Turkish citizen made an attempt to cross the Bulgarian border to Romania without the permission of the competent authorities. He was caught due to the intervention of the border guards and was detained. The man was in the car of another 38-year-old Turkish citizen.
At the request of the Vidin Regional Prosecutor's Office, the two foreigners were remanded in custody. The investigation into the case continues, added the SAPO.
11.2% of Bulgarian Youths Suffer from Mental Disorders
Sofia - Latest data show that 11.2 per cent of young Bulgarians aged 10-19 (703,808 boys and girls) suffer from a mental disorder, UNICEF Ambassador to Bulgaria Christina Dorothea de Bruin said at an online discussion here on Tuesday. The event was organized by National Ombudsman Diana Kovacheva.
The focus of the discussion were the consequences of social isolation during the coronavirus pandemic and the increase in aggression among children.
Kovacheva presented recommendations which will be sent to the Education and Science Ministry, such as: introducing tools of psychological assessment for the period of online classes and social isolation; measures for the support of mental health of children and school staff; online behavioral therapy for school students; providing psychologist or pedagogical advisor for every school.
Marina Angelova from the Bulgarian Psychoanalytical Society insisted that the Education and Science Ministry should develop an overall concept to improve mental health.
Bulgarian-Romanian Chamber of Commerce CEO Ivanova:
Growing Number of Romanian Companies Seek Customers in Bulgaria
Ruse, on the Danube - The business relations between Bulgaria and Romania are developing despite the pandemic. Bulgarian companies' traditionally bigger interest in Romania remained stable, while an increasing number of inquiries are being submitted in recent months by Romanian companies seeking customers in Bulgaria, the Bulgarian-Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BRCCI) CEO, Eleonora Ivanova, told BTA in an interview.
The Bulgarian side is looking for partners in traditional sectors, such as food and cosmetics, while there is growing interest in machine-building, Ivanova said. The BRCCI is receiving a growing number of inquiries by both sides about different raw materials, which is obviously normal given the crisis, which has lead to shortages and price hikes, she said. Software companies from both countries are seeking customers by offering specialized products in different sectors, such as agribusiness, the industrial sector, among others, Ivanova went on to explain.
Romania is one of Bulgaria's biggest trade partners
The BRCCI head said that, according to national statistics, Bulgaria's trade balance with Romania was positive between January and October of 2021 and amounted to 1.017 billion leva. The trade balance was only 516.7 million leva during the same period a year earlier. Preliminary estimates show that a record-high trade turnover is expected, which will surpass 2019, when the turnover was highest at 9.784 billion leva. Exports of Bulgarian goods to Romania has increased by 35.2 per cent, while imports have gone up by 26.2 per cent. Romania remains Bulgaria's second-biggest trade partner after Germany, Ivanova explained.
Transport connectivity problems between Bulgaria and Romania
Ivanova explained that one of the BRCCI's priorities, on which the Chamber has been working since its establishment, is transport connectivity. "At the beginning, when we established the Chamber, connectivity between the two countries was not on the agenda at all," she said. This issue has not only not been addressed throughout the years, but has become even more serious. She recalled that there are two bridges connecting the two countries, while trade has increased 17-fold, while tourist exchange has also gone up significantly. This has all lead to clogged up border checkpoints, while the COVID-19 measures have further aggravated the problem. "We heard the new Government's plans for [building] bridges and [improving] connectivity, but the reality and the possibilities are very different," she explained.
According to Ivanova, the Danube has a huge untapped potential. "We are working very actively on projects with partner organizations from countries along the Danube and we are striving to attract attention to the river and the opportunities it so generously offers, as long as they are appreciated and developed," she said.
The BRCCI was established in 2003 and its membership base approaches 90 companies, which come from almost all economic sectors. A vocational training centre was created under the Chamber, which offers Romanian language classes.
Doors Open Wineries Days to Take Place near Melnik on February 19 and 20
Sofia - Traditional Wineries Doors Open Days will take place near Melnik (Southwestern Bulgaria) on February 19 and 20. The event is dedicated to the day of the patron saint of gardeners and winegrowers, St. Tryphon, the Bulgarian Association of Independent Winegrowers (BAIW) told BTA.
The visitors will have an opportunity to see vine pruning rituals, take part in wine tours, attend local folklore music and dance performances, and, of course, will be able to try the local wines and traditional dishes. By organizing the festival, Melnik winegrowers aim to popularize their high-quality wines of local and international varieties, and promote wine tourism in the region, BAIW said.
The participating wineries are:
- Villa Melnik Winery (the village of Harsovo), www.villamelnik.com;
- Zlaten Rozhen Wine Cellar (the village of Kapatovo), www.zlatenrozhen.bg;
- Kapatovo Gardens and Vineyards (the village of Kapatovo), www.kapatovo.bg;
- Libera Estate (the village of Zornitsa), www.liberaestate.com;
- Zornitza Family Estate (the village of Zornitsa), www.zornitzaestate.com.
Each winery has its own programme of events, accessible online for anyone who is interested.
The organizers have also created the Melnik Wine Routes map which is free to download from the following links: https://villamelnik.com/regiona; https://www.facebook.com/melnikwineroutes/. It includes the locations of the wineries within the region, as well as some landmarks, such as the towns of Melnik, Sandanski and Petrich, the Rozhen monastery, the village of Rupite, and Samuil's fortress, among others.
The Doors Open Days initiative is supported by the municipalities of Sandanski and Petrich and will take place in strict compliance with all anti-epidemic measures.
BAIW is an association which unites family wineries from different regions in Bulgaria. Since its founding in April 2012, BAIW is a member of the European Confederation of Independent Winegrowers (CEVI - www.cevi-eciw.eu), alongside winegrowers' organizations from France, Spain, Portugal, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Slovenia, Italy and Hungary. CEVI represents more than 8,000 wineries.
President Radev Holds Working Meeting with EU Ambassadors,
EU Prospects of Western Balkans Among Discussed Issues
Sofia - Issues on Europe's agenda were discussed here Tuesday at a working meeting of President Rumen Radev with the ambassadors of the EU member states and Switzerland. The European prospects of the Western Balkan countries was among the issues and the President said that Bulgaria is working actively towards and supports these prospects because it is the surest way to security, stability and economic progress across the Balkans.
"This is why our country expects tangible results both in the fields of connectivity and the economy, and with regard to the open issues in relations with North Macedonia," Radev said. He mentioned as examples of open issues the rights of people with Bulgarian self-awareness in North Macedonia and hate speech against Bulgaria. "Ignoring those will slow down the progress [of Skopje] towards EU integration," said the President.
He agrees that the recent energizing of bilateral dialogue is a good sign. "But what Bulgaria expects is not new assurances: it expects constitutional guarantees that the rights of Macedonian Bulgarians will be respected by adding them to the preamble of the Constitution of North Macedonia along with the other parts of peoples."
The President believes that that should happen before Skopje opens EU accession talks.
The Bulgarian head of State praised the priorities of the French Presidency of the EU.
He also said that NATO is the backbone of European security "but the question remains about the deficit in the EU defence capabilities, and these are clearly seen during crises". He reiterated his call for closer integration of research and the European defence industry so as to optimize defence costs and increase the contribution of the EU countries to collective security.
Radev gave a high mark to the partnership among the EU countries in defence, including the joint exercises and air policing in Bulgaria amid the escalation of tensions over Ukraine.
Electricity Production from Baseload Power Plants Rises Further
Sofia - Electricity production from Bulgarian baseload power plants between January 1 and February 6, 2022 increased by 34.6 per cent compared with January 1 to February 6, 2021, according to latest data posted on the website of the Electricity System Operator. Between January 1 and February 6, 2022 the country's baseload power plants produced 5,289,804 megawatt-hours of electricity compared with 3,945,764 MWh a year earlier. The increase accelerated after it stood at 31.57 per cent in January 1 to January 23, 2022, year on year.
Total electricity production between January 1 and February 6, 2022 grew by 24.62 per cent, year on year. It amounted to 6,148,609 MWh, up from 4,933,801 MWh.
Electricity consumption in Bulgaria between January 1 and February 6, 2022 increased by 5.25 per cent compared with January 1 to February 6, 2021. It amounted to 4,822,531 MWh, up from 4,581,921 MWh a year earlier.
Bulgaria's surplus in foreign trade in electricity between January 1 and February 6, 2022 increased by 276.86 per cent compared with January 1 to February 6, 2021. This implies a decline compared with the 349.62 per cent registered between January 1 and January 23, 2022 compared with January 1 to January 23, 2021.
The share of renewable energy sources in the total amount of electricity transmitted nationwide between January 1 and February 6, 2022 expanded by 17.85 per cent. The share of renewables in the amount of electricity distributed nationwide went up by 25.21 per cent. In January 1-23, 2022 compared with January 1-23, 2021 the respective rates of increase were 38.46 per cent and 37.22 per cent.
Electricity produced by hydroelectric power plants between January 1 and February 6, 2022 decreased by 29.1 per cent compared with January 1 to February 6, 2021.
Economy Minister Ninova: The State Oil Company is Closing Down
Sofia - There is no question about it: The State Oil Company is closing down, said the Deputy Prime Minister for Economy and Industry and Minister of Economy and Industry Korneliya Ninova on Tuesday while presenting the 2022 draft budget before the relevant parliamentary committee. She added that she will soon submit draft legislation regarding the company closure.
Ninova said that the question of storing the oil reserves is still open. "We are considering the companies which have the legal obligation to store the reserves. They can pay for that obligation, these reserves, in the form of funds, which the state can purchase and store. It would be the state's responsibility to guarantee that they are not dependent on private interests, on a particular company that may or may not be storing them." The Minister added that sometimes less strict control in this field suggests that not all parties are doing their duty of keeping stocks. She believes that the government must secure storage locations, and the relevant companies must pay for them.
First Circumnavigation of Earth Highlighted at Sofia Exhibition
Sofia - Deputy Foreign Minister Irena Dimitrova and Spanish Ambassador to Bulgaria Alejandro Polanco Mata opened a multimedia exhibition called "The Longest Journey", highlighting the first circumnavigation of the globe five centuries ago, the Foreign Ministry's State Institute for Culture said on Tuesday. The show at The Mission Gallery in Sofia continues until February 25.
It aims to popularize the first circumnavigation of the Earth as a key journey in world history and to pay tribute to the research spirit of man and his search for knowledge and the unknown. The multimedia exhibition is conceived as a concept map of the first circumnavigation.
A long-awaited journey of mankind in the unexplored side of the Earth to the mythical Orient and the Spice Islands began 500 years ago in Seville, Spain. This voyage, started by Fernando Magellan in 1519, would prove the longest in an era: the first circumnavigation of the world, completed in 1522 by Juan Sebastian Elcano and the crew of the ship Victoria.
On August 10, 1519, two hundred and thirty-nine men left Seville on five ships. They crossed three oceans - the Atlantic, the Pacific and the Indian - a long and impossible journey in which the crew battled famine, disease and riots. Three years later, 18 men returned on a ship led by Juan Sebastian Elcano. Two previous expeditions were unsuccessful - neither Columbus reached India nor Magellan arrived at the Moluccas. Although Magellan played a very important role as a cartographer and organizer of the expedition, Elcano has the credit of the sailor who achieved it. After Magellan's death, Elcano took command of the fleet and carried out the mission, commissioned and funded by the Spanish crown, travelling the world west and returning to Seville.
The exhibition content is developed along a timeline which tells the most important events and feats from the first circumnavigation of the Earth. Fifteen panels combine attractive images and graphics with short messages. Seven of the panels have a QR code that provides visitors with additional multimedia information with audiovisual materials that evoke the sensations of this historic journey. They can be accessed from any digital device. The exhibition is accompanied by a short documentary that brings together all these videos and transports us to the world of travel and knowledge.
Couples in Love Can Buy Two Tickets for Price of One at Bulgarian Army Theatre
Sofia - To celebrate Valentine's Day, couples in love can buy two tickets for the price of one on February 13 and 14, said the Bulgarian Army Theatre.
"Traditionally, on February 14 couples can purchase one ticket to our plays with money and get the second one when they kiss. The ongoing pandemic shrank both our audiences and the number of hugs and kisses between them. The one thing that is never going to change however is the gift that we traditionally offer to the people in love," said the Theatre.
On Monday it will stage "What the Night is For / Do Not Disturb" starring Stefka Yanorova and Georgi Kadurin.
"This play by Michael Weller is both painfully honest and surprisingly funny. It tells the story of an impossible love, out of reach not because there is no will, but because sometimes things do not work out. The plot follows two former spouses, who are trying to rekindle their passion for each other in a New-York hotel room after having spent the last decade away from each other."
Bulgarian Drawing Wins Highest Award at International Children's Art Exhibition
Sofia - A Bulgarian child's drawing won the highest award at the 52nd International Children's Art Exhibition (ICAE) in Japan, the Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday.
The 7-year-old Yuliyan Shaklev won the highest award - of the Foreign Minister of Japan, with his drawing "Night over the City". The painting is one of the ten works that were chosen to receive the Foreign Minister's award. Yuliyan won second prize in the competition in 2021 together with Kalina Kyukchieva and Lyubomir Cholakov.
The ICAE competition was founded in 1970 in Osaka, Japan, and has been organized every year since then. The main goal of the initiative is the presentation of children's art from all around the world. It gives children aged 3 to 15 the opportunity to show their creativity through drawings and collages.
Some 35,000 art works from 35 countries took part in the competition in 2022.
For 15th Consecutive Year NAIM-BAS organizes Bulgarian Archeology Temporary Exhibition
Sofia - For the fifteenth consecutive year, the National Archaeological Institute with a Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (NAIM-BAS), with the support of 20 other museums, organized the temporary exhibition "Bulgarian Archeology".
The exposition presents the most interesting and impressive discoveries and researches from the past active archeological season. Among the exhibits are gold, silver and bronze ornaments, exquisite ceramic anthropomorphic figures and vessels, collective finds of silver and bronze coins, tools and weapons, and much more. Included are 40 sites illustrating the development of cultures in today's Bulgarian lands from the Paleolithic (over 100,000 years before our time) to the Middle Ages.
The exhibition "Bulgarian Archeology 2021" can be visited in the Central Hall of NAIM-BAS from February 16.
Strong Support for Bulgarian Christmas Fundraiser Is
Outcome of Campaign Transparency, Says President Radev
Sofia - The strong support for the Bulgarian Christmas charity campaign is a sign that Bulgarians trust the transparent and responsible process of distributing the donations and gives us hope that we live in a humane society, said President Rumen Radev Tuesday. He was speaking during the first meeting of the Bulgarian Christmas panel for 2022 and was quoted by the President's Office.
Bulgarian Christmas raises money to support child health care.
So far, the 19th edition, which started in November 2021 and will last one year, has raised 3,070,000 leva. This is the largest sum in the last 15 years of the campaign. More than 4,500 individuals and 400 companies have donated via bank transfer, another 380,000 text messages were sent and phone calls made, contributing to the charity fund.
So far, the President's administration has received 220 applications from health care providers to be included in the fund distribution. The requests are mostly related to drug therapy, rehabilitation, and various aids. Thirty hospitals have requested to buy medical equipment.
Donations can be made to Bulgarian Christmas all year round via bank transfer, payment terminal, ePay, UPay, by calling or sending a text message.
Taste Atlas Ranks Bulgarian Garash Cake Highest Rated in the World
Desislava Toncheva, BTA
Sofia
The Bulgarian Garash cake (''Torta Garash'') has received some of the highest ratings according to the culinary guide Taste Atlas (tasteatlas.com). The website is a map and a culinary guide of the best traditional dishes around the world and provides information on ingredients, history and best locations that serve each dish.
According to the website, the Garash cake is rated best cake, best chocolate dessert and best chocolate cake in the world, and fifth best dessert in the world overall. It's also the 50th best dish in the world and the 10th best in the city of Sofia.
Garash is one of the most popular Bulgarian desserts. It consists of five delicate walnut sponge plates layered with dark chocolate ganache. The entire cake is frosted in a shiny dark chocolate glaze and is decorated with coconut or orange sprinkles, nuts or chocolate toppings. It is very decadent and sweet and is usually served in smaller than average pieces.
The Taste Atlas website also details the history of the cake. It was invented by an Austro-Hungarian confectioner Kosta Garash in 1885. At the time, he was working at a lavish hotel in the city of Ruse (on the Danube), where he first served the cake. He later moved to Sofia and continued to prepare the cake, which soon became a renowned Bulgarian dessert that is nowadays found on the menus of numerous patisseries and restaurants across the country.
Garash cake is a popular dish served in many restaurants in Bulgaria, but the most popular places to try it, according to tasteatlas.com, are the Laguna Confectionary in Sofia and the restaurant chain Happy Bar & Grill. Goguide.bg recommends the Grand Cafe in central Sofia, where the cake is prepared according to a recipe passed down from generation to generation in the family of the chief confectioner. It has been compared to the original Garash cake served at the former Savoy Confectionery by older patrons who have been lucky enough to try the latter.
Apart from the Garash cake, the Bulgarian map on Taste Atlas shows meat dishes Banska kapama, Chirpan meatballs, Ribena chorba (fish stew), cured meats like pastarma file Elena, Panagiyrska lukanka, Strandzhanski dyado; baked dishes like patatnik and banitsa, the latter being the most popular Bulgarian dish; and Bulgarian yoghurt (''kiselo mlyako''), often cited as one of the oldest types of yogurt, which is the most popular dairy beverage in the world, according to the site.
Radoslav Yankov Drops Out in Men's Parallel Giant Slalom 1/8 Finals
BTA special correspondent Dimitar Velyov
Zhangjiakou
Bulgarian snowboarder Radoslav Yankov dropped out in the men's parallel giant slalom 1/8 finals here at the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 on Tuesday.
Yankov, who ranked 15th in the qualification run, was eliminated by Austria Benjamin Karl. The Bulgarian's performance was without serious errors, but he lost to Karl by 0.36 s.
This was nevertheless Yankov's third participation and best performance at the Olympics. He managed to make it in the qualification run. His best ranking so far was 19th in the Men's Parallel Giant Slalom during the 2018 Winter Olympics in Korea.
Bulgarians in Olympic Men's Individual 20km Biathlon Place 41st, 61st and 85th
BTA special correspondent Dimitar Velyov
Beijing
Bulgaria's Dimitar Gerdzhikov finished 41st in the men's individual 20km biathlon at the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 on Tuesday.
Gerdzhikov made two misses on the shooting range and crossed the finishing line 5:06.8 minutes behind the gold medal winner, Quentin Fillon Maillet of France who stopped the clock at 48:47.4 minutes.
Bulgaria's Vladimir Iliev, who finished 19th in the same discipline in Pyeongchang in 2018, made five misses on the shooting range and finished 61st. The third Bulgarian competitor in the race, Anton Sinapov, finished 85th.
Croatia Ready with Eurocent Designs, But Not Quite Yet
Sofia Angelova of BTA
Sofia
Croatia is heading unwaveringly towards the eurozone where it plans to become a full-fledged member in the beginning of 2023. Zagreb is preparing diligently for the historical moment: deadlines when parallel circulation of the euro and the Croatian kuna will begin have been set and the design of Croatian euro-coins was presented at the end of last week. The central bank governor, Boris Vujcic, availed himself of the occasion to inform Croatians that the operation of substituting the national currency for euro would cost over 900 million kuna (119 million euro).
Unlike the euro banknotes, identical for all euro-zone countries, euro coins and euro cents have characteristic design presenting the national symbols of each member country.
In Croatia's case, one of these is the chequy (Croatian checkerboard), which will be the background on all coins. The two euro coin will feature the geographical map of Croatia with the edge inscription citing a line from the 17th century pastoral play ''Dubravka" by Ivan Gundulic.
A design with Nikola Tesla was chosen for the 10c, 20c and 50c coins, and a design with ligature bound letters "H" and "R" in Glagolitic script was chosen for 1c, 2c and 5c coins to mark its traditional use in manuscripts.
The marten (kuna in Croatian, as the national currency is called) was initially intended to adorn the 1 euro coin. However, the designer Stjepan Pranjkovic withdrew his design after days of social media controversy as the coin in question bears an uncanny resemblance to an image taken by a Nottingham-based wildlife photographer Iain H. Leach.
Pranjkovic said he had decided to withdraw his proposal "in order not to complicate the situation any further by possible uncertainties surrounding the matter. I apologize to everyone, particularly to the Croatian National Bank, the Croatian government, and the Croatian public," Pranjkovic said in his letter. He also returned the best design award.
The best design carried a 70,000 kuna (9,300 euro) award. Index.hr news website also reported that he won two second-place awards, each worth 35,000 kuna (4,650 euro), meaning he won a total of 140,000 kuna (18,600 euro) for his three best-ranked designs.
At the beginning of the scandal, Iain Leach told the "Jutarnji list" that the photo was taken in 2005 in Scotland, that he did not mind it being used to adorn the coin, but he would want his authorship recognized and to receive some payment. The right decision had been made and that was the end of the story for him, he told Dnevnik.hr.
Competition runner Boris Ljubicic, who was not among the winners, told Dnevnik.hr that it had not been organized well for anyone could have sent a design, both specialists and non-specialists. In the long run 1,300 proposals had been received and were quite impossible to review.
The Union of Croatian Designers also issued a statement saying it expected the central bank to take the responsibility for the unprofessional competition, recalling that it had offered cooperation and support from the very beginning but that had been declined.
The image of Tesla also gave rise to polemics, for Tesla was an ethnic Serb but was born in a village today located in Croatia. When the Croatian central bank announced that his image could possibly appear on the euro coin, the Serbian central bank declared that if that happened it would take the respective steps before EU institutions for that would be "appropriation of cultural and scientific heritage of the Serbian people". Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic commented at that time that he considered the fact that Tesla was a Serb born in Croatia a plus and he saw no problem with that.
After some consideration, on Tuesday the central bank said it has decided to announce a new tender for the design and implementation of the Croatian side of the euro coin with a kuna motif, noting that the new tender will not jeopardize the timely production of Croatian euro coins, Dnevnik.hr reported.
Croatia joined the ERM II mechanism together with Bulgaria, in July 2020. The earliest date for euro adoption, which requires two years of ERM participation, is July 10, 2022.
In June 2021, Prime Minister Plenkovic said the government's ambition was to join the eurozone on January 1, 2023. The European Commission will assess Croatia's progress in May 2022. The official decision for euro adoption rests with the EU ECOFIN council and is expected to be in the summer of 2022.
In January, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic announced that from September 5, prices in the country would be displayed in both kuna and euro, until the end of 2023.
According to an Eurobarometer poll of July 2021, 61 per cent of the Croats support the adoption of the common European currency used in 17 of the 27 EU member states.
Today's Observances:
February 9
On this date in Bulgarian history:
1923: Alexander Stamboliyski forms second government (in office until June 9, 1923, when brought down by military coup).
1949: Bulgaria becomes member of UNICEF.
1996: Supreme Court repeals sentence against former Communist leader Todor Zhivkov and his former aide Milko Balev.
1998: Bulgaria wins its first Winter Olympics gold medal. Biathlete Ekaterina Dafovska earns the individual women's title in the 15 km event in Nagano, Japan.
1999: Twenty-one Bulgarian doctors and nurses are arrested in Libya in connection with the infection of 393 Libyan children with AIDS in the city of Benghazi the previous year.
2003: Bulgarian scientific base's chapel on Livingston Island, Antarctica, is consecrated.
Weather Forecast
February 9: Variable cloud, usually thick over the south. Minor snow showers in isolated areas, mainly in the mountains. Wind northwesterly, moderate; to subside by the evening. Lows: minus 3 C to plus 2 C, in Sofia minus 3 C. Highs: 7 to 12 C, in Sofia 6 C.
THE COAST: Variable cloud. Northerly wind will slow down to up-to-moderate speeds; to turn northwesterly in the afternon. Highs: 8 C to 10 C. Sea water temperatures: 6 C to 7 C. Sea waves: 2 to 3 degrees Douglas.
THE MOUNTAINS: Strong northerly wind, reaching stormy speeds at higher elevations and exposed mountainsides. Considerable cloud, scattered snow showers. Conditions will be available for blizzards and snow drifts. Highs: 0 C at 1,200 metres above sea level, minus 4 C at 2,000 metres.
Source: National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology.
Exchange - Rates
Sofia, February 8 (BTA) - The Bulgarian National Bank sets the
rates of foreign currencies against the Bulgarian lev applicable
from 5 p.m. on February 8 to 5 p.m. on February 9, 2022. The
central rates are used for the purposes of accounting,
statistics, customs valuation and remittances. The commercial
banks set the exchange rates at which foreign exchange is bought
and sold.
______________________________________________
CURRENCY SWIFT CODE FOR LEVA
_______________________________________________
Australian Dollar AUD 1 1.22049
Brazilian Real BRL 10 3.2484
Canadian Dollar CAD 1 1.34838
Swiss Franc CHF 1 1.85475
Chinese Yuan Renminbi CNY 10 2.69265
Czech Koruna CZK 100 8.06229
Danish Krone DKK 10 2.6275
British Pound GBP 1 2.31835
Hong Kong Dollar HKD 10 2.19946
Croatian Kuna HRK 10 2.60032
Hungarian Forint HUF 1000 5.53918
Indonesian Rupiah IDR 10000 1.19124
New Israel Shekel ILS 10 5.32155
Indian Rupee INR 100 2.29411
Icelandic Krona ISK 100 1.37348
Japanese Yen JPY 100 1.48529
South Korean Won KRW 1000 1.42983
Mexican Peso MXN 100 8.30145
Malaysian Ringgit MYR 10 4.09684
Norwegian Krone NOK 10 1.94112
New Zealand Dollar NZD 1 1.13737
Philippine Peso PHP 100 3.33106
Polish Zloty PLN 10 4.31636
Romanian Leu RON 10 3.95517
Russian Rouble RUB 100 2.28006
Swedish Krona SEK 10 1.87281
Singaporean Dollar SGD 1 1.27424
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Sofia, February 9 (BTA) - Following are some of the main stories to be moved by BTA's External Service on Wednesday:
At its regular sitting, the National Assembly is scheduled to hold first-reading debates on the 2022 National Health Insurance Fund Budget Bill, the 2022 State Public Social Security Budget Bil, and draft amendments to the Corporate Income Tax Act.
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At its regular meeting, the Council of Ministers is scheduled to review, among other things, a draft decision on designating GullivAir EOOD as the air carrier to service the flights between Sofia and Bangkok.
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President Rumen Radev, Vice President Iliana Iotova, and Prime Minister Kiril Petkov will attend the graduation ceremony of the young doctors from the 2021 class of Sofia Medical University's Faculty of Medicine.
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Prime Minister Petkov and the chief of the Prime Minister's political cabinet, Lena Borislavova, are expected to appear before the Supreme Prosecutor's Office of Cassation so as to provide information about the list of names which last week they mentioned they have of perpetrators of serious criminal and economic offences.
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Press - Review
Sofia, February 9 (BTA) -
HIGHLIGHTS
The topic of COVID-19 dominates the front pages of Wednesday's print dailies. Following is an overview of their front-page stories.
Trud: During the COVID-19 pandemic, abuse, violence, eating disorders, panic attacks, and fear have become an everyday occurrence for children in Bulgaria. They have become more closed-off, lonelier, more tense, more anxious, more aggressive, and have lost social and school skills, said National Ombudsman Diana Kovacheva during an online discussion on mental health and child aggression in and outside of school. She proposes, among other solutions, that a psychologist be available in every school.
Monitor: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected child support by reducing the collectability of the sums set by court rulings, the daily learned from the head of the Chamber of Private Enforcement Agents, Ivan Hadzhiivanov. "Legal cases on child support are a plus, but many people become jobless or go to work abroad, and we cannot collect the money that the court has ruled should be paid as child support. People sometimes pay and sometimes do not. When they have no incomes, there is nothing to be collected," he explained. Last year, collectability went up nearly two-fold, with private enforcement agents collecting 1 billion leva, compared to 655 million leva in 2020. This higher collectability is the result of agents not collecting debts in the course of four months in 2020, deciding themselves to do so in light of the COVID-19 situation that spring.
Telegraf: Bulgarians are treating themselves against COVID-19 with a veterinary medicinal product in the form of an injection solution for cattle, pigs, sheep and goats. The active ingredient in it is Ivermectin, which many believe to be a miracle-making product, despite the European Medicines Agency having firmly stated that it does not recommend its use for COVID-19 patients. Experts say that Ivermectin can be extremely dangerous, as it is toxic and one can easily overdose, yet people are using it based on recommendations on social networks.
24 Chasa: Defence Minister Stefan Yanev is preparing a quick deal for armoured fighting vehicles to be used by the future Bulgarian battalion combat group. The deal is planned as an in-house procedure worth 1.5 billion leva for the State-owned TEREM Holding, it transpires from replies by the Defence Ministry to the daily's questions. The Ministry also told 24 Chasa that there are statutory obstacles to the projects for the purchase of combat equipment, which is why changes are being drafted to the rules for the purchase of armament. At present, each deal exceeding 50 million leva needs the Government's approval and each deal worth over 100 million leva needs Parliament's approval.
Commenting on the topic, Capital.bg writes that even if the deal for the armoured vehicles gets magically signed within the next weeks, the first vehicles will arrive no earlier than 2 to 3 years, for which Bulgaria cannot wait in view of the current escalation of tension in Ukraine. "Today, the region is facing the biggest crisis after the Cold War, and what is happening in Ukraine directly threatens our security," Defence Minister Yanev said on Tuesday. This is a speedy evolution of his position on the topic that he presented several weeks ago: that there is no direct threat to Bulgaria's security, Capital recalls.
Duma: Shortly after the Constitutional Court on Tuesday held anonymously that the Justice Minister is competent to propose to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) the early dismissal of the Prosecutor General, Justice Minister Nadezhda Yordanova said she will table such a proposal at the SJC as soon as possible. The reasoning behind this proposal will be slightly different from that of her predecessor, caretaker justice minister Yanaki Stoilov, with the main hypothesis going to be that Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev has damaged the Judiciary's image. There is nothing political behind this proposal, Yordanova noted. Once he learned of the Constitutional Court's decision, Geshev expressed the hope that this is not part of a personal political vendetta against him.
POLITICS
24 Chasa has an interview with Derek Chollet, Counselor of the US Department of State, who takes questions about the main topics discussed with the Bulgarian authorities during his visit here Tuesday, US-Bulgaria relations, the situation at the Ukrainian-Russian border, the sanctions against Bulgarians under the Global Magnitsky Act, and the US Visa Waiver Programme. He says the US wants to strengthen the bilateral economic ties, to continue working with Bulgaria on the modernization of its Armed Forces and the strengthening of the bilateral security partnership, and to further broaden the academic and professional exchange programmes.
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Monitor has an interview with political expert Dimitar Ganev, who talks about the relations between Prime Minister Kiril Petkov and President Rumen Radev, arguing that there is an institutional conflict between them, as observed before in democratic Bulgaria's history. Radev is distancing himself from the Cabinet in light of the negative attitudes towards the Executive that have began being observed. Conflicts within the ruling coalition can be expected as the negative attitudes continue to pile up, but that does not mean early general elections will be held for sure. The relations between the ruling majority and the opposition have been severed, Ganev argues, which is why he expects the judicial reform to fail.
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Segabg.com presents the findings of an Eurobarometer showing that 49 per cent of Bulgarians see Bulgaria's EU membership as something good, as opposed to 13 per cent. The survey was commissioned by the European Parliament and was conducted at the end of 2021. Compared to its previous edition a year earlier, Bulgarians' support for the EU dropped by 7 per cent and their negative attitudes increased by 4 per cent.
ECONOMY
24 Chasa has 13 pages of articles under the headline "Trend Europe: It Is Time for Connected Balkans". The articles look into infrastructure projects planned to better connect the Balkan countries and the Interreg cross-border cooperation programmes in the 2021-2027 programming period. There is also an article by Regional Development and Public Works Minister Grozdan Karadjov, in which he presents his priorities in infrastructure.
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Trud quotes data of the National Statistical Institute showing that nearly 160,000 people registered in labour offices in the last seven months. Since July 2021, each week the registered unemployed are more than those newly employed. Since the start of 2022, newly registered jobless people number over 30,000, while the newly employed total 14,500.
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END
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