site.btaSofia, Thursday, February 10, 2022, No.34
DNEWS 06:40:01 10-02-2022
TE0118DN.001 06:40
Daily News - Sofia, Thursday, February 10, 2022, No.34
Sofia, Thursday, February 10, 2022, No.34
Prime Minister Petkov Appears
for Questioning at Supreme
Cassation Prosecution Office
Sofia - Prime Minister Kiril Petkov went to the Supreme Cassation Prosecution Office (SCPO) on Wednesday to be questioned about names he had mentioned during his meeting with Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev on February 4.
Petkov and the Chief of his Political Cabinet, Lena Borislavova, had been asked to appear before the SCPO to provide information about a list in their possession naming alleged perpetrators of serious criminal and economic offences.
Before the questioning, Petkov told journalists that he was carrying a list of 19 names, some of which he already read at a briefing. "These names are public information, names that are well known. The list does not contain companies, only individuals," Petkov said. He added that these people are known to the public as possible offenders, but he has not come to say who is guilty and who is not.
Petkov added that these names have never been heard officially by the SCPO, and according to him, have only been spoken of in corridors and journalistic investigations. Petkov expressed hope that all necessary actions will be taken after "the Prime Minister is bringing the list of names to the SCPO in person".
After close to two hours at the SCPO, Petkov said that he delivered the list of 19 names and expects from the prosecution service to focus on the cases related to corruption and other crimes. He declined revealing the names to the media.
Petkov reiterated that he, his political party Continue the Change, and Bulgarian society are dissatisfied with the work of the current Prosecutor General and once again requested his resignation. He expressed hope that providing the prosecution service with data on the controversial cases will ensure that no one in Bulgaria stays above the law.
Petkov stressed that he insists on the separation of powers and respects this principle, but society expects justice and the prosecution service to do its job. He noted that he is not an prosecutor and cannot set deadlines to expect results.
Commenting on Petkov's summons for questioning earlier on Wednesday, President Rumen Radev said that the power holders should try to carry out a decisive judicial reform because "the past will try to retaliate". In this context, he described the summons as "a form of institutional blackmail". "I expect the ruling coalition leaders to take decisive action," Radev said.
Petkov perceives his summoning as an unnecessary publicity stunt, but not as pressure and blackmail.
Radev said that his institution and the executive branch "are cooperating constructively".
Meanwhile, the SCPO said in a press release that Prime Minister Petkov has provided them with information from the media about the 19 persons who, according to him, have committed serious criminal and economic offences. The SCPO said they will ask the Interior Ministry and other law enforcement and security services to provide complete information about the listed persons and about whether the services have taken any action with respect to these individuals.
The SCPO welcomed the Prime Minister's desire for interaction between the judicial system and the executive government, including the Interior Ministry, in order to combat crime and ensure greater justice, as the public expects.
Defence Minister Yanev,
Finance Minister Vassilev,
Foreign Minister Genchovska
Confer with Visiting US State
Department Counselor Chollet
Sofia - US Department of State Counselor Derek Chollet on Tuesday led a delegation of senior US officials to Sofia as part of a multi-country trip to engage with US partners and allies on a range of strategic issues, the US Embassy in Bulgaria said in a press release on Wednesday.
During his visit, which continued the bilateral Strategic Dialogue which launched in January 2020, the Counselor conferred with Defence Minister Stefan Yanev, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Assen Vassilev, and Foreign Minister Teodora Genchovska.
The guest and his Bulgarian hosts discussed "a broad range of issues, strategizing how our two countries can build on our robust people-to-people ties; boost our shared prosperity and security; and continue our close transatlantic coordination in support of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," the press release said.
It quoted Chollet as hailing the results of his talks with members of the Bulgarian government, saying: "We welcome the ambitious agenda of the new Bulgarian government and look forward to supporting them as they tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, corruption, climate change, energy diversification, and other key issues."
The Counselor's late Tuesday talks with Yanev focused on bilateral military relations and continuing strategic dialogue, the opportunities for defence-industry cooperation between Bulgaria and the US, and the projects for upgrading Bulgarian armed forces, the Defence Ministry said in a press release on Wednesday.
"At this critical point, it is important for us to be sure we are headed in the right direction through modernization and capacity building," Yanev said. He stressed the need of implementing a project for the acquisition of new armoured vehicles for the Land Forces as part of efforts to establish a mechanized infantry unit, which the Bulgarian Armed Forces prioritize urgently, the Defence Minister pointed out.
The sides also discussed the complicated security environment around the border between Russia and Ukraine, NATO's role in this context, and possible approaches to finding a diplomatic solution to conflict issues and de-escalating tensions. Both underscored the two Allies' strategic partnership.
Opportunities to develop an Allied strategy for the Black Sea and the serious problem of hybrid and cyber-attacks were also on the agenda. Yanev said Bulgaria is working on a national cyber strategy and cyber defence capacity building.
At the session with Vassilev, the sides discussed subjects related to upgrading the bilateral Strategic Dialogue between Bulgaria and the US, strengthening common security, and further pursuit of Trans-Atlantic cooperation, the Finance Ministry said in a press release on Wednesday.
The Deputy PM stressed the need of expanding Bulgarian-US industrial cooperation. He familiarized the guests with the Bulgarian Government's efforts to fight corruption, improve the performance of the judicial system, and diversify energy sources in the region.
US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for European and NATO Policy Spencer P. Boyer and the US Ambassador in Sofia Herro Mustafa also took part in the meeting with Vassilev.
First Spanish Fighter Jets for Joint Air Policing to
Land at Graf Ignatievo Air Base by Week's End
Sofia - The first Spanish fighter jets for a joint NATO air policing mission in Bulgaria are expected to land at the Graf Ignatievo Air Base (southern Bulgaria) by the end of the week, the Defence Ministry said in a press release here on Wednesday.
On January 24, the Council of Ministers made a decision to allow a joint Bulgarian-Spanish air policing mission in the Bulgarian airspace, the press release says.
The air policing mission is implementing measures to ensure the security of NATO member countries on its Eastern flank and will be conducted according to the plans and procedures of the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence System (NATINAMDS).
The Spanish Air Force will relocate 130 troops and four Eurofighter EF-2000 Typhoon II fighter aircraft to Bulgaria. They will perform airspace protection duties alongside the Bulgarian Air Force (BAF) until March 31, 2022.
Bulgarian on-duty crews and Spanish servicepersons will perform different tasks, such as interceptions, reconnaissance, escort, among others. BAF will continue to fulfill its national commitments to NATINAMDS. Bulgaria and Spain will separately cover their own expenses during the air policing mission, the Defence Ministry said.
The participation of BAF in joint air policing missions prove its capabilities to act together with the rest of the Allied forces to ensure the security of NATO member countries on its Eastern flank.
So far, BAF has carried out joint air policing missions with the US Air Force (in 2014 and 2016) and Italian Air Force (2017). Since 2012, BAF has carried out a significant number of cross-border operations together with the Romanian Air Force, the Defence Ministry added.
European Commission Announces Four
Infringement Decisions Concerning Bulgaria
BTA correspondent Nikolay Jeliazkov
Brussels
The European Commission on Wednesday announced its regular package of infringement decisions concerning Member States including Bulgaria.
The Commission reminded Bulgaria and six other Member States of their obligation to provide updated Flood Hazard Maps and Flood Risk Maps as required by the Floods Directive (2007/60/EC) on the assessment and management of flood risks. The deadline for informing the Commission about the review and updating expired in March 2020. The seven Member States now have two months to respond to the letters of formal notice from the Commission and address the shortcomings raised. Otherwise the Commission may decide to issue a reasoned opinion.
The Commission called on Bulgaria and 14 other Member States to implement various provisions of Regulation 1143/2014 on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species. The 15 Member States concerned have failed to establish, implement and communicate to the Commission an action plan (or a set of action plans) to address the most important pathways of introduction and spread of invasive alien species of concern for the EU. In addition, Bulgaria, Greece and Romania did not yet establish a surveillance system of invasive alien species of Union concern, or include it in their existing system, although the deadline for this was January 2018. Member States now have two months to respond and take the necessary measures. Otherwise, the Commission may decide to refer the cases to the Court of Justice of the EU.
The Commission decided to send a reasoned opinion to Bulgaria and three other Member States, requesting them to report on how EU rules on alarm and signal weapons (Implementing Directive (EU) 2019/69) have been integrated into their national laws. The four countries now have two months to notify the Commission of measures taken to ensure full implementation. Otherwise, the Commission may refer them to the Court of Justice of the EU.
The Commission decided to send a letter of formal notice to Bulgaria and Slovenia as a result of their incorrect transposition of the Framework Decision on the European Arrest Warrant (2002/584/JHA). The two Member States have two months now to reply to the grievances identified by the Commission.
Innovation and Growth Minister Lorer
Confers with British Ambassador Dixon
Sofia - Innovation and Growth Minister Daniel Lorer conferred with the British Ambassador to Bulgaria, Rob Dixon, Lorer's Ministry reported here on Wednesday. The two discussed current tasks facing the Ministry and the Government, such as the fight against corruption, improving the business conditions in Bulgaria, including for British companies.
Lorer has introduced the Ambassador Dixon to his Ministry's priorities and objectives, stressing the importance of innovations for the general economic development of this country.
Dixon noted that British companies are very interested in the IT sector and this field offers an opportunity to develop and upgrade cooperation between the two countries. The Ambassador said that the British side is interested in cooperating with Bulgarian startups, which could get access to support and financing through their British partners.
The two also talked about the opportunities for cooperation in research and development, the high-tech sector and innovations, as well as within the EU Horizon Europe Programme. Ambassador Dixon noted that 55 per cent Bulgarian companies' projects within this programme have British partners.
Lorer said that he will actively work on attracting British companies to Bulgaria, noting that he will rely on the Embassy giving positive messages to potential British investors.
COVID-19 Update: 8,140 New Cases, Test Positivity Rate at Nearly 25%
Sofia - The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Bulgaria reached 1,011,588, after 32,974 tests identified 8,140 new infections on Tuesday, 75.28 per cent of which were of unvaccinated persons, according to data posted on https://coronavirus.bg/. The test positivity rate now stands at 24.69 per cent.
The active cases are 261,942. Currently, the hospitalized patients number 6,274, including 625 in intensive care. Of the 892 hospital admissions, 82.85 per cent were not vaccinated.
The infected medical staff have reached 21,861.
Another 7,677 COVID-19 patients have recovered over the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 715,602.
98 fatalities were reported (91.84 per cent unvaccinated), and the death toll now adds up to 34,044.
With 7,616 new inoculations over the last 24 hours, 4,219,156 vaccine doses have been administered so far, 2,017,293 people are fully vaccinated, and 640,275 have received a booster jab.
MPO "Justice" - Toronto Sends Letter to US Congress
Appealing for Protection of Rights of Bulgarians in North Macedonia
Sofia - MPO "Justice" - Toronto, a branch of the Macedonian Patriotic Organization in the United States of America and Canada, has sent a letter to the US Congress appealing for protection of the rights of Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia. A copy of the letter has been sent to the US Department of State, MPO "Justice" President Alexander Karadjov told BTA.
BTA has the text of the letter, which notes the need of constitutional guarantees for the non-discrimination of Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia.
"We strongly believe that the USA is a natural leader of the Free World and subsequently has great responsibilities in Eastern and South Eastern Europe. Canada's commitment has the same objective. The huge efforts and sacrifices of the American people and of Canadians for reaching a democratic settlement in the Western Balkans during the Yugoslav wars clearly speak for themselves. This implies the need of a strong reaction to every injustice that could hamper stability and peace. The injustice done to the Macedonian Bulgarians is an example which we urge you not to underestimate in this respect," the letter to the US Congress reads.
"There is no possible excuse for the Macedonian Bulgarians not to be included in the Constitution of the Republic of North Macedonia along with other nationalities already mentioned in the Costitution. There is no excuse for the Bulgarian historical identity to remain eradicated from schools and textbooks and our children to be inculcated a version of our history, which is offensive to our forefathers," the letter reads further. According to MPO "Justice", the constitutional recognition of the rights of the Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia is a key tool for achieving stability in the former Yugoslav republic.
"We remain hopeful that the official US institutions would intervene with North Macedonia's authorities in order to encourage them to reform the inherited Yugoslav state ideology and to guarantee political rights and non-discrimination for the Macedonian Bulgarian population," the letter concludes.
Karadjov told BTA that his organization is in favour of North Macedonia's EU membership but not at the expense of Bulgarians in that country and their history. He explained that MPO "Justice" operates with the Sts Cyril and Methodius Church in Toronto, which was founded in 1910 by Bulgarians from Macedonia, with Bulgarian self-awareness, who immigrated after the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising.
Karadjov immigrated to Canada from Blagoevgrad (Western Bulgaria) 30 years ago. He is the grandson of revolutionary Ivan Karadjov, author of the music in the popular patriotic song "Tih Byal Dunav".
President Radev Pessimistic about Supreme Judicial Council
Adopting "Sensible Decision" on Prosecutor General Geshev
Sofia - Bulgarian President Rumen Radev told reporters on Wednesday that he was satisfied with Tuesday's Constitutional Court decision, according to which 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 to have committed serious violations, systematically fail to fulfill their official duties, or their actions damage the reputation of judiciary.
Consequent to the Constitutional Court decision, the SJC will be bound to consider such a proposal for dismissal on the merits.
Radev said that he was pessimistic that the current SJC would adopt a "sensible decision" about Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev when Justice Minister Nadezhda Yordanova submits a proposal for his dismissal, which she said on Tuesday she will do "as soon as possible".
On July 22, 2021, the SJC Plenum voted, 12-8, to leave aside a proposal by the then caretaker justice minister, Yanaki Stoilov, to initiate a procedure for Geshev's removal from office.
"I don't think the prosecutor general should be pronounced a criminal in order to assess whether he meets or does not meet certain rigorous standards. Any holder of such position of responsibility can hardly be said to perpetrate a couple of crimes every months," Stoilov, who is now a Constitutional Court judge, said in a bTV interview on Wednesday morning.
He doubts it that, when approached with a proposal for Geshev's early dismissal by the Justice Minister, the SJC will adopt it by the required two-thirds majority or 17 votes, given that Geshev was elected Prosecutor General in October 2019 by the same complement of the Council by a majority of 20 to 4.
The term of office of the present SJC complement expires in October 2022.
Parliamentary Monitor: Wednesday
Sofia - At its plenary sitting on Wednesday, Bulgaria's Parliament transacted business as follows:
The budget of the National Health Insurance Fund for 2022 was approved on first reading by 129 votes in favour and 90 votes against. The project was supported by Continue the Change, BSP for Bulgaria, There is Such a People and Democratic Bulgaria. GERB-UDF, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms and Vazrazhdane voted against.
The budget bill envisages 604.4 million leva more for expenses and transfers (total) compared to 2021. According to estimates, total revenues and transfers are expected to amount to 6,050.7 million leva, or 604,4 million leva more than 2021. Health insurance revenues are proposed to amount to 5,802.5 million leva or 697.1 million leva more than in 2021.
Health insurance contributions are expected to reach 3,760.0 million leva or 433.9 million leva more than in 2021, and health insurance transfers from the central budget are expected to total 2,043.3 million leva, or 263,2 million leva more than in 2021.
Non-tax revenues for 2022, fines, sanctions and penalty interest, are expected to reach 23.2 million leva, which is 2.7 million leva more than in 2021.
Expenditures and transfers amounting to 6,050.7 million leva are set in the draft budget of the Health Insurance Fund. Of these, 5,871.7 million leva are offered for current expenses, 583.5 million leva more than in 2021
A total of 174 million leva are provided for the reserve, including for unforeseen and urgent expenses, which is 20.9 million more than in 2021.
* * *
The 2022 Public Social Insurance Budget Bill was approved on first reading by 129 votes in favour, 92 against and no abstentions. GERB-UDF, MRF and Vazrazhdane voted against the draft budget.
The focus of the discussion was the planned from April 1 increase of the maximum insurance income from 3,000 to 3,400 leva and of the minimum insurance income for agricultural producers from 650 to 710 leva. The issues of lack of funds in the social security budget, the increasing transfers from the state budget and the need to reform the pension system due to the demographic crisis in the country were also discussed.Democratic Bulgaria said that they will propose between the first and second readings that the maximum insurance income remain at 3,000 leva, as promised to the IT business. GERB-UDF is against raising the minimum insurance income of farmers and said they would also make a proposal between the two readings. GERB-UDF stated that they also propose dropping the pension ceiling.MEPs have decided to reduce the deadline for proposals between the first and second readings to five days.
* * *
Stanislav Todorov was elected to chair the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC). He had been nominated by the Continue the Change parliamentary group. The vote was 128 in favour, 13 against and no abstentions. Blagoi Golubarev, nominated by There Is Such a People, was elected EWRC member by a vote of 130-13. Todorov and Golubarev took the oath of office.
***
Amendments to the Corporate Income Tax passed on first reading.
Council of Ministers' Decisions
Sofia - At its weekly meeting on Wednesday, the Council of Ministers made the following decisions as reported by the Government Information Service:
- Designated the Deputy Prime Minister for Climate Policy and Minister of Environment and Water, Borislav Sandov, to chair on behalf of Bulgaria the Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea against Pollution and to head the Bulgarian delegation to the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River;
- Designated Sofia-based carrier GullivAir to operate an international air service between Sofia and Bangkok and another one between Sofia and Male (the capital of the Maldives). The company will fly to the two Asian destinations and back twice a week, on Fridays and Sundays;
- Approved a report on the implementation of the state budget for 2021 and the main indices of the Consolidated Fiscal Programme (CFP) on a cash basis. The report says that the CFP budget for 2021 ran a deficit of 3.91 billion leva (3.0 per cent of projected GDP);
- Adopted the annual report of the EU Affairs Council for 2021. The report contains information about the Council's decisions in 2021 and the fulfilment of obligations arising from Bulgaria's EU membership.
Five Ministers from Bulgaria and
North Macedonia to Have
Working Meeting in Sofia
Sofia - Three ministers from Bulgaria and two from the Republic of North Macedonia will take part on Thursday in a working meeting of the interdepartmental working group for cooperation in infrastructure, transport and connectivity, the Bulgarian Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works reported here on Wednesday. The meeting will be attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Regional Development and Public Works Minister Grozdan Karadjov, North Macedonia's Minister of Local Self-government Goran Milevski, Bulgaria's Transport and Communications Minister Nikolay Sabev, his counterpart from North Macedonia Blagoj Bocvharski, and Bulgarian Energy Minister Alexander Nikolov.
Scheduled to attend the meeting are also Bulgarian Deputy Regional Development Minister Delyana Ivanova and Razmena Cekic-Durovic, State Secretary at North Macedonia's Economy Ministry, as well as experts from both countries' ministries.
The participants will discuss topics related to transport and transport connectivity between the two countries, energy and regional policies.
Earlier in the day, Deputy Prime Minister Grozdan Karadjov and Minister Milevski will participate in a meeting on the Memorandum of Understanding between the Bulgarian Regional Development Ministry and North Macedonia's Local Self-government Ministry.
Representatives of Over 100 Companies from 12 Countries to Participate in 19th International Apiculture Fair in Pleven
Pleven, North Bulgaria - The 19th International Apiculture Fair will gather here from Thursday until Sunday representatives of over 100 companies from 12 countries, the exhibition's organizers told BTA.
The forum will be opened on February 10 and will be held under the auspices of the Agriculture and Food Ministry and Pleven Regional Governor Ivan Yanchev.
Some of the biggest European companies in the sector will participate in the exhibition with equipment for extracting honey, the latest innovations in the field of apiculture, products, lab equipment, bee plants for honey production, seeds, heavy machinery, etc.
Visitors will be able to purchase products from leading honey producers, get acquainted with the exhibits of companies from Austria, Canada, China, Finland, France, Spain, Romania and Pakistan, among others. The expo will be visited by beekeepers from Bulgaria,, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Greece, North Macedonia and Turkey.
Retailers from across Bulgaria will offer a variety of high-quality types of honey, cosmetics, foods and drinks.
The Wing of Success grand prize will be awarded on Sunday.
The apiculture exhibition in Pleven remains the largest of its kind in Eastern Europe, despite the pandemic, said Associate Professor Yulian Stanchev of the regional beekeepers association. Visitors will be required to observe the current anti-epidemic measures.
Key Left Behind Harms Vukadinova's
Time in Women's Olympic Slalom
BTA special correspondent Dimitar Veliov
Yanqing
A left behind key for screwing in poles was the reason Eva Vukadinova flew off the course shortly before crossing the finish during the first run of the Olympic slalom, said the Bulgarian delegation.
A member of the Ice River course maintenance staff in Yanqing District had gone to retrieve the key from the gate, which led to Vukadinova losing concentration and missing a gate.
The Bulgarian delegation was quick to submit a contestation, which had the judges allow Vukadinova a new first run ten minutes later.
At that point she had not yet fully recovered from the first run. It took her nearly two seconds longer to reach the same spot where the accident happened.
The Bulgarian athlete finished 49th after her second attempt of the first run. She failed to finish after her second run.
Throughout the competition Vukadinova was wearing a special cast on her right-hand glove due to a fracture she got two days earlier during the Giant Slalom event. She placed 36th there.
Minister Serbezova to Take Part in Informal Meeting of Council of the EU
Sofia - On February 10, Health Minister Assena Serbezova will participate in an informal meeting of the Council of the European Union for Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs (part "Health"), said the Ministry of Health on Wednesday. The meeting will take place in Grenoble, France.
Among the issues that EU health ministers are expected to discuss is the topic of a European Health Union, including the possibilities, methods and tools for its future functioning.
North Macedonia's PM Kovachevski:
Retrograde Forces Want to Hinder
Solution-finding Process with Bulgaria
Skopje - Over a certain period, communication with the Republic of Bulgaria was reduced to communication between propagandists who formed public opinion, one that was dominant in the media and fostered mistrust between the two countries and their citizens, the Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia, Dimitar Kovachevski, said in an interview on Alsat TV late on Tuesday, as reported by the MIA agency.
After the two governments in North Macedonia and Bulgaria were formed, and after the visit of Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov to Skopje, an agreement was reached to turn a new page in talks, Kovachevski said.
Both he and the Bulgarian Prime Minister, as well as the government members, were guided by the idea of opening a dialogue that would reinstate a positive atmosphere, but they were also aware retrograde forces would promptly emerge and try to hinder that process. These forces, found in both countries, base their political existence on this problem. For if the problem does not exist, they would not exist as a political paradigm - this has been the case in the past, Kovachevski said, adding that at the very onset, themes had been opened and provocations made with the aim of thwarting a possible solution.
According to Kovachevski, the majority of people in both countries want a solution to be found for, as he said, the Republic of North Macedonia deserves a date for EU accession talks.
Whoever wants to see an open problem resolved should talk. Censure alone, as it was in the past, is not a solution. The solution is communication in which the benefits for both sides can be seen and the trust between them can be reinstated, North Macedonia's Prime Minister said further.
There are various issues between the two countries that have to be resolved so that the controversy would be addressed. It remains to be seen what is acceptable for the two sides, the solution that will be shared with the institutions of both and with the decision-makers, one that should be based on European values, the respect for the citizens of the two states and respect for their honour, he added.
In Kovachevski's opinion, there is the option for parallel progress of the two processes involving North Macedonia's [EU] integration and the talks [with Bulgaria]. He said he sincerely hopes they could develop along in parallel, but that depends on the agreement that would be reached. He declared himself in favour of a quick solution and said talks should begin soon, but added that he was not in favour of hasty solutions.
Whatever was agreed at the joint meeting in Skopje is already being implemented, Kovachevski said.
Besides these problems, there was the (Joint Multidisciplinary Expert) Commission for Historical and Education Issues. It operates by its own methods, it is formed by historians, not politicians and is chaired by two history professors from the two countries. They declared publicly they would speed up the Commission's work and there would be visible results, as it was expected that historical issues would serve as a bridge to the future, and not something that would generate conflict, Kovachevski went on further.
North Macedonia's Prime Minister stressed that there are no talks at all with Bulgaria on the basic issues pertaining to the Macedonian people. This means that the language of the state and the identity on all grounds of the Macedonian people are not a subject of talks with the Republic of Bulgaria, Kovachevski said, adding that when it is a matter of including other communities in the Constitution, such a process could be requested by the communities that live in the country.
In his opinion, this happens through constitutional revisions and is a longer process, one which includes numerous institutions, such as the government, parliament and the head of state. This would be followed by a broader debate, for experts are also included when constitutional revision are made. After that, through a debate and a majority of two-thirds in Parliament, such a decision could be reached. At the same time, this is a request that should come from the citizens living in North Macedonia, Kovachevski concluded.
In his opinion, any process that continues for too long could have a negative impact on public support, but happily, he said, public opinion polls had confirmed the majority of the citizens had faith in the country's European future.
Also, the parties that are part of the [ruling] coalition share the opinion that the only way for North Macedonia is EU integration, Kovachevski said and expressed hope that the opposition, too, would take a constructive stance.
Today's Observances:
February 10
The Church celebrates the Feast of St Haralambos the Apiarist.
Bulgaria:
- Apiarists' Day.
On this day in Bulgarian history:
1878: Sofia's first mayor, Manolaki Tashev, is elected.
1879: A Constituent Assembly is convened in Turnovo to draft the Basic Law of the Principality of Bulgaria.
1947: The Peace Treaty of Paris is signed between Germany's European allies in the Second World War (1939-1945) - Italy, Finland, Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania on the one hand, and the Allied Powers on the other hand. Comes into force on September 15, 1947.
1988: The first massive anti-government rally under the communist regime is held in Rousse (on the Danube). Between 5,000 and 6,000 local residents protest at the government's failure to end the city's chlorine pollution by Romania.
2006: Instituto Cervantes opens in Sofia.
Weather Forecast
February 10: Mostly sunny. Light southwesterly wind. Lows: minus 3C to plus 2C, minus 2C in Sofia. Highs: 9C to 14C, 11C in Sofia.
THE COAST: Partly cloudy. Light northwesterly wind before noon, west-southwesterly in the afternoon. Highs: 8C to 10C.
THE MOUNTAINS: Mostly sunny. Moderate to strong north-northwesterly wind. Highs: 8C at 1,200 metres above sea level, 2C at 2,000 metres.
Source: National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology.
Exchange - Rates
Sofia, February 9 (BTA) - The Bulgarian National Bank sets the
rates of foreign currencies against the Bulgarian lev applicable
from 5 p.m. on February 9 to 5 p.m. on February 10, 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 1.22753
Brazilian Real BRL 10 3.24899
Canadian Dollar CAD 1 1.34755
Swiss Franc CHF 1 1.85299
Chinese Yuan Renminbi CNY 10 2.68809
Czech Koruna CZK 100 8.05266
Danish Krone DKK 10 2.6275
British Pound GBP 1 2.32132
Hong Kong Dollar HKD 10 2.19495
Croatian Kuna HRK 10 2.5979
Hungarian Forint HUF 1000 5.54154
Indonesian Rupiah IDR 10000 1.19323
New Israel Shekel ILS 10 5.3123
Indian Rupee INR 100 2.28548
Icelandic Krona ISK 100 1.37541
Japanese Yen JPY 100 1.48124
South Korean Won KRW 1000 1.43209
Mexican Peso MXN 100 8.33264
Malaysian Ringgit MYR 10 4.08716
Norwegian Krone NOK 10 1.94445
New Zealand Dollar NZD 1 1.14329
Philippine Peso PHP 100 3.33742
Polish Zloty PLN 10 4.33329
Romanian Leu RON 10 3.95525
Russian Rouble RUB 100 2.28675
Swedish Krona SEK 10 1.87925
Singaporean Dollar SGD 1 1.27424
Thai Baht THB 100 5.22893
Turkish Lira TRY 10 1.25769
US Dollar USD 1 1.71039
South African Rand ZAR 10 1.11583
Gold price (per troy ounce) XAU 1 3126.22
Advisory to BTA's
External Service
Subscribers
Sofia, February 10 (BTA) - Following are some of the main stories to be moved by BTA's External Service Subscribers on Thursday:
-- President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief Rumen Radev will familiarize himself with the analysis of the state of the Bulgarian Armed Forces in 2021. The report will be presented by Defence Chief Emil Eftimov. Attending will be Defence Minister Stefan Yanev, MPs, and senior military officers.
-- Parliamentary sitting. First reading of the 2022 State Budget Bill.
-- A working meeting of a Bulgarian-Macedonian interdepartmental working group for cooperation in infrastructure, transport and connectivity,
-- Health Minister Assena Serbezova participates in an informal meeting of the Council of the European Union for Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs in Grenoble.
--Galina Zaharova takes office as President of the Supreme Cassation Court.
Press - Review
Sofia, February 10 (BTA)
THE HOME SCENE
On Wednesday Parliament approved on first reading the budgets of the National Health Insurance Fund and of the Public Social Insurance for 2022. On Thursday MPs will vote in principle the State Budget Bill.
Telegraph runs an interview with Lyubomir Datsov, member of the Fiscal Council with the Bulgarian Parliament, an independent body, which oversees the implementation of the budget. Datsov argues that the 2022 budget will promote inflation and households and businesses will cut down on their consumption. He also said that the reduced VAT rates for some industries should be reversed as they are not working and have shed light on some deficiencies. The reduced VAT rate has no effect on the budget which means that the respective industries do not contribute anything.
Telegraph frontpages that butter in Bulgaria is more expensive compared with five other EU countries. Telegraph has compared the prices of ten staple foods in several regional centres in Bulgaria with the prices in five EU countries. The list includes bread, oil, butter, sugar, flour, chicken, pork, cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers and potatoes. A 250 gr-packet of butter in Bulgaria costs between 5 and 8 leva, while in Austria, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Belgium it is around 2 euro. The prices of foods in Germany have increased by 25 per cent since May 2020. In Bulgaria food inflation in January was 17 per cent year-on-year. Cooking oil has appreciated considerably and it costs between 3.70 leva and 4.50 leva. (1.4-2.25 euro) compared with Italy where it costs 1.50 euro per litre.
The Economy Ministry will show on an electronic display board on its building the wholesale prices of staple foods. Meeting with officials from the State Commission for Commodity Exchanges and Wholesale Markets. Economy Minister Kornelia Ninova said that this is done to inform people about the real prices on the market.
Monitor writes that in 2021 the number of small deposits (up to 5,000 leva) decreased by 18 per cent, (302,000) while the number of large deposits went up. As few as 20 per cent of Bulgarians manage to save larger sums. According to central bank data at the end of December 2020 the deposits of households and non-financial enterprises numbered 9,368,163. Nine months later they were 9, 117,792.
Duma writes that the Regional Development Ministry is working to set up a Regional Development Fund which will have a budget of 1 billion leva to cover the repairs of municipal roads. The idea was discussed during the coalition talks ahead of the formation of the cabinet. It is not clear when municipalities will access the money because the fund allocation is not planned in the 2022 State Budget. Mayors will be able to implement more comprehensive projects and projects in less developed regions such as Strandzha, Northwestern Bulgaria and the Rhodope Mountains will be favoured. The Association of Municipalities in Bulgaria has asked for 300 million leva for the repairs of municipal roads. Because of the appreciation of the price of construction materials municipal projects worth 2.2 billion leva are at risk.
POLITICS
On Wednesday Prime Minister Kiril Petkov visited the offices of the Supreme Cassation Prosecution Office to be questioned about people who are allegedly at the root of corruption in Bulgaria and who he named during a meeting with Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev on February 4. Petkov took a file of information which is available on the Internet. In a front-page story Monitor asks who is pressuring who in the latest chapter of the war between the prosecution service on the one hand and the Prime Minister, the President and the Cabinet on the other. A day ago, the prosecution accused the Prime Minister of indirect pressure by asking why no charges have been pressed against the former CEO of Bulgargaz but instead he has been interviewed as a witness. For his part President Rumen Radev said that Petkov's questioning is a form of "institutional blackmail".
* * *
Trud quotes former Deputy Prime Minister and current MP Tomislav Donchev as saying that Bulgaria is falling behind by 13 billion leva. Businesses and the local authorities will be able to tap money under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan in 2023 at the earliest, because the government of Kiril Petkov keeps editing the document. Donchev's forecast has been confirmed by economic and financial experts. Under the most optimistic scenario Bulgaria will receive the money in May and beneficiaries will be able to access it in 2023. Business representatives have warned about another adverse effect. Given that all other EU countries are using the money under their plans this may bring about a gap between Bulgaria and the other EU members. Brussels said that the latest draft was sent on October 15 and there is no newer draft despite the assurances of Prime Minister Kiril Petkov. In December Brussels returned the plan with 207 objections. The European Commission was mostly dissatisfied with the measures in the energy sector.
* * *
Trud writes that the Counter-corruption and Unlawfully Acquired Assets Forfeiture Commission refused to coordinate a government sponsored bill for the closure of specialized courts and prosecution. The revisions to the Judicial System Act have been tabled by Justice Minister Nadezhda Yordanova. The Commission argues that the revisions are not based on an objective and clear analysis about the efficiency of specialized justice and the closure runs against the government's priorities to fight corruption.
LIFESTYLE
24 Chasa frontpages that at the height of a relatively successful tourist season there are reports that owners of hotels in the ski resorts are closing down because they are unable to pay their electricity bills. The largest hotel in the village of Stoykite, Perelik Palace, near Pamporovo has closed down because the owners said that they will lose 800,000 leva if it stays open. Another five hotels in nearby Chepelare have closed down. The bills are at least three times higher compared with before. In Borovets and Bansko there are no closed hotels. According to Malin Bistrin, chair of the Tourist Business Union in Bansko, electricity accounts for 60 per cent of the expenses of the accommodation establishments and foods have appreciated too, but hotel owners are reluctant to increase prices. Bistrin urged for support from the state not just for the tourist industry but for all businesses.
* * *
24 Chasa writes that Sofia is relaxing COVID restrictions due to a drop in infections based on a 14-day period. As of Monday all students in Sofia will return to in-person classes. As of Wednesday discos and night bars were allowed to stay open past 10 pm, although many boycotted the restrictions before. For now a requirement to work at 50 per cent of their capacity stays in place. However the country is still in the red zone and no significant drop in infections is forecast.
END
/ТЕ/
TE0118DN.001 06:40
Daily News - Sofia, Thursday, February 10, 2022, No.34
Sofia, Thursday, February 10, 2022, No.34
Prime Minister Petkov Appears
for Questioning at Supreme
Cassation Prosecution Office
Sofia - Prime Minister Kiril Petkov went to the Supreme Cassation Prosecution Office (SCPO) on Wednesday to be questioned about names he had mentioned during his meeting with Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev on February 4.
Petkov and the Chief of his Political Cabinet, Lena Borislavova, had been asked to appear before the SCPO to provide information about a list in their possession naming alleged perpetrators of serious criminal and economic offences.
Before the questioning, Petkov told journalists that he was carrying a list of 19 names, some of which he already read at a briefing. "These names are public information, names that are well known. The list does not contain companies, only individuals," Petkov said. He added that these people are known to the public as possible offenders, but he has not come to say who is guilty and who is not.
Petkov added that these names have never been heard officially by the SCPO, and according to him, have only been spoken of in corridors and journalistic investigations. Petkov expressed hope that all necessary actions will be taken after "the Prime Minister is bringing the list of names to the SCPO in person".
After close to two hours at the SCPO, Petkov said that he delivered the list of 19 names and expects from the prosecution service to focus on the cases related to corruption and other crimes. He declined revealing the names to the media.
Petkov reiterated that he, his political party Continue the Change, and Bulgarian society are dissatisfied with the work of the current Prosecutor General and once again requested his resignation. He expressed hope that providing the prosecution service with data on the controversial cases will ensure that no one in Bulgaria stays above the law.
Petkov stressed that he insists on the separation of powers and respects this principle, but society expects justice and the prosecution service to do its job. He noted that he is not an prosecutor and cannot set deadlines to expect results.
Commenting on Petkov's summons for questioning earlier on Wednesday, President Rumen Radev said that the power holders should try to carry out a decisive judicial reform because "the past will try to retaliate". In this context, he described the summons as "a form of institutional blackmail". "I expect the ruling coalition leaders to take decisive action," Radev said.
Petkov perceives his summoning as an unnecessary publicity stunt, but not as pressure and blackmail.
Radev said that his institution and the executive branch "are cooperating constructively".
Meanwhile, the SCPO said in a press release that Prime Minister Petkov has provided them with information from the media about the 19 persons who, according to him, have committed serious criminal and economic offences. The SCPO said they will ask the Interior Ministry and other law enforcement and security services to provide complete information about the listed persons and about whether the services have taken any action with respect to these individuals.
The SCPO welcomed the Prime Minister's desire for interaction between the judicial system and the executive government, including the Interior Ministry, in order to combat crime and ensure greater justice, as the public expects.
Defence Minister Yanev,
Finance Minister Vassilev,
Foreign Minister Genchovska
Confer with Visiting US State
Department Counselor Chollet
Sofia - US Department of State Counselor Derek Chollet on Tuesday led a delegation of senior US officials to Sofia as part of a multi-country trip to engage with US partners and allies on a range of strategic issues, the US Embassy in Bulgaria said in a press release on Wednesday.
During his visit, which continued the bilateral Strategic Dialogue which launched in January 2020, the Counselor conferred with Defence Minister Stefan Yanev, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Assen Vassilev, and Foreign Minister Teodora Genchovska.
The guest and his Bulgarian hosts discussed "a broad range of issues, strategizing how our two countries can build on our robust people-to-people ties; boost our shared prosperity and security; and continue our close transatlantic coordination in support of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," the press release said.
It quoted Chollet as hailing the results of his talks with members of the Bulgarian government, saying: "We welcome the ambitious agenda of the new Bulgarian government and look forward to supporting them as they tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, corruption, climate change, energy diversification, and other key issues."
The Counselor's late Tuesday talks with Yanev focused on bilateral military relations and continuing strategic dialogue, the opportunities for defence-industry cooperation between Bulgaria and the US, and the projects for upgrading Bulgarian armed forces, the Defence Ministry said in a press release on Wednesday.
"At this critical point, it is important for us to be sure we are headed in the right direction through modernization and capacity building," Yanev said. He stressed the need of implementing a project for the acquisition of new armoured vehicles for the Land Forces as part of efforts to establish a mechanized infantry unit, which the Bulgarian Armed Forces prioritize urgently, the Defence Minister pointed out.
The sides also discussed the complicated security environment around the border between Russia and Ukraine, NATO's role in this context, and possible approaches to finding a diplomatic solution to conflict issues and de-escalating tensions. Both underscored the two Allies' strategic partnership.
Opportunities to develop an Allied strategy for the Black Sea and the serious problem of hybrid and cyber-attacks were also on the agenda. Yanev said Bulgaria is working on a national cyber strategy and cyber defence capacity building.
At the session with Vassilev, the sides discussed subjects related to upgrading the bilateral Strategic Dialogue between Bulgaria and the US, strengthening common security, and further pursuit of Trans-Atlantic cooperation, the Finance Ministry said in a press release on Wednesday.
The Deputy PM stressed the need of expanding Bulgarian-US industrial cooperation. He familiarized the guests with the Bulgarian Government's efforts to fight corruption, improve the performance of the judicial system, and diversify energy sources in the region.
US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for European and NATO Policy Spencer P. Boyer and the US Ambassador in Sofia Herro Mustafa also took part in the meeting with Vassilev.
First Spanish Fighter Jets for Joint Air Policing to
Land at Graf Ignatievo Air Base by Week's End
Sofia - The first Spanish fighter jets for a joint NATO air policing mission in Bulgaria are expected to land at the Graf Ignatievo Air Base (southern Bulgaria) by the end of the week, the Defence Ministry said in a press release here on Wednesday.
On January 24, the Council of Ministers made a decision to allow a joint Bulgarian-Spanish air policing mission in the Bulgarian airspace, the press release says.
The air policing mission is implementing measures to ensure the security of NATO member countries on its Eastern flank and will be conducted according to the plans and procedures of the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence System (NATINAMDS).
The Spanish Air Force will relocate 130 troops and four Eurofighter EF-2000 Typhoon II fighter aircraft to Bulgaria. They will perform airspace protection duties alongside the Bulgarian Air Force (BAF) until March 31, 2022.
Bulgarian on-duty crews and Spanish servicepersons will perform different tasks, such as interceptions, reconnaissance, escort, among others. BAF will continue to fulfill its national commitments to NATINAMDS. Bulgaria and Spain will separately cover their own expenses during the air policing mission, the Defence Ministry said.
The participation of BAF in joint air policing missions prove its capabilities to act together with the rest of the Allied forces to ensure the security of NATO member countries on its Eastern flank.
So far, BAF has carried out joint air policing missions with the US Air Force (in 2014 and 2016) and Italian Air Force (2017). Since 2012, BAF has carried out a significant number of cross-border operations together with the Romanian Air Force, the Defence Ministry added.
European Commission Announces Four
Infringement Decisions Concerning Bulgaria
BTA correspondent Nikolay Jeliazkov
Brussels
The European Commission on Wednesday announced its regular package of infringement decisions concerning Member States including Bulgaria.
The Commission reminded Bulgaria and six other Member States of their obligation to provide updated Flood Hazard Maps and Flood Risk Maps as required by the Floods Directive (2007/60/EC) on the assessment and management of flood risks. The deadline for informing the Commission about the review and updating expired in March 2020. The seven Member States now have two months to respond to the letters of formal notice from the Commission and address the shortcomings raised. Otherwise the Commission may decide to issue a reasoned opinion.
The Commission called on Bulgaria and 14 other Member States to implement various provisions of Regulation 1143/2014 on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species. The 15 Member States concerned have failed to establish, implement and communicate to the Commission an action plan (or a set of action plans) to address the most important pathways of introduction and spread of invasive alien species of concern for the EU. In addition, Bulgaria, Greece and Romania did not yet establish a surveillance system of invasive alien species of Union concern, or include it in their existing system, although the deadline for this was January 2018. Member States now have two months to respond and take the necessary measures. Otherwise, the Commission may decide to refer the cases to the Court of Justice of the EU.
The Commission decided to send a reasoned opinion to Bulgaria and three other Member States, requesting them to report on how EU rules on alarm and signal weapons (Implementing Directive (EU) 2019/69) have been integrated into their national laws. The four countries now have two months to notify the Commission of measures taken to ensure full implementation. Otherwise, the Commission may refer them to the Court of Justice of the EU.
The Commission decided to send a letter of formal notice to Bulgaria and Slovenia as a result of their incorrect transposition of the Framework Decision on the European Arrest Warrant (2002/584/JHA). The two Member States have two months now to reply to the grievances identified by the Commission.
Innovation and Growth Minister Lorer
Confers with British Ambassador Dixon
Sofia - Innovation and Growth Minister Daniel Lorer conferred with the British Ambassador to Bulgaria, Rob Dixon, Lorer's Ministry reported here on Wednesday. The two discussed current tasks facing the Ministry and the Government, such as the fight against corruption, improving the business conditions in Bulgaria, including for British companies.
Lorer has introduced the Ambassador Dixon to his Ministry's priorities and objectives, stressing the importance of innovations for the general economic development of this country.
Dixon noted that British companies are very interested in the IT sector and this field offers an opportunity to develop and upgrade cooperation between the two countries. The Ambassador said that the British side is interested in cooperating with Bulgarian startups, which could get access to support and financing through their British partners.
The two also talked about the opportunities for cooperation in research and development, the high-tech sector and innovations, as well as within the EU Horizon Europe Programme. Ambassador Dixon noted that 55 per cent Bulgarian companies' projects within this programme have British partners.
Lorer said that he will actively work on attracting British companies to Bulgaria, noting that he will rely on the Embassy giving positive messages to potential British investors.
COVID-19 Update: 8,140 New Cases, Test Positivity Rate at Nearly 25%
Sofia - The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Bulgaria reached 1,011,588, after 32,974 tests identified 8,140 new infections on Tuesday, 75.28 per cent of which were of unvaccinated persons, according to data posted on https://coronavirus.bg/. The test positivity rate now stands at 24.69 per cent.
The active cases are 261,942. Currently, the hospitalized patients number 6,274, including 625 in intensive care. Of the 892 hospital admissions, 82.85 per cent were not vaccinated.
The infected medical staff have reached 21,861.
Another 7,677 COVID-19 patients have recovered over the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 715,602.
98 fatalities were reported (91.84 per cent unvaccinated), and the death toll now adds up to 34,044.
With 7,616 new inoculations over the last 24 hours, 4,219,156 vaccine doses have been administered so far, 2,017,293 people are fully vaccinated, and 640,275 have received a booster jab.
MPO "Justice" - Toronto Sends Letter to US Congress
Appealing for Protection of Rights of Bulgarians in North Macedonia
Sofia - MPO "Justice" - Toronto, a branch of the Macedonian Patriotic Organization in the United States of America and Canada, has sent a letter to the US Congress appealing for protection of the rights of Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia. A copy of the letter has been sent to the US Department of State, MPO "Justice" President Alexander Karadjov told BTA.
BTA has the text of the letter, which notes the need of constitutional guarantees for the non-discrimination of Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia.
"We strongly believe that the USA is a natural leader of the Free World and subsequently has great responsibilities in Eastern and South Eastern Europe. Canada's commitment has the same objective. The huge efforts and sacrifices of the American people and of Canadians for reaching a democratic settlement in the Western Balkans during the Yugoslav wars clearly speak for themselves. This implies the need of a strong reaction to every injustice that could hamper stability and peace. The injustice done to the Macedonian Bulgarians is an example which we urge you not to underestimate in this respect," the letter to the US Congress reads.
"There is no possible excuse for the Macedonian Bulgarians not to be included in the Constitution of the Republic of North Macedonia along with other nationalities already mentioned in the Costitution. There is no excuse for the Bulgarian historical identity to remain eradicated from schools and textbooks and our children to be inculcated a version of our history, which is offensive to our forefathers," the letter reads further. According to MPO "Justice", the constitutional recognition of the rights of the Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia is a key tool for achieving stability in the former Yugoslav republic.
"We remain hopeful that the official US institutions would intervene with North Macedonia's authorities in order to encourage them to reform the inherited Yugoslav state ideology and to guarantee political rights and non-discrimination for the Macedonian Bulgarian population," the letter concludes.
Karadjov told BTA that his organization is in favour of North Macedonia's EU membership but not at the expense of Bulgarians in that country and their history. He explained that MPO "Justice" operates with the Sts Cyril and Methodius Church in Toronto, which was founded in 1910 by Bulgarians from Macedonia, with Bulgarian self-awareness, who immigrated after the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising.
Karadjov immigrated to Canada from Blagoevgrad (Western Bulgaria) 30 years ago. He is the grandson of revolutionary Ivan Karadjov, author of the music in the popular patriotic song "Tih Byal Dunav".
President Radev Pessimistic about Supreme Judicial Council
Adopting "Sensible Decision" on Prosecutor General Geshev
Sofia - Bulgarian President Rumen Radev told reporters on Wednesday that he was satisfied with Tuesday's Constitutional Court decision, according to which 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 to have committed serious violations, systematically fail to fulfill their official duties, or their actions damage the reputation of judiciary.
Consequent to the Constitutional Court decision, the SJC will be bound to consider such a proposal for dismissal on the merits.
Radev said that he was pessimistic that the current SJC would adopt a "sensible decision" about Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev when Justice Minister Nadezhda Yordanova submits a proposal for his dismissal, which she said on Tuesday she will do "as soon as possible".
On July 22, 2021, the SJC Plenum voted, 12-8, to leave aside a proposal by the then caretaker justice minister, Yanaki Stoilov, to initiate a procedure for Geshev's removal from office.
"I don't think the prosecutor general should be pronounced a criminal in order to assess whether he meets or does not meet certain rigorous standards. Any holder of such position of responsibility can hardly be said to perpetrate a couple of crimes every months," Stoilov, who is now a Constitutional Court judge, said in a bTV interview on Wednesday morning.
He doubts it that, when approached with a proposal for Geshev's early dismissal by the Justice Minister, the SJC will adopt it by the required two-thirds majority or 17 votes, given that Geshev was elected Prosecutor General in October 2019 by the same complement of the Council by a majority of 20 to 4.
The term of office of the present SJC complement expires in October 2022.
Parliamentary Monitor: Wednesday
Sofia - At its plenary sitting on Wednesday, Bulgaria's Parliament transacted business as follows:
The budget of the National Health Insurance Fund for 2022 was approved on first reading by 129 votes in favour and 90 votes against. The project was supported by Continue the Change, BSP for Bulgaria, There is Such a People and Democratic Bulgaria. GERB-UDF, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms and Vazrazhdane voted against.
The budget bill envisages 604.4 million leva more for expenses and transfers (total) compared to 2021. According to estimates, total revenues and transfers are expected to amount to 6,050.7 million leva, or 604,4 million leva more than 2021. Health insurance revenues are proposed to amount to 5,802.5 million leva or 697.1 million leva more than in 2021.
Health insurance contributions are expected to reach 3,760.0 million leva or 433.9 million leva more than in 2021, and health insurance transfers from the central budget are expected to total 2,043.3 million leva, or 263,2 million leva more than in 2021.
Non-tax revenues for 2022, fines, sanctions and penalty interest, are expected to reach 23.2 million leva, which is 2.7 million leva more than in 2021.
Expenditures and transfers amounting to 6,050.7 million leva are set in the draft budget of the Health Insurance Fund. Of these, 5,871.7 million leva are offered for current expenses, 583.5 million leva more than in 2021
A total of 174 million leva are provided for the reserve, including for unforeseen and urgent expenses, which is 20.9 million more than in 2021.
* * *
The 2022 Public Social Insurance Budget Bill was approved on first reading by 129 votes in favour, 92 against and no abstentions. GERB-UDF, MRF and Vazrazhdane voted against the draft budget.
The focus of the discussion was the planned from April 1 increase of the maximum insurance income from 3,000 to 3,400 leva and of the minimum insurance income for agricultural producers from 650 to 710 leva. The issues of lack of funds in the social security budget, the increasing transfers from the state budget and the need to reform the pension system due to the demographic crisis in the country were also discussed.Democratic Bulgaria said that they will propose between the first and second readings that the maximum insurance income remain at 3,000 leva, as promised to the IT business. GERB-UDF is against raising the minimum insurance income of farmers and said they would also make a proposal between the two readings. GERB-UDF stated that they also propose dropping the pension ceiling.MEPs have decided to reduce the deadline for proposals between the first and second readings to five days.
* * *
Stanislav Todorov was elected to chair the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC). He had been nominated by the Continue the Change parliamentary group. The vote was 128 in favour, 13 against and no abstentions. Blagoi Golubarev, nominated by There Is Such a People, was elected EWRC member by a vote of 130-13. Todorov and Golubarev took the oath of office.
***
Amendments to the Corporate Income Tax passed on first reading.
Council of Ministers' Decisions
Sofia - At its weekly meeting on Wednesday, the Council of Ministers made the following decisions as reported by the Government Information Service:
- Designated the Deputy Prime Minister for Climate Policy and Minister of Environment and Water, Borislav Sandov, to chair on behalf of Bulgaria the Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea against Pollution and to head the Bulgarian delegation to the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River;
- Designated Sofia-based carrier GullivAir to operate an international air service between Sofia and Bangkok and another one between Sofia and Male (the capital of the Maldives). The company will fly to the two Asian destinations and back twice a week, on Fridays and Sundays;
- Approved a report on the implementation of the state budget for 2021 and the main indices of the Consolidated Fiscal Programme (CFP) on a cash basis. The report says that the CFP budget for 2021 ran a deficit of 3.91 billion leva (3.0 per cent of projected GDP);
- Adopted the annual report of the EU Affairs Council for 2021. The report contains information about the Council's decisions in 2021 and the fulfilment of obligations arising from Bulgaria's EU membership.
Five Ministers from Bulgaria and
North Macedonia to Have
Working Meeting in Sofia
Sofia - Three ministers from Bulgaria and two from the Republic of North Macedonia will take part on Thursday in a working meeting of the interdepartmental working group for cooperation in infrastructure, transport and connectivity, the Bulgarian Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works reported here on Wednesday. The meeting will be attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Regional Development and Public Works Minister Grozdan Karadjov, North Macedonia's Minister of Local Self-government Goran Milevski, Bulgaria's Transport and Communications Minister Nikolay Sabev, his counterpart from North Macedonia Blagoj Bocvharski, and Bulgarian Energy Minister Alexander Nikolov.
Scheduled to attend the meeting are also Bulgarian Deputy Regional Development Minister Delyana Ivanova and Razmena Cekic-Durovic, State Secretary at North Macedonia's Economy Ministry, as well as experts from both countries' ministries.
The participants will discuss topics related to transport and transport connectivity between the two countries, energy and regional policies.
Earlier in the day, Deputy Prime Minister Grozdan Karadjov and Minister Milevski will participate in a meeting on the Memorandum of Understanding between the Bulgarian Regional Development Ministry and North Macedonia's Local Self-government Ministry.
Representatives of Over 100 Companies from 12 Countries to Participate in 19th International Apiculture Fair in Pleven
Pleven, North Bulgaria - The 19th International Apiculture Fair will gather here from Thursday until Sunday representatives of over 100 companies from 12 countries, the exhibition's organizers told BTA.
The forum will be opened on February 10 and will be held under the auspices of the Agriculture and Food Ministry and Pleven Regional Governor Ivan Yanchev.
Some of the biggest European companies in the sector will participate in the exhibition with equipment for extracting honey, the latest innovations in the field of apiculture, products, lab equipment, bee plants for honey production, seeds, heavy machinery, etc.
Visitors will be able to purchase products from leading honey producers, get acquainted with the exhibits of companies from Austria, Canada, China, Finland, France, Spain, Romania and Pakistan, among others. The expo will be visited by beekeepers from Bulgaria,, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Greece, North Macedonia and Turkey.
Retailers from across Bulgaria will offer a variety of high-quality types of honey, cosmetics, foods and drinks.
The Wing of Success grand prize will be awarded on Sunday.
The apiculture exhibition in Pleven remains the largest of its kind in Eastern Europe, despite the pandemic, said Associate Professor Yulian Stanchev of the regional beekeepers association. Visitors will be required to observe the current anti-epidemic measures.
Key Left Behind Harms Vukadinova's
Time in Women's Olympic Slalom
BTA special correspondent Dimitar Veliov
Yanqing
A left behind key for screwing in poles was the reason Eva Vukadinova flew off the course shortly before crossing the finish during the first run of the Olympic slalom, said the Bulgarian delegation.
A member of the Ice River course maintenance staff in Yanqing District had gone to retrieve the key from the gate, which led to Vukadinova losing concentration and missing a gate.
The Bulgarian delegation was quick to submit a contestation, which had the judges allow Vukadinova a new first run ten minutes later.
At that point she had not yet fully recovered from the first run. It took her nearly two seconds longer to reach the same spot where the accident happened.
The Bulgarian athlete finished 49th after her second attempt of the first run. She failed to finish after her second run.
Throughout the competition Vukadinova was wearing a special cast on her right-hand glove due to a fracture she got two days earlier during the Giant Slalom event. She placed 36th there.
Minister Serbezova to Take Part in Informal Meeting of Council of the EU
Sofia - On February 10, Health Minister Assena Serbezova will participate in an informal meeting of the Council of the European Union for Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs (part "Health"), said the Ministry of Health on Wednesday. The meeting will take place in Grenoble, France.
Among the issues that EU health ministers are expected to discuss is the topic of a European Health Union, including the possibilities, methods and tools for its future functioning.
North Macedonia's PM Kovachevski:
Retrograde Forces Want to Hinder
Solution-finding Process with Bulgaria
Skopje - Over a certain period, communication with the Republic of Bulgaria was reduced to communication between propagandists who formed public opinion, one that was dominant in the media and fostered mistrust between the two countries and their citizens, the Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia, Dimitar Kovachevski, said in an interview on Alsat TV late on Tuesday, as reported by the MIA agency.
After the two governments in North Macedonia and Bulgaria were formed, and after the visit of Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov to Skopje, an agreement was reached to turn a new page in talks, Kovachevski said.
Both he and the Bulgarian Prime Minister, as well as the government members, were guided by the idea of opening a dialogue that would reinstate a positive atmosphere, but they were also aware retrograde forces would promptly emerge and try to hinder that process. These forces, found in both countries, base their political existence on this problem. For if the problem does not exist, they would not exist as a political paradigm - this has been the case in the past, Kovachevski said, adding that at the very onset, themes had been opened and provocations made with the aim of thwarting a possible solution.
According to Kovachevski, the majority of people in both countries want a solution to be found for, as he said, the Republic of North Macedonia deserves a date for EU accession talks.
Whoever wants to see an open problem resolved should talk. Censure alone, as it was in the past, is not a solution. The solution is communication in which the benefits for both sides can be seen and the trust between them can be reinstated, North Macedonia's Prime Minister said further.
There are various issues between the two countries that have to be resolved so that the controversy would be addressed. It remains to be seen what is acceptable for the two sides, the solution that will be shared with the institutions of both and with the decision-makers, one that should be based on European values, the respect for the citizens of the two states and respect for their honour, he added.
In Kovachevski's opinion, there is the option for parallel progress of the two processes involving North Macedonia's [EU] integration and the talks [with Bulgaria]. He said he sincerely hopes they could develop along in parallel, but that depends on the agreement that would be reached. He declared himself in favour of a quick solution and said talks should begin soon, but added that he was not in favour of hasty solutions.
Whatever was agreed at the joint meeting in Skopje is already being implemented, Kovachevski said.
Besides these problems, there was the (Joint Multidisciplinary Expert) Commission for Historical and Education Issues. It operates by its own methods, it is formed by historians, not politicians and is chaired by two history professors from the two countries. They declared publicly they would speed up the Commission's work and there would be visible results, as it was expected that historical issues would serve as a bridge to the future, and not something that would generate conflict, Kovachevski went on further.
North Macedonia's Prime Minister stressed that there are no talks at all with Bulgaria on the basic issues pertaining to the Macedonian people. This means that the language of the state and the identity on all grounds of the Macedonian people are not a subject of talks with the Republic of Bulgaria, Kovachevski said, adding that when it is a matter of including other communities in the Constitution, such a process could be requested by the communities that live in the country.
In his opinion, this happens through constitutional revisions and is a longer process, one which includes numerous institutions, such as the government, parliament and the head of state. This would be followed by a broader debate, for experts are also included when constitutional revision are made. After that, through a debate and a majority of two-thirds in Parliament, such a decision could be reached. At the same time, this is a request that should come from the citizens living in North Macedonia, Kovachevski concluded.
In his opinion, any process that continues for too long could have a negative impact on public support, but happily, he said, public opinion polls had confirmed the majority of the citizens had faith in the country's European future.
Also, the parties that are part of the [ruling] coalition share the opinion that the only way for North Macedonia is EU integration, Kovachevski said and expressed hope that the opposition, too, would take a constructive stance.
Today's Observances:
February 10
The Church celebrates the Feast of St Haralambos the Apiarist.
Bulgaria:
- Apiarists' Day.
On this day in Bulgarian history:
1878: Sofia's first mayor, Manolaki Tashev, is elected.
1879: A Constituent Assembly is convened in Turnovo to draft the Basic Law of the Principality of Bulgaria.
1947: The Peace Treaty of Paris is signed between Germany's European allies in the Second World War (1939-1945) - Italy, Finland, Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania on the one hand, and the Allied Powers on the other hand. Comes into force on September 15, 1947.
1988: The first massive anti-government rally under the communist regime is held in Rousse (on the Danube). Between 5,000 and 6,000 local residents protest at the government's failure to end the city's chlorine pollution by Romania.
2006: Instituto Cervantes opens in Sofia.
Weather Forecast
February 10: Mostly sunny. Light southwesterly wind. Lows: minus 3C to plus 2C, minus 2C in Sofia. Highs: 9C to 14C, 11C in Sofia.
THE COAST: Partly cloudy. Light northwesterly wind before noon, west-southwesterly in the afternoon. Highs: 8C to 10C.
THE MOUNTAINS: Mostly sunny. Moderate to strong north-northwesterly wind. Highs: 8C at 1,200 metres above sea level, 2C at 2,000 metres.
Source: National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology.
Exchange - Rates
Sofia, February 9 (BTA) - The Bulgarian National Bank sets the
rates of foreign currencies against the Bulgarian lev applicable
from 5 p.m. on February 9 to 5 p.m. on February 10, 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 1.22753
Brazilian Real BRL 10 3.24899
Canadian Dollar CAD 1 1.34755
Swiss Franc CHF 1 1.85299
Chinese Yuan Renminbi CNY 10 2.68809
Czech Koruna CZK 100 8.05266
Danish Krone DKK 10 2.6275
British Pound GBP 1 2.32132
Hong Kong Dollar HKD 10 2.19495
Croatian Kuna HRK 10 2.5979
Hungarian Forint HUF 1000 5.54154
Indonesian Rupiah IDR 10000 1.19323
New Israel Shekel ILS 10 5.3123
Indian Rupee INR 100 2.28548
Icelandic Krona ISK 100 1.37541
Japanese Yen JPY 100 1.48124
South Korean Won KRW 1000 1.43209
Mexican Peso MXN 100 8.33264
Malaysian Ringgit MYR 10 4.08716
Norwegian Krone NOK 10 1.94445
New Zealand Dollar NZD 1 1.14329
Philippine Peso PHP 100 3.33742
Polish Zloty PLN 10 4.33329
Romanian Leu RON 10 3.95525
Russian Rouble RUB 100 2.28675
Swedish Krona SEK 10 1.87925
Singaporean Dollar SGD 1 1.27424
Thai Baht THB 100 5.22893
Turkish Lira TRY 10 1.25769
US Dollar USD 1 1.71039
South African Rand ZAR 10 1.11583
Gold price (per troy ounce) XAU 1 3126.22
Advisory to BTA's
External Service
Subscribers
Sofia, February 10 (BTA) - Following are some of the main stories to be moved by BTA's External Service Subscribers on Thursday:
-- President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief Rumen Radev will familiarize himself with the analysis of the state of the Bulgarian Armed Forces in 2021. The report will be presented by Defence Chief Emil Eftimov. Attending will be Defence Minister Stefan Yanev, MPs, and senior military officers.
-- Parliamentary sitting. First reading of the 2022 State Budget Bill.
-- A working meeting of a Bulgarian-Macedonian interdepartmental working group for cooperation in infrastructure, transport and connectivity,
-- Health Minister Assena Serbezova participates in an informal meeting of the Council of the European Union for Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs in Grenoble.
--Galina Zaharova takes office as President of the Supreme Cassation Court.
Press - Review
Sofia, February 10 (BTA)
THE HOME SCENE
On Wednesday Parliament approved on first reading the budgets of the National Health Insurance Fund and of the Public Social Insurance for 2022. On Thursday MPs will vote in principle the State Budget Bill.
Telegraph runs an interview with Lyubomir Datsov, member of the Fiscal Council with the Bulgarian Parliament, an independent body, which oversees the implementation of the budget. Datsov argues that the 2022 budget will promote inflation and households and businesses will cut down on their consumption. He also said that the reduced VAT rates for some industries should be reversed as they are not working and have shed light on some deficiencies. The reduced VAT rate has no effect on the budget which means that the respective industries do not contribute anything.
Telegraph frontpages that butter in Bulgaria is more expensive compared with five other EU countries. Telegraph has compared the prices of ten staple foods in several regional centres in Bulgaria with the prices in five EU countries. The list includes bread, oil, butter, sugar, flour, chicken, pork, cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers and potatoes. A 250 gr-packet of butter in Bulgaria costs between 5 and 8 leva, while in Austria, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Belgium it is around 2 euro. The prices of foods in Germany have increased by 25 per cent since May 2020. In Bulgaria food inflation in January was 17 per cent year-on-year. Cooking oil has appreciated considerably and it costs between 3.70 leva and 4.50 leva. (1.4-2.25 euro) compared with Italy where it costs 1.50 euro per litre.
The Economy Ministry will show on an electronic display board on its building the wholesale prices of staple foods. Meeting with officials from the State Commission for Commodity Exchanges and Wholesale Markets. Economy Minister Kornelia Ninova said that this is done to inform people about the real prices on the market.
Monitor writes that in 2021 the number of small deposits (up to 5,000 leva) decreased by 18 per cent, (302,000) while the number of large deposits went up. As few as 20 per cent of Bulgarians manage to save larger sums. According to central bank data at the end of December 2020 the deposits of households and non-financial enterprises numbered 9,368,163. Nine months later they were 9, 117,792.
Duma writes that the Regional Development Ministry is working to set up a Regional Development Fund which will have a budget of 1 billion leva to cover the repairs of municipal roads. The idea was discussed during the coalition talks ahead of the formation of the cabinet. It is not clear when municipalities will access the money because the fund allocation is not planned in the 2022 State Budget. Mayors will be able to implement more comprehensive projects and projects in less developed regions such as Strandzha, Northwestern Bulgaria and the Rhodope Mountains will be favoured. The Association of Municipalities in Bulgaria has asked for 300 million leva for the repairs of municipal roads. Because of the appreciation of the price of construction materials municipal projects worth 2.2 billion leva are at risk.
POLITICS
On Wednesday Prime Minister Kiril Petkov visited the offices of the Supreme Cassation Prosecution Office to be questioned about people who are allegedly at the root of corruption in Bulgaria and who he named during a meeting with Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev on February 4. Petkov took a file of information which is available on the Internet. In a front-page story Monitor asks who is pressuring who in the latest chapter of the war between the prosecution service on the one hand and the Prime Minister, the President and the Cabinet on the other. A day ago, the prosecution accused the Prime Minister of indirect pressure by asking why no charges have been pressed against the former CEO of Bulgargaz but instead he has been interviewed as a witness. For his part President Rumen Radev said that Petkov's questioning is a form of "institutional blackmail".
* * *
Trud quotes former Deputy Prime Minister and current MP Tomislav Donchev as saying that Bulgaria is falling behind by 13 billion leva. Businesses and the local authorities will be able to tap money under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan in 2023 at the earliest, because the government of Kiril Petkov keeps editing the document. Donchev's forecast has been confirmed by economic and financial experts. Under the most optimistic scenario Bulgaria will receive the money in May and beneficiaries will be able to access it in 2023. Business representatives have warned about another adverse effect. Given that all other EU countries are using the money under their plans this may bring about a gap between Bulgaria and the other EU members. Brussels said that the latest draft was sent on October 15 and there is no newer draft despite the assurances of Prime Minister Kiril Petkov. In December Brussels returned the plan with 207 objections. The European Commission was mostly dissatisfied with the measures in the energy sector.
* * *
Trud writes that the Counter-corruption and Unlawfully Acquired Assets Forfeiture Commission refused to coordinate a government sponsored bill for the closure of specialized courts and prosecution. The revisions to the Judicial System Act have been tabled by Justice Minister Nadezhda Yordanova. The Commission argues that the revisions are not based on an objective and clear analysis about the efficiency of specialized justice and the closure runs against the government's priorities to fight corruption.
LIFESTYLE
24 Chasa frontpages that at the height of a relatively successful tourist season there are reports that owners of hotels in the ski resorts are closing down because they are unable to pay their electricity bills. The largest hotel in the village of Stoykite, Perelik Palace, near Pamporovo has closed down because the owners said that they will lose 800,000 leva if it stays open. Another five hotels in nearby Chepelare have closed down. The bills are at least three times higher compared with before. In Borovets and Bansko there are no closed hotels. According to Malin Bistrin, chair of the Tourist Business Union in Bansko, electricity accounts for 60 per cent of the expenses of the accommodation establishments and foods have appreciated too, but hotel owners are reluctant to increase prices. Bistrin urged for support from the state not just for the tourist industry but for all businesses.
* * *
24 Chasa writes that Sofia is relaxing COVID restrictions due to a drop in infections based on a 14-day period. As of Monday all students in Sofia will return to in-person classes. As of Wednesday discos and night bars were allowed to stay open past 10 pm, although many boycotted the restrictions before. For now a requirement to work at 50 per cent of their capacity stays in place. However the country is still in the red zone and no significant drop in infections is forecast.
END
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