site.btaSofia, Monday, February 7, 2022, No.31

DNEWS 06:40:01 07-02-2022
TE0026DN.001 06:40
Daily News - Sofia, Monday, February 7, 2022, No.31

Sofia, Monday, February 7, 2022, No.31


Press - Review


Sofia, February 6 (BTA)

ECONOMY

Mediapool writes about an escalation of recriminations over gas supplier Bulgargaz where the management was replaced a week ago and former Energy Minister Roumen Ovcharov said on February 5 that the new management is applying the exact same practices as the old one and sold 60,000 MWh of gas on the state-owned gas exchange. The story is entitled УEnergy Minister Announces LV 200 Mln Financial Gap in Bulgargaz. Ex-CEO: Total CrapФ. The new gas company management said that it sold 37,000 MWh Ц not 60,000 Ц to avoid an imbalance and secure fresh cash. At a news conference on Sunday, Energy Minister Alexander Nikolov said that the new management found a financial gap of 200 million leva in Bulgargaz but the former Bulgargaz CEO, Nikolai Pavlov said that the Minister was mispresenting the financial results of the company. In his words, the Minister took advantage of a window between payments that Bulgargaz made to Russia and Azerbaijan for gas supplies, and payments to Bulgargaz by users, to excuse the Bulgargaz sales last Friday. He also explained that the company has had long-standing problems with the debts of heating utilities and that the Sofia heating utility company alone owes 150 million leva. It is a shame to blame the old management for that, all the more so that Nikolov had been repeated alerted about the problem in his capacity as deputy economy minister in the caretaker government of Stefan Yanev.

Minister Nikolov also told the news conference that he wondered if there might be some coordination between the statements by Roumen Ovcharov, ABV leader Rumen Petkov, former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and former energy minister Delyan Dobrev at the same time on the same topic.

Most media outlets have the Bulgargaz story.

***

Dnevnik quotes Transport Minister Nikolay Sabev as saying on bTV Sunday that studies are underway to establish how many bridges can be built on the Danube and how many tunnels in the Balkan Range during the governmentТs full tenure. He was asked how his ambitions match a statement by Regional Development Minister Grozdan Karadjov that only one of each can be built in the governmentТs term in office. Sabev said that KaradjovТs statement must have been based on what his experts have told him and on what the experience has been so far while Уclearly, based on the international experience, a very well organized foreign company can do the work in a short period of timeФ.

***

Trud and Sega (online) report a meeting of Regional Development Minister Grozdan Karadjov and representatives of the transport business, where a lot of details transpired about the use of the roads and the national toll system. Sega writes that the road toll system which former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov called Уa printing press for cashФ and Уa technology wonderФ has turned out to be ridden by flaws and glitches. Due to bad planning of the scope of paid roads, the toll receipts are far from what has been expected. What is more, the toll system is near-blind: there are not enough cameras and road sensors which prevents adequate control on the number of trucks and buses. Karadjov presented new statistics about the traffic and toll receipts, which he called УdisturbingФ. The figures show that some roads take excessive traffic but they fall outside the scope of the toll system because they are considered second-grade roads, and the trucks and buses pay nothing for using them. The story recalls that the aim of the toll system was to provide resources for road maintenance by charging more for heavy-duty vehicles, which contribute the most to roadsТ wear and tear. Trud adds that trucks pay toll for a mere 15 per cent of the roads, or for 3,115 km in a national road system of some 20,000 km. In Bulgaria 65 per cent of the proceeds from road use are from vignettes (for automobiles) and the rest from toll, while elsewhere in the EU 70 per cent of proceeds are from toll and 30 per cent from vignettes for automobiles, said the Minister. Trud also quotes him as saying that toll rates in Bulgaria are much lower than in neighbouring countries. He mentioned Greece and Serbia as examples.

POLITICS

Capital (online) explains why Elena Yoncheva is not going to lose her immunity as a member of the European Parliament (EP). On February 4, the EP Committee on Legal Affairs rejected a request by Bulgarian Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev to strip Yoncheva of immunity to be prosecuted for laundering money from the failed Corporate Commercial Bank in 2010-2013. The EP legal committee, however, believes that GeshevТs request sought to harm YonchevaТs work as a MEP and a politician, and proposed to the EP to reject it. The story recalls that Yoncheva was accused of money laundering after she blew the whistle on corruption in the construction of the border fence, poor quality of road construction in Bulgaria and nepotism, involving GERB ranking member Delyan Dobrev. The EP legal committee argue that the alert on YonchevaТs alleged wrongdoing came from her political opponents and that the prosecution service started probing the matter only in 2018 while the alleged money laundering took place in 2010. The Prosecutor GeneralТs request failed to explain the delay of eight years, the legal committee said.

***

Mediapool writes that former regional development minister Violeta Komitova (kin the caretaker government of Stefan Yanev) is considering running for Sofia mayor. That transpires from her appearance on Bulgarian National TV on Sunday where she said that a group of people without political affiliation have been trying to talk her into running for the post because they liked her work as a minister. She said that she has not yet said УyesФ or УnoФ but that Уmay happen, hypotheticallyФ.

Dnevnik also has the story.

SOFIA - SKOPJE

Trud reproduces an interview with North MacedoniaТs Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski for the Belgian daily Le Libre (through the MIA news agency in Skopje). It is entitled УKovachevski: Solution with Bulgaria Based on Respect and European ValuesФ. The government leader says there: УWe need a solution based on mutual respect and European values. The solution should result in lifting the veto and serve as foundation for good cooperation between the two countriesФ. He goes on to say that the process toward starting accession talks has taken too long and all efforts are now invested in speeding up talks with Bulgaria, reports Trud. He is further quoted as saying that Уpropagandists led the Sofia-Skopje talks whereas positive energy is now generatedФ. УThe ministries of foreign affairs have been tasked with working on the political issues and draft documents are currently in the pipeline. Once we come to tangible results approved by both sides, the documents will be shared through legal procedures on both sides,Ф says Kovachevski in the interview.

EDUCATION

Mediapool writes that former Education Minister Daniel Vulchev is supportive of the idea of the Education Ministry to consolidate universities but doubts that would be accomplished. УMerging universities is a very old idea, pre-dating even my tenure as minister, because Bulgaria has over 50 universities and some of them are small. We have 3-4 times more universities than other countries and I believe it would be the right thing to do but I strongly doubt it will happen,Ф Vulchev said on Nova TV Saturday. He further argued that university mergers are not enough to improve the quality of education in Bulgaria.


Energy Minister Says There Is a War
against the Government's Energy Policy
Sofia - A war is being waged against the energy policy of the government, Energy Minister Alexander Nikolov said here Sunday. He held an emergency news briefing to disprove allegations that the new management of state-owned gas supplier Bulgargaz sold 60,000 MWh of natural gas to Romania in prearranged trades.
He said that it was not one but 18 deals and the total amount of traded gas was 37,600 MWh and not 60,000. The trades were not finalized "in seconds" - allegedly indicating that they were pre-arranged, but throughout the day and everybody that was interested in Bulgargaz' surplus gas quantities, was satisfied, said Nikolov.
"In this specific moment and this complex international situation, during our meeting in Baku and just before the start of talks with Gazprom Export for re-negotiating the terms of long-term contracts and supply of new quantities, I consider such allegations and statements by former energy ministers, deputy prime ministers and other political persons, to be nothing less than a coordinated attack against the Bulgarian national interests," said Nikolov.
The attacks against the new Bulgargaz management came from former energy minister Rumen Ovcharov, who directed public attention to the Friday trades and said that the new gas supplier management acted just like the old one, that was replaced for pursuing corporate gains to the detriment of public interests.
The Energy Minister said that Bulgargaz has an obligation to maintain a gas balance and sales on the free gas market should not be surprising. "Bulgargaz has an obligation to manage its surplus and surplus is created during spells of milder weather when domestic consumption goes down ."
It transpired from his remarks that in that specific case the surplus was 14 per cent of the planned consumption for the day.
He also said that the new Bulgargaz management took office on Friday.
What was really achieved at the Friday deals was "the best price" and Bulgargaz made a profit of over 1.5 million leva, he added.
The Minister went on to speak about "a liquidity gap of 200 million leva" in Bulgargaz as its upcoming payments exceed 650 million leva.
And yet all contractual obligations will be honoured, he added.
He was adamant that without the Friday deals, the 14 per cent surplus would have cost the company a loss of receipts of 12.5 leva/MWh.


US Delegation to Visit Sofia over Ukraine Crisis
Washington - A U.S. interagency delegation, led by Counselor of the U.S. Department of State Derek Chollet, will visit Sofia, Bucharest, and Brussels from February 7 to 11, the Department said on its website.
The delegation will engage with U.S. partners in Europe on a range of issues, and will consult with NATO Allies and the European Union partners on Russian aggression towards Ukraine.
Counselor Chollet's trip is a continuation of the extensive diplomacy undertaken with European Allies and partners in support of a united approach to Russia's unprovoked military build-up along Ukraine's borders and joint efforts to encourage Russia to choose diplomacy and de-escalation, according to the press release.
Chollet will meet with members of Bulgaria's new government to continue the strategic dialogue talks begun in January 2020 on security, energy, and the rule of law.
In Romania, Counselor Chollet will reaffirm the importance of the U.S.-Romania Strategic Partnership in addressing common threats and challenges, particularly with regard to U.S. troop deployments to help defend European allies in light of Russia's military buildup on Ukraine's borders.
Following both countries' recent invitations to begin accession to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, he will offer U.S. support to the governments in their economic reform and anti-corruption efforts.
In Brussels, the U.S. diplomat will meet with NATO and European Union officials to discuss recent diplomatic engagements with Russia and joint efforts to deter further Russian aggression against Ukraine, including Allies' and partners' readiness to impose massive consequences and severe economic costs on Russia.
Throughout his trip, Chollet will reaffirm the ironclad commitment of the U.S. to NATO and its Allies and discuss how the United States can continue to support NATO countries, particularly on the eastern flank.


Prime Minister Petkov, Romanian Counterpart
Ciuca Discuss Bilateral Relations
Sofia - Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov talked with his Romanian counterpart Nicolae Ciuca by phone on Friday evening, the government information service said.
The two government leaders discussed the development of bilateral relations, advancement of regional cooperation, and infrastructure and energy projects which will boost connectivity and security in Southeastern Europe.
Among the highlights were the contribution of projects such as a new bridge on the Danube, dredging activities and the organization of a joint meeting between the governments of Bulgaria and Romania.
Also, the two prime ministers discussed issues on the current EU agenda and possibilities for bilateral cooperation under the EU Green Deal and the national recovery plans of the two countries.
In relation with the holding of the joint government meeting in Sofia in September or October, the sides agreed a visit to Bucharest by Prime Minister Petkov.


Labour Inspectorate Checks
Grew by 10% in 2021
Sofia - In 2021, the General Labour Inspectorate carried out 40,788 inspections in 33,177 enterprises with 1,416,948 employees. This is an increase by 10 per cent compared with 2020 when the COVID-19 epidemic began and restrictions were imposed.
The Inspectorate established 187,712 violations. Violations in relation to healthy and safe working conditions totalled 97,487, and employment violations totalled 89,583. In 2021, some 175,258 instructions were issued which allow employers to address violations without any sanctions.
The Inspectorate identified 2,839 workers and employees without a written employment contract.
In 2021, the General Labour Inspectorate continued to exercise control over the enforcement of the anti-epidemic restrictions in companies in order to protect workers' life and health. Some 24,200 checks, or 50 per cent of all checks, were carried out to this end. The checks show that generally employers complied with their obligations to introduce anti-epidemic measures.
A trend for a decrease in back wages continued from 2020. The Labour Inspectorate established 7 million leva in back wages, compared with 11 million leva a year earlier. Thanks to intervention by the Inspectorate four million leva were paid back to workers. In 2021, 8,544 statements of administrative violations were issued and final orders of violation totalled 10.5 million leva.


Wholesale Food Prices
Index Goes Up by 2.56%
Sofia - The index of wholesale food prices went up by 2.56 per cent to 1.886 points this past week, the State Commission on Commodity Exchanges and Wholesale Markets said on Sunday.
A year ago the index ranged around 1.540 points, or 21 per cent less.
The index's baseline of 1 point was established in 2005.
The wholesale price of hothouse tomatoes increased by 3.2 per cent to 2.61 leva/kg. Hothouse cucumbers appreciated by 14.6 per cent to 4.15 leva/kg. Potatoes went up by 2.4 per cent and traded at 0.84 leva/kg. Carrots went up by 2.2 per cent and traded at 0.94 leva/kg. Cabbage went up by 2.9 per cent and sold at 1.05 leva/kg. Imported red peppers appreciated by 4.3 per cent and traded at 2.43 leva/kg on average.
Apples increased by 3.1 per cent to 1.34 leva/kg. Lemons went down by 2.7 per cent to 1.8 leva/kg. Bananas traded at 2.231 leva/kg. Oranges lost 1.2 per cent to 1.61 leva/kg and tangerines lost 2 per cent to 2 leva/kg.
The wholesale price of white brined cheese from cow's milk went down by 0.1 per cent to 8.50 leva/kg. Vitosha yellow kashkaval cheese went up by 0.7 per cent and sold at 13.37 leva/kg. Sunflower oil lost 0.9 per cent and traded at 3.47 leva/litre. Butter from cow's milk sold at 2.32 leva per 125-gram pack.
Frozen chicken lost 0.7 per cent and traded at 4.40 leva/kg, and sugar lost 1.8 per cent to 1.60 leva/kg. Grade 500 flour traded at 1.19 leva/kg. Rice went up by 1.8 per cent to 2.29 leva/kg. Eggs were available at 0.22 leva apiece.


NGO: Parties Spent Lv 7.324 Mln
in November 14 Elections
Sofia - Political formations spent a total of 7,324,079 leva in the November 14, 2021 general elections, said the Institute for Public Environment Development based on the their reports.
The amount is similar to funds spent in the July, 2021 election campaign at 7,434,468 leva.
The data are published on the Open Parliament platform.
Media services accounted for the largest share of campaign expenditures at 4,982,103 leva. Some 2,656,538 leva were spent on online canvassing. According to anlalysts, the amount comprises money for social media as well.
Parties spent 713,993.9 leva on rallies and canvassing materials. Another 943,771.51 leva went towards rent, transportation and equipment.
Fuel and supply expenses totalled 572,096.86 leva, while the allocations for consultancy and polling services added up to 64,738.25 leva. The parties spent another 47, 375.56 leva on wages and security contributions. According to the analysts online media continued to attract considerable funds and yet again labour costs were negligible.


Bulgaria Still Lags Behind the Rest of EU in
Electric Mobility but Progress Is Fast
Konstantin Karagyozov of BTA
Sofia
The share of electric vehicles (EVs) in Bulgaria has been rapidly growing in recent years but it started from a very low base and the country still lags behind most European countries in electric mobility. At the end of September 2021, there were some 18,000 electric cars in Bulgaria, which amounts to 0.67 per cent of all cars in the country, the Electric Vehicles Industrial Cluster (EVIC) reported in January.
Low incomes is one of the main deterrents to purchasing an EV in Bulgaria, EVIC said a while back. Another is the absence of charging infrastructure. This is a vicious circle - there are very few new EVs because the infrastructure is inadequate and the infrastructure is less developed than elsewhere in Europe due to the small number of EVs in the country, the EVIC noted.
Unlike many other EU countries, EV purchases are not yet subsidized in Bulgaria. In January, the Deputy Prime Minister for Climate Policy and Environment Minister, Borislav Sandov, told BTA that every car owner who gives up their old car and buys a new EV will be entitled to a subsidy of 6,200 euro under the EU-backed Operational Programme Environment during its next programming period (2021-2027). In addition to that, Bulgaria's National Recovery and Resilience Plan envisages a reform for replacing old vehicles with electric ones, he also said.
In the last 9 months the number of electric cars in Bulgaria has increased dramatically, by 50 per cent, and sales are projected to grow even more. Estimates show that in the third quarter of 2021, a total of 96 new electric cars were registered in the country, compared to only 26 during the same period in 2020.
In the first nine months of 2021, the new EV registrations totalled 219 which was a significant increase from only 79 during the same period of 2020.
Meanwhile, the EV market share in Europe has increased by 9.8 per cent in the third quarter of 2021. Sales of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) have increased by 9.1 per cent and sales of conventional hybrid vehicles have increased by 20.7 per cent, EVIC reported.
The largest share of EVs is concentrated in a few Nordic countries and EU members in the West. Some 60 per cent of all registrations of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are in Germany, France, and United Kingdom and their number has tripled since 2019. PHEV sales are the highest in Sweden (23 per cent), Norway and Iceland (20 per cent each), EVIC added.
Despite the increasing number of EVs across the world in recent years, the EV market remains relatively small and depends on the national policies of individual countries.
Minister: 20,000 EVs and 10,000 Charging Stations in Bulgaria Five Years from Now
During a webinar on electric mobility in early February, Environment Minister Borislav Sandov said that Bulgaria will have 20,000 EVs and 10,000 charging stations by 2026, and 50,000 old vehicles with internal combustion engines, will go out of use.
"If we look back, this might seem like an overly ambitious plan for a period of five years. But seeing how fast things move around us, in the EU and even in some neighbouring countries, which are not part of the EU, it is totally realistic. Some people might even find it not sufficiently ambitious," said Sandov.
He said that OP Environment 2021-2027, which will have funding for subsidized purchase of EVs, is at the stage of final drafting and will be sent in to Brussels for approval. Even now municipalities can apply for funding from OP Environment for purchase of electric buses or trucks for the municipal services.


First Sofia-Skopje Flight Expected on February 11
Sofia - The first flight between Sofia and Skopje is expected on February 11, bTV reported from North Macedonia on Saturday. On board the aircraft will be a Bulgarian delegation headed by Transport Minister Nikolay Sabev who will have a meeting in Skopje focused on the start of a regular air service between the capitals of Bulgaria and North Macedonia.
North Macedonia's Transport Minister Blagoj Bochvarski expects the regular service to become operational in early March.
He told the press in Skopje that he will be having a working meeting with Sabev in Sofia on February 10 together with the two teams in the joint transport and infrastructure commissions, and then fly to Skopje the next day together with his Bulgarian counterpart and Bulgarian tour operators.


Bulgarian FM Donates Mobile Mammography
Unit to Hospital in North Macedonia
Sofia - Bulgarian Foreign Minister Teodora Genchovska donated a mobile mammography unit to the oncology department of the hospital in the town of Negotino, North Macedonia, the Foreign Ministry said Saturday. The donation comes as part of a project which aims to reduce breast cancer deaths among women in North Macedonia through boosting early detection rates.
The Bulgarian government allocated approximately 139,000 euro for the purchase of the mobile mammography unit under a development aid programme.
Genchovska was accompanied on her visit to the hospital by Bulgarian Ambassador Angel Angelov, MP Toshko Yordanov, Deputy Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova and BTA Director General Kiril Valchev, among others.


Weekly Roundup of Political Events: January 29 - February 4
Sofia, January 29
At a national conference of the Yes, Bulgaria! party, Hristo Ivanov is reelected party leader, supported by 692 delegates, with 14 votes against and 42 abstentions. Ivanov was the only candidate for the leader's post, although he bid to resign in the wake of the parliamentary elections in November 2021.
Sofia, January 29
The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry on Saturday publishes a statement on its website expressing concern over recent actions of officials in North Macedonia, referencing President Stevo Pendarski's social media post that he has received representatives of OMO Ilinden, an organization considered separatist and anti-constitutional in Bulgaria. The Ministry is concerned about the stirring up of negative public moods in the positive climate created through the active efforts of the governments of Bulgaria and North Macedonia.
Sofia, January 29
Prime Minister Kiril Petkov comments on Darik Radio, that allowing the Republic of North Macedonia on the path to Europe does not mean accepting it in Europe, and stresses that there are 15 years of development between the first and the second point. Regarding NATO-Russia tensions, Petkov reiterates that Bulgaria, as a sovereign state, can not be forced to do anything. A formation of a Bulgarian battalion is a possibility and an opportunity for the Bulgarian Army, he adds.
Sofia, January 29
Chairman of the Defence Committee in Parliament and BSP for Bulgaria deputy floor leader Atanas Zafirov says to Nova News that Bulgarian soldiers will not participate in any way in armed conflicts. According to him the formation of a Bulgarian battalion to demonstrate NATO's deterrent potential, would be rather a political act for Bulgaria, showing that this country is a predictable and involved ally in NATO. Zafirov adds that the battalion, if created, will be under Bulgarian command.
Brussels, January 31 - February 1
A proposal for complete abandonment of the "citizenship by investment" scheme in Bulgaria and new national anti-corruption legislation drafted by the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), including amendments to the Constitution, are presented by MRF leader Mustafa Karadayi to the European Commission Vice President responsible for Values and Transparency, Vera Jourova, during a meeting in Brussels.
Sofia, January 31
The Council of Ministers approves the draft of the 2022 State Budget and an update of the Medium-term State Budget Forecast for 2022-2024, which underpins the proposed state budget scheme. The ministers also approve the draft budgets of Public Social Insurance and the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) for 2022.
Sofia, January 31
President Rumen Radev congratulates Sergio Mattarella on his reelection as President of Italy. Radev invites Mattarella to visit Bulgaria to continue the two countries' dialogue at the highest level.
Sofia, January 31
The Counter-corruption and Unlawfully Acquired Assets Forfeiture Commission (CCUAA) launches an investigation against Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev following alerts about suspected violations of the law. CCUAA acts in response to comments made by Justice Minister Nadezhda Yordanova. Prosecutor General Spokesperson Siika Mileva tells BTA that it is not in the Justice Minister's jurisdiction to revise applications and alerts concerning magistrates' violations.
Sofia, January 31
In a TV broadcast on Sunday, Defence Minister Stefan Yanev stresses that the foremost step that needs to be made in trying to solve the ongoing crisis between Russia and NATO, and Russia and the US, is to make way for diplomacy. Yanev reiterates the government's stand that if a decision is made on deploying additional troops on NATO's Eastern flank, on Bulgarian territory this should be done with Bulgarian service people, and will happen with a decision of the Bulgarian government. He also emphasizes on the strengthened air policing in Bulgaria with aircraft from Spain and the Netherlands, on planned NATO exercises in the Black Sea in the second half of March, an ongoing joint exercise at the Novo Selo training range with about 200 US troops, and more such exercises, which he says have been planned last year and are nothing extraordinary.
Sofia, February 1
US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman talks with Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov on the phone.They discuss the shared commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, the Bulgarian government's objectives of tackling COVID, diversifying toward clean energy sources, and implementing anti-corruption reforms. Sherman affirms the U.S. commitment to work with fellow OECD members to support Bulgaria's accession to the organization.
Sofia, February 1
Russian Ambassador to Bulgaria Eleonora Mitrofanova tells NOVA TV that Moscow's demands for NATO to return to its borders from 1997 do not concern Bulgaria, because there are no military bases or strategic weapons targeting Russia in this country. She does not believe that Bulgaria will be affected by possible sanctions against Russia, which could interfere with the natural gas supply.
Sofia, February 1
During a ceremony marking the start of the construction of the Serbian stretch of the Gas Interconnector Bulgaria - Serbia (IBS) pipeline in Dimitrovgrad, Southeastern Serbia, Bulgarian Energy Minister Alexander Nikolov says he expects that the pipeline be completed by October 2023 at the latest. Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, quoted by the Tanjug News Agency, confirms Nikolov's expectations for completion of the project and says it would ensure more secure natural gas supplies both in Serbia and the region.
Sofia, February 1
Bulgarian Defence Minister Stefan Yanev confers with Ukrainian Ambassador in Sofia Vitalii Moskalenko to discuss bilateral defence relations, prospects for strengthening cooperation in military technologies and topical issues concerning security in the region.
Sofia, February 1
The Vazrazhdane Party introduces draft amendments to the Value Added Tax Act for the following goods to be zero-rated: food and beverages, water, the supply of natural gas, electricity and central heating to households, medication, medical products and equipment.
Sofia, February 1
The Working Group on Cooperation with North Macedonia in Economy, Trade, Innovation and Agriculture holds its first meeting in Skopje. In a joint statement after the meeting, Bulgaria's Minister of Innovation and Growth Daniel Lorer and North Macedonia's Finance Minister Fatmir Besimi say that their countries will set up an investment transparency mechanism.
Sofia, February 1
Interior Minister Boyko Rashkov and Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Sofia, Mariam Aftab, meet to discuss aspects of cooperation between the two countries to counter illegal migration.
Sofia, February 1
The judicial reform and the role of specialized courts and prosecution services are discussed at a meeting of the representative member of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), Boyan Magdalinchev, Stefan Petrov of the Prosecutors Chamber and Frederique Dubost, French liaison magistrate for Southeast Europe, and Stephanie Petibon of the French Embassy in Sofia.
Sofia, February 1
Speaking at The World Ahead 2022 Sofia Gala Dinner, organized by "The Economist", Prime Minister Kiril Petkov says that Bulgaria's energy sector is dependent on Russian gas supplies and on electricity production by the Kozloduy N-plant, and now this sector must be made competitive and independent within the framework of the EU Green Deal. He believes that opportunities should be sought in the "sun-batteries strategy" and hopes that finally, after waiting for 13 years, the gas interconnector between Bulgaria and Greece will go into operation.
Sofia, February 1 - February 2
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev says that the visit that Prime Minister Kiril Petkov paid to Skopje on January 18 had come too early, concerned that rash steps by the Bulgarian Government or a hasty positive message are prone to a distorted interpretation as concessions on the part of Bulgaria. Later, Petkov rejects Radev's criticism, arguing that the visit had come too late.
Sofia, February 1 - February 2
Approached for a comment on a meeting of North Macedonia's President Stevo Pendarovski in Skopje with representatives of the OMO Ilinden Organization that has been declared unconstitutional in Bulgaria, President Radev says that the behaviour of the President of North Macedonia is not conducive to progress towards Skopje's much-desired EU integration. Radev adds that he is in touch with his North Macedonia counterpart but the right time for a summit is still being sought. Asked a question on the same topic, Prime Minister Kiril Petkov says on that many forces will try to bring to a halt the process of a thaw in relations between Sofia and Skopje, because such forces gain from instability in the Balkans.
Sofia, February 2
Career diplomat Agneza Rusi is nominated by North Macedonia's Foreign Ministry as ambassador to Bulgaria at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday behind closed doors.
Sofia, February 2
Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Assen Vasilev appoints Georgi Nikolov Executive Director of the Public Procurement Agency, replacing Miglena Pavlova, who resigned for personal reasons.
Sofia, February 2
The government approves a strategy for management of the government debt in 2022-2024. Prime Minister Kiril Petkov says that the new debt is 4.293 billion leva, and together with a maturing debt of 3 billion leva in 2022, the total debt adds up to 7 billion leva.
Sofia, February 2
The opposition GERB-UDF and Vazrazhdane step up the pressure on the government to scrap the green certificate for COVID-19. Former health minister and GERB MP Kostadin Angelov says during a briefing at the National Assembly that scrapping the certificate would put an end to buying and selling fake certificates. Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov says in a Facebook post that he has had a phone call with Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, and the latter made two commitments - the working group dedicated to cancelling the certificate will resume its work, and the certificate will be cancelled. Approached by the press after a meeting of the Council of Ministers, Petkov denies making any agreements with Vazrazhdane about cancelling the green certificate.
Sofia, February 2
The National Assembly accepts the resignation of Sotir Tsatsarov as Chairman of the Counter-corruption and Unlawfully Acquired Assets Forfeiture Commission. All 197 MPs in attendance vote in favour. A dispute emerges between MPs from the ruling coalition and the opposition over the fight against the corruption in Bulgaria.
Sofia, February 2
Georgi Minchev, Chairman of the Bulgarian-Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Management Board, says in an interview for BTA that an increasing number of Bulgarian companies are entering the Russian market, but their success is entirely the result of their individual efforts and not of a deliberate economic policy of the Bulgarian State.
Sofia, February 2
President Rumen Radev has a telephone conversation with visiting UK Special Envoy to the Western Balkans, Sir Stuart Peach. The two discuss the European perspective of the Republic of North Macedonia and the Western Balkan countries, and the key importance of the European integration process for the region's security and stability, as well as the the security environment in Eastern Europe in the context of the escalating tension in Ukraine. Later Sir Stuart Peach meets with Defence Minister Stefan Yanev, Chief of Defence Admiral Emil Eftimov and British Ambassador to Bulgaria Rob Dixon, who also participates in the meeting. Their discussion emphasizes on the alarmingly rising levels of disinformation and the growing numbers and types of channels that spread it.
Sofia, February 2
The Council of Ministers adopts an annual programme for the participation of Bulgaria in EU decision-making processes in 2022, a six-month programme concerning topics which Bulgaria prioritizes during the French Presidency of the EU Council (January 1 - June 30, 2022), and approves Bulgaria's intent to join the International Programme for Action on Climate of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Sofia, February 2
Prime Minister Kiril Petkov holds a video conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to discuss the current developments related to the continuing Russian military buildup near the border with Ukraine. The leading principle in NATO, which is that every decision must be supported by the public and the government in the relevant member state, is once again reiterated during the conversation.
Sofia, February 3
At its weekly sitting on Thursday, the National Assembly sets up an ad-hoc Committee to discuss constitutional amendments related to citizens' rights, the rule of law and the judicial system's independence. The Committee is made up of 14 MPs and will work for six months. Hristo Ivanov of Democratic Bulgaria is elected Chair.
Sofia, February 3
Defence Minister Stefan Yanev confers with Georgia's Ambassador to Bulgaria Tamara Liluashvili. Bulgaria and Georgia will continue to cooperate in the education and training of military staff and civilians the exchange of trainees as part of educational programmes.
Sofia, February 3
Economy Minister Kornelia Ninova says that she will halt all payments under a contract with the Bulgaria Expo 2020 consortium, which is in charge of Bulgaria's participation in Expo 2020 Dubai, as it has failed to implement the terms of the contract. Following Ninova's remarks, the Bulgaria Expo 2020 consortium issued a statement saying that it would seek legal means to prove that it had implemented the contract correctly.
Sofia, February 3
The Justice Ministry sends out letters to high-level judicial system representatives, to magistrate and professional legal organizations and heads of the academic legal community, with a call to submit their proposals for the preparation of draft legislative amendments to the Judicial System Act. The expected proposals are on a series of topics, among which is the optimization of the organization and activities of the Supreme Judicial Council and the Inspectorate under it.
Sofia, February 3
Two separate three-judge panels of the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) declare null and void parts of a Council of Ministers resolution related to the sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act, which envisaged actions to be taken following the sanctions imposed by the US in June 2021 on Bulgarian individuals, including MP Delyan Peevski and gambling mogul Vassil Bojkov. The parts in question are null and void because the resolution was published in the absence of competence and it was not based on EU law, the Bulgarian Constitution, the national law, or an international treaty ratified by Bulgaria. The issue has been subject to review by the EU as well.
Sofia, February 3
Foreign Minister Teodora Genchovska confers with visiting Austrian Federal Minister for the EU and Constitution, Karoline Edtstadler. Both sides discuss Bulgaria's position regarding the Republic of North Macedonia. Genchovska also participates in a video conference with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, expressing support for the continuing diplomatic efforts to convince Russia to take de-escalation measures in the context of the tension around Ukraine.
Sofia, February 4
Prime Minister Kiril Petkov posts on the Government's Facebook account to honor revolutionary Gotse Delchev's 150th birth anniversary. At the plenary sitting of the National Assembly, the power-sharing There Is Such a People (TISP) and the opposition GERB-UDF parliamentary groups read declarations on the same occasion. Later, President Rumen Radev and Petkov take part in the observances of Gotse Delchev's birth anniversary in the southwestern city of Blagoevgrad.
Skopje, February 4
Bulgarian Foreign Minister Teodora Genchovska leads an official delegation visiting Skopje, which includes Deputy Minister Velislava Petrova and the Chair of the Parliamentary Media Committee, Toshko Yordanov, for a joint commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of freedom fighter Gotse Delchev. North Macedonia is represented at the ceremony by Culture Minister Bisera Kostadinova and Deputy Foreign Minister Fatmire Isaki.
Skopje, February 4
Bulgarian News Agency Director Kiril Valchev inaugurates the BTA National Press Club in the Republic of North Macedonia's capital of Skopje. The event is attended by Foreign Minister Genchovska, North Macedonia's Minister of Culture Bisera Kostadinovska Stojchevska, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Culture and Media Committee, Toshko Yordanov, the EP Special Rapporteur for North Macedonia, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, the Bulgarian Ambassador to the Republic of North Macedonia, Angel Angelov, as well as other officials.
Sofia, February 4
Bulgaria submits to the European Commission (EC) its Recovery and Resilience National Plan. Prime Minister Kiril Petkov says during Question Time in Parliament that EC hails the revisions that Sofia made in the national plan in the energy sector.
Sofia, February 4
Prime Minister Kiril Petkov and Minister of Innovation and Growth Daniel Lorer meet with Tatyana Ivanova, the first Bulgarian trained by NASA to be an astronaut, to discuss ways to cooperate with the European Space Agency. Tatyana Ivanova promises to cooperate with the Ministry of Innovation and Growth in their efforts to have Bulgaria switch from associate to member state of the European Space Agency.
Sofia, February 4
Interior Minister Boyko Rashkov discusses measures taken by Bulgaria in connection with the migratory pressure with Austrian Federal Minister for the EU and the Constitution at the Federal Chancellory Karoline Edtstadler. Part of the discussion is the need for shared European responsibility in migration management.
Sofia, February 4
Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev meets with Prime Minister Kiril Petkov. Geshev highlights the need for constructive dialogue between the judiciary and the executive and improving the cooperation between law enforcement institutions within the framework of their powers.
Sofia, February 4
During the 8th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor in Baku, Azerbaijan, Energy Minister Alexander Nikolov says that natural gas will play a significant role in the decarbonization process in Southeastern Europe, adding that the resource will also contribute to a quick energy transition.
Sofia, February 4
Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) Deputy Floor Leader Hamid Hamid tells a news briefing in Parliament that MRF has already referred to the prosecution service an alert they have received about suspicious cases of granting Bulgarian citizenship or residence permits in exchange for investments, referred to as "golden passports". Hamid notes that the MRF will take the matter to Brussels and will hold a news briefing there to make all data public. Approached for comment in Parliament's lobby, Prime Minister Petkov says he is an adamant opponent to the issuing of "golden passports" and that he has assured the European Commission that this practice would be discontinued. Petkov assumes that this is precisely one reason why Bulgaria is not yet part of the Schengen Area and why the US refuses to include it in its visa-waiver programme.


COVID-19 Update: 4,737 New Cases, Test Positivity Rate at 20%
Sofia - The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Bulgaria reached 993,255, after 21,251 tests identified 4,737 new infections on Saturday, 76.08 per cent of which were of unvaccinated persons, according to data posted on https://coronavirus.bg/. The test positivity rate now stands at 22.29 per cent.
The active cases are 259,629. Currently, the hospitalized patients number 6,212, including 585 in intensive care. Of the 311 hospital admissions, 84.89 per cent were not vaccinated.
Another 3,784 COVID-19 patients have recovered over the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 699,898.
Forty fatalities were reported (90 per cent unvaccinated), and the death toll now adds up to 33,728.
With 2,612 new inoculations over the last 24 hours, 4,204,264 vaccine doses have been administered so far.


Vladimir Zografski Finishes 22nd in Men's
Normal Hill Event at Beijing Olympic Games
BTA special correspondent Dimitar Velyov
Zhangjiakou
Bulgarian ski jumper Vladimir Zografski finished 22nd in the men's normal hill event at the Olympic Games in Beijing.
Zografski finished with 245.3 points.
The 28-year old athlete placed 24th after first jumping 99 m and winning 126.7 points, just by mere 9.6 points behind the third placed ski jumper.
Zografski could not improve his performance on his second jump, but with 97 m he advanced by two places in the final ranking.
These are the third winter games for the Bulgarian ski jumper and his best placement is 14th place in the normal hill event at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic Games.
Ryoyu Kobayashi from Japan won the gold with 275.0 points.


Pavel Angelov Finishes 28th in Olympic Luge Event
Yanqing - Bulgaria's Pavel Angelov finished 28th after Run 3 in the Olympic luge event at the Yanqing National Sliding Centre on Sunday.
He stopped the clock at 2:58.853 min as his 59.545 sec, in Run 3 was his best time at the Beijing Games.
Angelov could not make it among the top 20 athletes in Run 4.
It is the second Winter Olympics for the 30-year-old Angelov. During his Olympic debut in Pyeongchang he placed 37th.
Johannes Ludwig from Germany won the gold with 3:48.735 min. Ludwig has already won the World Cup this season.


Today's Observances:
February 7
The world:
National Day of Grenada: Independence Day (1974).
On this date in Bulgarian history:
1878: Russian army liberates Pomorie (on the Black Sea) from Ottoman rule during Russo-Turkish War (1877-78).
1921: National Assembly passes Labour Land Ownership Act, limiting arable land owned by single family to 30 hectares.
1940: BBC airs first Bulgarian-language broadcast. The broadcasts continue through the years of the Cold War when BBC provides coverage of events around the world and in Bulgaria. On December 23, 2005, the last hour-long show in Bulgarian language was aired.
1990: The Union of Thracian Cultural and Educational Societies is reinstated at a national conference.
2000: In Tripoli, Libyan People's Court charges five Bulgarian nurses and one Palestinian doctor with deliberately causing HIV/AIDS epidemic and failing to observe traditions of Libyan society. Seven years later, thanks to the efforts of international organizations, the EU and the USA, the Bulgarian nurses and the doctor return to Bulgaria.


Pavel Angelov Finishes 28th in Olympic Luge Event
Yanqing - Bulgaria's Pavel Angelov finished 28th after Run 3 in the Olympic luge event at the Yanqing National Sliding Centre on Sunday.
He stopped the clock at 2:58.853 min as his 59.545 sec, in Run 3 was his best time at the Beijing Games.
Angelov could not make it among the top 20 athletes in Run 4.
It is the second Winter Olympics for the 30-year-old Angelov. During his Olympic debut in Pyeongchang he placed 37th.
Johannes Ludwig from Germany won the gold with 3:48.735 min. Ludwig has already won the World Cup this season.


Advisory
to BTA's External Service
Subscribers

Sofia, February 7 (BTA) - Following are some of the main stories to be moved by BTA's External News Service on Monday, February 7:

-- The Argentinean Embassy in Sofia and the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute are to open an exhibition titled "Bulgaria and Argentina - 30 Years of Cooperation in Antarctica" at the Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski. The Bulgarian Antarctic Institute and the Argentinean National Directorate for the Antarctic are to sign a cooperation agreement.


Press - Review

Sofia, February 7 (BTA)

NATO - BULGARIA - UKRAINE - RUSSIA

The tension between Russia and NATO, and Bulgaria's standing amidst all of it, once dominates the press.

Capital runs a commentary by Dimitar Bechev of Carnegie Europe. It can't be said that the new government had much luck - after the energy crisis and yet another pandemic peak, a completely new risk emerged - the risk of war. The deployment of additional NATO forces along the Alliance's eastern flank in response to the escalating crisis between Russia and Ukraine could turn out to be the biggest political challenge for the new incumbents. The accumulation of at least 100,000 Russian troops near the Ukrainian border and the very real possibility that things may lead to a military conflict in a few weeks, have forced NATO to increase its combat readiness and deploy additional and larger military formations near the zone of possible combat action with the goal of gaining situational awareness and deterring possible further escalation. All of this poses a serious political problem for the ruling quadruple coalition in Sofia, because the supporters of at least one of the parties in it - the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), have a clearly Russophile profile. The Socialists have no way of officially supporting the deployment of military formations from other countries to Bulgaria, given this could somehow be targeting Moscow's policies in the region. They [the Socialists], however, could take a relatively neutral stance and not destabilize the government if talk about this issue is kept to a minimum and no overly insensitive statements are made. That is why the new Prime Minister and his ministers are obviously seeking some type of flexible and veiled formula to describe the process of accepting NATO reinforcements, as this was presented as reinforcing a purely Bulgarian battalion combat formation with modern military capabilities, which the Bulgarian Army lacks - for example the Spanish Eurofighter jets, Dutch F-35 stealth jets, more intense joint trainings with the US Army, etc. The crisis could turn out to become an unexpected opportunity for the Bulgarian military. Defence Minister Stefan Yanev, for example, clearly tried to speed up the rearmament of the Land Forces, including via direct military technical assistance from NATO. Thus, the deployment of allied forces in Bulgaria could be presented as something that would benefit national security, while not turning Bulgaria into a target for Russia, which is one of the main points used by the pro-Russian propaganda.

***

Darik: Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged people on Sunday to ignore the "apocalyptic predictions" about an imminent Russian invasion, adding that his country is strong and enjoys unprecedented international support, Reuters wrote. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said a week ago Ukraine was not a sinking Titanic and accused Washington and media of fuelling panic that weighed on the economy when there were "no tanks in the streets". "Today, Ukraine has a strong army, unprecedented international support and Ukrainians faith in their country," Kuleba said in a tweet. "The enemy should be afraid of us, not us of them." A day earlier two U.S. officials said that Russia may be ready for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine by mid-February as it had in place about 70 per cent of the combat power it believed it would need and was sending more battalion tactical groups to the border.

The topic of Russia's readiness for a full-scale invasion of its western neighbour is covered by Dnevnik and Mediapool as well.

Dnevnik contributes by quoting The Washington Post as saying that Russia seems to be close to completing preparations for a large-scale invasion of Ukraine, which could leave up to 50,000 civilians dead or wounded, topple the government in Kyiv over the course of a couple of days and cause a humanitarian crisis with up to 5,000,000 refugees, fleeing the ensuing chaos. These are the updated assessments of the US Army and intelligence, which were presented to senators as well as European partners over the last few days. Russia's deputy Ambassador to the UN Dmitry Polyanskiy is quoted as saying in a tweet that "Madness and scaremongering continues... what if we would say that the US could seize London in a week and cause 300,000 civilian deaths?".

***

"If Anyone is to Bring Instability into NATO - Here's Bulgaria," reads Trud's headline. The newspaper quotes former president Rossen Plevneliev (2012-2017) as telling Bulgarian National TV that Defence Minister Stefan Yanev and President Rumen Radev's statements are scandalous. The fact that there are efforts aimed towards de-escalation and dialogue in the NATO-Russia crisis is good. Bulgaria's role in this process is crucial, the former president says. Plevneliev gives as an example the events from the Congress of Berlin (a diplomatic conference held in the summer of 1879 to reorganize the states in the Balkans following the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, which Russia won against the Ottoman Empire). Who else, if not Bulgaria, should be drawing its conclusions, because some great powers played the "spheres of influence" game... If there's a nation that should have learned its lesson, it is Bulgaria. It's the same story nowadays. If someone will bring instability, discord into NATO - here's Bulgaria," Plevneliev is quoted as saying. According to the former head of State, Bulgaria's statements are ridiculous, since this country claims it does not want additional support, as it "will form some made-up battalion group.. Here's Bulgaria's role as part of the efforts to destabilize NATO," he adds. Plevneliev believes that the Defence Minister's and the President's statements "are scandalous, lead to division and weaken our position. Bulgaria is saying it does not need NATO - that's treason... Are we not at least a little bit interested in cooperating with those who are better than us," Plevneliev asks. Bulgaria's only national interest is to run towards the eurozone and the heart of NATO and the EU, as everything else will lead to poverty, he argues.

ENERGY

Monitor writes about a new scandal emerging around the State-owned natural gas supplier Bulgargaz. Two former ministers - Rumen Ovcharov (of energy) and Rumen Petkov (of interior) announced independently of each other a deal worth 60,000 MWh of natural gas for Romania, transacted by Bulgargaz and facilitated by an intermediary. The sale, according to both ex-ministers, was completed in less than 3 seconds, with several companies participating. Ovcharov even went as far as to imply that natural gas might have been pumped out of the Chiren storage facility. GERB leader Boyko Borissov also commented the topic. He urged the security services to act and probe the case. This lead to an internal probe at Bulgargaz, which is supposed to establish the types of tenders conducted and the quantities of natural gas involved, as well as who awarded the procedures. Meanwhile, it transpired that the company's new leadership has not truly taken over Bulgargaz. No transfer of documents has taken place because, in addition to the sacked leaders, the company's senior management has also left after receiving 170,000 leva in compensations. Meanwhile, the company told bTV that the sold quantities of natural gas amounted to 37,000 MWh for the purpose of improving Bulgargaz's financial standing, given the situation it was found it. The topic was a point of contention between Energy Minister Alexander Nikolov and Bulgargaz's former chief Nikolay Pavlov. The first said that there was a coordinated attack against Bulgaria's national interests, adding that it would be very interesting to find out how within 12 hours, people of the opposition and former ministers have coordinated themselves and are making same statements. Pavlov, in turn, said that Bulgargaz is not "an ant farm", adding that the attack against the company aims to push it away from the market and ensure that all quantities of cheap natural gas are transferred to the regulated market. Commenting the expiring agreement with Gazprom, he said that negotiations must conclude at the end of May at the latest.

Capital and Mediapool also cover the topic.

SOCIETY - BULGARIAN FEMALE PHYSICIST - RECOGNITION

Dnevnik runs an interview with Prof. Ana Proykova, a Bulgaran physicist and mathematician who was included in Forbes' 50 Over 50: EMEA 2022 list, recognizing women over 50 years of age who are founders, business and political leaders, scientists and vanguards leading the way throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa. She has contributed significantly to the field of physics and is a driving force of Sofia Tech Park's creation. The biggest problem Proykova faces in her work in Bulgaria is deadlines not being observed. She is a firm believer that women's career growth requires support from the public. The internationally recognized achievements of Bulgarian scientists are a cause for national pride, although science knows no borders, she notes. According to Proykova, the lack of women in the field of engineering is a serious problem. The other Bulgarian name on the list is that of International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva, who is widely known, which is why Dnevnik dedicated the story to the lesser known Prof. Proykova, whom Forbes presents as a computational physicist and a research professor at the University of Sofia and head of the High Performance Computing Lab at the Sofia Tech Park. Her work is described as being highly cited and that she has worked with top global universities. According to Forbes, Proykova is a champion for women in STEM, she is co-founding the Bulgarian Center for Women in Technology, chairing the European Physical Society's equal opportunity committee and serving as president of the Bulgarian Association of University Women.

COVID-19

24 Chassa quotes former head of Sofia's Pirogov Emergency Hospital and current GERM MP, Asen Baltov, as telling NOVA TV that it is time for the COVID restrictions to be lifted. Maybe this will happen after April 1, he says. Commenting the so-called green certificate, Baltov argues that it is not working and should be scrapped. "The green certificate is not working in its current shape and form. We should be talking about a vaccination certificate, which is why we're attacking the green certificate. This Omicron [variant] is dangerous. It does not matter if one has antibodies or is vaccinated, as 12 per cent of those in hospital are vaccinated...while we're issuing a green certificate after the first [COVID-19 vaccine] dose," he says.

Duma quotes mathematician Prof. Nikolay Vitanov as saying that Bulgaria has still not come out of the Omicron wave's peak. According to him, the situation is not out of control and hospitals are not overcrowded. He admits, however, that there is high mortality, which he attributes to people's stubbornness. Prof. Vitanov believes Bulgaria could have done better. "We did not do better - the mortality rate has exceeded 33,500, while the registered [COVID-19] cases are approaching 1 million".


END/ТЕ/