site.btaMedia Review: April 29

ECONOMY – HOUSING MARKET 

Capital runs a story about the real estate market and how whether it is in a state of growth or a bubble if forming. 

The real estate price growth over the past five years stands at 19%, which does not point to a bubble. Markets in some cities and regions, however, are seriously overpriced.

By definition, the presence of a property bubble can only be determined after it bursts.

"Based on the 18-year cycle theory, we can assume that we are in the property boom phase, with the first signs of a recession or crisis," writes the article's author Stoyne Vassilev. 

It is common knowledge that assets are very overpriced, but participants want to get to the end.

RUSSIAN INFLUENCE – FORMER MINISTER – INTERVIEW 

Russia is carrying out direct terrorist operations on Bulgarian territory, former defence minister and diplomat Boyko Noev told Bulgarian National Radio. 

According to him, this has been proven, even in some investigations of the Bulgarian prosecutor's office, which have not been left unfinished for many years.

In Bulgaria this is a topic that is not popular. Unfortunately, it is not popular for the Bulgarian Parliament either, Noev commented. 

Bulgaria's problems are not only related to propaganda and disinformation. The prosecutor's office is riddled with Russian influence, he said, adding that this topic will increasingly surface in the political debate in Bulgaria.

Belgium, which currently holds the EU presidency, launched an investigation months ago into possible Russian interference in the upcoming European Parliament elections. At the last meeting of MEPs in Strasbourg, a resolution was adopted which also mentions Bulgaria.

"The threat from Russia to Bulgaria is now direct. We have been declared an enemy state. Propaganda and information pressure is being exerted on Bulgaria, and also direct pressure - through the actions of Russian operatives who are blowing up, poisoning, etc. This has been going on for more than ten years," Noev argued.

Noev noted that there is a Bulgarian MEP among the authors of the resolution.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR 

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko told the German Funke media group in an interview that believes that the measures taken by the Ukrainian government to fight corruption are insufficient, Trud reported. 

"You can ask this question to any citizen and I'm sure every citizen will answer, 'No,'" Klitschko said, responding to the question of whether Ukrainian authorities are doing enough to fight corruption. "I'm absolutely of the same opinion," he added.

Commenting on his relations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Kyiv's Mayor said he had never met him personally since the start of the Russian special operation. "I have tried this countless times since the beginning of the war because a lot depends on the capital," Klitschko said, "But, unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity to meet Zelensky in person. " During the current conflict, according to the mayor of Kiev, there is no unity of political forces. "Today we have to be united, we have to forget about our political ambitions," Klitschko noted, adding, that "entering political competition in such a situation is nonsense."

The Kyiv Mayor described as provocative the question whether he wanted to become president himself. "Many politicians think about positions. Ukraine may cease to exist in a few months," he said, "Unfortunately, there are too many politicians in the central government for whom personal ambitions are much more important than the interests. of the country."

The problem of fighting corruption is very acute in Ukraine. Western partners, on whose financial and military assistance Kyiv depends, expect real results from the Ukrainian authorities and also insist on greater autonomy for the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office. US and EU politicians openly state that they will strictly control the spending of funds allocated to Ukraine. According to observers, experts and the Ukrainian media, the actions of the country's authorities, presented as 'fighting corruption', are only demonstrative actions behind which there is a redistribution of spheres of influence and money flows, while corruption itself continues to flourish in almost all areas.

Mediapool also covers Klitschko’s interview. 

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Capital quotes the Financial Times as reporting that while Ukraine was facing a serious deficit of ammunitions and an exhausted Army, Russia took advantage of its firepower and soldiers to gradually make progress on the front lines. However, experts believe that the Russian Army will make a few successful tactical break-throughs on the front line, but will remain ineffective in general. The US military aid does not solve Kyiv’s main problem – the vast number of soldiers Russia has mobilized in the war. 

VMZ SOPOT – AMRAMEMENTS FACTORY – RAMPED UP PRODUCTION 

The Vazovski Mashinostroitelni Zavodi [Vazov Machine-building Plants] (VMZ) in the central town of Sopot reported record net sales revenues of BGN 828 million for 2023, which is double the previous year's, Duma reported. 

The State-owned armaments company's rise is linked to increased demand for ammunitions across Europe, after major EU and NATO countries' reserves were diverted to help Kyiv. The plant specified that VMZ produces various Soviet-type ammunition, shells and missiles, which are bought by NATO countries. The company plans on increasing capacity with new technologies and production lines, with fixed asset costs exceeding BGN 20 million. The workforce at the company has increased by nearly 500 people in the past year to over 4,100. According to the plant's management, its revenues and profits are expected to grow in 2024.

Bulgarian arms factories , which still produce Soviet-calibre ammunition, are major suppliers to the Ukrainian army. The main challenge for them remains finding raw materials.

BOZHANOV – SHOOTING – ANTI-CORRUPTION FUND 

Martin "The Notary" Bozhanov was registered in 2005 as an 'informant' and 'trusted person' of the Ministry of Interior, the Anti-Corruption Fund (ACF) NGO said, quoted by bTV. 

According to the NGO, this emerged from a report of the General Directorate for Combatting Organized Crime (GDCOC) sent to the prosecutor's office back in 2022. Bozhanov was killed outside his home on 31 January 2024.

GDCOC's work began after meetings were held between Ivayla Bakalova and Nikolai Staykov of the ACF and the then Minister of the Interior Boyko Rashkov. The collected information was sent to the Sofia City Prosecution Office in 2022 and was used to initiate pre-trial proceedings in April of 2023. It was under these proceedings that Bozhanov was supposed to be charged "within days", but his shooting prevented this from happening. No information about the investigation has been made available to the public since Bozhanov's murder, the Anti-Corruption Fund said.

Bozhanov's and his associates' modus operandi has also been established. They allegedly used numerous false witnesses, straw men, lawyers and magistrates to exert pressure on magistrates in order to commit real estate fraud, and to institute inspections and pre-trial proceedings to harass opponents. From everything gathered, the GDCOC has concluded the existence of an organized criminal group for exercising influence in institutions, committing property fraud and other crimes," the ACF said.