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LATEST NEWS FROM NOVINITE.COM |
Bulgaria January Construction Index down 31% Y/Y
In January 2010 the construction production in Bulgaria is down 31% year on year, data published by the National Statistics Institute (NSI) reveals.
The reduction is explained by the crisis in building construction - over 38% less compared to January 2009.
In the infrastructure construction, the decrease is 12% year on year, which according to NSI experts, is a sign building contractors are redirecting their attention.... | Bulgaria Commemorates Rescue of Jews in 1943
Bulgaria commemorated the 67th anniversary of the salvation of Bulgarian Jews and the 65th anniversary of the end of the Holocaust on March 10 with a ceremony at the memorial by the National Assembly.
"The salvation of Bulgarian Jews, which began with the participation of MPs and was supported by members of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, as well as of hundreds and thousands of honest Bulgarian citizens, was a peak achievement of the civic society," Parliamentary speaker Tsetska Tsacheva said.
Even though Bulgaria was an ally of Nazi Germany in World War II, 50,000 Bulgarian Jews were not deported to the Nazi death camps in 1943 thanks to mass civil protests, active stance by 43 Bulgarian MPs, and Tsar Boris III's resistance to Hitler's demands for deportation.
... | Kosovo Earthquake Felt Slightly in Sofia
A 5,0 magnitude on the Richter scale was registered Wednesday afternoon in Kosovo, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Center announced.
The epicenter is 46 kilometers West of Pristina, 26 kilometers Southwest of Kosovska Mitrovica and 220 kilometers West of Sofia.
The earthquake was felt lightly in the Bulgarian capital but there is no information about casualties or material damage.
... | High Waves Hit Bulgaria Black Sea Coast
Very high waves have hit Bulgaria's Black sea coast and the beach resorts near Varna and Burgas Wednesday, the Bulgarian National Radio, BNR, reports.
In the "Sunny Beach' resort near Burgas, the waves have reached the front-water hotels and have taken away several barges. In the northern Black Sea region, the storm had destroyed the water collector of the purification station of the beach town of Kranevo and has broken boats and port equipment near the towns of Shabla, Balchik and Kavarna.
... | Bulgaria Industrial Output Down 0,9% in January y/y
Industrial production in Bulgaria decreased 0,9% year-on-year in January, compared to the 12,1% fall in the previous month, shows data from the national statistics office.
On a monthly basis, industrial output declined 14,7% in January, after falling 0,7% in December.
Production of electricity,gas,steam and air conditioning supply increased 1,1%, while that of energy products - more than 6%.
... | Greek Strike Forces Changes in Bulgaria Train Schedule
The Bulgarian State Railroad company, BDZ, informs Wednesday changes in the schedule of 6 trains to and from Greece.
The changes are triggered by the 24-hour strike in Greece beginning Thursday.
The international express train between Bucharest and Thessaloníki via Sofia will travel only to Sofia and will leave Thursday morning for Bucharest.
... | Bulgaria Interior Officials Exposed as State Security Agents
? special panel, investigating Bulgaria's communist-era police files, has exposed more than eighty officials from the interior ministry as state security agents and collaborators.
The check has covered people, occupying the top posts in the department - chief secretaries, general directors, deputy general directors, directors, etc.
The blacklist of former state security agents and collaborators already features Socialist President Georgi Parvanov, MPs, former constitutional judges, supreme magistrates, investigators, members of parliament, prominent and well-known former and current Bulgarian journalists.
... | Bulgaria Appoints EU Funds Minister in Days
The nomination of Mayor of the central city of Gabrovo, Tomislav Donchev, for Minister without Portfolio in Charge of the EU Funds moved one step forward Wednesday.
The Council of Ministers discussed Donchev's possible appointment and decided to make the nomination official a week from now.
Bulgaria's Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, put Donchev's candidature on the table during the March 5 parliamentary control, pending the approval of the European Commission.... | Bulgaria Chief Prosecutor Calls for Judicial System Reform
Bulgaria Chief Prosecutor Boris Velchev has called again for a major reform of the prosecution system in the country.
Velchev told reporters Wednesday that the reform should be be geared towards the decentralization of authority of the Supreme Cassation Prosecutor's Office.
He stated that the system would be much more effective if the Chief Prosecutor only exercised control over appellate prosecutors, who in turn can control their respective appellate districts.
... | Bulgaria Conservatives Demand PM Resignation
Bulgaria's conservative Order, Law and Justice (RZS) party organized a rally and march in downtown Sofia Wednesday in sign of protest against the GERB rule.
About 1 000 attended the demonstration. The march began at the National Place of Culture through the Council of Ministers and ended in front of the building of the Parliament.
... | Bulgaria's Embattled President to Speak Out on Friday
Hours after the ruling party embarked on a quest for the head of President Georgi Parvanov, he invited media representatives at a press conference to discuss the relations among the institutions.
The event will take place on Friday morning.
"In his preamble the head of state will comment issues, concerning the anti-crisis policy of the country, the preparation of Bulgaria's position concerning Europe 2020, as well as the relations among the institutions," a statement from the president press office reads.
... | Bulgaria Ex Top Taxwoman Officially Charged on 4 Counts
The Sofia City Prosecutor filed Wednesday official charges against the former Director of the Bulgarian National Revenue Agency (NRA), Maria Murgina.
Murgina is charged on 4 counts - 2 for criminal breach of trust, 1 for putting employees under duress and 1 for a false property declaration.
In April - June 2006, the former NRA Director had used her position to give illegal directions to two NRI high-ranking employees thus commuting breach of trust.... | Bulgaria Business Sighs in Relief as Scandalous Regulation Nixed
Bulgaria's National Revenue Agency has revoked a scandalous regulation that obliged heads of small enterprises to be subject to double taxation, a requirement that is deemed detrimental for them.
Social securities will be paid only for activities that go with a concrete salary, the new regulation states.
The revocation of the previous document, which banned chief executives of small companies to be treated only as self-insured people and demanded for the payment of more social securities, came under huge pressure from Bulgaria's business.
... | Bulgaria February Budget Revenue Slumps - Report
The revenues in the Bulgarian State budget continue the January trend of going down, Deputy Finance Minister, Ana Mihaylova, said Wednesday.
Mihaylova spoke in an interview for the TV channel Nova Televizia, but warned that the official data is still to be released by the Finance Ministry.
The Deputy Finance Minister pointed out this trend is due to the continuing effects of the economic crisis and the recovery is expected to begin in the second half of 2010.... | EU Foreign Policy Head Lauds Western Balkans Successes
The EC High Representative for Foreign Policy, Catherine Ashton, says Europe has a "once in a generation opportunity" to build a robust new diplomatic service.
Addressing the European Parliament, Lady Ashton pointed to EU successes in the post-conflict Western Balkans as a model for future action, the BBC reported.
She said that in the Western Balkans "more than anywhere else" the EU "cannot afford to fail".
... | Eni: South Stream, Nabucco Should Combine to Cut Costs
The rivaling gas pipeline projects in southern Europe, South Stream and Nabucco, should combine to cut costs, the chief executive of one of the partners in South Stream has suggested.
"What we have here is what bankers call a strategic fit," Eni SpA Chief Executive Officer Paolo Scaroni said yesterday at a Cambridge Energy Research Associates conference in Houston.
"Should all partners decide to merge the two pipelines for part of the route, we would reduce investments, operational costs and increase overall returns.... | Bulgaria MPs Decide to Freeze Own Salaries
The Members of the Bulgarian Parliament passed Wednesday the decision to halt the procedure to update their salaries and to freeze the current wages.
The project was passed with 143 "yes" votes and the salaries will not be recalculated until December 31, 2010.
When presenting the proposal to not increase MPs' pay, the Speaker, Tsetska Tsacheva, said the alternative would compromise the prestige of the Bulgarian Parliament and reminded her colleagues that just BGN 37 a month are at stake.
... | EIU: Recession, Greek Crisis Stumble Bulgaria's Economy
The recession in Bulgaria's main trading partners and the Greek crisis will be among the major obstacles that Bulgaria's economy will face in the short term, a report of the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) says.
According to the experts for the time being concerns over Bulgaria's competitiveness could hardly trigger the dismantling of the Currency Board that keeps the Bulgarian currency at 1.9558 to the euro.
... | Bulgaria Health Insurance Payments to Increase from April 1
Health insurance contributions will be put up from 8 to 10% starting on April 1, Regional Development Minister Rosen Plevneliev reported Wednesday.
Plevneliev confirmed the April 1 date while speaking after a meeting of the Council of Ministers.
Bulgaria PM Boyko Borisov first announced the increase in health insurance payments on Monday after meeting with protesting doctors.
... | Bulgaria Ruling GERB Wants All President Transcripts Made Public
The ruling GERB party demands that the Presidential institution publishes all transcripts from all meetings during the two terms of Georgi Parvanov.
The transcripts in question include all talks with businessmen and politicians, discussions during official visits and consultations for the appointment of the cabinets in 2001, 2005, and 2009.
The information was announced after the Tuesday meeting of the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) Executive Committee to discuss the transcript and the audio record from the March 5 talks between Parvanov and Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Simeon Djankov.
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