| | Bulgaria Socialist PM: Borisov, Kostov Prepare Far Right Govt |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:41:02 +0200 |
| | GERB leader, Boyko Borisov, and Blue Coalition leader, Ivan Kostov, are preparing a far right government of Bulgaria after the Parliamentary Elections, according to outgoing Prime Minister, Sergey Stanishev.
"Borisov and Kostov do not deny their intentions for a far right government and far right coalition, and this does not bode well for Bulgaria", the Socialist Prime Minister said at a campaign concert in Sofia Friday night.
Stanishev declared that the Bulgarian Socialist Party-led "Coalition for Bulgaria" had done more than any other government for the modernization of the country.
... |
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| | GERB Leader Borisov Vows to Abolish Dual Citizenship |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:26:54 +0200 |
| | Boyko Borisov, leader of the GERB party and most likely bidder to become Bulgaria's next PM, has vowed to abolish the dual citizenship.
Borisov declared Friday in Sofia that one of the first legislative measures of his party GERB in the new Parliament would be to alter the dual citizenship act so that everyone could choose what country they want to be a citizen of, and to elect its respective institutions.
The Sofia Mayor said this when asked about the issue with the vote of Bulgarian living abroad.... |
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| | Sofia Mayor Borisov to SPIEGEL: I Am Not Seduced by Power* |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:39:14 +0200 |
| | From the SPIEGEL Magazine
Interview with Boyko Borisov by Renate Flottau, the SPIEGEL Magazine
SPIEGEL: Mr.... |
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| | UK Tourists Visiting Bulgaria Drop by 35% |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:13:52 +0200 |
| | The number of UK tourists visiting Bulgaria has declined by 35% since the beginning of 2009 compared to the same period of 2008.
This was announced Friday by the State Tourism Agency head, Aneliya Krushkova, in Varna, who explained that the number of tourists from Western Europe as a whole has declined. So has the number of tourists from the former Yugoslavia (Serbia, Macedonia, etc.... |
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| | OSCE, PACE, Iraq to Observe Bulgaria Parliamentary Elections |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:56:21 +0200 |
| | Bulgaria's Parliamentary Elections on Sunday, July 5, 2009, will be observed by a number of foreign and Bulgarian organizations.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe is sending 24 observers, and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe - 19 observers.
14 Iraqi observers accompanied by officials of the National Democratic Institute in the USA are also going to attend the Bulgarian Election Day.... |
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| | 1 More Polling Station in USA for Bulgarian Parliamentary Elections |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:41:19 +0200 |
| | One more polling station will be opened in the USA for Bulgaria's Parliamentary Elections on Sunday, July 5, 2009.
The news was announced Friday by Ralitsa Negentsova, Spokeswoman of the Bulgarian Central Electoral Commission.
The new section will be opened in the US state of Wisconsin, bringing the total number of Bulgarian polling stations abroad to 274.... |
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| | High Voter Turnout Expected in Bulgaria's Parliamentary Elections |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:49:08 +0200 |
| | Bulgaria is going to have a relatively high voter turnout in its Parliamentary Elections on Sunday, July 5, 2009.
Leading Bulgarian sociological agencies expect a voter turnout of between 50% and 60%. This means that about 3 500 000 - 3 700 000 of the 6 900 000 eligible voters are expected to cast their votes.
... |
| |
| | Bank Robbery Cripples Online Virtual Bank |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:00:53 +0200 |
| | Space trading game Eve Online has suffered a virtual version of the credit crunch.
One of the game's biggest financial institutions lost a significant chunk of its deposits as a huge theft started a run on the bank. One of the bank's controllers stole about 200bn kredits and swapped them for real world cash of GBP 3 115.... |
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| | Bulgaria Right-Wingers Slam Turkey over Election Trick |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:27:15 +0200 |
| | Bulgaria's opposition right-wing parties have responded furiously to Turkey's decision to extend by one year the expired documents of Bulgarian citizens living illegally in the country.
"It is a well known fact that almost each and every one of them votes for the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms. The amnesty of illegally residing voters is not a new practice for the Turkish government, but it is easy to see that this usually happens before elections in Bulgaria," reads a statement of the right-wing Blue coalition, circulated to the media.
... |
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| | Killed Bulgarian Businessman Owned GERB Office Premises |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:26:36 +0200 |
| | Bulgarian businessman Rumen Rachev who was shot dead outside the hospital in Shumen on Friday has been linked with the Bulgarian opposition party GERB.
The GERB offices in Shumen that have been situated in premises owned by Rachev in Shumen's city garden since the founding of the local party, BTA reported.
The leader of the GERB list in the area, the lawyer Ivaylo Toshev, arrived at the crime scene soon after the shooting.
... |
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| | Bulgarian Democracy, Island Style |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:51:58 +0200 |
| | By Joshua BallingThe Inquirer and Mirror
Like young people in democratic nations all over the world, Mariya Chakarova believes she can make a difference.
Because of that, she'll be heading to the polls at Bennett Hall Sunday to cast her vote in an election taking place more than 4,000 miles away: The Republic of Bulgaria.
... |
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| | Bulgaria Posts Large Fall in Retail Sales |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:38:02 +0200 |
| | Bulgaria is among the European Union member states that registered the largest decreases in the volume of retail trade in May month-upon-month, official EU data showed on Friday.
Among the member states for which data are available, total retail trade rose in four and fell in twelve, the Eurostat agency said.
The only increases were observed in Latvia (+0.... |
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| | US Anti-Trust Authorities Investigate Google |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:17:16 +0200 |
| | US anti-trust regulators are to investigate a USD 125 M deal Google has made with book publishers to settle copyright issues.
The settlement compensates copyright holders, and gives Google a share of online book sales and advertisements.
The deal "warrants further inquiry", US Deputy Assistant Attorney General, William Cavanaugh, said in a letter filed to the New York District Court.
... |
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| | Socialist MEP: BSP with Two Coalition Options after Elections |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:05:20 +0200 |
| | The Bulgarian Socialist Party has two major coalition options in its bid to be part of the government after the July 5 Parliamentary Elections.
This was stated by BSP Member of the European Parliament, Kristian Vigenin, in an interview for Novinite.com.
... |
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| | Bulgaria New Parliament to Convene July 14 |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:54:42 +0200 |
| | Bulgaria's President Georgi Parvanov plans to convene the newly elected parliament for its first sitting on July 14.
This emerged on Thursday after Trud daily circulated to the media information about an interview with the head of state, which will be published in its Friday's edition.
Just ten days ago the president, who is entitled to pencil in the date for the first parliamentary sessions, warned the major political parties that he will convene the MPs as quickly as possible after the general elections on July 5.
... |
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| | International Tourism Down by 8% - UN Report |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:38:43 +0200 |
| | The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Thursday said international tourism has decreased by 8% for the first four months of 2009 year-on-year.
UNWTO blames the decline to the global financial crisis and the swine flu outbreak.
It predicts tourism will decline by 4% to 6% in 2009, but decline's pace should slow throughout the rest of the year.
... |
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| | Bulgaria Socialist MEP Kristian Vigenin: Cabinet of BSP and GERB Not Unlikely |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:32:51 +0200 |
| | Interview with Kristian Vigenin, Member of the European Parliament from the Bulgarian Socialist Party, and International Secretary of the National Council of the BSP.
What are the major lessons for the Bulgarian Socialist Party from the European Parliament elections where the BSP got under 19% (or fewer than 500 000 votes), keeping in mind it is completing its four-term in power?
... |
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| | Bulgarian Police Bust Organized Vote-Buying Group |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:32:13 +0200 |
| | A number of people have been arrested for vote-buying across Bulgaria after a special operation by the Bulgarian police, prosecutors and the national security agency (DANS).
Roman Vasilev, the Sofia Deputy Prosecutor, announced the arrests, saying that an organized vote-buying group had been busted, which had concentrated on the county's European elections.
He said that the group had been completely broken up by the bust and that it will make a large difference to the number of votes that will be bought in the days leading up to the Bulgarian general elections.
... |
| |
| | Michael Jackson to be Buried in USD 25 000 Custom Casket |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:31:32 +0200 |
| | A USD 25,000, solid bronze, 14-karat gold plated, custom casket has been ordered for Michael Jackson, the site for celebrity news TMZ, which first reported his death, said.
The casket - ordered last night from Batesville Casket Company - is called a Promethean and will feature a flame blue velvet interior and a hand-polished, mirror finish.
This is the same casket used to bury James Brown and is extremely rare.
... |
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| | Bulgarian Businessman Shot Dead Outside Shumen Hospital |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:13:33 +0200 |
| | 42-year-old businessman Rumen Rachev has been killed outside the hospital in Bulgaria's Shumen.
Rachev was allegedly shot, the police were informed of the incident at 12:31 pm Friday. There is no information about the killer.
... |
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| | Bulgaria to Fork out EUR 430 000 for 11 Strasbourg Cases |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:08:33 +0200 |
| | The European Court of Human Rights has ruled against the Bulgarian state in all eleven cases, heard on Thursday, awarding to the applicants more than EUR 430 000 in damages, costs and expenses.
The most popular of all is the case of Iordan Iordanov and Others v. Bulgaria, filed by three applicants who were working for the Interior Ministry's operational and technical information department.
... |
| |
| | Iranian UK Embassy Staff Set for Tehran Trial |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:58:00 +0200 |
| | Some UK embassy staff detained in Tehran and accused of inciting protests over disputed elections will face trial, a top Iranian cleric says.
Guardians Council chief Ahmad Jannati said: "Naturally they will be put on trial, they have made confessions."
... |
| |
| | Bulgaria, Russia Celebrate 130 Years of Diplomatic Relations |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:36:53 +0200 |
| | An official reception on the occasion of the 130th anniversary since the establishment of Bulgarian-Russian diplomatic relations took place in Russia's embassy in Sofia on Thursday.
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Bulgarian counterpart Ivaylo Kalfin, exchanged letters, dedicated to the jubilee. In his letter-of-greeting, Lavrov emphasized the fact that thanks to the two countries' joint efforts in the last years the bilateral relations continue to develop and bring results, Bulgarian daily Standart reported.
... |
| |
| | Bulgaria Opposition Party Blockades Ethnic Turkish Party Offices |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:25:31 +0200 |
| | Members of Bulgaria's opposition "Order, Law and Justice" (RZS) party along with their coalition partners have blockaded Bulgaria's ethnic Turkish party (DPS) headquarters.
They are protesting against the record-high number of polling booths to be opened in Turkey for Sunday's Bulgarian general elections.
Leader of RZS, Yane Yanev, stated that if the Foreign Affairs Ministry does not order at least half of the 123 polling stations in Turkey to be shut before 11 am Saturday, protests will be organized across the country especially at the Turkish border.
... |
| |
| | UN Chief Meets Burma's Junta over Political Prisoners |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:06:05 +0200 |
| | UN chief Ban Ki-moon has met Burma's junta leader to lobby for the release of political prisoners, including opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Ban is holding talks with Gen Than Shwe in the remote administrative capital Naypyidaw. He has called for the immediate release of all Burma's political prisoners, thought to number about 2 100.
... |
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| | World Bank Head Zoellick: World Economy Is still Shaky |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:59:04 +0200 |
| | The world economy is still in a precarious position despite signs of recovery.
World Bank President, Robert Zoellick, states so in Chile prior to a meeting on the global economy with Latin American finance ministers on Friday.
Unemployment is still rising and trade restrictions are a constant threat, he said.
... |
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| | All Bulgaria Private Pension Funds with Profit |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:40:45 +0200 |
| | All Bulgarian private pension funds showed positive results in the first six months of 2009.
Calculations, made by the Sega Daily, based on published funds share prices information, showed that they made not a large, but some profit.
The average profitability of the Bulgarian pension funds was between 0,6% and 3,9%.
... |
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| | As Bulgaria Struggles, Socialists Face Threat |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:35:35 +0200 |
| | From The Wall Street Journal
By Joe Parkinson
Eastern Europe's economic downturn looks set to fell another government, this time in Bulgaria where a populist mayor with a black belt in karate is leading the polls over the ruling Socialists ahead of parliamentary elections Sunday.
... |
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| | Bulgarian Jailed over Massive US Marriage Fraud |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:28:42 +0200 |
| | Bozhidar Bakalov, a US citizen originally from Bulgaria has been sentenced to a three-year prison term by a Cincinnati court for ‘massive marriage fraud'.
Federal authorities in Cincinnati say many couples were part of a massive marriage fraud scheme that involved hundreds of immigrants who sought and were sometimes granted legal residence in the US through phony marriages to citizens.
US Prosecutors stated that Bakalov was the creator of the scheme.... |
| |
| | Michael Jackson Public Memorial Scheduled for Tuesday |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:00:56 +0200 |
| | A free public memorial for Michael Jackson will be held Tuesday at 10 am Pacific time at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
There will be 11 000 tickets distributed to the general public.
PR firm Sunshine Sachs & Associates, hired to speak on behalf of the family, will hold a press briefing Friday morning at 10 am PT to announce details on how the public can register for tickets.
... |
| |
| | Italy Passes Draconian Anti-Immigrant Law |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:31:34 +0200 |
| | Italy's center-right coalition adopted a tough law against illegal immigration Thursday despite fierce criticism from the opposition, rights groups and the Vatican.
The law makes illegal immigration a crime punishable with a fine from EUR 5 000 to EUR 10 000.
It also raises to six months the amount of time that illegal migrants can be detained in holding centers before repatriation.
... |
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| | GERB Leader Borisov: August Elections Are Option for Bulgaria |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:02:23 +0200 |
| | Sofia Mayor and Leader of the GERB party, Boyko Borisov, has said that another general election in August is a possible option if his party fail to form a government on its own.
Borisov announced this Friday morning during a discussion on the Bulgarian bTV channel.
"We want to form a government on our own, in order to take responsibility.... |
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| | EU Ready for Diplomatic Actions against Iran |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:41:48 +0200 |
| | The European Union is "ready to take action" if Iran does not free the remaining UK embassy staff held in Tehran,
This warning was made Thursday by the Swedish EU presidency.
European nations have been considering a proposal from the UK to recall all their ambassadors from Iran in protest of the detention of the embassy employees, the Wall Street Journal reported.
... |
| |
| | Explosion Destroys Coffee House in Bulgaria Capital |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:25:41 +0200 |
| | A bomb explosion has destroyed a coffee house in Bulgarian capital Sofia's Serdika quarter.
The bomb was detonated thirty minutes after midnight on Friday, police officials reported. No one was injured.
... |
| |
| | Bomb Destroys Greece Tax Office in Athens |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:11:17 +0200 |
| | A powerful home-made bomb exploded outside a tax office in the Greek capital Athens, causing considerable damage but no one was injured.
The blast occurred at 4.35 am local time on Friday in the central Ambelokipi district, and followed an anonymous warning call to two Athens newspapers, police officials said.
... |
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| | Underworld Figures Are Freed to Run for Parliament in Bulgaria |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:53:32 +0200 |
| | From the Times OnLine
By David Charter, July 3, 2009
Underworld figures facing charges of racketeering, embezzlement and worse have found a novel way to escape jail in Europe's most corrupt country: they are running for parliament.
... |
| |
| | Michael Jackson Ex-Wife Rowe Undecided over Custody Fight |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:38:14 +0200 |
| | The late Michael Jackson's ex-wife, Debbie Rowe, is undecided over whether to fight for custody of their two children.
This was announced Thursday by her lawyer, the BBC reported.
Her lawyer issued the statement after media reports that Rowe had vowed to fight for custody of the two children she had with the King of pop.
... |
| |
| | WHO Warns Swine Flu Spread Is Unstoppable |
| | Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:23:21 +0200 |
| | The UN's top health official, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the spread of the virus worldwide is now unstoppable.
WHO's head, Margaret Chan, spoke Thursday during the opening of a forum in Mexico on combating swine flu.
The WHO says most H1N1 cases are mild, with many people recovering unaided.
... |
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| | Chinese Baby Girls 'Sold for Adoption' |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:51:27 +0200 |
| | Dozens of baby girls in southern China have reportedly been taken from parents who broke family-planning laws, and then sold for adoption overseas.
An investigation by the state-owned Southern Metropolis News found that about 80 girls in one county had been sold for USD 3 000.
The babies were taken when the parents could not pay the steep fines imposed for having too many children, the BBC reported.
... |
| |
| | Obama Calls for End to Russia Cold War Approach |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:02:54 +0200 |
| | US President Barack Obama has said Russia must understand that "old Cold War approaches" to relations with the US belong in the past.
Obama said he would convey this to Vladimir Putin during talks in Moscow next week, the BBC reported. President Obama said the former Russian president - now prime minister - "still has sway" in Russia.
... |
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| | Bulgaria Set to Sign Formula One Race Deal |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:31:57 +0200 |
| | Formula 1 boss, Bernie Ecclestone, will meet with a delegation from Bulgaria next weekend regarding the possibility of adding the country to the formula 1 calendar.
In March it was announced that the Bulgarian Motorcycle Federation was in talks with Ecclestone and that it was ready to assign funds to build a Formula One circuit.
Representatives of the Bulgarian race organising committee have now been formally invited to the German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring on July 12 to meet with Ecclestone.
... |
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| | Berlin Wall Exhibition in Bulgaria's Sofia University |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:08:32 +0200 |
| | An exhibition, dedicated to the twentieth anniversary of the removal of the Iron Curtain and the fall of the Berlin wall, has been opened in Bulgaria's biggest Sofia University.
The exhibition has been officially presented by the deputy chancellor of the university, Nedyu Popivanov, and the Hungarian Ambassador to Bulgaria, Judit Lang.
The exhibit is situated on the second floor of the History department.... |
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| | UK Justice Secretary Refuses to Pardon Shields |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:58:26 +0200 |
| | UK Justice Secretary Jack Straw has refused an appeal for a pardon by jailed football fan Michael Shields.
Shields was jailed for 15 years in Bulgaria in 2005 for the attempted murder of barman Martin Georgiev, who had a rock dropped on his head in Varna. His sentence was later reduced when he was transferred to a UK prison.
... |
| |
| | US Soldier Captured in Afghanistan Offensive |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:47:53 +0200 |
| | A United States soldier has been captured Thursday by militants in eastern Afghanistan,
This has been announced by the US military, the BBC reported.
The soldier is believed to be the first seized in either Iraq or Afghanistan for at least two years.
... |
| |
| | EU Warns Member States of Winter Gas Crisis |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:39:37 +0200 |
| | The European Commission has warned all the EU member states to be prepared for another gas crisis next winter.
EU countries should fill their gas storage facilities, and seek further regional arrangements to ward off possible supply disruptions, the EC said Thursday.
Bulgaria was one of the countries most affected in the January crisis, when a payment dispute led to Russia cutting off supplies into Ukraine including those destined for Europe.
... |
| |
| | Two More Swine Flu Cases Confirmed in Bulgaria |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:33:49 +0200 |
| | There have been a new two confirmed cases of swine flu in Bulgaria, the Health Ministry has reported.
A 12-year-old boy from Stara Zagora was confirmed to have the A(H1N1) virus, following a 22-year-old man who was confirmed to have the virus Wednesday also in Stara Zagora. There have now been 4 confirmed cases in the town.
... |
| |
| | Air France Flight 447 Broke up on Contact with Water |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:28:21 +0200 |
| | French investigators trying to find out why an Air France plane crashed in the Atlantic say they believe it broke up on contact with the water, not in the air.
They also found that the plane's speed sensors had been "a factor but not the cause" of the crash, the BBC reported.
All 228 people on the plane were killed when it plunged into the ocean en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris on 1 June.
... |
| |
| | South African Media Criticizes Sundowns' Stoichkov Appointment |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:15:57 +0200 |
| | Former Bulgarian captain and coach, Hristo Stoichkov, has officially become coach of South African team Manmelodi Sundowns.
Stoichkov, now 43, was Europe's footballer of the year in 1994, and has signed a two-year deal with the Pretoria club.
Some South African media have been negative about the appointment with times.... |
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| | Air Moldova Opens Regular Flight to Bulgaria's Varna |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:13:40 +0200 |
| | Air Moldova opens July 4 a regular flight between the capital Chisinau and the Bulgarian Black Sea city of Varna.
The company has scheduled the flight one a week, every Saturday, a press release announced.
The plane will arrive in Varna at 9 am local time, and will departure at 9.... |
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| | Bulgaria's Envoy to Iraq: Iran Protests Result of Internal Processes |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:41:58 +0200 |
| | Only a person who does not know Iran could think that protests of such scale and organized in such a way could be incited from the outside, Bulgaria's ambassador to Iraq Valeri Ratchev said in an exclusive interview for Novinite.com.
"There might be some sort of support from abroad but that could never lead to such a scale, systematic efforts, and organization.... |
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| | Bulgaria Ambassador to Iraq Valeri Ratchev: We Are Doomed to Succeed in Iraq |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:18:02 +0200 |
| | Interview with Bulgaria's Ambassador to Iraq, Valeri Ratchev
What is the present situation in Iraq? How stable is the country, and is the Iraqi democracy functional?
... |
| |
| | Bulgarian Court Confiscates Pimp Rapper's Property, Cars |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:50:23 +0200 |
| | Bulgarian rapper and pimp Ivan Glavchev aka Vanko 1, best known as the godfather of a scandalous provision for prostitution offenses, heard on Thursday a court ruling for the confiscation of a house and two of his luxurious cars.
Plovdiv district court ordered the confiscation at the request of the Committee for revealing assets acquired through criminal activity.
The house and two cars - a Mercedes and BMW - are believed to have been acquired in this way since its owner could not provide any evidence that he purchased them through legal means.
... |
| |
| | Bulgarian Police Bust EU's Largest Ever Forgery Ring |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:36:53 +0200 |
| | A joint operation between Spanish and Bulgarian police has busted the European Union's largest ever euro forging operation in the Central Bulgarian city of Plovdiv.
Seventeen people were arrested in and around Plovdiv, where police seized EUR 500 000 in fake notes, after a joint investigation between Bulgarian, Spanish and other European police forces, the Spanish media reported Thursday.
Three clandestine facilities printed notes of 100, 200 and 500 euros.... |
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| | PM Stanishev: Bulgaria Set to Become Balkan Energy Center |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:17:35 +0200 |
| | Bulgaria PM, Sergey Stanishev, has stated that Bulgaria can look forward to becoming the energy center of the Balkans if he is re-elected.
Stanishev, who was speaking before the July 5 Bulgarian General elections, was upbeat that the "strength of the Bulgarian people," will enable the Bulgarian economy to recover over the next few years from the worst of the current financial crisis.
Stanishev added that he looks forward to Bulgaria becoming the energy center of the Balkans if he is re-elected.... |
| |
| | Calls to Boycott Criminal Suspects in Bulgarian Election |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:51:14 +0200 |
| | Euronews
Bulgaria's upcoming general election on Sunday is a chance for suspected criminals to escape legal proceedings against them. Bulgarian law grants immunity from prosecution to candidates, and several facing charges of corruption and organised crime have registered to stand.
... |
| |
| | Father in Bulgaria-Poland Custody Battle Set to Give Over Son |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:19:43 +0200 |
| | A Polish mediator has informed the Bulgarian father, Todor Vasilev, involved in a high profile custody battle that he will have to give his son over to the authorities on July 6.
7-year-old Pavel will now have to be returned to Poland with his mother Barbara Vasilev, who is currently there with their 8-year-old daughter Nikoleta, the Bulgarian daily 24 Chasa informed Thursday.
Machey Tanski, the Polish mediator in the case, who is under contract with the Ministry of Justice, allegedly asked Todor if he agreed with the decision but it is not yet clear what he replied.
... |
| |
| | North Korea Conducts New Missile Test |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:05:11 +0200 |
| | North Korea has test-fired Thursday two short-range surface-to-ship missiles off its east coast from a base near the port of Wonsan at about 0900 GMT.
This was announced by a spokesman for the South Korea's Defense Ministry, the BBC reported.
Pyongyang had warned shipping to stay out of waters off its east coast.
... |
| |
| | Bulgaria Blocks Property, Bank Accounts of Wannabe Mafia MPs |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:03:34 +0200 |
| | A district court has ruled that property and bank accounts, owned by two of Bulgaria's alleged mafia bosses, who are running for MPs, and worth nearly BGN 4,5 M, be distrained.
Kyustendil district court ruling came at the demand of the state body, dealing with illegally acquired property. It is expected to file the demand for confiscation of the pair's property within a month.
... |
| |
| | Bulgaria Engineers Invent Construction Material of Future |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:40:30 +0200 |
| | Bulgarian engineers have invented a super light construction material made of concrete and styrofoam.
The material is several times lighter than the ordinary materials used in modern buildings construction.
A square meter of a wall weights 70 kilograms with the new material, compared to 400 kilograms with the old fashioned ones.
... |
| |
| | Bulgarian Archaeologists Discover 7 000-Years-Old Settlement |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:36:00 +0200 |
| | Bulgarian archaeologists have discovered a 7 000-years-old settlement close to the northeast city of Shumen.
The village dates back to the Stone-Copper Age, and is located in the locality of Chanadzhik, near the village of Sushina and the Ticha Dam.
The archaeologists have discovered over 300 finds, most of which are made of marble.
... |
| |
| | Opposition GERB Keeps 10% Lead ahead of Socialists - Survey |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:26:30 +0200 |
| | The popular opposition party of Sofia mayor Boyko Borisov manages to keep its 10%-lead ahead of the ruling Socialists four days before the general elections in Bulgaria, a brand new survey shows.
The self-proclaimed centre-right GERB party, which aims at a landslide victory, is expected to garner 33,2% of the votes, while the ruling Socialists are likely to get 22,7% in the general elections on July 5, according to a survey of the Center for Analyses and Marketing.
Were elections for MPs held now and with turnout projected at 58%, the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms, key coalition partner of the Socialists, would gather 13,3% of the votes, followed by their arch rivals, the nationalist Ataka with 8,7%, the polling agency said.
... |
| |
| | Bulgarian Shipbuilders Demand BGN 200 M Government Aid |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:18:56 +0200 |
| | The Bulgarian National Shipbuilding and Ship-repairing Association (BULNAS) is demanding a government bailout aid of BGN 200 M.
BULNAS has sent a letter to Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev protesting against his recent statement that the government would allocate a credit of BGN 50 through the national fund for supporting shipbuilding.
This has been announced by Svetlin Stoyanov, BULNAS Chair, as quoted by the Pari Daily.... |
| |
| | Michael Jackson Album Sales Jump 40-fold |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:48:15 +0200 |
| | Michael Jackson had the three best- selling albums in the US last week as sales surged following the singer's death, Bloomberg agency reported, citing Nielsen SoundScan.
"Number Ones" and "Essential Michael Jackson" sold 108,000 and 102,000 copies in the week ended June 28, the New York-based researcher said today in a statement. "Thriller" sold 101,000 copies.... |
| |
| | Bulgaria at Odds with Ukraine over Ferry Line to Georgia |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:37:51 +0200 |
| | The Bulgarian government is seriously concerned by the constant violation of a tri-party agreement for a ferry line between Bulgaria, the Ukraine, and Georgia.
This was declared by the outgoing Minister of Transport, Petar Mutafchiev, who explained that the Ukrainian transport companies would constantly break the existing arrangements for the ferry line Varna (Bulgaria) - Ilichovsk (Ukraine) - Poti/Batumi (Georgia).
The Ukrainian rail and ship companies involved wanted to change the three-way agreement for the ferry line into a series of bilateral agreements.
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| | Bulgaria Capital Sofia - Europe's 13th Most Costly City to Park In |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:36:34 +0200 |
| | Bulgaria's capital Sofia is the thirteenth most expensive city to park a car in Europe, according to a parking rate study, conducted by Colliers International.
Sofia overtakes the capitals of Spain and Germany and comes right after Prague, Athens and Budapest. Parking for a day in Sofia comes at the cost of EUR 8-12, while the price for having access to parking anytime during the month ranges between EUR 100-200.
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| | Euro Area Unemployment Records 10 Year High in May |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:16:44 +0200 |
| | The unemployment rate in the Euro area rose to 9,5% in May 2009 from 9,3% in April as companies continue to lay off employees in attempt to survive the global financial crisis.
Data from the Eurostat agency has shown that fifteen million people were out of work, up by 273,000 from April.
It is the highest rate since May 1999.
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| | Miracle Plane Crash Survivor Back in France |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:04:23 +0200 |
| | The teenage girl who is the only known survivor of this week's plane crash in the Comoros Islands arrived back in France on Thursday, CNN reported.
Bahia Bakari, the only known survivor from the 153 people aboard the Yemenia Airways flight, arrived at Paris' Le Bourget airport early on Thursday morning on a French government plane.
The girl is reported to have been transferred to an unnamed hospital suffering from shock and a broken collar bone.
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| | India Court Allows Gay Couples' Relationships |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:50:41 +0200 |
| | A court in the Indian capital, Delhi, has ruled that homosexual intercourse between consenting adults is not a criminal act.
Delhi's High Court ruled that the law outlawing homosexual acts was discriminatory and a "violation of fundamental rights", the BBC reported.
The ruling overturns a 148-year-old colonial law which describes a same-sex relationship as an "unnatural offence".
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| | US California Governor Schwarzenegger Declares Fiscal Emergency |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:33:55 +0200 |
| | The Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, has declared a fiscal emergency in the US state to address a budget deficit of some USD 24,3 B.
The move comes after state legislators missed a 1 July deadline to approve a budget for the coming financial year, the BBC reported.
On Tuesday, the Californian Senate failed to agree on Democratic proposals to shave USD 3,3 B from education and other programs as a stopgap measure to address the shortfall.
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| | Bulgaria Crime Boss Stays behind Bars despite Election Trick |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:33:31 +0200 |
| | Sofia Court of Appeals ruled on Thursday to keep in detention alleged mafia boss Zlatomir Ivanov, aka Zlatko Baretata, even though his registration as a MP candidate advocate gives him immunity from prosecution.
Just before the court convened, Ivanov, who is accused of leading a gang group that masterminded and committed contract murders and was involved in weapons and drugs trafficking, commented there were too many speculations about his wish to serve as an advocate.
"I traveled to Bulgaria from abroad to be able to attend the court sitting.... |
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| | Bulgaria Destination for 3000 Illegal Immigrants per Year |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:17:59 +0200 |
| | Bulgaria is an end destination for illegal immigrants, according to Stefan Hristov, head of the Migration Directorate at the Interior Ministry.
"This has become a trend in the recent years", Hristov said Thursday during a presentation of a project aimed at increasing the efficiency of the Migration Directorate.
"The main immigrant flows to Bulgaria are from the Middle East and North Africa.... |
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| | Bulgaria Emergency Teams Help Four Foreign Tourists |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:16:48 +0200 |
| | Bulgarian emergency teams have helped four foreign tourists in a total of three accidents in the last 24 hours.
Emergency teams from the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Mountain Rescue Service have helped the tourists in a three separate accidents - two in the mountain, and one at the Black Sea coast.
A Russian family has been found by the emergency teams in the "Soskovcheto" reserve near the Western city of Smolyan.... |
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| | Bulgaria PM Stanishev's Site Hacked by "Furious Citizens" |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:06:22 +0200 |
| | Unidentified hackers claiming to be angry ordinary Bulgarians appear to have attacked the personal site of Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev late on Wednesday.
Instead of the name of the prime minister, a sign reading "Officially hacked page", accompanied by a protest letter, could be seen online for a few hours.
"This site has been hacked by a few furious, but otherwise ordinary citizens of the Republic of Bulgaria!," reads the posted message.
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| | Part 2 of Bulgaria's Largest Gated Real Estate Complex Opened |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:44:10 +0200 |
| | The second part of "Tsarigradski" Complex, Bulgaria's largest gated community-type complex, was opened in Sofia Thursday.
The first part of the complex, which is located in the Druzhba 2 Quarter in Sofia near the main road called "Tsarigradsko shose" and the Inter Expo Center, was opened in the fall of 2007.
The second part, which was formally opened Thursday, includes 407 apartments and 62 stores with an all-out built-up area of over 43 000 square meters.
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| | Bulgaria with May Deficit, Budget Surplus Declines |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:59:36 +0200 |
| | Bulgaria registered a deficit of BGN 119,6 in May 2009, and its surplus declined to BGN 555,4 M, according to the latest Finance Ministry data.
Bulgaria's registered a deficit only in May, and the overall balance is still positive thanks largely to the surplus it had in January 2009. In April 2009, the surplus was still at BGN 675 M.
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| | Michael Jackson Memorial, Funeral Won’t Be at Neverland |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:24:14 +0200 |
| | Michael Jackson's memorial service and funeral will not take place at the Neverland Ranch.
According to the latest reports of international news outlets, the location of the expected public viewing of Michael Jackson's body and the memorial service is still unclear after on Wednesday Jacko's family spokesperson said the singer would not be buried at Neverland.
The King of Pop's will does not specify where he wished to be buried.... |
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| | Drug Addicts Brought into Bulgaria Vote Buying Schemes |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:59:59 +0200 |
| | Drug addicts have also been involved in the schemes for buying votes in the upcoming Bulgarian Parliamentary Elections.
This has been announced by representatives of the Union for Private Economic Enterprise, which has undertaken a campaign against vote buying by offering rewards of up to BGN 10 000 for any information and evidence about this crime.
The drug addicts that get involved in the vote buying industry get paid in kind - they receive small doses of the respective drugs, the UPEE representatives said as cited by the Bulgarian National Radio.... |
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| | US, Russia Headed for Progress in Arms Reduction Talks |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:23:35 +0200 |
| | The USA and Russia are headed for unexpected progress in their talks for a new strategic arms agreement.
According to the Russian newspaper Vremya Novostei, the upcoming summit meeting between the two Presidents, Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev, is very likely to produce a breakthrough leading to reducing the strategic nuclear stockpiles of both states.
The US-Russian negotiations have already had three rounds in May and June, and according to Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergei Ryabkov, by December 2009, the two sides would produce a new solid document on arms limitations.
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| | PM Stanishev: Bulgaria Pre-Election Campaign Sank in Mire |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 08:53:04 +0200 |
| | Bulgaria's Socialist prime minister has expressed regrets over the lack of meaningful debates ahead of the general elections.
"The pre-election campaign turned into nothing but discrediting exercises and this shows lack of ideas or lack of knowledge how to turn good ideas into reality," Sergey Stanishev said in the morning broadcast of the private bTV channel.
"There was no real debates about what politics stand for, there was no debate between me and the leader of GERB party, which is insulting for the people," Stanishev said, referring to Sofia mayor Boyko Borisov, who is tipped to win the general elections on July 5 and become the country's next prime minister.
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| | Environmentalists Rally to "Save Bulgaria Nature" |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 08:34:05 +0200 |
| | Bulgarian environmentalists will protest on Thursday against the country's preoccupation with flogging the mountains of Rila and Vitosha and Irakli beach on the Black Sea coast to developers as quickly as possible.
The start of the protest is scheduled for 5.30 pm in front of the National Palace of Culture in Sofia.
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| | US Launches "Major Operation" in Afghanistan |
| | Thu, 02 Jul 2009 08:12:13 +0200 |
| | US troops have launched a "major operation" against Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan, US military officials announced in Afghanistan early Thursday, CNN reported.
About 4,000 Americans, mostly from the Marines, and 650 Afghan soldiers and police launched Operation Khanjar -- "strike of the sword" -- in the Helmand River valley, the US command in Kabul announced.
The push is the largest since the Pentagon began moving additional troops into the conflict this year, and it follows a British-led operation launched last week in the same region, the Marines said.
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