12, Feb-2002.

Athens: Simeon Is No 1. Premier Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was proclaimed the "Economic Figure" of 2001, by the Greek Business Society in Bulgaria. He was presented with a statuette - a head of a Marathon athlete - replica of a sculpture 2,500 years old. 'Eucharisto parapoli', said PM in Greek language to thank for the gift. Greek ambassador Michael Hristidis applauded him. PHOTO NIKOLAY DONCHEV

Simeon recieves price from the Greek Business Society in Bulgaria. Photo: zone168.com

UK - FOREIGN MINISTER PASSY - VISIT. Foreign Minister Solomon Passy meets with British Secretary of Defence Geoffrey Hoon. photo by BTA

Figure skater Ivan Dinev of Bulgaria performs his short program routine at the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games, February 12, 2002. The Games run through February 24. REUTERS/David Gray

The works of Shakespeare, Byron and Dostoevsky jostle for space in the office library of Jacques Verges, adviser to ousted Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic in his war crimes trial starting February 12, 2002. But admiration of Western culture has its bounds for the 76-year-old French-Vietnamese lawyer, shown in 1994, whose childhood in one of France's colonial outposts set him on a life-long battle against rich world imperialism. Photo by Philippe Wojazer

Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic smiles next to a security guard as he appears before the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague, Tuesday Feb. 12, 2002, on the first day of his trial for alleged atrocities during the breakup of Yugoslavia. Milosevic, 60, is the first head of state indicted for war crimes while in office. (AP Photo/POOL, Fred Ernst)

A police officer asks protester Bert Prinsen, carrying a board reading "Milosevic should be free", to move away as a few demonstrators gather near the U.N. war crimes tribunal (unseen) in The Hague, Tuesday Feb. 12, 2002 on the first day of the trial of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic for alleged atrocities during the breakup of Yugoslavia . (AP Photo/Bas Czerwinski)

Chief Prosecuter Carla Del Ponte, left, standing, addresses the court at the trial of Slobodan Milosevic the former Yugoslav president at the United Nations tribunal in The Hauge, The Netherlands, in this image made from television, Tuesday Feb. 12, 2002. The trail against former president Milosevic for alledged atrocities during the break up of Yugoslavia is Europe's most important war crimes case since the Nuremberg proceedings against Nazi Germany's leaders after World War II. At top right are the tribunals three judges. (AP Photo/ICTY pool via APTN)

Milosevic, 60, is the first head of state indicted for war crimes while in office.Geoffrey Nice, Deputy Prosecutor, addresses the court at the trial of Slobodan Milosevic, the former Yugoslav president, at the United Nations tribunal in The Hague, The Netherlands, in this image made from television, Tuesday Feb. 12, 2002. The trial against Milosevic for alleged atrocities during the breakup of Yugoslavia is Europe's most important war crimes case since the Nuremberg proceedings against Nazi Germany's leaders after World War II. Milosevic, 60, is the first head of state indicted for war crimes while in office.(AP Photo/ICTY pool via APTN)

Judge Richard May listens during the trial of Slobodan Milosevic the former Yugoslav president at the United Nations tribunal in The Hague, The Netherlands, in this image made from television, Tuesday Feb. 12, 2002. The trial against Milosevic for alleged atrocities during the breakup of Yugoslavia is Europe's most important war crimes case since the Nuremberg proceedings against Nazi Germany's leaders after World War II. Milosevic, 60, is the first head of state indicted for war crimes while in office.(AP Photo/ICTY pool via APTN)

Reporters watch on a giant screen as former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic appears in front of the U.N. war crimes tribunal on the first day of his trial for alleged atrocities during the breakup of Yugoslavia, in The Hague Tuesday Feb. 12, 2002. (AP Photo/Bas Czerwinski, POOL)

People in a tv shop watch the live broadcast of former Yugoslavian president Slobodan Milosevic's trial, in Belgrade, Tuesday, Feb.12, 2002. The former Serb leader is charged with 66 counts of atrocities from the wars in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo. The trial is likely to take two years. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

It is calm on Tuesday morning in Tetovo and in Kumanovo - Lipkovo region region but shootings were heard during the night from several locations.

According to Tetovo police department, the Albanian terrorists opened fire from Tetovo Teke, Drenovec 2 district, elementary schools "Kiril and Metodij" and "Braka Migjeni," "Cetisnka", "Vonvardarska" and "Lenin" streets, the houses near the railway, the State Secondary School "Mosa Pijade" as well as Rasadiste locality near Tetovo - Popova Sapka road.

Shootings were also registered from Poroj, Neprosteno, Odri, Dobroste, Neraste, Dolno Orasje, Trebos, Glogji, Zelino and Mala Recica.

The shootings were not targeted so the Macedonian security forces did not respond.

In Kumanovo - Lipkovo region since 16.00h to midnight, thirty-five shots and volleys of fire were registered in 11 occasions from Vaksince, Nikustak, Opae, Cerkesko Selo, Ropaljce villages, Bukurica locality and from the squat houses in Kumanovo. One flare was fired from Ropaljce village towards the police post near the village.

The 6-hour patrols of the multiethnic police teams continue in Matejce, Otlja, Orizare and Lipkovo villages.

For the first time after the conflict, ethnically mixed police teams entered Monday in the villages of Radiovce, Tenovo, Otunje, Jedoarce, Setole, Varvara, Brezno and Jelosnik near Tetovo; and Tumceviste, Vrbjani, Orkuse and Duf near Gostivar.

Despite the plan, police teams did not manage to enter in the villages of Mala Recica and Lesnica near Tetovo; and Forino, Cegrane and Korito near Gostivar.

Local population of Mala Recica set a blockade, preventing the entrance of police teams, said Zoran Tanevski, spokesman of the Coordinate Crisis Management Body. The villagers demanded releasing of Semi Habibi, indited for terrorist attack on the police station in the village of Tearce. The demand includes dismantling of several police checkpoints, particularly the one, called "Zicarnica".

Blockades were also placed before the village of Florino, but the villagers had no demands. This blockade also prevented entering of police into the villages of Cegrane and Korito.

Upon redeployment, the police patrols established contacts with the local authorities and with representatives of the OSCE, EU and Task Force Fox. Tomorrow, the police will patrol from 10,00 to 16.00 hour, according to the Plan for redeployment of police in the crisis regions.

Some of the villagers of Jeodarce, Otunje and Setole visited their homes for the first time after the conflict.

"Presence of the police means security, but we have to built new homes, and the whole country should be stabilized," the villagers said.

Ten out of 65 houses in Jeodarce are burnt. "Houses in this and surrounding villages were robbed and set into fire regularly in the last period," Blagoja Paunovski from Jeodarce said.

Local authorities promised to take measures and stop this violence, Paunovski said, but nothing changed, he added.

All houses in the villages of Jeodarce, Otunje and Setole are either burnt or demolished. There are no conditions for a normal life, villagers say.

Tetovo, February 12 (MIA) - From the initiation of the clashes in the Republic of Macedonia up till now, total of approximately 300 badly wounded and injured persons were hospitalized in the Medical Center in Tetovo.

By the end of December 2001, as said by the Head of the Hospital in Tetovo, Raim Taci, total of 284 persons were admitted in the surgical department, out of which 106 had heavy bullet wounds, while 59 suffered from injuries caused by projectiles, bombs or some other explosive devices.

Some 14 persons have died on the way to the Medical Center.

According to Taci, in the period from March to December 2001, about 165 injured persons were hospitalized, while 112 were treated and then released home. Out of these, more than 200 persons were common citizens, while 84 were members of the Macedonian security forces.

Banished people from Arachinovo gathered at the funeral of their neighbor killed Sunday morning, angry at the government and not believing they'll ever be able to return to their homes.

"Every political party tries to prove its point, to show that its better than the others. Don't mix politics with graves. Human beings die for nothing. Who can explain the mothers, why their sons died. You would not like to be in their shoes," say the angry citizens of Arachnovo at the funeral of their fellow citizen Aco Stojanovski. "Unknown perpetrators" killed Aco by planning a booby-trap in the house of his brother, Velcho Stojanovski.

After the news about the Stojanovski's killing spread, banished natives of this village situated near Skopje gathered in front of the Parliament and lit candles in his memory. Minister of Interior Ljube Boshkovski addressed them later that night, promising the capture of the murderous bombers, claiming that the Police already suspects someone. Boshkovski also showed up at yesterday's funeral in the church of Skopje's district of Madzhari.

People of Arachinovo say they are sick and tired of empty promises and false hopes for cohabitation with the Albanians in their village. "We cannot go back to Arachinovo. The bombing presents a clear message: nothing good expects us there," claim the refugees, adding that this is hardly the first case of planting explosive devices targeting Macedonians.

"After the fighting ended, there were still some undamaged Macedonian houses in Arachinovo. Now, several months afterwards, none remains. Some people badmouth us for staying in the collective centers. As if we stay there because we like it, surviving on handouts and sitting in one room," say the people of Arachinovo. They express anger at the Macedonian politicians, who, according to them, "have lied to the refugees for eight whole months."

Aco Stojanovski, the latest victim of the Albanian ethnic cleansing, whose burial took place yesterday at Madzhari graveyard, left two underage children, Jasmina and Ljupcho, behind. A large number of denizens of Arachinovo attended the funeral.

R.F.

Skopje - At the regular press-conference in Skopje, the three spokespersons of the international community tried to ease the tensions after the murder of Aco Stojanovski. Unknown person placed a booby-trap bomb placed in his brother's house, a policeman, in Skopje's village Arachinovo last Sunday, which killed Stojanovski.

"It is very dangerous to call this an ethnic cleansing"-said today the OSCE spokesman Florin Pasniku answering a question weather this murder, alongside the arsons and looting of houses and churches in the Kumanovo's village Opae and Tetovo's village Jedoarce can be called ethnic cleaning.

"Some people, because of the high rate of unemployment in all parts of the country, including the crisis regions, might steel in order to survive and some young people, teenagers see this as a sort of fun. But this is also a crime " - was the explanation of OSCE spokesman in Skopje about the latest incidents.

He does not see any relation among these incidents and the "potential spring offensive in Macedonia." "These are criminal acts and should be investigated," Pasnicu stressed.

The same man didn't give an interview for Reality Macedonia last November, when NATO and EU others spokes person of the international community did.

The EU spokeswoman Irena Gjuzelova admitted today that these incidents will stop the Macedonians from returning to their homes in the crisis regions. But, she added that some 140,000 out of 170,000 displaced persons in Macedonia have returned home after the end of the conflict, both Macedonians and Albanians. However, she said that EU will provide no money for building houses elsewhere if the displaced persons don't want to come back in the original places of living.

NATO spokesman Craig Ratcliff had the briefest presentation at today's press conference. He asked the media not to make any speculations about the murder in Arachinovo before the end of the police investigation. He also warned of unexploded devices placed in abandoned houses. But Captain Ratcliff had no answer why such devices are planted only in the homes of policemen or soldiers in Arachinovo, and why are those devices set up recently. Last summer, after the battle of Arachinovo, the Army and Police cleaned the village out of unexploded devices.

NATO, OSCE and EU spokespersons to Macedonia condemned at Tuesday's press conference the Sunday's incident in Aracinovo village near Skopje, when Aco Stojanovski resident of the village was killed in a bomb blast and Tomislav Spasevski suffered bad injuries.

NATO spokesman Craig Ratcliff said that we should wait for the results from the investigation and suggested to the displaced persons to be very careful when they return to their homes. According to OSCE spokesman to Macedonia Florin Pasnicu, considering that this was "post military situation," the incidents such as this one in Aracinovo were possible. He welcomed the position of the Ministry of Interior and the local community, which "responded in most appropriate way, by condemning the loss of human life, but also requested not to turn this incident into a cause for further incidents."

EU spokesperson to Macedonia Irena Gjuzelova believes that this incident was isolated, adding that obviously it is a crime act. "We should not allow to them to undermine the relatively successful police redeployment and return of the displaced persons," she said. According to the available information, around 140,000, both Macedonians and Albanians have returned to their homes so far, out of 170,000 persons who were displaced during the conflict.

Gjuzelova denied that February 12 was determined as a date from which the amnesty would be enforced. She stressed that there were no particular disagreements between the representatives of the Macedonian and Albanian part that participate in developing a draft-law on amnesty. "The discussions in regard with this issue continue. The European Union has no preferences regarding the starting date for the amnesty. Our only preference is to accept a definition for the amnesty that would include the deserters from the Army, those who did not respond to Army service, when it was requested from them and the members of the former NLA."

According to the representatives of the international community, the police redeployment in the crisis regions has created conditions for return of the displaced persons to the villages. In that respect, Pasnicu emphasized that the return of the population in Kumanovo villages Opae, Ropaljce and Matejce was an encouraging sign. "It is true that there were some incidents in the past few days. There were attempts for arson in Opae and Jedoarce as well as attempts for robberies. We regret these incidents and we try to assist to the police to prevent these attempts," Pasnicu said.

These incidents are isolated, and did not have big impact on the return of the persons in Opae, Pasnicu said. Regarding the incidents in Jedoarce, ethnically clean Macedonian village, in which most of the houses are burnt down or demolished or robbed, Pasnicu explained that they might occur as the village has not been inhabited for longer period of time. "Taking into consideration the rate of unemployment, which is great in that area, you might expect such thing as the robbery is one way for surviving. On the other hand, there are people who do nothing and is very tempting for the young persons to have fun in this way. For some people it is a way to party, but this is also a crime," Psnicu said.

He does not see any relation among these incidents and the "potential spring offensive in Macedonia." "These are criminal acts and should be investigated," Pasnicu stressed.

Macedonian Parliament Speaker Stojan Andov briefed at the press conference on Tuesday that the parliamentary elections will be called by September 19, 2002 the latest, as the deputies have mandate till November 2002.

"In order to have a new parliamentary structure by the end of this date, the Speaker of Parliament is to call elections for new members of parliament at least 60 days ahead," said Andov, adding that there are no reasons for the regular elections to be brought into question.

Also, as he said, there are no needs to believe that the security situation in the country will not be favorable for elections to take place in due time.

Answering the journalist' question on premature elections, Andov said that for such elections, special conditions were to be created first, underlining also that no bill for premature elections had been so far submitted before the parliament.

About President Trajkovski's decision not to sign the Law of Deputies, for the text of this law consisted some new provisions that were not included in the first version (which was also rejected when first submitted), Macedonian Parliament Speaker Stojan Andov had no comments, as he was not acquainted with that.

Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski will not sign the Law for parliament members because the new text includes several new provisions which were not included in the first text, which he also refused to sign.

President Trajkovski believes that what was offered to him to sign is a totally new law, adding that he has the right to reject it.

One of the new moments in the second text is the provision according to which about 300 employees in the Parliament are equalized with the MPs based on certain rights. According to this provision, employees in the parliament services, according to the general regulations, would be allowed to have additional jobs, compensation for transport to work, compensation for food, annual vacation, experts' training and education, compensation for funeral, daily salaries for business trips outside the country, reimbursement for attending the parliament sessions and right to servants pay.

The draft law also foresees the conditions and manner of determining the realization of these rights to be carried out by the assembly commission for deputies in the parliament.

Provisions of the Law for state officers are due to cease with the enforcement of this law.

Rome, February 12 (MIA) - It has been unofficially requested from Italy to take command over NATO's peace mission to Macedonia, Italian Defense Minister Antonio Martino said on Tuesday, emphasizing that Italy was ready to accept the request, MIA reports.

Martino confirmed that it was requested from Italy to take over the command from Germany, which led "Amber Fox" mission in Macedonia but did not specify when it could happen.

He said that he would request from the Italian Government and Parliament to make formal decisions, which would enable Italy to be in charge with NATO's mission to Macedonia.

The entire police was on alert, SYGMA task group was summoned for help.

Milena Orozova

A 20-year-old convict Plamen M. ran away from the police van. It happened right in front of the Sofia City Court. The policemen were escorting a group of convicts to the court. Their bails had to be reconsidered. Plamen managed to get away, despite the fact that he was handcuffed to the other convict. He ran to the central Sofia park, two escorting officers chased the runaway but failed to catch him. In spite of that in the Sofia police directorate there was an extraordinary sitting that lasted for two hours. An urgent checkout has been ordered. If the officers are found guilty they will certainly be punished, commented the policemen. The police cordoned off the park. SYGMA task group was summoned for help.

Nadelina Aneva

"There are already indications of a just ruling to be made by the Libyan court on the case against the Bulgarian medics," President Georgi Parvanov said yesterday. He was to do his best for the Bulgarians in Libya. The head of stated declined to inform if he was to ask for a meeting with the Libyan leader or with his son Seif al-Islam. "Let's show a little patience," the president appealed. Foreign Minister Solomon Passy had a telephone conversation with the six medics from London. They thanked Minister Passy and Seif al-Islam for the efforts they were making on their behalf. Gaddafi's son received yesterday a letter of thanks from Bulgaria's No 1 Diplomat. It was delivered by Passy's special envoy to Tripoli Petko Dimitrov at a meeting the head of the Gaddafi International Foundation for Charity Associations. Dimitrov started political consultations with the Libya's Foreign Ministry.

Foreign Ministers of Bulgaria, Afghanistan Meet.

Istanbul, February 12 (BTA) - Bulgaria ought to share in the build-up of the Afghan security forces and in international quick-start farming projects and educational programmes for Afghanistan, according to Afghan Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah.

Minister Abdullah conferred with his Bulgarian counterpart Solomon Passy in Istanbul Tuesday, the Information Directorate of the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry said. The meeting was held within the framework of an international conference on "Civilization and Harmony: The Political Dimension."

Abdullah suggested that a Bulgarian expert team meet with state officials in Afghanistan to discuss concrete details concerning Bulgaria's role in the reconstruction of Afghanistan.

Bulgaria supports the initiative to hold an international conference in Sofia to consider a multilateral settlement of Afghanistan's foreign debt, Passy reportedly said.

The two exchanged invitations for official visits, the Foreign Ministry reported.

"Greece Wishes to See Bulgaria in NATO as Soon as Possible," Defence Minister Papandoniou Says.

Sofia, February 12 (BTA) - Greece wishes that Bulgaria accede to NATO as soon as possible, Greek Defence Minister Yiannos Papandoniou said after meeting here with Defence Minister Nikolai Svinarov Tuesday. Papandoniou started a two-day official visit at Svinarov's invitation.

The two signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the defence ministries. The document stipulates that Greece will appoint a military consultant to assist this country's integration in NATO.

Greece stands for prompt accession of all candidate countries of the region to NATO, the guest said. He noted that Athens does not wish to see any dividing lines between the European countries because division has cost everybody too much.

The fight against international terrorism, humanitarian relief aid to Afghanistan and the current restoration of that country's economy, the situation in the Balkans, NATO's enlargement, and Bulgarian-Greek defence cooperation featured high on the agenda of Svinarov's talk with Papandoniou.

The Greek Defence Minister underscored the good bilateral cooperation in defence, adding that his country is ready to expand this cooperation by providing scholarships, exchanging personnel and expertise, and promoting defence industry contacts.

Greece supports the growing role of Russia and Ukraine in making important decisions together with NATO, and also backs these countries' future membership of the Alliance, the guest said.

Taking a reporter's question, Svinarov said he has no information about Turkey donating F-16 aircraft to Bulgaria. The winner in the bid for upgrading of Bulgaria's MiG-29 fighter fleet will most probably be announced on Wednesday, Svinarov said.

Later in the day Svinarov unveiled a permanent exhibition at the Defence Ministry, which presents with documents and photographs the stages along the track towards Bulgaria's full NATO membership.

The local authorities declared, someone works tendentiously against the city's interests.

Elena Dimitrova

Bourgas Mayor Yoan Kostadinov and governor Stephan Koradov yesterday openly opposed cabinet's policy towards the economic interests of Bourgas. Both voiced their dissatisfaction with the actions of certain ministers and of the government as a whole. Mayor Kostadinov insists on reconsidering all the decisions, concerning issues of crucial importance. They are related to the liquidation of the Bulgarian National Bank's filial, the port expansion's project, etc.

Concrete names of dangerous criminals were discussed during the yesterday's meeting of Chief Secretary of Interior - Gen. Boiko Borissov, Vassil Vassilev - head of the National 'Police' Service, with the leadership of the Russian Federal Security Service, successor to the KGB. We have agreed on a prompt exchange of information concerning the combat against the car-robberies, the crimes connected with smuggling of cultural and historical valuables and the criminal contingent, Gen. Borissov said on BNR. Protocol on cooperation was signed at the meeting. Gen. Borissov invited Russian 'Alpha' commandos to visit Bulgaria. He will submit a report to the Premier and the President after his return. The hosts took the Bulgarian delegation for a walk around the Kremlin.

Elena Dimitrova

Supreme Commissariat for the Refugees will give nearly 1,2 mill. levs to the UN till the end of this year, this became clear during the two-day seminar in Slantchev Bryag. The provided sum is for refugees, who arrive now and search for a refuge at the border and in the interior of the country. The money will be used in the period till the end of the procedure for establishment of their status as refugees. The agreement envisages that the provided money will be enough for 6,000 refugees. At this moment there is not a threat big groups of refugees to enter Bulgaria, sources from the Supreme Commissariat for the Refugees said at the seminar.

Vesselin Stoykov was relieved of his post in the Council for Electronic Media (CEM) after he was proved to be an agent of the former State Security Service (SS). This happened after yesterday the 'Andreev' commission informed CEM by a special letter about his classified file. Only Margarita Stephanova and Lilia Raicheva restrained. Most of the CEM members said that the lustration texts in the Law for Radio and Television should drop off. Within a week the expert decision about the future of the CEM and the legitimacy of the already taken decisions is expected. In the same term the parliamentary media commission should determin who will be the new member of the council. I've not informed against anybody. This is a total fiction and an obvious political order. My conscience is clear, I've done no harm to anybody, Stoykov said. Later on it became clear, that the scandal was referred to chief prosecutor Nikola Filchev. Accuser No 1 has ordered a check up of the legitimacy of the decision taken by the 'Andreev' commission.

Each third student in Bulgaria has used drugs. Two thirds of the parents can't distinguish the signs, Lenko Lenkov, chief of the 'Free and Democratic Bulgaria' foundation, said. A program for initial prevention of drug addicts starts in 50 Bulgarian Schools. The idea for that belongs to the Sofia Center for Drug Addicts and the foundation.

Milena Orozova

Bulgaria ranks third in terms of corruption among the Balkan countries, reads the bottom line of the annual report of "Coalition 2000". According to the report, the customs houses top the list of the corrupt, followed by the privatization agencies and those of foreign investments. The judicial system, the tax inspectors and the police rank respectively fourth, fifth and sixths. "The magistrates, however, flatly refuse to accept this assessment and already reacted," said Alexander Stoianov from "Vitosha Research". To the public opinion polls, the legislative and executive powers are "centres of big corruption", reads the report.

January's 2.8 percent inflations is record-braking.

Stephan Kioutchukov

January's rise in the cost of living is record-breaking. The inflation for the first month of 2002 is 2.8 percent, show the data of the National Institute of Statistics (NIS) from yesterday. For the first time since 2 years its rate exceeded 2 percent. Every fifth Bulgarian is debt-laden, show the statistical data. 19.6 percent of the population have debts, while 4.2% survive on their savings. Sixty-eight percent maintain, they hardly make both ends meet. 92.5% of the Bulgarians don't plan to buy a lodging in the next 2 years, while the very idea is quite unbelievable to 83.6 percent. The Bulgarians spend about half of their incomes on food - 44.4%, show the NIS data. In 2000, 43.6% of the household expenses was spent on the daily bread.

Sofia City Court had registered the fresh Managers and Supervisory Boards of M-Tel, sources from the company said yesterday. Joseph Taus - representative of 'Management Trust Holding AG' chairs the six-member Supervisory Board. Deputy-President is Peter Nakovits from the Austrian 'BAWAK PSK' bank. The other members are: Yam Schlaff, Dimitar Kostov - professor of administrative law in the Sofia University, lawyer Todor Batkov and Harry Neubauer - legal advisor to the Austrian investors, who are to buy out all shares of the mobile operator. Chairman of the Managers Board of the company is the managing partner in the Austrian finance company - 'Kordt und Partner', Herbert Kordt. Members are: hitherto procurator of M-Tel - Eliahu Farkash, the current CEO of the company - Roumyana Kyuchukova, and Martin Lieb, who worked for Deutsche Telecom.

The UDF National Executive Council is against the nomination of Nadezhda Mihailova for the party leader, sources from the seat of the UDF said. Antoin Nikolov and Dr Mihail Mihailov were the only ones backing her. Kostov, Sokolov, Abadjiev, Tagarinski, M. Radev, N. Nikolov, R. Totkova and Plamen Ivanov supported Ekaterina Mihailova. Those who left the UDF are backing Nadezhda, Said Svetoslav Louchnikov. Bakardzhiev and Bonev declined to comment. "It is better to have more nominees," Sofianski said. "Nadezhda Mihailova is the better runner," Plamen Mollov (NMS) said in Plovdiv. To him, N. Mihailova would improve the communication between the NMS and the UDF.

Nadezhda is charming and Ekaterina is a skillful apparatchik.

A diplomat versus an apparatchik. A smile versus austerity. Finesse versus stiffness. An European vision versus the indigenous "Line up!". The orange costume versus the black jacket. The duel started: Nadezhda versus Ekaterina. Mihailova versus Mihailova. From the day before tomorrow on, at the UDF headquarters they are counting whom the local UDF structures back up. The first opinion polls show that Nadezhda is winning easily. Nadezhda Mihailova is not touring the country to meet the UDF activists. Because she believes that one appartchiks' machine should not be replaced with another one. As for Ekaterina Mihailova, it is the other way round. She is not pausing for a breath. Hardly a recess left unvisited by her. For she is confident that the leader must keep an eye on the leader's structures. Nadezhda stakes on her diplomatic experience, her clear-cut vision of the UDF future, the support of the European Popular Party, her measured words and her high rating. Ekaterina stakes on her organizing abilities, apparatchik's tricks, the selection of the delegates, her power over the structures and Kostov's advices.

It's Better to Have More Nominees.

Stephan Sofianski
Leader of the Union "Free Democrats"

It is better for the UDF to have more nominees. That's what we suffered from: We capsulized. Now, they will have at least a clearly established pluralism. I wish that their conference be not as quiet as the one held by the Union "Free Democrats".

Peter Stoyanov
Ex-President

- How will you comment on the struggle "Mihailova v Mihailova" for the leader's post?

- I'll not take the liberty to comment. I would not use the term "struggle". In the long run, it is the democratic mechanism to elect a leader. Every political party is experiencing it. What counts most is no one to be hurt or insulted after the vote. Everybody has to admit the vote and they should all go on together.

Isaac Gozes

No one knows if Ivan Chobanov's daydream was to become a chief of the National Security Service. The present nominee of the government for this post cannot remember he has ever wanted to become No.1 intelligence officer. The fact that he was born in Yambol would rather confirm than disprove it. In the 60's, when the future colonel, like all local lads, went fishing in the Toundzha River, one could see an intelligence officer in this town only in movies. His father was a top officer in the People's Militia, as it was called then. Chobanov himself has chosen a completely different trade. He decided to study sociology in Sofia University. The rumor goes that this sudden choice was made because of his sentimental relationships with a certain lady. It was quite natural that the designers of the highly reputed clothes manufacture, "Vitosha", noticed him. At that time fashion models in Bulgaria could be counted on one's fingers. Ivan Chobanov frequently took part in prestigious fashion shows. He was a cover face of the most popular fashion magazines. Much later, when he became one of the chiefs in the Ministry of Interior, the malevolent people attacked him exactly for these romantic years. A model became the secretary of interior, they would say. To which Chobanov retorted - I was but a poor student and this was the way to moonlight and earn a little extra money. However, apparently blood is thicker than water, so Ivan Chobanov doesn't become a sociologist but takes after his father and joins the System. He starts teaching in the Police Academy (then known as a School to the Ministry of Interior) and gets his first shoulder straps. Today he is a colonel. He was the first who invited to his team the now chief secretary of Interior, General Boiko Borisov. It is supposed that the two of them are on short terms from the time when they were teaching in the Police Academy. Chobanov's office was next to that of Borisov and he became his right-hand advisor. Thus the general launched into orbit the colonel.

We are to cooperate with 'Virgin Atlantic', receiver Hristo Mollov says.

BELCHO TSANEV

- Mr Mollov, for three months now you and Olga Milenkova have been receivers of 'Balkan Airlines', but the names of you both are mentioned in connection with non-stop scandals. Why?

- We took office with the only aim - to defend the interests of the creditors. To me, we cope successfully with the task. As early as we took office on November 1, we were terrified to find out that within 10 months, i.e till end-October the airline had accumulated debts exceeding 58 million levs. Immediately, we summoned the whole management and ordered to urgently cut down the expenses.

- Let's first put two and two together. We are not talking about selling, but rather about a barter...

- Anyway, even if you are either to sell or to exchange them, those slots are lost already.

- That's exactly the speculation spread by the enemies of 'Balkan'. In the contract offered to us by the Englishmen, there's a clause saying that the contract could be cancelled and respectively - the slots may be returned to 'Balkan', if only 'Balkan' is to pay back the money and the forfeit. So, the key point is if 'Balkan' one day will recover and become wealthy, and furthermore its owner is to assess that these slots are necessary, he will cancel the contract, pay the damage and take them back.

- So you think, that 'Balkan' won't suffer losses from the sale or from the barter, as you call it?

- On the contrary, 'Balkan' will benefit, and a lot at that. First, it will take money, lots of money.

- The sum, you quoted in 'Standart' not long ago, is as true insofar as we've asked for so much. If the Britons will pay it, however, is a matter of negotiations, we are currently holding. But apart from money, 'Balkan' will make profit out of the barter as such. We're trying to negotiate early landing and takeoff time at Gatwick. Thus we will cover the ethnic traffic between the Balkans and North America - Bulgarians, Albanians, Serbs. That is also in line with our plans to start the regional flights to Sarajevo, Skopje, Pristina, Larnaca.

- To me, its an amputation of gangrened limb. It's better to cut it off to save the whole body.

Rousse, February 12 (BTA) - Bulgarian ships "Rousse" and "Sofia" will make 32 cruises in the German, Hungarian and Austrian sections of the Danube in 2002, director of ship owner Dunav Tours AD Lilyan Lazarov said. Dunav Tours has a five-year contract with German tour operator Deutschereisen Buro and with Austrian tour operator Luftnerreisen.

10,100 bookings for the cruises have been made by foreign tourists which equals an occupancy rate of 98%. That figure is impressive when one has in mind that no less than 72 ships will be cruising the Western Danube and the Rhein and Mein canals in 2002, Lazarov noted. The fleets of Dunav Tours' rivals increased by four luxury vessels in the past year.

Bourgas, (on the Black Sea), February 12 (BTA) - The project for extending Port Bourgas will be implemented in observation of all environment protection norms, the press office of the Ministry of the Environment and Waters said after a meeting Environment Minister Dolores Arsenova had with Deputy Transport and Communications Minister Zlatolina Moukova, Bourgas Regional Governor Stefan Koradov, mayors of the municipalities of Bourgas, Nessebur, Sozopol and Chernomorets, the management of the Port and experts and representatives of civil associations.

Environment Minister Arsenova said the discussion was timely and useful and convinced all participants in the need to realize this project. A final decision on the issues raised at the meeting will be adopted by an interdepartmental commission of experts including representatives of different ministries,the
press release says.

During the discussions Arsenova said the Government had not considered stopping the project to extend Port Bourgas.

Asked whether Vromos Bay may be used for dumping dredge waste, Arsenova said this option was abandoned following civil protests in Chernomorets and Sozopol but this has increased the cost of the entire project.

Japan has extended a loan of over 118 million US dollars for the implementation of the project.

By Abigail Levene

THE HAGUE (Reuters) - Slobodan Milosevic stepped into the dock Tuesday to face the most significant war crimes trial in Europe since the Nuremberg prosecutions of leading Nazis after World War Two.

The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia opened an epic case involving hundreds of witnesses, scores of alleged atrocities and a tangle of legal arguments drawing fine distinctions among varieties of massacre and persecution during a decade of Balkan wars.

"These crimes touch every one of us wherever we live because they offend against our deepest principle of human rights and human dignity," chief prosecutor Carla del Ponte said in her opening remarks, promising the victims would be heard.

"This tribunal, and this trial in particular, give the most powerful demonstration that no one is above the law or beyond the reach of international justice," she said as the white-haired Milosevic glowered at her across the courtroom.

Prosecutors expect the trial in the tribunal's anonymous gray courthouse to last at least two years. Many observers expect Milosevic, who refuses to even recognize the court's right to judge him, to try to make it last for ever.

"The events themselves were notorious and a new term, 'ethnic cleansing', came into common use in our language," Del Ponte said.

"Some of the incidents revealed an almost medieval savagery and a calculated cruelty that went far beyond the bounds of legitimate warfare," she added.

The prosecution's case centers on proving that Milosevic, who took copious notes as the allegations were read out, was at the heart of those events as Serbian and then Yugoslav leader.

"An excellent tactician, a mediocre strategist, Milosevic did nothing but pursue his ambition at the cost of unspeakable suffering inflicted on those who opposed him or represented a threat for his personal strategy of power," Del Ponte said.

Fellow prosecutor Geoffrey Nice took the floor to briefly describe the burning alive of children and the throwing of women down wells by Serb troops, before asking the court to view such evidence "as dispassionately as possible" later in the trial.

Milosevic, now 60, "did not confront his victims," said Nice. "He was able to view events from high political office. He had these crimes committed for him by others."

But, in a statement going to the heart of the case, he added: "In these days when press, radio and television bring wars into our homes as they occur, he cannot not have known."

Nice took the court back to the collapsing Yugoslavia of the late 1980s to try to explain Milosevic's rise to power, showing archive film of the communist leader's landmark visit to Kosovo, when he whipped up the nationalist passions of aggrieved Serbs.

Milosevic smiled faintly and raised his eyebrows in what appeared to be ironic amusement at the film of his younger self.

Milosevic, said Nice, had come to wield great power in Yugoslavia from behind the scenes rather than overtly. "He controlled events because he controlled the people who constituted the bodies that... did evil," Nice said.

Milosevic is charged with crimes against humanity in Croatia in 1991-92, genocide in the 1992-95 Bosnian war and crimes against humanity in Kosovo in 1999.

In the coming months prosecutors plan to introduce evidence relating only to Kosovo. The Bosnia and Croatia cases are not expected to begin in earnest at The Hague until July.

The opening statements might last until Wednesday, they said, and only then will Milosevic get a chance to answer them.

MORALITY OR HYPOCRISY

Small groups of pro and anti-Milosevic activists demonstrated outside the Hague court building. Supporters called the prosecution a "lynching," while representatives of Bosnian war victims demanded the world do more to reverse the consequences of "ethnic cleansing" and help refugees go home.

For Milosevic's accusers, the trial marks a historic step forward for international morality.

For his defenders, it is an exercise in Western hypocrisy. Milosevic told his lawyers Monday he would cite in his defense the words and deeds of U.S. and European leaders during the blood-soaked Balkan conflicts of the 1990s.

Supporters of Milosevic accuse the West of turning on him as a scapegoat after using him as a "peacemaker" in the mid-1990s.

His legal advisers say Milosevic, who has refused to appoint a counsel, will name international figures who were "involved in the Yugoslav crisis" such as former U.S. President Bill Clinton and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The tribunal has entered "not guilty" pleas on behalf of Milosevic to all three indictments and appointed three prominent international lawyers as "amici curiae" or "friends of the court" charged with the task of ensuring he has a fair trial.

GRAVEST CHARGE

The ousted Serb strongman and his legal adversaries are playing for the highest possible stakes. He could face life in prison if convicted of multiple human rights violations, including the court's gravest charge of genocide.

That charge requires that prosecutors prove a deliberate attempt by Milosevic in Bosnia to exterminate a population -- a daunting legal challenge.

The proceedings will cover the fighting which erupted after the collapse of the communist Yugoslav federation, the bloodiest in Europe since World War Two. Prosecutors will try to show that Milosevic ignited the violence by launching a grand plan to carve a "Greater Serbia" from the ruins.

More than one million people were imprisoned or forced from their homes and at least tens of thousands were killed, maimed and wounded during the three conflicts.

The Kosovo indictment, issued in 1999, accuses him of responsibility, along with four other senior Serbs still at large, for the murder of 900 Kosovo Albanians and expulsion of 800,000 civilians from their homes.

The Croatia indictment, which came last year, accuses him of responsibility for the deaths of hundreds of Croats and other non-Serbs between August 1991-92 and the deportation of 170,000.

Also last year, the silver-haired grandfather was accused of responsibility in Bosnia for the Srebrenica massacre of several thousand Bosnian Muslim men and boys, the siege of Sarajevo and the deportation or imprisonment of over a quarter of a million.

The prosecution in the trial of Slobodan Milosevic has accused the former Yugoslav president of being "responsible for the worst crimes known to humankind".

Mr Milosevic is on trial for genocide and war crimes in the Balkans over a period of nearly 10 years.

During the first session of the landmark trial, which is expected to last at least two years, Mr Milosevic sat impassively, glaring across the courtroom at chief prosecutor Carla Del Ponte.

"Today as never before we see international justice in action," Ms Del Ponte told the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague.

She said the events Mr Milosevic was accused of sanctioning "were notorious and a new term, 'ethnic cleansing', came into common use in our language".

"Some of the incidents revealed an almost medieval savagery and a calculated cruelty that went far beyond the bounds of legitimate warfare," she added.

'Nobody above the law'

Prosecutors have said they will call up to 30 political insiders to give evidence linking Mr Milosevic to the atrocities of the wars in Bosnia, Croatia and Kosovo.

Mr Milosevic's case, Ms Del Ponte said, would be a powerful demonstration that "no one is above the law."

She said Mr Milosevic "pursued his ambition at the price of unspeakable suffering to those who opposed him," accusing him of doing everything "in the service of his quest for power".

At the same time, Ms Del Ponte insisted that no state was on trial - a reference to Serbia.

Collective guilt of a people was no part of the prosecution's case and the prosecution would not be drawn into political exchanges with Mr Milosevic, she said.

Politics would, however, form a large part of the trial, she added.

The ICTY proceedings are seen as the most important hearing since Nazi leaders went on trial at Nuremberg in the aftermath of World War II.

Mr Milosevic is the first former head of state to be charged with genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in the bloody conflicts which followed the dissolution of Yugoslavia from 1991 to 1999.

As head of state, Mr Milosevic is charged with presiding over a master plan to create a "Greater Serbia" in an alleged project which led to the killing of nearly a quarter of a million non-Serbs in Croatia, Bosnia-Hercegovina and Kosovo.

Tribunal lawyer Geoffrey Nice said the trial would examine Mr Milosevic's rise to power, "power which was exercised without accountability, responsibility or morality".

He began presenting the tribunal with prosecution evidence gathered over years, including recordings, videos, and personal testimonies.

Mr Nice recalled the horrors of the Balkan wars by recounting individual cases of murder, persecution and sexual assault.

"Did he know this was happening?" Mr Nice asked the court. "Of course he did."

'Tribunal illegitimate'

Mr Milosevic has said he does not recognise the legitimacy of the UN tribunal or the charges against him, and has refused to appoint lawyers to defend him.

However, one of his legal advisers said he expected Mr Milosevic to make a statement.

"He is not recognising the court but... he is going to have his statement or preliminary words," said Belgrade lawyer Dragoslav Ognjanovic, who met the former president for three hours on Monday.

Mr Ognjanovic said the opening statement could last for one or two days.

The former president faces a total of 66 counts of crimes against humanity, violating the laws and regulations of war, and genocide.

If found guilty, he could face life imprisonment.

Carla Del Ponte has been nicknamed "the new Gestapo", "the whore", "the unguided missile" and "the personification of stubbornness".

The chief prosecutor for war crimes in the former Yugoslavia takes perverse pride in such labels - she says they show she is doing her job.

The petite, chain smoking prosecutor is famous for her ruthless pursuit of goals.

Slobodan Milosevic's appearance in her courtroom marked the culmination of an 18 month crusade.

When Ms Del Ponte took up her new role with the UN on 15 September 1999, bringing the former Serb leader to justice became her top priority.

But her mission did not end with his imprisonment. She has sworn not to rest until all the major players responsible for the atrocities in the Balkans have been brought to book.

It was the Serbian press that branded her "the new Gestapo".

Legal career

Ms Del Ponte was born in Lugano, Switzerland in 1947. She married, then divorced. The union produced a son, about whom almost nothing is known.

She began her career as a local lawyer, going on to become an investigating magistrate, a public prosecutor and the Swiss attorney-general.

In the late 1980s her investigation of the so-called "pizza connection" brought her into direct conflict with the Sicilian mafia.

Ms Del Ponte, along with investigative judge Giovanni Falcone, uncovered the connection between the Italian drug trade and Swiss money launderers.

It was her enemies in Cosa Nostra who christened her "the whore" ("La Puttana").

They also tried to assassinate her. Half a tonne of explosives were discovered hidden in the foundations of Ms Del Ponte's Palermo home.

Fortunately, the device was discovered and she escaped unharmed.

But her friend Judge Falcone was less lucky. He was blown up in his car.

His death only increased Ms Del Ponte's determination to fight organised crime.

In Switzerland, she campaigned against the bank secrecy for which Swiss financial institutions are famous.

This upset the status quo and angered many.

It was a banking executive who branded her "the unguided missile".

But in the end, she won. Swiss banks reformed the secrecy rules that protected international criminals.

Famous targets

Milosevic was not her first high profile target.

In the course of her career she has implicated Russian leader Boris Yeltsin in a financial scandal, frozen the bank accounts of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, and seen that 84 million was confiscated from Raul Salinas, the brother of disgraced Mexican president Carlos Salinas.

The tribunal's chief prosecutor is not afraid of upsetting powerful people in the course of her work.

In January last year, she was chastised for reportedly accusing President Vojislav Kostunica of being an accomplice to war criminals for refusing to extradite Milosevic.

The outburst was born of the obsessive perseverance that prompted her slain friend Giovanni Falcone to warmly dub her "the personification of stubbornness".