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Salutes for Bulgaria's President Parvanov. At 12.03 p.m. sharp yesterday Georgi Parvanov assumed the power as President of Bulgaria. 17 salutes marked the occasion at 'Al. Nevski' square. The new Commander-in-Chief reviewed the line of parade army troops. I'm bound to render my appreciation to the courage, the heroism and patriotism of the Bulgarian soldiers, said the Head of State.

A Bulgarian man walks his dogs in a park in Sofia, January 23, 2002. Temperatures have risen well above zero in the last two days after several weeks of unusually cold and snowy weather, and many citizens of the Bulgarian capital are taking long walks to enjoy the sun. REUTERS/Dimitar Dilkoff

MIA

The Macedonian Assembly is scheduled to discuss the Draft Law of local self-government again on Thursday, as the Government has submitted Wednesday the amendments to the text of the draft law before the Macedonian Legislative Body.

Consequently to the resolved disputed issues, related to the common administration, health care, education and the deadline to adjust this law to system of laws, the party representatives, signees of the Framework Agreement, lifted all other amendments and the Law is expected to be passed on Thursday.

As agreed in the health care section, the primary health care institutions will be managed by the local authorities. Furthermore, in order to ensure proper working of the Health Insurance Fund, reliable health protection, collection of the funds from the Health Insurance Fund and regular realization of the capital investments, some Committees and Supervision Bodies will be founded.

According to the new law, the local and central governments will cooperate on a functional level, i.e. striving to achieve common goals.

Minister of local self-government Faik Arslani said, that the Ministry adopted an amendment in which the law of local self-government is to be enforced by December 31, 2003.

He also informed that some technical amendments were submitted before the Macedonian Assembly, to improve the text of the law, without any changes in its contents.

MIA

Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski received Wednesday the special envoy of the Ukrainian President, Igor Harchenko. According to the press release from President's Cabinet, Harchenko delivered a letter to President Tarjkovski from Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma in which he welcomes Macedonia's efforts to overcome the crisis with a hope that the bilateral relations between the two countries would improve in the course of 2002.

Harchenko also reported the position of the Ukrainian leadership for supporting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Republic of Macedonia and announced that Ukraine will continue to support the efforts of the Macedonian authorities for resolving the crisis. President Tarjkovski thanked for the support that Ukraine has granted to Macedonia in the past period, stressing that Harchenko's appointment as special envoy for the Balkans confirms President Kuchma's interest for improving the situation in Macedonia and in the region. Trajkovski has invited Ukrainian President Kuchma to visit Macedonia during 2002.

Macedonian Prime Minister Ljubcho Georgievski received Wednesday the Ukrainian President special representative, Igor Harchenko. According to the press release from the Premier's Cabinet, the officials expressed their mutual satisfaction with the traditionally good relations between the two countries and nations. In that respect, Harchenko stressed that the Ukraine paid special attention to the development of the bilateral relations and enhancing of the economic cooperation, adding that the Ukraine fully supports Macedonia.

Thanking for the sincere and the comprehensive support that Ukraine has granted to Macedonia, Premier Georgievski expressed hope that the cooperation would be enriched and the opportunities for economic exchange between the two countries would increase. Speaking of the current situation in Macedonia, Harchenko said that he has fully understood the situation in the country and supported the efforts for overcoming the problems caused by the crisis. It was pointed out during the talks that Macedonia did all steps to realise the peace agreement and the interlocutors were assured that the security situation would be stabilised and the peace would be re-established on the entire territory.

Today, Macedonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Slobodan Casule and Harchenko discussed on the political and security situation in Macedonia and the region. In that context, Minister Casule informed Harchenko on Macedonia's efforts for fulfillment of its commitments that came out from the Framework Agreement. He underlined that the international community should also fulfill its part of the obligations for overcoming of the consequences from the crisis. Casule also said that joint action against the organized crime and illegal trafficking in people, weaponry and drugs is necessary. Minister Casule pointed out the danger from new crisis in Kosovo, which could burst out as result to the efforts for creation of large and independent Kosovo. In that context, he said that Albania ought to be catalyst of stability in the region.

Harchenko stressed that Ukraine fully supports Macedonia's territorial integrity and sovereignty. Both Harchenko and Casule estimated the relations between Macedonia and Ukraine as remarkable, pointing out that the economic cooperation ought to be enhanced. As said at the meeting, Casule would pay a visit to Kiev in March of this year. Today, Harchenko also met with Macedonian Defense Minister Vlado Popovski.

At the meeting, attended by the Deputy-Minister of Defense, Boris Zmejkovski and the Chief of the Macedonian General Staff, Metodi Stamboliski, the bilateral collaboration in sphere of defense was estimated as very significant. Minister Popovski expressed his gratitude for the Ukrainian full support to the Macedonia's territorial integrity, sovereignty and its unitary character, the Ministry of Defense said in a press release. Popovski informed his guest about the security situation in Macedonia and the progress in implementing of the Framework Agreement. In this context, Popovski said that Macedonia should not become a military camp, adding that weapon purchasing should not exhaust its economic resources.

The Minister said that weaponry, purchased so far, was aimed for defending the integrity and sovereignty of the country, something to which Macedonia is fully entitled. Harchenko said his visit to Macedonia was a result of the good cooperation between the two countries. He expressed the Ukrainian readiness for further cooperation, aimed at stabilization of the entire region. The activities regarding the implementation of the Framework Agreement were fully supported and estimated as right way towards resolving the crisis in Macedonia.

Harchenko had a meeting with Macedonian Minister of Interior Ljube Boskovski, also attended by Director of the Public Security Bureau Goran Mitevski and Director of the Public Security Department Nikola Spasevski. Minister Boskovski expressed gratitude for the continuous support that Ukraine was granting to Macedonia and expressed hope that in the future cooperation between the two countries would be even more enhanced. Reporting on the situation in the country, Minister Boskovski emphasized the problems that Macedonia encounters in its efforts to implement the Framework Agreement and to redeploy the police forces to the regions impacted by the crisis.

MIA

The Yugoslav and Serbian authorities strongly support the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Macedonia, Vice Premier of the Serbian Government Nebojsa Covic said Wednesday at a press conference in Skopje. Covic said his meeting with the European Union special representative to Macedonia, Alain Le Roy, was focused on situation in Macedonia, Kosovo and southern Serbia. "We have agreed that implementing of the Framework Agreement is a must. The Macedonian authorities must be careful and should meet only the agreed obligations, no more, no less. Implementing of this Agreement will also reveal those, who say that are for peace, doing their best to undermine it," Covic said.

Covic assessed his meeting with Macedonian Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski as very constructive, adding they agreed on joint approach to many issues, particularly in regard to the Framework Agreement, usage of the special forces and restoring of law and order in the crisis regions. "We have agreed that the EU and the international community must send a clear message for inviolability of borders, intolerance of any violence and excessive use of force. Problems should be solved in a peaceful manner, by dialogue," Covic said. At the meeting with President Boris Trajkovski, we concluded that the Macedonian authorities should be fully supported in their effort to deal with all difficulties on to road to stabilizing of the country, Covic said.

Covic said that his meeting with Macedonian Defense Minister Vlado Popovski was focused on the experiences of the Yugoslav and Serbian authorities in dealing with terrorist activities in Kosovo and southern Serbia. Asked about a possible spring offensive by Albanian terrorists in Macedonia, which could also spill over in Kosovo and southern Serbia, Covic said that situation in the region was in favor of such developments. According to Covic, preventing of further violence requires form the Macedonian, Serbian and Yugoslav authorities to fulfil everything they agreed upon, which will "mark the start of cutting the roots of terrorism in the region." "We must cooperate if we wish to deal with various forms of criminal activities, which are very intensive in this region," Covic said.

Macedonian Prime Minister Ljubcho Georgievski received Wednesday Vice President of the Government of Republic of Serbia, FR Yugoslavia Nebojsa Covic. According to the press release from the Premier's Cabinet, the officials expressed satisfaction with the cooperation between the two countries expressing assurance that it would be promoted and enhanced in all areas of mutual interest. During the talks they reviewed the current situation in the region, and Prime Minister Georgievski informed Covic on the latest developments in Macedonia and the efforts made by the Macedonian Government to reintegrate its territory, to re-deploy the security forces as well as to provide the necessary conditions for the return of displaced citizens to their homes.

Covic informed about the situation in South Serbia, Kosovo and Metohija. He emphasized the elections on Kosovo and the implementation of the agreement between the Serbian Government and UNMIK. The officials agreed that it was necessary to follow the situation in the region and to engage in overcoming the problems. In that respect, they stressed the interest and the determination of both countries to integrate within the Euro Atlantic institutions. The meeting between Prime Minister Ljubcho Georgievski and Vice President of Serbian Government Nebojsa Covic showed that the both countries were interested in enhancing the bilateral cooperation, reads the press release from Premier's Cabinet.

Today, Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski also received Covic. The meeting was focused on security stabilization of the crisis regions and the international community role in that respect. Trajkovski and Covic shared opinions on current situation in the region, as well as on developing of the bilateral relations and cooperation. Covic also met with Macedonian Defense Minister Vlado Popovski, sharing opinions on the current situation in the region, with the conclusion that there should be mutual cooperation for resolving of the crisis with an assistance by the international factors that were present in the Republic of Macedonia and Kosovo. It was concluded that the peace implementation process should not be blocked, and that politics and diplomacy had the absolute privilege in the activities for resolving of the crisis. Deputy Defence Minister Boris Zmejkovski and Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Metodi Stamboliski also attended the meeting.

MIA

"Brussels welcomes the efforts of the governmental Coordinate Crisis Management Body and is glad that this body will continue its activities," NATO spokesman to Macedonia Craig Ratcliff told the press conference Wednesday held along with OSCE and EU representatives Florin Pasniku and Irena Gjuzelova.

According to Ratcliff, the security situation in Macedonia is "relatively stable, considering the general situation in the crisis villages."

OSCE spokesperson Pasniku pointed out the two agreed changes to the Plan on redeployment of the police in the crisis regions.

"The first change refers to the idea about grouping the villages, and the second is to postpone the dislocation of the check points," Pasniku said.

He announced that the main idea behind the changes was to avoid the security vacuum in the villages and to provide unrestricted movement to all citizens. Pasniku also informed that the further talks about the changes to the Plan would continue on technical level, and several activities were envisaged to monitor the terrain.

He announced that teams comprised from the representatives of the local authorities, the Ministry of Interior and Defense as well as from the international community to estimate the situation in the villages i.e. to determine whether the terrain is mined and whether the existence of the check points would affect the freedom of movement of the citizens. According to Pasniku, the estimations will be very important for realizing the next stage from the Plan on redeployment of the police.

"OSCE mission to Macedonia condemns the burning of the houses in Tetovo village Varvara," Pasniku said, adding that he did not think that the changes to the Plan were "make-up," but that they were solid ground for realization of the police activities."

EU representative Gjuzelova assessed the agreement reached among the leaders of VMRO-DPMNE, SDSM, PDP and DPA regarding the revised text of the draft-Law on local self-government as great progress and expressed hope that the Law would be passed in the Parliament during this week.

"This will open the door for holding the donor's conference for Macedonia as well as for passing new laws arising from Framework Agreement," Gjuzelova said. She announced that the donor's conference for Macedonia would be held 15 to 20 days after the passing of Law on local self-government in the Macedonian Parliament.

Gjuzelova also announced that it was requested from the leaders of the political parties-signers of the Framework Agreement to submit a list of priority laws included in Ohrid document that should be adopted. She expressed hope to receive their answers during the next week.

Assessing that there was a delay in adopting the laws arising from Ohrid agreement, Gjuzelova said that the Laws should be adopted prior to the elections.

"If they are not adopted it would not be a reason to postpone the elections," she said, adding that Law on financing the local self-government arose from Framework Agreement, as that would allow to the local authorities to fulfill their responsibilities.

Gjuzelova announced that EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana would arrive Wednesday afternoon.

It is scheduled Solana to meet President Boris Trajkovski, and the leaders of VMRO-DPMNE, SDSM, PDP and DPA.

MIA

Kumanovo - Skopje road via Nikustak and Aracinovo has been re-opened for traffic on Wednesday. The traffic on the road has been blocked for ten months due to the military actions in this region.

The first vehicles including the OSCE, the EU and the NATO observers pass through the road around 10:00 hours. Mayors of Kumanovo, Lipkovo and Aracinovo and the officials of the municipalities reached an agreement Tuesday for normalisation of the traffic on this road, which is the only line of transportation with the two neighbouring towns.

Coordinative Body for Crisis Management informs 152 violations of public order and peace have been registered during Tuesday night in the crisis regions. Out of these, 95 sporadic and 16 rifle shootouts have been heard in Tetovo, coming from the direction of Drenovec 2 settlement and from the villages of Odri, Lisec, Prsovce, Vejce, Gajre and Dobroste.

Only 5 shootouts have been registered from direction of the village of Matejce in Kumanovo-Lipkovo region. Thirteen sporadic and twenty-three rifle shootouts have been registered from the area of the villages of Toplica and Dobri Dol, Gostivar region. Several shootouts were heard in the area of Skopje too, i.e. from Aracinovo village.

MIA

Skopje, January 23 (MIA) - According to the latest data of the Red Cross of Macedonia a total of 16,528 displaced persons have been registered in Macedonia, out of which 2,887 are accommodated in collective centers and 13,641 with families. "All of the internally displaced persons receive humanitarian aid in food and hygienic kits, provided by the US Red Cross, the Danish Refugee Council. The International and Macedonian Red Cross distribute the food packages to collective centers," said Ilija Cvetanovski, secretary-general of the Macedonian Red Cross at a press conference on Wednesday. He also said that all families, which provide shelter to displaced persons will receive Euro 75, a donation by the European Union.

Reality Macedonia

Skopje-High representatives of the four biggest political parties in Macedonia have reached a final agreement yesterday for the Law of Local Self-government, one of the laws that should be approved by the Macedonian Parliament according to the Framework Agreement. The ruling party, VMRO-DPMNE, the opposition, SDSM (Social democratic Union of Macedonia) and the two largest ethnic Albanian parties, PDP and DPA, had differences until today on several issues in the Law for Local Self-government. The biggest misunderstanding was the management of the local health institutions in the communities.

After several talks in the cabinet of the Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski, in the presence of the Special EU Representative Alan Leroa, yesterday the parties reached a compromise on this last issue. "As you can see, I'm smiling and we had a glass of Champagne in the President's cabinet celebrating the agreement of the four political parties"-said Mr. Leroa after today's meeting of the parties. The approved text of the Law for Local Self-government will be put in procedure in the Parliament at the end of this week. The approval of this law was a condition for a donor conference for Macedonia.

MIA

Vice president of the Macedonian Government Zoran Krstevski formally opened the new Flight Information Regions (FIR) department within the Civil Aviation Authority at Skopje Airport.

The new "Alenia system" radar and the other subsystems will enable Macedonia's integration within the European System for reduced distance between the planes. The distance between the planes in the airspace was 2,000 feet until now, and it will be reduced to 1,000 feet what will double the flow of the air traffic.

According to CAA Director Mile Manolev, this was historic moment for Macedonia as it joins the initiative of the European Aviation Authority for single sky over Europe.

"With this contemporary radar system, which is part of the new FIR department we will be ready for the Olympic Games in 2004 in Athens," Manolev says, adding that this also emphasizes the readiness of CAA to cooperate with Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Greece and Albania. Turkey should also join this initiative for regional cooperation.

EUROCONTROL's representative Kenet Eidelberg also addressed the attendants at the ceremony stressing the great importance of the new radar system not only for Macedonia but for the entire region as well.

"Macedonia's efforts to modernize the flight control fits in the future strategy of EUROCONTROL for parallel development of all control systems in Europe as well as for single and safer sky," Eidelberg said.

He added that the teams and the staff have been already trained to support the new technical system.

MIA

German grandmaster Aleksander Graf is the winner of the 18th International Chess Tournament "Skopje Open 2002", which was closed late Wednesday. Today, in the ninth round Graf played to a draw with Bosnian grandmaster Bojan Kurajica. Graf, who won 7.5 points and award of Euro 2,500, is followed by Luis Galego (Portugal)-6,5 and Branko Damljanovic (Yugoslavia). Galego is awarded with Euro 1,500, while Damljanovic with Euro 775. Damljanovic is followed by Kiril Georgiev, Vladimir Georgiev and Kolev form Bulgaria, Ivanisevic (Yugoslavia) and Kurajica (Bosnia), who won 6 points. Macedonian chess players Mitkov and Stanojoski took the 14 and 15th position.

Closing the tournament, president of the Macedonian Chess association Marjan Gjorcev expressed hope that all participants in this competition were satisfied with the results and the playing conditions they had in Skopje. "I hope that this tournament will attract all of those, who consider that this is an important chess competition," Gjorcev said. President of the European Chess Federation Boris Kutin also attended the closing ceremony. Expressing great satisfaction with the tournament organization, Kutin said he came to Skopje because of his friendly feelings for the people of Macedonia and great respect to members of the Macedonian Chess Association.

Antiwar

by Christopher Deliso
January 23, 2002

Skopje, Macedonia Last Summer, rumors of an unstated connection between NATO and the NLA persisted in Macedonia. Two occasions in particular drew attention. First, the Battle of Aracinovo, in which German and Macedonian sources alleged that 17 "advisors" from MPRI took part on the Albanian side; Macedonian security sources claim that three Americans were among those killed. Second, was a mysterious airdrop by a US helicopter over the NLA stronghold of Sipkovice, filmed by a Macedonian television crew. They claimed that a "container," perhaps of weapons, was being given to the Albanians, for use against the Macedonian security forces. While American diplomats and NGO's scoff at such claims, it is well known that the KLA in Kosovo was armed by NATO, and that its core element retained power with the establishment of the Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC), a kind of Albanian gendarmerie that has aided in both the expulsion of the Serbs, and the smuggling of weapons, guns and women, the last often to service NATO troops in Kosovo. And as recently as last summer, Albanians wounded in border-crossing shoot-outs were rushed to Camp Bondsteel for treatment. New evidence also attests to some kind of connection, though it cannot be determined whether this connection is of a formal or informal nature.

A report of 15 December 2001, made available to me by the Macedonian government, describes an automobile accident near the Kosovo-Macedonia border. The accident was due to snow, excessive speed, and an overloaded vehicle. We learn:

"On the road Skopje-Blace border crossing, around 15:20 hours, six people died in a car accident. The car, an 'Opel Ascona' (plates Nr. SK-269-KK) driven by Abdulai Arif, due to the overweight of the car and the high speed, crossed to the left side of the road and crashed with a bus (plates NR KO-148-69) driven by Ibishi Sefedin, citizen of FR Yugoslavia. The following people who were in the 'Opel' died:

Abdulai Arif (36);
Naim Limani (16);
Fejzula Shakir (23);
Skender Asani (22);
Atmi Bajrami (22); and
Raif Ademi (30).

According to sources from the court, three of the six ethnic Albanians who died were members of the so-called NLA. The driver of the car, Abdulai Arif, was cousin of Shakiri Jezair (the so-called Commander Hodja). Emblems of the so-called NLA were found in the car, the ID of Commander Toda, and an ID pass for a person employed in the US army.

The six dead people were buried in the village of Aracinovo, in the part of the graveyard where the important people of the village are buried. MP's from the PDP were present at the funeral."

Government officials told me that the US Army pass mentioned was one that could be used for entering Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo. It was unclear whether it was the pass of a particular soldier (which might indicate theft), or a general entry pass. In any case, the implications of the report occupy the same nebulous region as those involving the MPRI soldiers and the Sipkovice airdrop. These things may never be known, but there is no denying the growth of a body of circumstantial evidence to suggest some sort of collusion.

Institute for War & Peace Reporting

After months of silence, Macedonia's Albanian parties have backed calls by the country's former guerrilla leader Ali Ahmeti to form a united front

By Iso Rusi in Skopje (BCR No. 311, 23-Jan-02)

While Macedonian parties show increasing signs of fragmentation, parties representing the country's large Albanian minority are merging into a single political bloc, aimed at both advancing their interests and promoting democracy in the country.

Moves to establish a coordination team for the merger were made public last week by the former leader of the disbanded National Liberation Army, NLA, Ali Ahmeti.

The coordination team is to comprise two members each from the Party for Democratic Prosperity, PDP, the Democratic Party of the Albanians, DPA, and the National Democratic Party, NDP, and three from the former NLA. The discussion about possible candidates is currently under way.

PDP leader, Imer Imeri, said the new leadership would be made up of people "who have proven themselves and who will inspire confidence among the people".

The new bloc, which is expected to call itself the Democratic Alliance - Integration Movement, is to hold its first working session at the end of the month. There, component parties will formally cease their separate activities and draw up a set of common goals.

The secretary-general of the NDP, Xhevat Ademi, said the coordination council would not concern itself with trifling party business but with big national issues. The council's mandate will coincide with the duration of the next parliament. It will contest the next elections - the date of which is still unclear. The latest guess is that they may be held in May. The broad goals of the Albanian alliance are to strengthen Albanian interests in the country by preserving last August's internationally-brokered Ohrid peace deal and supporting moves to democratise society.

The hope is that this will improve the Albanians' image at home and abroad, lead to a relaxation of currently fierce ethnic tension and help build a truly multi-ethnic society.

At the same time, the moving spirits behind the new bloc want to see an injection of new blood into the Albanian political system and the retirement of compromised old hands.

The establishment of a united front came out of the blue. When the weekly magazine Lobi published reports in two issues before New Year outlining Ahmeti's ideas, there was no public reaction from Albanian parties. Although the plan had been circulating for months, the community's political representatives appeared afraid to confirm its existence.

The strong support they've recently expressed for the initiative suggests they now see it as a lifeline for parties that were widely seen as worn out. Only a few politicians have warned of a possible downside to the union, the elimination of political pluralism, for example.

The creation of the bloc is a personal triumph for Ahmeti. As the daily newspaper Vecer remarked, "He has managed to turn himself into a political figure fighting to preserve Albanian political unity".

While Albanian parties are submerging their individual identities in a common cause, the opposite process is taking place among their Macedonian counterparts, where new splits are emerging every day.

In the latest sign of fragmentation, Dosta Dimovska, Macedonia's moderate deputy prime minister, resigned from office last week after a row with nationalists in her own ruling Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation, VRMO-DPMNE, concerning police redeployment in former NLA-held areas.

Dimovska accused the hard line prime minister, Ljubco Georgievski, of flouting the Western-monitored scheme for ethnically-mixed police patrols to re-enter villages seized by the guerrillas during last year's insurgency.

The resignation of Dimovska, an influential figure in VMRO-DPMNE, is a victory for the nationalist wing in the government and poses a threat to the fragile peace process.

NATO, OSCE and EU representatives in Macedonia, who were all alarmed by the resignation, had hoped she would reconsider after the premier and VMRO's leadership urged her to stay on.

Dimovska had headed the government's Coordination Body for Managing the Crisis, CBMC, which was supervising the peace plan's implementation on the ground. As a result of her departure, plans for mixed police patrols to enter tense villages around the northern town of Kumanovo were temporarily suspended.

The government is now expected to dismiss the CBMC altogether. "It hasn't done its job," a government source said, adding that a new way of coordinating the activities of the police, army and international observers from the EU and OSCE will have to be found.

Iso Rusi is editor-in-chief of the Albanian weekly Lobi

Standartnews

10.30 a.m., 'Al. Nevski' square - representative military units are formed up.

10.40 a.m. - Patriarch Maxim Chief Mufti Selim Mehmed and the heads of the rest official religions in Bulgaria arrive. Ministers and PM Saxe-Coburg-Goth appear. There are the leaders of all the PG groups in the national assembly. Greece's PM Costas Simitis is among the official guests, too.

10.55 a.m. - President Georgy Parvanov and his wife Zorka, President Petar Stoyanov and Antonina Stoyanova arrive at the square.

11.05 a.m. - Both presidents climb the podium. Their wives remain among the official guests. The two Presidents deliver speeches.

11.20 a.m. - New head of the state Georgy Parvanov, accompanied by chief of the General Staff General Miho Mihov, is shaking hands with the top commanders of the Bulgarian army. The national hymn of Bulgaria sounds. Instead of the envisaged by the protocol 21 salutes the present people count out 17. They are in honour of the new chief commander Georgy Parvanov.

11.25 a.m. - The two presidents are shaking hands with the official persons and the representatives of the Diplomatic Corps. They lay flowers in front of the Monument of the Unknown soldier.

Standartnews

Silvia Nikolova

Patriarch Maxim and bishops from the Holy Synod served a mass for the health of President Georgi Parvanov in the "St. Alexander Nevski" Cathedral. The president did not manage to attend the mass. "We congratulate new President Georgi Parvanov with the representative and prayed God to support you and to bless our country," Father Maxim said in his speech. He wished Parvanov "to render beneficial service to our native land and do your duty". At the end of the mass the highest clergy sang "Long Live" to the new President.

Standartnews

Pavlina Zhivkova
Moscow

Chief Coordinator of Business Club "Vazrazhdane" Stoyan Denchev met Russia's Patriarch Alexis II at the ceremony of granting the annual awards of the International Fund for Unity of Orthodox peoples in Moscow. The celebration took place late on Monday in the Christ Saviour Cathedral at the Red Square.

Prof. Alexeev, chairing the fund, in his speech highly praised Bulgaria for her special merits to Orthodox Church. On the Bulgarian part, Stoyan Denchev and Elisaveta Milenova are members of the fund and Ilia Pavlov is among the trustees with the Council in Moscow. Russia's President Vladimir Putin is one of the laureates. He was prevented to attend the ceremony but sent a letter of thanks for the high honour he was paid.

Standartnews

His Excellency Sten Ask
Ambassador of Sweden to Bulgaria
Exclusively for "Standart"

Not only I, but a great number of diplomats and foreign observers in Sofia and other capitals followed with great interest Georgi Parvanov and Angel Marin inauguration at the Parliament on Saturday as the new President and Vice-President of the Republic of Bulgaria. It was followed up by a solemn and dignified ceremony outside Alexander Nevski cathedral yesterday. Bulgaria's impressive reforms and role as a responsible stabilizer in the region during the last five years have made the country's way to EU and NATO membership irreversible. During his 5-year mandate president Parvanov could play the crucial role to lead Bulgaria to full EU and NATO membership.

I therefore would underline the importance of the President's strong commitment in his inauguration speech for continuity in Bulgaria's foreign strategic policy goals to join the EU and NATO. The President's will to translate ambitions to action is reflected by the fact that President Parvanov's first foreign visit will take place in Brussels, where the headquarters of the EU and NATO are situated. I believe that the President's ambition, together with the government, to revive the cooperation between Bulgaria's Eastern neighbors is of great importance. To strive for membership in EU and NATO is compatible with the excellent relations with traditional Bulgarian partners in the past, like Russia, Ukraine and others. On the contrary, as a future member of EU and NATO, Bulgaria's close ties and deep historical understanding with these countries will be an asset for NATO and EU as a whole. More specifically, the importance that President Parvanov pointed out the needs for amendments in the Constitution, that will harmonize the Bulgarian and European legislation should be underlined. This is absolutely necessary for the completion of the EU negotiations.

As a national figurehead, Parvanov promised to be President of all Bulgarians in his speech, I still believe that the president can play an active role to strengthen the public confinence in the reform orientation of Bulgarian politics. The inauguration speech showed among others the President's readiness to pursue a compassionate social agenda and to combat against corruption - two areas which I also myself have identified as crucial in order to secure the trust and welfare of the Bulgarian citizens. In the field of foreign policy, continuity has been a key-word for President Parvanov. I am hopeful and convinced that the strong bilateral relations between Sweden and Bulgaria, which was created not least by President Stoyanov's strong personal engagement during the State Visit of the Swedish King Karl Gustaf in November 2000, will prevail. And finally, I will take the opportunity to wish President Parvanov luck in building a modern welfare state in Bulgaria, which has a natural place in the European family of states.

Standartnews

The Bulgarian delegation insisted before the guests from Greece that the construction of the three common border checkpoints, which had to be ready till 1998, should be speeded up. We discussed this issue at the plenary session and at lunch, minister Dimitar Kalchev explained. There's a delay and the experts should see on the spot what the situation is, Costas Simitis said. Bulgaria should search long term benefit interests from the Bourgas-Alexandroupolis pipe-line, Kalchev added. To him Sofia would ask Bulgarian fleet to use the ports in Thessaliniki and Alexandroupolis under special conditions.

Standartnews

Dilyana Dimitrova

Athens is interested only in qualified experts for the Olympic Games.

No interest exists in Greece in unskilled workers from Bulgaria, Premier Costas Simitis said yesterday after the meeting with his counterpart - Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. He was on one-day working visit to this country. Our delegation offered a bill of agreement for season's job of Bulgarians in our southern neighbor. Currently there is employment's agreement also, but it's not put into practice for social and economic reasons, the guest elaborated. There should be demand from Greek companies to put the contract into practice, but we have lots of illicit workers from Eastern Europe, Simitis said. Athens is interested only in qualified workers from Bulgaria, to help the preparations for the Olympiad. Finally, the Greek Premier pledged to reconsider the employment's contract. Both the Prime Ministers discussed the judicial frameworks of the program. Our state supports Bulgaria's membership in the EU and NATO, Simitis stressed after his conversation with Bulgarian Premier.

News.bg

Speaking on his return from Moscow, Vice-Premier and Minister of Economy Nikolay Vasilev said that the issues about Russian debt to Bulgaria and the Soviet property in Bulgaria were considered separately, and the paying back Russian debt to Bulgaria was considered together with other issues, so that a part of it could be paid with nuclear fuel and military equipment. He also said that LukOil expressed interest in the Bulgarian energy market, although in the perspective of a distant future, and added that he invited the Presidents of LukOil and Gazprom to visit Bulgaria. According to him, Russia would send the 312 mn cubic meters of natural gas from Ukraine by the end of this year. A Russian international bank could form a consortium with the Bulgarian Roseksimbank in order to take part in the privatization of Biochim. He said that Bulgaria could improve its negative balance by exchanging Bulgarian commodities with oil and nuclear fuel. He also have held talks with Russian representatives about the Burgas - Alexandropoulis oil pipeline.

News.bg

Speaking for News.bg Agency, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Commission for Energy Industry Veselin Bliznakov said that the negotiations about closing down reactors 3 and 4 of Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant were still ahead, and nothing could be decided beforehand. According to him, yesterday Premier Simeon Koburg-Gotha did not discus secret Cabinet decisions for closing down the reactors in 2006 with his Greek counterpart, and emphasized that Bulgarian government was nationally responsible and would defend national interests. The Bulgarian Socialist Party Member of Parliament and former Minister of energy industry Rumen Ovcharov said that according to a memorandum signed in 1999 Bulgaria should close down reactors 1 and 2 by the end of 2002 and should negotiate about dates for closing reactors 3 and 4. He added that yesterdays statement of Premier Simeon Koburg-Gotha had put Bulgaria in a weaker position as for the negotiations with the European Union for membership, and cited the Czech republic and Finland as examples of efficient defense of national interests. The Union of Democratic Forces Member of Parliament Nikola Nikolov said that Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant was producing 44 percent of electricity and closing down the four reactors would force Bulgaria to import electricity. According to him, the deadlines for reactors 3 and 4 should be 2008 - 2010. The Chairman of the Union of Democratic Forces Nadezhda Mihailova also emphasized the need for negotiations with the European Union. According to Stefan Maznev from Union of Democratic Forces, billions of BGN were invested in the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant, and the compensation of EURO 100 offered by the European Union could not solve the problems in the energy industry sector. Veselin Bliznakov said that the national energy strategy would be adopted this year and new energy industry laws and for Nuclear Energy Peaceful Use Committee would be worked out.

News.bg

Speaking at the meeting with Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Pasi, the Chairman of the European Commission in the Danish Parliament Klaus Larsen said that Denmark and Bulgaria would work for changing the 10 plus 2 formula and for considering Bulgarian candidature for membership of the European Union separately from Romanian candidature, in case Bulgaria finished negotiations with the European Union successfully. He received with pleasure the invitation to visit Bulgaria and took upon himself the commitment to bring with him a group of parliamentarians for exchange of experience with the Bulgarian Parliament as for European integration issues. During his 3-day visit, Bulgarian Minister of Finance also met in Copenhagen the Minister of Defense Sven Oge Jensbi and discussed with him possibilities for cooperation in military field, especially as for training Bulgarian troops for participation in peacekeeping missions and cooperation as for Afghanistan recovery mission.

Standartnews

ISAAC GOZES

Filip Dimitrov, the sole one of the UDF leaders attended the improvised rally.

It is not this difficult to become an ordinary citizen from president of the republic. Suffice it to have elections and a door. At 12,03 sharp yesterday Peter Stoyanov crossed the main entrance of the presidency from the inside outwards and instantly turned into an ordinary citizen. And the first thing he did, a step after he stopped being head of state, was to kiss his wife Antonina. Then he fell into the embraces of the nationwide love. Around 1000 people waited around the fountain near the Presidency for more than two hours to bid good bye to Stoyanov. Mounted on an improvised platform, pop singers Vasko Krapkata, Vassil Naidenov, Rositsa Kirilova and other UDF bards and intellectuals warmed up the ceremony. Passing through the nine hells of the nationwide love, bouquet in hand, at long last the ex-president managed to climb the platform. 'On the last day I may lose my eloquence', Peter Stoyanov said, tears in his eyes. 'I've always been aware that the mandate principle is the most true sign of democracy.' However, those present didn't want to accept what the orator said. 'You'll be again here in two years', they insisted. 'I'd like to extend gratitude to all institutions with which I worked and since I don't see them, there is a person you also like. I'll kindly request the prime minister of the first democratically elected government Filip Dimitrov to come here', said Stoyanov. Our former ambassador to the USA approached him and the two kissed each other. 'UDF, UDF', the multitude shouted. 'I'd like to remind you of a song. Soon we shall again have work', singer Vasko Krapkata said on the mike and began singing: 'When the BCP falls, I don't want to be at the bottom lest it will fall on me.' 'I don't say good bye, but 'see you later till the coming of better days', Stoyanov said, climbed down the platform and again joined the people where discordant voices shouted 'Peter, you'll come back again!'

Standartnews

Bulgarians will have the right to carry only a single gun for self-defence, Interior Minister Georgy Petkanov said in an interview for 'Standart'. He said, that the citizens have too many guns and that the illegal weapons should be taken by all possible means. To the minister the inquiry is not functioning, cases from 1993 are frozen.

Standartnews

A scandal broke out in Tsarevo after it became clear that staff would be appointed for a refugee camp in the resort. Yesterday Mayor Daniel Kolev announced of a secret plan of the military for bases in Bourgas district where refugees from Afghanistan will be admitted. Leaflets, like 'Welcome, Taliban' are already being circulated in the small town.

Standartnews

Dilyana Dimitrova

NPP to be closed down two years earlier. The Third and Fourth Reactors closed in 2006, PM Saxe-Coburg-Gotha announced.

Bulgaria will knuckle under to the European Commission's demand and will close down Reactors III and IV of 'Kozloduy' NPP in 2006, PM Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha said yesterday. Under the agreement, signed by Ivan Kostov in 1999, Sofia took the commitment for the decommission of Reactors I and II by end-2002. As difficult as it may look, I would make our best to keep up the term. The Nuclear Power Plant is an extremely sensitive topic for the whole Europe. These are key commitments, Premier elaborated, after his meeting with his Greek counterpart - Costas Simitis. This time won't be any compromise, the terms are to be observed, Dimitar Kalchev - State Administration's Minister, confirmed.

Standartnews

By Ashleigh Graf

Police continue to investigate Sunday night's robbery and shooting that ended in the death of one Syracuse University student. The suspect was described as a black man in his early 20s, about 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds. The man wore a dark-colored mask and carried a silver handgun and a dark-colored gym bag with white lettering, said police spokesman Sgt. Dave Sackett.

SU spokesman Kevin Morrow said police told him the suspect entered the home of two SU students at 324 Ostrom Ave. at about 7 p.m. through the unlocked front door. The suspect then asked all three men in the apartment - one was a resident of the home, the other two were visiting from Westchester County - to empty their pockets and give him all their money. The other resident of the apartment was not home during the incident, Morrow said. Simeon Popov, a deliverer for Dorian's Gourmet Pizza and Deli on Westcott Street, came to the apartment to deliver food the occupants had ordered earlier that evening, Morrow said. The suspect asked Popov into the Campus Hill-owned apartment. Popov did not seem to know what was happening and tried to leave, Morrow said. "It was just a case of the unfortunate man being in the wrong place at the wrong time," Morrow said. The suspect then spun Popov around and pointed the gun at his chest, Morrow said. When the suspect pulled the trigger, nothing happened. The suspect then pointed the gun at Popov's head and shot and killed him, Morrow said. The man then fled the apartment.

Nick DelPozo, a junior television, radio and film major, said he came back to his apartment, across the parking lot from the incident, at about 6:45 p.m. While speaking with his mother on the phone, he said he heard a sound outside. "It happens around here a lot that someone drives over a beer bottle, and it just makes a loud pop," he said. When he left his home moments later, a crowd had gathered around Popov, who was lying in the doorway across the lot. Rural Metro Ambulance transported Popov to University Hospital, 750 E. Adams St., where he was pronounced dead, according to hospital officials. Police roped off the area and still continue to watch the apartment, which is considered a crime scene. A patrol car is parked outside and detectives are still questioning residents who live in a two-to-three-block radius. During the questioning Sunday night, officers asked if students knew of any "dope" deals in the area. The incident seemed to be random, Sackett said. But Morrow said police were still investigating whether it was planned.

A concerned community.

About 15 university officials gathered Sunday night to discuss how they would inform Popov's parents, who live in Bulgaria, about their son's death. Popov, who resided at 143 Redfield Place, was a graduate student in the Setnor School of Music in the College of Visual and Performing Arts and is originally from Sofia, Bulgaria. The 27-year-old was an only child. He had worked for Dorian's for only two days.

Patricia Burak, director of the International Students Office, said she tried through the night to reach his parents, Georgi and Krasimira. The mother of another Bulgarian student was able to speak with them before Burak and told them about the incident, Burak said. At about 11:30 a.m. Monday, Burak finally spoke with the parents - first with the aid of another Bulgarian student. She then spoke to them in Russian, a language in which both were fluent. She said the body will be sent back to Bulgaria and the parents do not plan to visit the United States. Officials also tried to speak with friends and professors of the student, said Mary Jo Custer, director of the Office of Student Assistance. Custer helped with a meeting the Setnor school hosted for students who wanted to find out what happened. About 50 students attended.

"It wasn't just students - you could tell it was family," Custer said. The office is also helping plan a memorial service that is tentatively scheduled for 1 p.m. Thursday in the Crouse Hall auditorium. Representatives from the counseling center and chaplains are on call 24 hours a day. Custer also helped the students who live at 324 Ostrom Ave. The students had the option of staying in a residence hall or a hotel, she said. Director of the Parent's Office Colleen O'Connor Bench said she set aside rooms for the students and their families to stay in the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel and Conference Center at 801 University Ave. None of the affected students have checked into the hotel, she said.

Bench has also fielded many questions from concerned parents about campus safety. The situation is difficult, though, because the robbery happened off campus, she said. "As sensitively as I can, I'm reminding them that we don't own that property," Bench said. She is working with Campus Hill Apartments to quell parental fears and help students remain safe, she added. Michael Sullivan, operations manager for Campus Hill, said he too has told parents and students that Campus Hill is doing all it can to assure the area is safe. Sullivan said he did not want to comment too much about the situation because the police investigation was not completed. "Our primary concern right now is with the two students that live in that apartment," he said.

Police will be patrolling the area. And SU Department of Public Safety Chief Marlene Hall, who began work last week, said she is speaking with Syracuse police Chief Dennis Duval about the Neighborhood Patrol. The NP is an initiative for police and Public Safety to patrol the university area on Friday and Saturday nights - when most students are in the neighborhoods. It was also in effect Sunday night because of the long weekend for students. The NP does not include 324 Ostrom Ave. in its route, but could in the future, Hall said. The incident also happened before the patrol begins at 8 p.m. But Morrow said he is not sure the NP would even have helped the situation, other than creating a greater police presence in the area. "If someone is in a private residence committing a crime and the police are outside, they might not know what is going on," he said. "We live in a city. And as we all know, there is crime."

Standartnews

Intergovernmental Bulgarian - Russian commission to sit from February 21 in Sofia.

Moscow, Pavlina Zhekova, special correspondent of 'Standart

'We've reached political agreement on resolving the problem with Russia's debt to Bulgaria,' Minister of Economy Nikolay Vassilev said yesterday a few minutes after his meeting with Alexey Kudrin - Vice-Premier and Finance Minister of the Russian Federation. Working groups, chaired by finance deputy-ministers of both states, began negotiations on debt's clearing.

Russia's liability to Bulgaria is worth some $100 million. Under preliminary contract one part of it will be paid back through spare parts for our aviation and 'Kremikovtsi'. So far, however, no share of the debt had been covered. Moscow insisted the debt payment to be bound also with the Russian realty in Bulgaria, but to Minister Vassilev, that issue was already out of the agenda.

Russia accepted our term that the liability won't be bound with the property upon the realties. Credit line of $10 million on modernization of 'Kozloduy' NPP will be launched, Russian Vice-Premier said on his part. Issues about Russian participation in the privatization in tourism, energetics and banks, about the visa regime and opening of new consulate offices in Russia, were also debated.

Standartnews

Mesut Yilmaz insists to reduce the transit tariffs for carriers and the tax upon the yeast.

BELCHO TSANEV

Bulgaria to join the Turkish - Romanian agreement on transit of natural gas, Turkish Vice-Premier Mesut Yilmaz called on yesterday. He arrived for the 14th session's opening of the Bulgarian - Turkish committee on economic and technical cooperation. The matter in hand is about transit of some 30 billion cub.m natural gas from the deposits in Iran, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan via the territories of Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania to the Western Europe. That is the only possible way for the 'blue' fuel to reach several states on the Balkans and Central Europe.

Yilmaz called on Sofia to cut off the transit tariffs for Turkish cars. He demanded also the import tax on the Turkish yeast to be reduced from 68 percent down to 20 percent, as much as it is within the European Union.
Kostadin Paskalev - co-president of the committee, urged Turkish companies to take part in the privatization of BTC, 'Biochim' trade bank and 'Bulgartabak'.

INTERVIEW Standartnews: Penyo Grozev

If there is pressure the case will be discredited, says lawyer Penyo Grozev.

BOGDANA LAZAROVA

- Mr Grozev, how did Stefan Sofiyanski choose you to defend him?

- I don't know Mr Sofiyanski in person. Some time ago I pursued three claims of the 'Triaditsa' region. But the legal body is Sofia Municipality. I've concluded a contract for legal assistance with the 'Triaditsa' region. I do it for free, out of my good will. My commitment and loyalty to the municipality proved of decisive significance.

- What did the Sofia mayor demand from you?

- In the first place Mr Sofiyanski asked me to lodge the two complaints in court. One of them concerns a change of the bail to turn it into a more alleviated one, and the other one - the cancellation of the decree by which he was brought to court as a defendant. It has been done. Now we are waiting for the court to deliver judgment. In the meantime the inquiry has been going on, with inquisition procedures being carried out.

- In your view, is the claim of the prosecution office that the mayor had circumvented the Municipality Council substantiated?

- Don't expect me to comment on the case because it is an inquisition secret. However, even at first glance the documents make it clear that the procedure has been strictly observed. It is obvious that there have been no violations. Just the opposite. My impressions are of a very strict and detailed, even pedantic observance of the provisions of the law and of a very serious attitude to the procedure.

- The economic cases are the gravest. Don't you fear this?

- Some years ago, for a long time I occupied myself with mismanagement. Being a lecturer in the 'Criminology' Department of the Higher School of the IM I had also been engaged in a special elaboration on the above crimes in office. The matter is familiar to me.

- Mr Grozev, what tactics would you recommend to Stefan Sofiyanski?

- I'd recommend the tactics after Mr Sofiyanski and I have jointly discussed things. If the investigation has indeed been initiated following pressure on the part of certain politicians, I can well claim that it will benefit the defence. If a case has been initiated by non-procedural means and when it is not based on the law, but on other factors, the trial will be discredited. And a discredited trial has always been in favor of the defence of the accused. Things being as they are there won't be a court to pronounce an unfavorable verdict. If the trial is conducted under the pressure of politicians, economic and financial institutions, this will cast a shadow on the objectivity of the trial.

BTA

Prime Minister Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Confers with Turkish Deputy PM Yilmaz.

Sofia, January 23 (BTA) - Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha met with Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, the Council of Ministers' Information and Public Relations Directorate wrote in a press release Wednesday. Ahead of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's visit to Bulgaria, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Yilmaz reviewed Bulgarian-Turkish relations.

"We agreed that bilateral relations are very good and are developing positively," Yilmaz said after the meeting. The two considered relaxed terms of transit for Turkish-registered TIR trucks via Bulgaria, the PR Directorate said. Yilmaz is in Sofia in his capacity as Co-Chairman of the Joint Bulgarian-Turkish Intergovernmental Committee on Economic and Technological Cooperation.

BTA

First Foreign Visit of New Bulgarian President Purvanov will be to Brussels.

Sofia, January 22 (BTA) - President Georgi Purvanov's first foreign visit as Head of State will be to Brussels on February 5 and 6, Purvanov's Foreign Policy Secretary Georgi Dimitrov said after a meeting on Tuesday between the new Bulgarian President and Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis. Already at the start of January Purvanov said that his first foreign visit will be to Brussels which he stressed is a sign for Bulgaria's European and Euro-Atlantic orientation. On February 7 Purvanov, who was inaugurated on Tuesday, will be in Strasbourg, Dimitrov said. The delegation will include cabinet members and MPs.