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Daredevils Dived into Icy Waters to Take the Cross Out. Eight young men fought for the cross thrown by Innocent from the Synod headed by Pimen into the pond in "Druzhba" residential district on St. Jordan's Day. Todor Turnov (24) took it from the icy water for a second year in a row. 26 men were willing to dive into the pond but doctors allowed only 9 of them. The rite was performed all over the country despite the cold. Only on Rousse it was suspended because of the frozen Danube river. Photo Kiril Konstantinov

Macedonian orthodox Archbishop Stefan, left, gives Communion to a priest during an orthodox Christmas service at the cathedral church St. Clement in Macedonia's capital Skopje, Macedonia, Monday, Jan 7, 2002. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)

Christmas In Macedonia. Head of the Macedonian Orthodox Church Archbishop Stefan (L) blesses a woman during Christmas mass at St. Kliment church in Skopje, January 7. cEPA

An unidentified girl lights candles in front of St. Sava church while celebrating Orthodox Christmas Eve in Belgrade on Monday, Jan. 7, 2002. Orthodox believers in Yugoslavia celebrate Christmas by the Julian calendar. (AP Photo/Mikica Petrovic)

Palestinian Elias Fashho, 13, member of the Palestinian Greek Orthodox community stands, as he holds two candles during the mass to celebrate Christmas Eve at the Greek Orthodox Church in Gaza City, Monday, Jan. 7, 2002. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Russian Tamara Smirnova places a candle during a Christmas service in the Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow, Monday, Jan. 7, 2002. On Jan. 7, Christmas is celebrated in Russia according to the Russian Orthodox religious calendar, which runs two weeks behind the calendar used in the West. (AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel)

An elderly woman, identified as Raisa, no second name available, reads a psalm during a Christmas service in the Chechen capital Grozny, Monday, Jan. 7, 2002. In Grozny, the capital of war-plagued Chechnya, the local Russian Orthodox church has been largely wrecked by gunfire and only a small service was planned, the news agency ITAR-Tass reported. (AP Photo / Musa Sadulayev)

Russian President Vladimir Putin smiles with an unidentified girl during a visit to an orphanage in St.Nicholas monastery on the Orthodox Christmas day in the Russian city of Maloyaroslavets, January 7, 2002. Russian Orthodox believers celebrate Christmas by the Julian calendar, which has a difference of two weeks to the Gregorian calendar. REUTERS/ITAR-TASS/KREMLIN PRESS SERVICE

Russian President Vladimir Putin stands with schoolchildren during his visit to a school on the Orthodox Chistmas day in the Russian city of Maloyaroslavets January 7, 2002. Russian Orthodox believers celebrate Christmas by the Julian calendar, which has a difference of two weeks to the Gregorian calendar. REUTERS/ITAR-TASS/KREMLIN PRESS

The giant Christ the Savior Cathedral dominates the skyline of downtown Moscow, Monday, Jan. 7, 2002 as Russians mark Christmas Day. The Russian and other eastern Orthodox churches adhere to the Julian calendar in which Christmas is celebrated Jan. 6 and 7 by the Western calender. (AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel)

MIA

Tetovo, 7 January: According to the spokesman of the governmental Coordinate Crisis Management Body, Zoran Tanevski, 31 volleys of fire and 136 shots were registered during the night in Tetovo. Around 0020 [2320 gmt] on Monday [7 January] morning the Albanian terrorists from Tetovo Teke attacked the police post in Zicarnica settlement in Tetovo.

The Macedonian security forces responded to the attack and no casualties were registered in their lines. The same post was attacked again after half an hour from Rasadiste locality near Tetovo-Popova Sapka Road and from Stipska Street but the security forces did not respond.

According to Tanevski, the mixed police patrols entered again into Neraste village, as the blockades set by the local residents were lifted. The patrols are also present in Merovo, Cerovo, Lesok, Neprosteno, Tearce, Glogji, Otusiste, Odri and Dobroste villages.

The patrols have not entered into Teke settlement yet, where it is believed that strongholds of the Albanian terrorists are found. OSCE, EU and NATO monitoring missions have refused to accompany the Macedonian police patrols in that region.

MIA

After the government's session on Monday, Macedonian Minister of Finance Nikola Gruevski said that the Government would discuss on the changes and supplements to the Law on foreign currency bank savings at its next session.

Minister Gruevski added that most of the citizens were not aware that all banks guarantee their savings, i.e. 90% for the savings up to 7,500 and 100% for the savings up to 1,500.

"As a result to what is happening in Serbia, the citizens withdraw their money from the banks," Minister Gruevski said, adding that something like that, i.e. bankrupt of the banks, could not happen in Macedonia.

Gruevski reported that at the government approved the draft-law for insurance supervision.

At today's session, chaired by Prime Minister Ljubcho Georgievski, the Macedonian Government discussed on and adopted a draft-law on insurance supervision, which is in compliance with the standards of the International Association of Insurance Supervisors.

The draft, according to the European Union standards, regulates issuing of permission for dealing with insurance activities, introduction of new insurance classes and changing of the status of insurance companies. The draft also regulates transborder insurance activities, the rights and responsibilities of management and supervising bodies, paying special attention to insurance companies' capability for risk management.

The Government overviewed and adopted a report on establishment of a Electric Power Regional Competitive Market in the Southeastern Europe, which will assist in improving of infrastructure links in SEE and in reconstructing of the national industrial facilities by the European Union, bringing the region closer to political and economic course of Europe. Many projects within the SEE Stability Pact are also connected with the establishment of this center, which includes Macedonia, Albania, Croatia, Bosnia and Yugoslavia. The EU and foreign donors will finance these projects. The Ministry of Economy and the Electric Power Supply Company of Macedonia are appointed by the Government to continue with their activities related to establishing of the regional center.

Standartnews

Doctors warned a 65-year-old man against diving in the iced pond for the cross.

Silvia Nikolova

The water for the Epiphany consecration in the "St. Alexander Nevski" Square got frozen yesterday, when Patriarch Maxim recited the Holy Epiphany Mass in the cathedral. Premier Saxe-Coburg-Gotha also attended the service. Chairman of Parliament, Ognyan Gerdzhikov also came for the ceremony of water consecration. The Premier recited Credo from the chancel. President Stoyanov came only to parade the troops. He explained that according to the protocol the head of state is not obliged to attend the religious service. The President greeted Patriarch Maxim and kissed the Cross. Maxim sprinkled him with holy water. Stoyanov first shook hands with Gerdzhikov and them with the PM. Father Innocent from the Synod of Metropolitan Pimen hurled the Cross in the pond in "Drouzhba" residential district. For the second time a 24-year-old Todor Tournov took the Cross out.

(ML)

Standartnews

Bulgaria to Export 4 Bln kWth Power to Turkey in 2002. Negotiations with Greece on New Border Checkpoints.

Victoria Seraphimova
Galin Plahoichev

This year, Bulgaria will export 4 billion kWth electric power to Turkey in compliance with an intergovernmental agreement, Mityo Hristozov, member of the board of the National Electrical Company, said. The contract on export for Turkey is an integral pat of the agreement on constructing the "Gorna Arda" cascade, which will be updated as soon as possible. By end-month, Turkey's PM Bulent Ecevit is to pay a visit to Bulgaria and discuss the project together with his Bulgarian counterpart Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. For now, no changes of the price on the electricity exported to Turkey have been discussed. It is 4.2 cents per kWth. On January 22, Greece's PM Costas Simitis is to pay a visit to Bulgaria and meet his counterpart Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. One of the main issues to be discussed is establishing new border checkpoints on the Bulgarian-Greece borderline.

(ML)

Standartnews

Vladislava Peeva

"Save 50 percent of your money in $ US and Euros," a Bulgarian deputy minister appealed. It was a shock, for it was the Finance Deputy Minister. And he is in charge of the currency board, at that. Krassimir Katev obviously got oblivious of the fact that he was representing the executive power, rather than being an investment broker, advising a company. What should common Bulgarians think if, according to the National Statics Institute, in 2001 they could afford to save only 0.50 levs and spent almost all their means for their living. Should they rush off to the exchange offices as soon as receiving their wages, to secure their earnings? Such advices are dangerous. Because Bulgarian mentality is amenable to them and often takes them literally. Even the trainee economists know that if the demand increases, the prices of the goods in short supply, are up. Which, respectively, will have its effect on the exchange rates and, of course, it is the lev to be affected and its devaluation looks quite possible. Maybe, the picture is too gloomy, but this is not the purpose, Mr Katev, is it? How is Mr Katev to excuse himself now when Argentina ghosts all over the world? And the investors are watching closely the countries with currency boards. So, Milen Velchev should know better and tighten his grip over his subordinates and explain to them that it is one thing to capitalize on Eurobonds, and another - on the fears of the people.

Standartnews

The new supervisory board of the mobile operator will include 4 members, chairman will be Dr Yozef Taus.

To acquire 'MobilTel' JSC, a new company - 'Mobiltel Holding GMBH' seated in Viena, Austria has been established.

The Supervisory Board will be appointed by the end of January. The participants in 'Mobiltel Holding GMBH' plan to complete the deal by the beginning of February at the latest. The number of the group of Austrian investors who are to acquire 100% of the shares of 'MobilTel' JSC has been specified, the company press center announced as quoted by the BTA.

These are:

1. "Management Trust Holding AG", joint stock company based in Vienna, which represents an industrial financial group investing in industry, managing private funds and carrying out consulting activity in Austria and Germany.

Chairman of the Supervisory Board is Prof. Fritz Paschke, the company will be represented by Joseph Taus;

2. Family fund of the family of Joseph Taus;

3. "Kordt und Partner", Austria-based financial company headed by Dr. Herbert Kordt, partner, former member of the Managing Board in Post Bank of Austria and Hypofereincbank;

4. 'BAVAK - PSK' - the bank ranking third in Austria, which is owned by 'Bayerische Landes Bank' (the bank is owned by the government of Bavaria) and the Austrian trade unions;

5. 'MC - Privat Stiftung' - a family trust of the Schlaff family.
For the purchase of the 'MobilTel' a new venture - 'MobilTel Holding GMBH' with headquarters in Vienna, Austria, was created.

BTA announced that next week the above mentioned participants will divide the shares between themselves. After that the new venture will be nominated before the regulatory body for 100% of the shares of 'MobilTel'.

So far, the State Telecommunications Commission has not been informed, BTA maintains.

The members of the Supervisory Board have been specified: Dr Josef Taus - chairman, Peter Nakovits (Representative of the BAVAK - PSK) - deputy chairman, Dr Herbert Kordt and James Schlaff.

The members of the Supevisory Board will be appointed by end-January. The participants of MobilTel Holding GMBH intend to close the deal in early February at the latest.

Standartnews

Stephan Kioutchukov

A foreign bank is to promote the Bulgaria's state-owned assets to be listed for privatization against compensatory vouchers, "Standart" learnt yesterday. In this way, the experts from the Ministry of the Economy expect to stir up the interest of foreign portfolio investors in the shares of the state-run enterprises. To 5 percent of the BTC assets will be offered for privatization and between 10 and 15 percent of those of some other big ventures, with Bulgartabak, DSK (State Saving Bank), BMF (Bulgarian Marine), BRP (Bulgarian River Navigation) and the Thermal Power Plants among them, Valentin Hristov, co-chairman of the Association of the Owners of Compensatory Vouchers, said. By end-January the price of the vouchers could up from the now 20 percent of the par to more than 30 percent, he forecasts.

(ML)

Standartnews

In January 8.50 levs per child will be paid, the double allowances are expected in February at the earliest.

Diliana Dimitrova

"The family allowances will be paid in a month at the earliest," Hristina Hristova, Deputy Social Minister said yesterday for "Standart". It means that in January the aids will remain the same (8.5), and will be allotted to every family having children. The new version envisages the aids to up to 15 levs, but only families with incomes not exceeding 150 levs per capita will be allotted the allowances. "We are not able to introduce the new allowances antedated, though they are due to be paid along with the February wages," Hristiana Hristova elaborated. It's possible that the parliamentary procedure should postpone the raise until March.

(ML)

Standartnews

Huge ice blocks crash the pontoons and marking.

Tsvetelina Dontcheva

All ships that do not have to float in harbor will be tucked away in special winter "hangars" in ports, said chief of the agency for study and maintenance of the Danube, engineer Georgi Georgiev. Sources from the Bulgarian River Navigation informed that they have already started to put away their ships. The situation along the river is still critical, but the Emergency Situations Commission has not taken the final decision to stop the navigation completely. Drifting ice in the Bulgarian sector of the Danube - from Novo Selo to Silistra - blocks 30 to 70 percent of the river. The situation is disastrous in the upper reaches of the Danube, too. Ice blocks are building up there. The water level moves upwards, which to a certain degree may prevent the formation of new bigger ice blocks.

(ML)

Standartnews

Bogdana Lazarova

Families of the children perished in the "Indigo" disco club will sue the state, said their lawyer, Marin Markovski. He will represent them as private indictors and initiators of the penal case. The parents will also initiate civic suits under the Obligations and Contracts Act. They will demand to be paid 100,000 levs per child in "blood money". The suit will be against the Youth and Sports Agency, the disco's owner, the license-holder firm and Sofia municipality. All will be charged with criminal negligence and culpable omission.

(MG)

Standartnews

Elena Yaneva

Newly chosen President Georgy Parvanov will take an oath before Patriarch Maxim when taking office, became clear yesterday. It will happen at an exclusive festive sitting in the Parliament on January 19. 'I haven't received the invitation officially yet, but I won't reject it', Patriarch Maxim said yesterday. Present head of state Peter Stoyanov was blessed five years ago by Bishop Pimen from the alternative synod

(PY)

Standartnews

Bogdana Lazarova

Another Penal Code should be urgently adopted, while the rest of the laws need to be revised, said parliamentary chairman Ognyan Gerdzhikov in BNR's 'Sunday 150' program yesterday. The now existing Penal Code is dated to 1968, it has been amended many times, it is all patches, he explained. The European Union has many recommendations concerning our judicial system and it is stuffed up, as it is - the cases delayed for years are more than 53 000, Mr Gerdzhikov added. This month we'll submit the most urgent amendments to the PC - on crimes in the Internet, infant pornography and the electronic signature, commented deputy justice minister Mario Dimitrov.

(SB)

Standartnews

Bogdana Lazarova

The Ministry of Justice is considering amendments to the Code of Criminal Law and the Family Code, aiming to secure more efficient protection for children, Deputy Minister Mario Dimitrov said for "Standart". Now, the Code of Criminal Law envisage to one year of imprisonment for those parents who do not take care of their children or maltreat them. "These text, however, are not working and used in practice," Dimitrov elaborated. The Children Protection Agency will be granted greater powers. It will be authorized to submit directly to court claims for depriving of parental rights and to apply sanctions against those parents and teachers who do not take care of their children.

(ML)

Standartnews

Passy: We Opened Doors Which Stayed Closed for Ten Years.

Tehran invites Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to an official visit.

Tehran, Maxim Minchev,
exclusively for 'Standart'

Bulgarian construction companies and tobacco experts will take part in projects in Iran. This was negotiated during the visit of Foreign Minister Solomon Passy in Tehran, which ended yesterday. Iran has provided $100 billion in a special fund for infrastructural projects, in which our builders will be invited as subcontractors. Our experts in the sphere of the information technologies for tobacco manufacturing and cigarette production are invited. Yesterday Foreign Minister Solomon Passy met Minister of Roads and Transport of Iran A. Horam and the ambassadors of the EU and NATO membering countries in Tehran. We restored many stable contacts and opened doors that with no reason at all stood closed for 10 years, Foreign Minister said before starting for Sofia. The Iranian government invited Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to visits Tehran, Solomon Passy said. Before that similar invitation was addressed to new Bulgarian President Georgy Parvanov.

(PY)

INTERVIEW Standartnews: Kyril Gotsev

I found almost no cash, says Kyril Gotsev, in charge of the state television.

NADELINA ANEVA

- Mr Gotsev, did you write down the so called White Book on the Bulgarian National Television (BNT)?

- We've been writing it. In my opinion, as far as BNT is concerned the White Book should include many volumes. I found almost no cash and a poorly conducted advertising strategy.

- Will you undertake to change the tariffs and thus draw customers?

- We've already published the new rules for advertising. For the time being we won't launch any drastic changes for the simple reason that as of February we begin introducing the so called program assessment rating points which are connected with advertising. With the introduction of this system any questions of tariffs and zones will automatically drop out. If a program enjoys a high rating, there will be money and everything will be clear.

- You said you were ready to invite Elena Yoncheva and other prominent journalists to the BNT again. When will you do it?

- Elena and I are friends. We've known each other for many years. This, by the way, is one of my 'problems' because I've known many people for a long time. And I have shaped up my opinion of them. Yet, I'm not a host to invite guests.

- Don't you think that the dismissed journalists like Elena Yoncheva should return with dignity?

- Elena Yoncheva is an asserted journalist. But she isn't fond of sitting behing a desk. She enjoys being in various places, even if possible - in several places at a time. I'm well aware of what she dreams. I'll try to provide it for her. We've already talked about it. I'll also try to draw some other journalists although BNT can't offer them anything too much. The salaries are but ridiculously low.

(abridged)

(SB)

INTERVIEW Standartnews: Plamen Ivanov

We failed to cope with the double task - to be in power and establish ourselves as a party, says the chief secretary of the UDF Plamen Ivanov.

ELENA YANEVA

- Mr Ivanov, why did the UDF leadership decide to launch a referendum on the new statutes and program of the party? Isn't it an internal party problem?

- The idea is for the referendum to reach not only the UDF members but our supporters as well. In a word, all who care about what's going on within the UDF. And who want to help us by their opinions and ideas about the party's future.

- When will the results be summed up and will they be made public?

- I hope that this will happen by the end of January. I can't give you a precise date. We launch such a referendum for the very first time and have no experience as yet. I hope that this will become a permanent form of work within the UDF.

- Which are the basic questions in the poll?

- There are two key issues which concern the changes in the statutes and the party program. I suppose that taking part in the discussion on the statutes will be mainly UDF members because it is an internal party problem. However, concerning the program, we expect ideas and proposals from a wide range of supporters and voters.

- The UDF leadership has been blamed for being a totalitarian party and this fact underlies the very statutes. Will the amendments to the law of the parties change the present statusquo?

- It is a fact that being a young political force the UDF committed itself to ruling Bulgaria at a rather trying period for this country. Along with it a process of turning the UDF from a coalition into a party was going on. Obviously we didn't manage to cope well with both tasks. The referendum provides a chance to everyone of our members to propose changes which will be summed up and submitted to the national conference of the UDF this March.

- Will the conference assess the UDF rule and the results from the parliamentary and presidential elections?

- At the forthcoming conference the UDF doesn't plan to commit hara-kiri. The aim is to build the party future and not look back at the past. However, I don't want you to think that we want to shun the balance. It is obvious that the UDF rule was successful. The lost elections are a fact too. Despite the successful rule we couldn't appeal well enough as a political force in order that the people trust us. It is a fact and why happened so can be answered in many ways.

(SB)

SRNA

Bujanovac, 7 January: Several rounds of firearms shots were registered at police checkpoints in the village of Miratovac, in Presevo municipality [southern Serbia], at around 1000 a.m. [0900 gmt - time as received] coming from the direction of Macedonia, according to a press release issued today by the government's press centre in Bujanovac.

Several isolated firearms shots could be heard from the same location at around 1910 [1810 gmt].

The same source has confirmed that several short rounds of shots fired from infantry weaponry could be heard yesterday between 1420 [1320 gmt] and 2015 [1920 gmt] from the centre of Dobrosin in Bujanovac municipality, which is 500 metres away from the administrative line with Kosovo-Metohija.

Several rounds of shots were also registered by the police at the Terce security point in Presevo municipality, on the road from Presevo to Gnjilane, coming from the direction of Kosovo-Metohija.