February 26 2003 at 10:35 AM No score for this post
(Login TsarSamuil) Forum Owner from IP address 212.181.9.227
BULGARIA - SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO - VISIT.
Sofia, February 28 (BTA) - The Foreign Minister of Serbia and Montenegro Goran Svilanovic will pay a working visit to Bulgaria on February 28, Bulgarian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lyubomir Todorov told journalists Tuesday.
The visit is connected to the end of Serbia and Montenegro's chairmanship of the South Eastern Europe Cooperation Process (SEECP).
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There's another thread called BULGARIA - YUGOSLAVIA, but since Yugoslavia is officially gone, I decided to make a new thread. The state of Serbia & Montenegro don't have a new flag, so that's why I chose the yugo flag for now.
Foreign Minister of Serbia and Montenegro Svilanovic Arrives on Working Visit.
Sofia, February 27 (BTA) - The Foreign Minister of Serbia and Montenegro Goran Svilanovic arrived on a working visit Thursday afternoon, said the Foreign Ministry press office.
The visit is connected to the end of Serbia and Montenegro's chairmanship of the South Eastern Europe Cooperation Process (SEECP).
Svilanovic is scheduled to confer with President Georgi Purvanov, Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Foreign Minister Solomon Passy.
Sofia, February 28 (BTA) - The Foreign Ministers of Bulgaria and Serbia and Montenegro - Solomon Passy and Goran Svilanovic, signed Friday a Joint Statement on accelerated development of a joint project on transborder transport infrastructure under Pan-European Transport Corridor X to link Western and Eastern Europe.
Passy and Svilanovic stressed the need for a meeting at expert level on the upcoming implementation of projects for the electrification, reconstruction and modernization of the Sofia-Nis railway and the building of the Sofia-Nis motorway.
The two sides agreed to present their preliminary studies to the leading group on infrastructure of the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe, to the donor countries and to the international financial institutions.
Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic is on a working visit to Bulgaria in connection with the completion of Serbia and Montenegro's presidency of te Process of Cooperation in South-Eastern Europe.
Svilanovic was received by President Georgi Purvanov and Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.
This message has been edited by TsarSamuil from IP address 212.181.9.227 on Mar 4, 2003 3:29 PM
Public Works Minister Tserovski Meets Serbian Counterpart Sumarac in Belgrade on Saturday.
Sofia, March 16 (BTA) - Bulgarian Regional Development and Public Works Minister Valentin Tserovski met in Belgrade Saturday with Serbian Urban Planning and Construction Minister Dragoslav Sumarac, BTA learnt from the press centre of Tserovski's Ministry. Tserovski represents the Government on a Bulgarian state delegation to the funeral of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic.
At the meeting, the two ministers discussed cross-border cooperation, stressing the construction of the Sofia-Nis motorway. Sumarac informed his Bulgarian counterpart that the Serbian side will soon be ready with the design of the stretch of the road from Nis to the border. The two agreed to meet in April in order to specify the next steps in the implementation of this project.
Bulgarian PM Meets President of Serbia and Montenegro.
Strasbourg, April 3 (BTA spec. corr. Atanas Matev) - Bulgarian Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha met Thursday the President of Serbia and Montenegro Svetozar Marovic who is in Strasbourg for the accession of Serbia and Montenegro to the Council of Europe. Bulgarian Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha is in Strasbourg to address the spring session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).
The one-to-one meeting discussed a number of Balkan issues. The two sides decided to cooperate closely in enhancing both the image of the region and of the people living in it, President Marovic told BTA.
The meeting also discussed Trans-European Corridor X which is important both for Bulgaria and for Serbia and Montenegro and the introduction of Schengen regulations in Serbia and Montenegro, Marovic said, adding that he expects the visit of the Bulgarian President to Belgrade for a conference on April 9 to be instrumental to the further promotion of bilateral relations.
Bulgarian Minority in Serbia, Montenegro Elected National Council.
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May 12 2003, 9:53 AM
Bulgarian Minority in Serbia, Montenegro Elected National Council.
Novinite.com
Politics: 11 May 2003, Sunday.
A 21-member National Council of the Bulgarian Minority in Serbia and Montenegro was elected on Saturday for a four-year term of office.
In the words of Nebojsha Ivanov, chairman of the cultural information center of the Bulgarian community in Dimitrovgrad (Tsaribrod), the council is expected to solve problems in the field of education, culture and media.
More than 100 representatives of the Bulgarian community from Belgrade, Nis, Dimitrovgrad (Tsaribrod), Babusnica, Vrane, Belo Blato and Ivanovo attended the meeting.
Former Bulgarian president greeted the participants, describing the event as a landmark.
The group of Bulgarian guests at the meeting included Deputy Foreign Minister Petko Draganov, Bulgarian Ambassador in Belgrade Yani Milchakov, and representatives of the Agency for Bulgarians Abroad.
National Council to Represent Bulgarian Minority in Serbia, Montenegro before Statutory Authorities.
Nis, May 10 (BTA correspondent Teodora Encheva) - A 21-member National Council of the Bulgarian Minority in Serbia and Montenegro was elected on Saturday following a four-hour debate. Its term in office is four years.
According to the newly adopted Minorities Act, the National Council is a body representing the Bulgarian minority before the statutory authorities of Serbia and Montenegro. At its first meeting the National Council will elect a chairman who will stay in office four years.
More than 100 representatives of the Bulgarian community, called "electors", attended the meeting. They came from various parts of Serbia and Montenegro, including Belgrade, Nis, Dimitrovgrad (Tsaribrod), Babusnica, Vrane, Belo Blato and Ivanovo, and each one of them was elected by at least 100 ethnic Bulgarians with permanent residence in Serbia and Montenegro, which was confirmed by their personal signature.
Delivering a greeting speech, former Bulgarian president Peter Stoyanov described the election of a National Council of the Bulgarian Minority in Serbia and Montenegro as a historical landmark. In his words, at the beginning of the 21st century, what is good for Serbia and Montenegro is good for Bulgaria, too. Stoyanov thanked the authorities for their good attitude towards the Bulgarian minority in the last few years.
The group of Bulgarian guests at the meeting included Deputy Foreign Minister Petko Draganov, Bulgarian Ambassador in Belgrade Yani Milchakov, and representatives of the Agency for Bulgarians Abroad.
Opening the electoral meeting, Slobodan Sotirov, the oldest delegate, demanded to name the culprits for the situation of the Bulgarian national minority in the last 30 or 40 years.
Sofia, June 2 (BTA) - Serbo-Montenegrin Defence Minister Boris Tadic will make an official visit to Bulgaria on June 6 at the invitation of his counterpart Nikolai Svinarov, BTA learned from the Defence Ministry.
For 3 days two Bulgarian ships have been detained in the Serbian port of Bezden, shipowners from Vidin announced. Dimo Toshev's 'Fortuna' is transporting 15 harvesters for Bulgaria. The loaded ship of Bulgarian River Navigation 'Vassil Aprilov' waits there, too.
Bulgarian interested in leasing Niksic steel mill.
11:54 NIKSIC , August 6 (Tanjug) - A Bulgarian company is interested in leasing the blooming rolling mill and the 60-ton UHP furnace of the Niksic steel mill, Tanjug learns.
The negotiations are in progress, and if an agreement is reached the lease will be effective as of the second half of August.
Bulgarian president to visit Belgrade in November.
20:06 SOFIJA , Aug 31 (Tanjug) - At the invitation of Serbia-Montenegro President Svetozar Marovic, Bulgarian President Georgi Prvanov will pay an official visit to Belgrade in November, the Bulgarian national radio said on Saturday. It is pointed out that for the last dozen years, the visit will be that on the highest level, agreed on at a bilateral meeting between the two countries' presidents on the sidelines of the Ohrid forum on Dialogue Between Civilisations, which gathered eight presidents of the Balkan countries and numerous ranking officials of international organisations.
10:02 SOFIA , Sept 25 (Tanjug) - Serbian Premier Zoran Zivkovic announced on Wednesday that a construction of the Nis-Sofia highway may be expected to begin next March.
In an interview with Bulgaria's state news agency BTA on the eve of his visit to Bulgaria, scheduled for Friday, Zivkovic said that he had already held talks with representatives of the U.S.-Turkish company ENKA-Behtel regarding their offer to finance and build the Nis-Sofia highway.
Zivela Srbija i Bulgarija!!!
This message has been edited by TsarSamuil from IP address 212.181.9.227 on Sep 25, 2003 11:47 AM
12:12 BELGRADE , Sept 26 (Tanjug) - Serbian Premier Zoran Zivkovic is leaving on Friday for a one-day visit to Bulgaria, on the invitation of Bulgarian Prime Minister Simeon Saxcoburggotski.
Premier Zivkovic will be accompanied by Serbian Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Dusan Mihajlovic, Serbian Minister for trade and tourism Slobodan Milosavljevic, Serbian Minister of traffic and telecommunications Raseta-Vukosavljevic, as well as by Serbia-Montenegro Assistant Foreign Minister Aleksandra Joksimovic.
Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro to Cooperate in Terrorism Fight.
Novinite.com
Top news: 26 September 2003, Friday
Serbia and Montenegro's Prime Minister Zoran Zivkovic and Bulgarian counterpart Simeon Saxe-Coburg will sign Friday a cooperation memorandum on the fight against terrorism, organized crime, tolerance and boosting economic relations. They will also sign a joint declaration for speeding up the construction of transport corridor 10.
Zivkovic and an official Serbian delegation arrived on Friday on a one-day visit on the invitation of Saxe-Coburg. Bulgaria's PM officially greeted his Serbian counterpart at Sofia's St. Alexander Nevski Square.
Later in the day Zivkovic is scheduled to meet Bulgaria's parliamentary speaker Ognyan Gerdjikov and Sofia's mayor Stefan Sofianski.
Concrete results for Sofia-Nis highway could be expected soon. We implement all conditions on our "Partnership for Peace" membership, Zoran Zivkovic, Premier of Serbia says.
- Mr Premier, it has long been talked about the construction of Sofia-Nis highway, but regardless of the principle support of the two governments, this project has not started yet. When are we to expect its beginning?
- We are working on the providing of financial support. I hope, that we will soon have the opportunity to see concrete results. Sofia-Nis highway is one of the priorities of the two countries, especially to Bulgaria, for it is part of corridor No 10 and one of the links of Bulgaria to EU.
- Is it possible that the neighbouring countries, inclusive of Bulgaria, help at solving Kosovo problem and how?
- The position of our country, and I am sure and the position of our neighbours, is that the borders of the Balkans must not be altered. In this respect, our neighbours could help us solve this problem through consequently assuming this position as well as through the development of cooperation in the fight against terrorism.
- Not long ago NATO Secretary General lord George Robertson stated, that the Alliance observed closely the cooperation between Belgrade and the tribunal in Hague and the reforms in the army. Do you think that the development of this cooperation is sufficient so that Serbia and Monte Negro could join the "Partnership for Peace" initiative?
- Absolutely. We think that not a single war crime should remain unpunished. We have achieved a sufficient progress in the reform of the armed forces and I think that we follow and observe all conditions for "Partnership for Peace" membership.
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Zoran Zivkovic was born in 1960. He has been a member of the Democratic party since 1992. In 2000 he was elected a deputy chair of the party. In 2000 he was appointed a Minister of Interior of FR of Yugoslavia. Zivkovic was elected PM on March 18, 2003 after the assassination of Premier Zoran Djindjic on March 12. He is to arrive in Sofia today on an official visit and he will meet PM Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, President of Parliament Ognyan Gerdjikov and Sofia mayor Stephan Sofianski.
This message has been edited by TsarSamuil from IP address 212.181.9.227 on Sep 29, 2003 10:25 AM This message has been edited by TsarSamuil from IP address 212.181.9.227 on Sep 26, 2003 9:27 AM
Serbia's and Bulgaria's PMs Zoran Zivkovic and Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha signed a memorandum on the accelerated construction of the Sofia-Nis highway. The project has to be completed in 6 or 7 years. Photo Nikolay Donchev.
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Sofia-Nis Highway to Be Built by 2010.
Standartnews
The prime ministers of Bulgaria and Serbia said Friday they are looking for an investor to build a stretch of an international highway linking Bulgaria's capital of Sofia with Serbia's second-largest city of Nis. It is of great importance to us to have a highway link to Europe and Istanbul, Bulgarian Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha said after talks with his Serbian counterpart, Zoran Zivkovic. This project has a great potential, but for the time being the question of funding is still open, he said, referring to the 96-kilometer highway meant to link. Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Zivkovic would not specify how much the project would cost. Zivkovic said he had talks with officials from U.S.-based Bechtel Corp. and the Turkish ENKA, who had shown interest to finance the project, and expected their reply next month. Bulgaria and Serbia will require prospective investors to complete the project within six or seven years, Zivkovic said.
Zoran Zivkovic was welcomed with military honours and he had talks with PM Simeon Saxe-Coburg, President of Parliament Ognian Gerdjikov and Mayor Stephan Sofianski. Photo Nikolay Donchev
UPDATE 1:Updates with details of bilateral highway project, accords.
SOFIA (bnn)—The prime ministers of Bulgaria and Serbia agreed Friday to speed up construction of an international highway linking their neighboring countries.
Simeon Saxcoburggotski of Bulgaria and Zoran Zivkovic of Serbia signed a declaration stating their will to accelerate the project of a 96-kilometer (60-mile) highway between Bulgaria’s capital of Sofia and Serbia’s second biggest city of Nis.
Zivkovic said a 10-kilometer (6-mile) stretch of the highway was already built in his country, but the remaining part was more difficult due to the rough mountain terrain.
He said he had met officials of the U.S. Bechtel Corp. in talks about investing in the project.
Bulgaria and Serbia are looking for an investor that would build the highway in up to seven years and will accept a redemption period of between 15 and 20 years with four or five years suspended payment, Zivkovic said.
He would not estimate what the cost of the project might be.
Bulgarian Minister of Economy Lydia Shuleva and her Serb colleague Slobodan Miloslavlevic discussed setting up a free-trade zone between the two countries in a bid to encourage sagging bilateral trade.
Last year trade between Bulgaria and Serbia-Montenegro fell to US$197 million down from US$233 million a year earlier.
Bulgarian Minister of Interior Georgi Petkanov and his Serb colleague Dusan Mihajlovic signed an accord of cooperation in the struggle against organized crime and illegal traffic. /bnn/
ŽIVKOVIĆ I SAKS KOBURG POTPISALI IZJAVU O KORIDORU.
SPOLJNA POLITIKA - Petak, Septembar 26, 2003 12:31 RTS
Srpski premijer Zoran Živković i njegov bugarski kolega Simeon Saks Koburg potpisali su u Sofiji zajedničku izjavu o ubrzanom razvoju Panevropskog koridora broj 10, čiji je deo autoput Niš-Sofija.
Posle plenarnih razgovora dve delegacije u bugarskoj vladi ministri unutrašnjih poslova Srbije i Bugarske, Dušan Mihajlović i Georgi Petkanov potpisali su i medjuvladin Memorandum o saradnji u borbi protiv terorizma, organizovanog kriminala, ilegalne trgovine drogom, ilegalne imigracije i drugih prestupa.
U razgovorima je bilo reči i o saradnji u drugim oblastima, posebno u ekonomiji i turizmu.
I bugarski i srpski premijer ocenili su, posle razgovora, da su bilateralni odnosi dobri i da saradnja beleži pozitivan trend, dodajući da dve zemlje imaju zajednički cilj - članstvo u EU i NATO.
Živković je rekao da ima potencijala za još bolju ekonomsku saradnju i povećanje spoljnotrgovinske razmene tim pre što su privrede dve zemlje kompatibilne. Saks Koburg je rekao da se sa Živkovićem dogovorio da se sastaju dva puta godišnje.
Bugarski premijer najavio je skoru posetu Beogradu, kao potvrdu dobrih bilateralnih odnosa, ali i priliku za operativnije rešavanje pitanja od uzajamnog interesa.
Srpski premijer je rekao da bi, radi što bržeg ostvarivanja zajedničkih ciljeva - članstva u EU i NATO - bilo dobro da se što pre reše pitanja kao što su infrastruktura, odnosno autoput Niš - Sofija, kao i da se obnovi i modernizuje postojeća železnička pruga.
'Siguran sam da ove dve vlade i dve države idu u pravom smeru i da će odgovorni ljudi dati svoj doprinos da taj put bude sve kraći', rekao je Živković.
On je precizirao da je za izgradnju preostalih 86 km autoputa od Niša do granice potrebno nekoliko stotina miliona evra i da se oko 15. oktobra čeka odgovor iz američke kompanije 'Behtel' i turske ENKA za eventualno finansiranje projekta. Bugarski premijer je istakao da je autoput Niš - Sofija 'izuzetno značajan za Bugarsku', jer je to osnovna saobraćajna veza sa Evropom, koja bi bila korisna i za region jer bi to bio najkraći put izmedju Evrope i Azije.
Zoran Živković boravi u jednodnevnoj zvaničnoj poseti Bugarskoj, a njegov program za danas predvidja još radni ručak sa premijerom Saks Koburgom i razgovore sa šefom bugarskog parlamenta Ognjanom Gerdžikovom i gradonačelnikom Sofije Stefanom Sofijanskim, sa kojim održava dobre veze iz doba kada je bio gradonačelnik Niša.
Ministar unutrašnjih poslova Dušan Mihajlović će imati odvojene razgovore sa svojim kolegom Petkanovom, a ministar za saobraćaj i komunikacije Marija Rašeta-Vukosavljević će se sastati sa svojim kolegom Nikolajem Vasilevom.
13:20 SOFIJA , 26. septembra (Tanjug) - Današnja poseta Bugarskoj je kruna uspešne saradnje dve zemlje, koja se svake godine poboljšava, izjavio je Tanjugu premijer Srbije Zoran Živković.
On je rekao da su glavne teme njegovih razgovora u Sofiji sa premijerom Bugarske Simeonom Sakskoburg-gotskim bila pitanja saobraćajne infrastrukture, odnosno saradnje u izgradnji auto-puta i železničke pruge Niš-Sofija, istkavši da je to važno ne samo za naše dve zemlje nego i za Evropu, pa i za Aziju, zato što je to najbolja veza izmedju dva kontinenta. "Oko toga smo potpisali zajedničku izjavu koja bi trebalo da obavezuje naše vlade i sve druge institucije da se u tom poslu učini najviše što je moguće u što kraće vreme", rekao je on. On je rekao da je potpisan i sporazum o saradnji dva ministarstva unutrašnjih poslova u borbi protiv organizovanog kriminala, ocenjujući da će tim merama konačno biti presečeni lanci kriminala koji idu preko Balkana i bave se trgovinom oružjem, drogom, ljudima i švercom akcizne robe.
Да се срещат два пъти годишно се договориха премиерите на Сърбия и България Зоран Живкович и Симеон Сакскобургготски. Живкович е на първо официално посещение у нас след като зае премиерския пост в Сърбия след убийството на Зоран Джинджич през март т. г.
Днес двамата премиери подписаха съвместна декларация за ускореното изграждане на коридор №10, който включва и автомагистралата София-Ниш.
На брифинг след пленарните разговори между делегациите на двете страни и след срещата на четири очи с домакина си Симеон Сакскобургготски, Зоран Живкович съобщи, че до 15 октомври очаква становището на инвеститорите от американския концерн "Бехтел" за изграждането на сръбската част от магистралата между София и Ниш, която обхваща 90 км.
Пред "По света и у нас" сръбският министър на транспорта и съобщенията Мария Рашета-Вукосавльевич съобщи, че началото на строежа на сръбското трасе може да започне през март догодина, а цялостното изграждане на магистралата да завърши до три години. "Очаквам бърз икономически растеж и на двете страни след изграждането на автомагистрала", категорична беше Вукосавльевич.
За да се осъществят инфраструктурните проекти обаче, най-важна е сигурността на региона бяха единодушни членовете и на двете делегации. Именно за това министрите на вътрешните работи на двете страни подписаха меморандум за сътрудничество в борбата против организираната престъпност.
По повод очакваните с голям интерес от международната общност разговори между Белград и Прищина сръбският премиер заяви пред "По света и у нас", че не предвижда българско посредничество в диалога.
Relations between Serbia and Bulgaria are currently better than they have ever been, Serbia's Prime Minister Zoran Zivkovic told the Bulgarian National Radio on Tuesday.
Zivkovic, who is currently on a visit to neighboring Bulgaria, added that the main subject of high-level political discussion he held during his visit was building of a highway between Bulgarian capital Sofia and the Serbian town of Nish. The construction of the thoroughfare may start as early as April 2004, Zivkovic explained.
The Serbian prime minister also said that circumstances over the last century were not too favorable for people in the Balkan countries. However, he underlined that now was the time for those nations to turn a new page in their development, especially when it comes to cooperation between Bulgaria and Serbia.
On September 26, Serbian prime minister Zoran Zivkovic paid his first official visit to Bulgaria since he took office after former prime minister Zoran Djindjic was assassinated in March this year.
The Serb delegation held a number of high-ranking meetings while in Sofia and tagged a number of joint initiatives in the area of economic co-operation.
Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg and his Serbian counterpart signed a joint declaration aiming to step up the construction of the Sofia-Nis highway, which is part of transport corridor No 10 connecting Central Europe and Asia.
Saxe-Coburg said the highway had immense potential, since a highway connection with Europe and Istanbul would facilitate trade with Bulgaria's neighbours. Yet at this stage it was all a matter of finding resources, he said.
Zivkovic said that the investors of the US Behtel concern were expected to come up with an evaluation as to the construction of the Serbian part of the highway, which is 90 kilometres in length, as early as October 15.
Serbian transport minister Marija Raseta-Vukosavljevic, who was also in the delegation visiting Sofia, said she hoped the project might be completed within three years. This will make the road journey from Sofia to Vienna two hours shorter. The work on the segment of the highway connecting Sofia and Nis is to start next year.
The segment is about 160 km long and it is estimated will cost between 440 million and 650 million euro. The road goes through a number of impoverished regions, and it is hoped that construction works will breathe life into them.
Deputy Prime Minister Lidia Shuleva and Serbian trade and tourism minister Slobodan Milosavljevic discussed the forthcoming signature of an agreement on the establishment of a free trade zone as a precondition to liberalise trade between the two neighbouring countries. Milosavljevic and Shuleva committed to sign the agreement by the end of this year.
The agreement was initiated by the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe. Bulgaria, Serbia-Monte-negro and Romania are expected to join the free trade zone first. The initiative has recently topped bilateral agendas since the other free trade zone in Eastern Europe - CEFTA, is to close down in the course of the EU enlargement process.
Trade between Bulgaria and Serbia-Montenegro dropped to $190 million in 2002, after in 2001 it was $233 million. Bulgarian exports account for most of the turnover. In 2002, Bulgaria expor-ted goods to the tune of $173.2 million, while imports amounted to $23.8 million. Trade for the first half of this year was $93 million.
Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic will be heading to Sofia today, says the statement released by Public Relations Bureau of the Montenegrin Government. Media in Podgorica say Djukanovic will attend the Economic Forum on South East Europe, taking place in Sofia. Highlights of the SEE Economic Forum include debates on economic integration processes in Europe.
Djukanovic is scheduled to meet with Bulgarian top officials.
Bulgaria's President Georgi Parvanov starts today a two-day visit to Serbia and Montenegro in a bid to boost bilateral relations, increase trade and improve cooperation in terror fight.
This will be the first visit of Bulgarian head of state to the neighbouring country in the past 35 years.
Parvanov is scheduled to meet a number of high-ranking politicians in the framework of the visit - Svetozar Marovic, President of Serbia and Montenegro, Filip Vujanovic, President of Montenegro, Ranko Krivokapic, President of Parliament of Montenegro, Milo Djukanovic, Prime Minister of Montenegro, Goran Svilanovic, Foreign Minister of Serbia and Montenegro;Vojislav Kostunica, leader of the Democratic Party of Serbia; Miroljub Labus, leader of G17 Plus.
On the second day of his visit he is due to meet Dragoljub Micunovic, State Union Assembly President of Serbia and Montenegro, Natasa Micic, acting President, President of the National Assembly of Serbia, Zoran Zivkovic, Prime Minister of Serbia.
Sofia, November 11 (BTA) - Bulgaria and Serbia and
Montenegro will sign a free trade agreement in Rome on November 13, the Economy Ministry told BTA.
Deputy Economy Minister Radoslav Bozadjiev will sign the agreement for Bulgaria, and Foreign Economic Relations Minister Branko Lukovac will sign for Serbia and Montenegro.
The agreement ensures preferential access for Bulgarian goods to a market of 10 million people. It fulfils commitments Bulgaria made by signing the Memorandum of Understanding on Trade Liberalization and Facilitation within the framework of the Stability Pact.
A ministerial meeting of the Stability Pact's Trade Working Group will be held in Rome on November 13. It is a follow-up to the process of trade liberalization in Southeastern Europe after the Memorandum of Understanding was signed in Brussels in June 2001.
Belgrade, November 12 (BTA Correspondent Nikolai Koev) - Belgrade's prestigious Hyatt Hotel hosted Tuesday the meeting between Bulgarian President Georgi Purvanov and Serb Prime Minister Zoran Zivkovic. Purvanov's official visit to Bulgaria's western neighbour started on Tuesday.
After the meeting Purvanov said that his host and he made a comprehensive review of the agenda of bilateral relations, starting with interaction in the international organizations and the need for cooperation in strategic goals with the EU and NATO. "I was pleased to hear from Mr Zivkovic that there are both political will and concrete ideas for the work on European Transport Corridor X and the infrastructure projects," Purvanov said. He noted also his country's interest in the participation in privatization in Serbia.
"I appreciated it that we commented the issue of the Bulgarian national minority in a responsible manned," Purvanov said, recalling his idea for the need of special care for the economic growth of areas populated by minorities. Purvanov said also that Bulgaria is willing to share its experience in the economic development of poor communities and tax breaks for their people.
Zivkovic described Purvanov's visit as historical and noted that the economic cooperation between the two neighbours is way below the level of the political ties. In this connection the Serb Prime Minister noted the significance of the Free Trade Agreement Sofia and Belgrade will sign on November 13 in Rome. Zivkovic thanked Bulgaria for its position about Kosovo.
Later on Wednesday Puravnov conferred successively with Chairman of the Parliament of Serbia and Montenegro Dragoljub Mucunovic and with Chairperson of the Serb National Assembly Natasa Micic.
The officials discussed topics of the parliamentary cooperation and its role in the overall development of bilateral relations.
On Wednesday the Bulgarian Head of State met also with Serb Patriarch Pavle. The two discussed the role of the Eastern Orthodox Church in safeguarding the national identity and the challenges the modern world creates before the Church. Purvanov asked about the possibility of holding religious services in Bulgarian in the areas with Bulgarian population. Patriarch Pavle said the question could be discussed at a more calm time for the Serb people.
Belgrade, November 12 (BTA correspondent Nikolai Koev) - Bulgarian Interior Minister Georgi Petkanov and Serbo-Montenegrin Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic on Wednesday signed a convention on the delineation of the two countries' common border and the placement and maintenance of border signs.
The instrument settles certain outstanding issues relating to the border section along the Timok River, as many changes have taken place since the conclusion of a previous agreement in 1981, Petkanov said.
All talks held with Bulgarian President Georgi Purvanov in Serbia and Montenegro Tuesday and Wednesday touched upon organized crime control, which is a problem for all Europe, Petkanov said. "We indicated certain intentions concerning border checkpoints, the exchange of police liaison officers, and the maintenance of a direct encrypted link between the two countries' interior ministries."
BULGARIA - SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO - FREE TRADE AGREEMENT.
Rome, November 13 (BTA exclusive by Hristo Petrov) -Bulgaria's Deputy Economy Minister Radoslav Bozadjiev and Serbia and Montenegro's Foreign Economic Relations Minister Branko Lukovac signed a bilateral Free Trade Agreement at a ministerial meeting of the Trade Working Group of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe here on Thursday.
The Agreement grants Bulgarian goods preferential access to a market of 10 million people. It furthermore fulfils commitments Bulgaria assumed when it signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Trade Liberalization and Facilitation within the Framework of the Stability Pact.
Under the Agreement, the two countries will establish a free trade area after a transitional period ending January 1, 2007. The Most Favoured Nation rate of duty, applicable on the effective date of the Agreement, will be the basic duty from which duties on industrial goods will be reduced. Import duties
on non-sensitive industrial goods (which represent 90 per cent of all industrial goods) will be abolished on the effective date of the Agreement. Import duties on sensitive goods are to be reduced gradually within the transitional period: by up to 80 per cent of the basic duties as from the date of application of the Agreement, by up to 60 per cent of the basic duties as from January 1, 2005, and by up to 40 per cent of the basic duties as from January 1, 2006. These duties are to be abolished as from January 1, 2007.
Serbia and Montenegro is Bulgaria's fourth largest trading partner in the Balkans, accounting for 1.3 per cent of this country's commercial exchanges with the rest of the world. Of the 197 million US dollars worth of goods traded between the two countries in 2002, Bulgarian exports accounted for 173.2 million dollars and imports from Serbia and Montenegro for 23.8 million dollars. In January-August 2003, two-way trade added up to 153.1 million dollars, with Bulgaria again running a large surplus, supplying goods valued at 132.2 million dollars and receiving items worth 20.9 million dollars.
Bulgaria's exports to Serbia and Montenegro consist mainly of electricity, refined copper, petroleum products, bakery and confectionery goods, and sunflower oil. Lead ore and concentrate, soya bean oil, refractory bricks, scrap iron and raw timber form the bulk of imports from Serbia and Montenegro.
Leader of Bulgarian Community in Serbia Seeks Official Bulgarian Support against 15-Month Serbian Prison Sentence.
Sofia, January 16 (BTA) - The leader of the Bulgarian Cultural and Information Centre in Pirot, Eastern Serbia, Neboijsa Ivanov, had a meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Sofia Thursday to seek assistance after a Serbian court sentenced him to 15 months in prison for inspiring national, racial and religious hatred and intolerance, the Foreign Ministry said Friday.
Ivanov was sentenced for calling a Serb journalist "a Serbomane" and abusing her verbally. According to Prof. Grigor Velev, another leader of the Bulgarian community in Serbia, what happened was a minor conflict and the sentence is improportionate. In a statement earlier this month he also said that the trial was politically-motivated.
At the Foreign Ministry on Thursday, Ivanov and the directors of the Europe 1 Departments and the Consular Department discussed the available options for legal assistance in the spirit of the European values for human rights and interethnic tolerance, the Foreign Ministry said.
Deputy PM Nikolai Vassilev to Talk with Serbian-Montenegrin Internal Economic Relations Minister.
Sofia, January 27 (BTA) - Deputy Prime Minister and Transport and Communications Minister Nikolai Vassilev will meet on January 28 with Amir Nurkovic, Minister of Internal Economic Relations of Serbia and Montenegro, at the Kalotina checkpoint (on the Bulgarian-Serbian border). The two will visit the Dimitrovgrad railway station in Serbia and Montenegro. The railway station and the railway linking Dimitrovgrad with the Bulgarian border are being modernized.
Vassilev will visit the railway station at Dragoman and will check up on the condition of the railway linking Dragoman with the Bulgarian border.
The official Bulgarian delegation led by Vassilev consists of Stability Pact National Coordinator Milen Keremedchiev, Olimpi Kutev, Regional Governor of Sofia-Region, Dimiter Tolev, Deputy Executive Director of the Customs Agency, and Ilia Iliev, Deputy Director of the National Border Police Service.
Redefining Territories, Borders Is Alien to Bulgarian System of Values - Foreign Minister.
Sofia, February 6 (BTA) - Redefining territories and redrawing boders is alien to the Bulgarian system of values as well as being in contradiction with Bulgaria's priority of European integration, Foreign Minister Solomon Passy said Friday in answer to a question regarding the solution of the Western Outlands problem by diplomatic means and defence of the Bulgarian minority's human and civil rights.
The Western Outlands are territories inhabited by ethnic Bulgarians, which were ceded to Serbia under the Treaty of Neuilly in 1919.
Passy uderscored today that different variants for changing the status of the Western Outlands so that they would partially or completely pass under Bulgarian government are impossible from a legal and inadmissible from a political point of view.
Such these have been launched over the past year on several occasions by Bulgarian historians, authors of the national doctrine.
"Neither Bulgaria's political will, nor political realities in Serbia and Montenegro or European political morals presuppose a discussion of such border redefinition today," Passy declared.
The minister pointed out that, in legal terms, the operation of the Treaty of Neuilly has not ceased with the disintegration of former Yugoslavia or with the transformation of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia into Serbia and Montenegro.
One cannot demand the termination of an agreement establishing borders because one of the states parties to that agreement has been substituted for another, Passy said.
"It is our desire, as well as the will of a uniting Europe, that borders on the Balkans cease to be dividing lines and become connecting links instead," he added.
At the same time, Passy said, the Bulgarian state is and well continue to provide humanitarian and other aid to our compatriots beyond Bulgaria's borders.
Cultural Centre of Bulgarians in Tsaribrod Asks for Permit to Place Bust of Vassil Levski in Bosilegrad.
Belgrade, February 11 (BTA Correspondent Nikolai Koev) - The Bosilegrad Branch of the Cultural and Information Centre of the Bulgarians in Tsaribrod asked the local municipality for a permit to place a bust of Bulgarian national hero Vassil Levski, the Bratstvo paper of the Bulgarians in Serbia said in its latest issue.
The request was made late last year. It was reportedly re-directed to the Governing Board of the Bosilegrad Municipal Directorate for Construction Areas and Roads, being the competent body in charge of sanctioning construction activities on public places.
The motives behind the request say that the initiative is aimed at preserving the national identity of the Bulgarian population in Bosilegrad and is complied with the minorities law and the aspiration of Serbia and Montenegro to integrate into the rest of Europe as a country respecting human rights and, particularly, the national and cultural identity of the minorities.
The Bratstvo paper recalls that some ten years ago representatives of the Democratic Union of Bulgarians in Yugoslavia wanted to erect a monument of Levski in the town centre. However, no answer was given to their request at the time.
Municipalities of Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro Set up New Euro-Region.
Belogradchik, Northwestern Bulgaria, March 18 (BTA) - Nine municipalities of Bulgaria and seven of Serbia and Montenegro are setting up a new Euroregion in this northern town, the Belogradchik mayor's office told the press Thursday. A constituent meeting is held Friday on the initiative of the Belogradchik municipality with financial and technical support from the Hans Seidel Foundation.
The constituent meeting will be held with participants from the municipalities of Makresh, Chouprene, Belogradchik, Chiprovtsi, Berkovitsa, Godech, Dragoman and Trun, all in Bulgaria, and Dimitrovgrad, Babusnica, Pirot, Bela Palanka, Svrling, Knjazevac and Zajecar in Serbia and Montenegro. The participating Bulgarian municipalities are all situated on both sides of the Balkan Range, said Belogradchik Mayor Emil Tsankov.
The participants in the Friday meeting will be discussing the priorities and issues in transborder cooperation. They are also expected to set up working groups and draft an articles of association and an action plan.
Bulgarian minority in eastern Serbia and Macedonia
by Jorge Candeias
The flag was horizontally divided white-green-red with a red star outlined in yellow,
Bulgarian Rights Watch Dog Calls for Renaming of Dimitrovgrad.
Belgrade, March 29 (BTA Correspondent Nikolai Koev) - Bratstvo, a newspaper of Bulgarians in Serbia, reports that the Helsinki Committee for Protection of the Rights and Freedoms of Bulgarians in Serbia and Montenegro has sent a letter to the authorities of Dimitrovgrad, insisting that the town's Bulgarian name, Tsaribrod, is returned.
Dimitrovgrad is located in the Western Outlands, a territory which Bulgaria ceded to Serbia under the 1919 Treaty of Neuilly.
"Its high time that we give back the town its authentic name - Tsaribrod, which in 1950 was changed to Dimotrovgrad for ideological reasons, like a number of other cities in Serbia," reads the letter. The Committee proposes that a public opinion survey is conducted among local people during the forthcoming local elections.
The Committee also presses for introduction of Bulgarian/Serbian bilingual sings at the town's points of entry and exit, and in the villages in the municipality of Dimitrovgrad.
"This is a Constitutionally-guarantied right of the Bulgarian national minority," the Committee argues.
Rescuers Continue Search for Two Children Missing after Bulgarian Bus Crashes in Serbia.
Sofia, April 6 (BTA) - Rescuers continue searching Tuesday for two children, aged 14 and 15, who went missing after a Bulgarian bus with 50 passengers including a large group of schoolgoers, took a 40-m plunge down a canyon into swollen water of Lim River Sunday night.
Ten schoolgoers aged 12 to 19 died in the crash.
The bus was returning from a trip to Dubrovnik when the driver lost control of the vehicle on a slippery section of the road between Priepolje and Bijelo Polje close to the Serbia-Montenegro border.
An investigation opens Tuesday into what had caused the crash and investigators are expected to start questioning eyewitnesses, according to the Bulgarian Consul in Serbia Georgi Vadev who spoke to BTA from Priepolje.
A bus with 22 crash survivors and relatives, who had arrived in Serbia soon after the news of the crash reached them, is on its way to Bulgaria. They left at noon and are expected in Bulgaria late in the evening.
Bulgaria sends Easter cakes to Serbia as a Thank You )
by THE SERB!! (no login)
Novinite, April 12, 2004
Bulgaria Sends Easter Cakes to Montenegrin Villagers
Bulgaria is sending about 500 Easter cakes to the Montenegrin village of Prijepole and its Serbian neighbour in Bjelo pole.
Patriarch Maxim sanctified the holy bread, symbol of Christ's flesh, with the gratitude of the whole Bulgarian people to the selfless help of Serbia and Montenegro for the kids saved from the bus drowning in Lim's waters.
Bulgaria lost 10 of its children in the bus drama, another two are still unaccounted for, but 38 kids were rescued and brought back home.
An escort with the bodies of the dead children is expected to leave for Bulgaria later in the day, the Health Ministry said.
The Danubian town of Svishtov, where the children on the bus were from, has declated five days of mourning.
THIS IS THE KIND OF BALKAN LOVE I AM SO HAPPY TO SEE.
Posted on Apr 12, 2004, 1:00 PM
from IP address 24.24.130.140
A ceremony of homage to the bodies of ten Bulgarian kids who died in the April 4 bus accident has begun in the Serbian town of Prijepole.
The local people have gone through the whole tragedy along with the group of survived Bulgarian children, teachers and drivers from Svishtov.
Upon initiative of Prijepole's Mayor Stefan Puric, the chapel to the local medical centre where dozens of children were hospitalised since the night of tragedy, is open for the mourners.
The bus with 22 of survived children has already left for the border checkpoint at Kalotina.
Posted on Apr 6, 2004, 9:43 PM
from IP address 217.230.10.97
I think it was a terrible tragedy. I feel very sad for those parents that lost their children for such a terrible accident. I can not imagine such pain.
Posted on Apr 6, 2004, 11:37 PM
from IP address 24.24.130.140
Montenegrin Saviours to be Granted Bulgarian Citizenship.
Politics: 14 April 2004, Wednesday
The three Montenegrin villagers who saved most of Bulgarian kids in the Lim River bus accident will be granted Bulgarian citizenship.
According to the Serbian news agency Beta, Esad Kosreba, Saseb Balicevic and Izudin Pushia will receive their Bulgarian passports on May 24 from Bulgaria's Ambassador in Belgrade.
The three selfless men have already been awarded with highest Bulgarian orders as sign of gratitude for the kids rescue.
If it was not for Montenegro's Pushia (front), Kosreba (back left) and Balicevic, the victims from the Lim-plunged bus would have been many more. Bulgaria buried its ten drowned kids last Thursday. Photo by Gergana Kostadinova (novinite.com)
One of Two Missing Bodies from April 4 Bus Crash in Serbia Reclaimed.
Sofia, April 25 (BTA) - The body of Svetoslav Kolev, one of the two still missing children, who died after their bus plunged into the Lim River in Serbia on April 4, was reclaimed. BTA learnt this from Viktoria Melamed, Director of the Foreign Ministry's Information and PR Directorate on Sunday. The body was identified by the child's father.
Another ten children died in the tragic accident. The body of a girl is still unaccounted for.
Svetoslav's body was found some five kilometers off the town of Prijepolje, near the scene of the accident, Zoran Pantovic, Chairman of the Prijepolje Municipal Court, told the Bulgarian Embassy in Belgrade.
Meanwhile, new rescue teams of the Bulgarian Civil Defence began searching around the sunk bus. Four teams of mountain climbers and divers have been formed as two of them operate along the lower reaches of Lim.
The 32 survivors - teachers and students - confirmed the driver's theory about a sudden failure of the bus. He is charged with causing death due to incautiousness. If found guilty, he faces 5 to 15 years of imprisonment. A technical analysis of the bus has not been made yet because it is still in the waters of Lim.
The Montenegrins who saved scores of Bulgarian kids and their teachers from the bus accident a month ago were awarded with a large boat.
The Serbian and Montenegrin villagers received also waterproof suits and steel ropes.
A Serbian delegation headed by Prijepole's mayor met with Interior Chief Secretary Gen. Boyko Borissov on Tuesday.
The visit took place on the same day as the search operations in Lim River were over with finding the last missing kid, 13-year-old Antoana Evtimova.
Interior Secretary Gen. B. Borissov (front left) awarded Montenegrin father and son with a large boat for their selfless rescue saving lives of some 20 Bulgarian kids. Photo by Yuliana Nikolova (novinite.com)
The body of Antoana Evtimova, who went missing after a Bulgarian bus packed with school children plunged into the Lim River in Serbia, was recovered today.
Antoana was the last child that went missing after the deadly crash. Last month the body of Svetoslav Kolev, 15, also missing after the crash, was found nearly 20 days after the tragic accident.
The deadly crash claimed the lives of 12 Bulgarian kids from the town of Svishtov.
The bus, carrying fifty Bulgarians home from a school trip to the Croatian coastal resort of Dubrovnik, fell from a 40 meter-deep ravine into the swollen river near Serbia's borders with Montenegro and Bosnia after the driver lost control over the vehicle on the slippery mountainous road.
A Bulgarian teen that died in the Lim bus drama was awarded posthumous valour prize.
Yulian Manzarov drowned in the Serb river together with eleven other kids. Their bus plunged into the ice-cold waters after slipping on a mountainous road. The pupils were traveling home after a trip to Dubrovnik.
Manzarov, aged 18, managed to get out of the vehicle before it went down. He was swept away by the current while trying to help others out.
The Bulgarian Football Syndicate handed the award to his father, Georgi Manzarov.
The boy used to play at the Academic football club in his hometown of Svishtov.
Leading Bulgarian football teams, shocked by the loss, had raised funds to help Manzarov's family.
Serbia and Montenegro Foreign Minister Arrives on Official Visit to Bulgaria, May 31.
Sofia, May 26 (BTA) - Serbia and Montenegro Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic will arrive May 31on an official visit to Bulgaria at the invitation of his Bulgarian counterpart Solomon Passy, Deputy Foreign Minister and Ministry Spokesperson Gergana Gruncharova said at her regular briefing Wednesday.
Passy and Draskovic will discuss bilateral relations at scheduled plenary talks, Gruncharova added.
Draskovic is expected to be received by President Georgi Purvanov, National Assembly Chairman Ognyan Gerdjikov, Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and European Affairs Minister Meglena Kouneva.
After his meeting with Draskovic, Passy will leave for Prague to take part in the 12th OSCE Economic Forum "New Challenges for Building up Institutional and Human Capacity for Economic Development and Co-operation".
Belgrade to Host First Sitting of Sofia-Nis Highway Intergovernmental Working Group, June 15.
Sofia, June 13 (BTA) - The first sitting of the intergovernmental working group of Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro on the Sofia-Nis highway construction will take place in Belgrade on June 15, National Stability Pact Coordinator Milen Keremedchiev told a news conference Friday.
A second sitting is expected to take place in early July in Bulgaria, when the highway project will kick off. Both parties have to draft a joint project to apply for highway funding.
Bulgaria has already spent 2 million euros under Phare on Kalotina border checkpoint reconstruction and upgrading. Another 3 million euros for building a livestock section at the same checkpoint. An environment impact assessment and a feasibility study, which were funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in 2000 have been completed.
Keremedchiev said that there are three possibilities for funding the highway: to hold an international tender for the construction of the entire stretch and then give it to the winner under concession; to build it with funds provided by Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro and international institutions and then give it under concession and for the two countries to fund it alone. According to Keremedchiev, the third variant is the least feasible, as it concerns a lot of money - 200 million euros for the Bulgarian part of the section, and 429 million euros for the Serbia and Montenegro part.
The Japan Bank for International Cooperation is ready to extend 150 million euros for the Bulgarian part of the highway, Keremedchiev said.
Fourth Session of Mixed Bulgarian-Serbian and Montenegrin Commission for Economic Cooperation.
Belgrade, June 16 (BTA Correspondent Nikolai Koev) - The fourth session of the Mixed Bulgarian-Serbian and Montenegrin Commission for Economic Cooperation ended here Wednesday with the signing of a protocol.
At the ceremony closing the session Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Transport and Communications Minister Nikolai Vassilev, who led the Bulgarian delegation to the session, noted the progress made in the preparations for the implementation of the Sofia-Nis highway. Vassilev expressed satisfaction with the fact that Serbia has already started construction works of the first 15 kilometers of the road. The Bulgarian official also said that the first meeting of the mixed project managing committee is expected to be held within a month's time in Sofia.
Vassilev also noted the progress in the electrification of the railway tracks on both sides of the border between the two neighbours, saying the work is expected to be completed by the year-end.
The Bulgarian Deputy PM also spoke about the payment of an old debt of the former Yugoslav railway company to the Bulgarian railways and offered options for its settlement. Vassilev noted the mutual readiness to improve service at the border checkpoints, saying that an agreement was reached for increasing the number of road hauliers' permits.
On his part, Minister of Internal Economic Relation in Serbia and Montenegro Amir Nurkovic expressed satisfaction with the work accomplished at the session and urged the two neigbours to focus efforts in intensifying bilateral economic cooperation. He said a free trade agreement entered into force on June 1 between Bulgaria and Serbia and Montenegro which will further facilitate joint economic activities. Serbia has pledged to provide 3000 additional transit permits for Bulgarian road hauliers and demanded 200 permits for road shuttle services to the Bulgarian Black Sea. Vassilev said Bulgaria is ready to provide as many permits as needed.
During his two-day visit to Belgrade Vasssilev also conferred with Serbian and Montenegrin President Svetozar Marovic and Serbian Prime Minister Voijslav Kostunica. The sides expressed mutual readiness for developing close neighbourly relations.
On Wednesday Vassilev also conferred with leader of the/ Serbian Democratic Party and presidential candidate Boris Tadic.
Belgrade, June 15 (BTA Correspondent Nikolai Koev) - "I am very pleased with this visit. Everywhere people meet us as good friends and neigbours," Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Transport and Communications Minister Nikolai Vassilev told BTA. He heads the Bulgarian delegation to the fourth session of the mixed commission for economic cooperation between Bulgaria and Serbia and Montenegro. Vassilev said he held talks with the Minister of Internal Economic Relations of Serbia and Montenegro, Amir Nurkovic, and with the Minister of Trade, Tourism and Services, Boyan Dimitrievic.
Vassilev said his hosts and he shared the view that the level of investment in trade and tourism is below the economic capabilities of the two neighbours. "Two-way trade can expand at least five-fold in the next couple of years, especially after the entry into force on June 1 of a free trade agreement between the two countries" he said. Commercial exchange now stands at about 200 million US dollars annually.
Vassilev paid special attention to the state of transport infrastructure and the border checkpoints which he found to be far from being able to meet the criteria and realities of the 21st century.
The press office of the Bulgarian Transport and Communications Ministry said later on Tuesday that at his meeting with Dimitrievic, Vassilev expressed a hope that tourist exchange between the two countries will increase.
Earlier on Tuesday Vassilev and Nurkovic opened a business forum.
Bulgaria is a favored destination for Serbian tourists this year, outracing countries like Turkey, Greece, Montenegro, Tunisia and Egypt.
According to a business search of the JUTA travel agents association cited by Serbian daily Glas Javnosti, about 20 % of approached respondents have booked holidays in Bulgarian coastal resorts, including Nessebar, Sunny Beach and Golden Sands.
Some 16 % have preferred to spend their holidays on the Turkish coast and 15 % will head for Greece. Tourism is a major source of foreign currency earnings for EU candidate Bulgaria, which boasts attractive sea, mountain and spa resorts.
Tourists from Serbia and Montenegro spend about USD 250 M for holiday-making in its eastern neighbour every year, Bulgarian Transport Minister Nikolay Vassilev said in June.
Serbian and Montenegrin tourists ranked third among the foreign visitors to Bulgaria as some 180,000 holidaymakers from the union visited the country in January-May this year, which makes up for about 11 % increase y/y.
The number of foreign tourists visiting Bulgaria leaped by 24.54 % y/y in January-May 2004 up to some 1.248 million holidaymakers
Bulgarian PM Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Confers with Serbia and Montenegro President Marovic.
Belgrade, July 9 (BTA Correspondent Nikolai Koev) - Bulgarian Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and the President of Serbia and Montenegro Svetozar Marovic assessed on a Friday meeting the bilateral relations in positive terms.
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha is on a two-day official visit in Serbia and Montenegro.
After the meeting, Marovic told journalists that there were no open political issues between the two countries. He added that Democracy is the common goal for both countries and the experience of Bulgaria on its way to the EU is very useful for Serbia and Montenegro.
The President of Serbia and Montenegro said the idea of establishing a joint commission on European integration was very beneficial. According to him, regional initiatives and cooperation in the efforts for a joint stabilisation of th Balkans were a separate theme in the dialogue.
The Serbia and Montenegro President underlined the importance of infrastructure projects and especially of the Nis - Sofia highway construction project. The way of its financing will be decided on July 19, when the bilateral expert group on the project will have a sitting.
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha emphasized infrastructure issues. He expressed satisfaction with the good development of bilateral relations.
The Bulgarian Prime Minister also met with representatives of the Bulgarian National Minority Council in Serbia and Montenegro.
Discussions centred on issues related to the problems of the Bulgarian ethnic minority in the field of employment and education, social affairs and the need of investments in the border regions.
The representatives of the Bulgarian ethnic minority expressed a desire for a certain speeding up of the procedure of granting Bulgarian citizenship. They also declared themselves in favour
of the opening of new border checkpoints that will help improve the infrastructure of regions populated by ethnic Bulgarians.
According to the Bulgarian Government Information Service, Serbia and Montenegro Minister of Minority and Human Rights Rasim Ljajic said that his country has achieved progress as regards to the minorities, including the Bulgarian one. He also said that two special laws on public relationships regulation were adopted and expressed hope that the minority issue would no longer exist in Serbia and Montenegro.
Bulgarian European Affairs Minister Meglena Kouneva and Serbia and Montenegro Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic also met in Belgrade to discuss Eurointegration issues and the Bulgarian experience in that respect.
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha met also Serbian Patriarch Pavle who acquainted his Bulgarian guest with Kosovo issues and the Patriarchate's efforts to preserve Serbian church and historical monuments.
The programme of the visit includes also meetings with Serbia and Montenegro Parliament Speaker Zoran Sami, the newly elected Serbian President Boris Tadic, Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica and Vuk Draskovic, Foreign Minister of Serbia and Montenegro.
On the first day of his visit Saxe-Coburg-Gotha will also have a meeting with the National Council of the Bulgarian ethnic minority in Serbia at the residence of the Bulgarian Ambassador in Belgrade.
On Saturday Saxe-Coburg-Gotha will be in Podgorica, where he will confer with Montenegro Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, Montenegro Parliament Speaker Ranko Krivokapic and Montenegro President Filip Vujanovic.
Before departure from Bulgaria the Bulgarian delegation will visit the cultural and historical monuments in the town of Cetinje.
PM Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Talks to Montenegro's President Filip Vujanovic.
Podgorica, July 10 (BTA Correspondent Nikolai Koev) - Bulgarian Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha met with Montenegro's President Filip Vujanovic on the second day of his official visit to Serbia and Montenegro Saturday. It was established at the meeting that bilateral political relations were at a good level while economic ties lagged behind.
The hosts showed interest in importing Bulgarian foodstuffs and increasing the inflow of Bulgarian tourists to the Adriatic resorts.
Vujanovic familiarized the Bulgarian Prime Minister with his country's efforts along the road of integration into EU. He stressed that Podgorica has fulfilled its commitments and has no problems with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. The authorities of Montenegro wait for the settlement of the Serb side's problems related to the international court so as to sign an association and stabilization agreement with EU.
The tragedy with the Bulgarian children, who died in a road accident near the Lim River in the spring of this year, was also discussed. The Bulgarian delegation thanked for the commitment and the assistance rendered in the rescuing operation by the Serb side. It was noted at the talks that due to the sympathy shown and the actions undertaken at government and local level, informal contacts between the citizens of Belo Pole and Svishtov have been activated.
This issue was also discussed at Saxe-Coburg-Gotha's talks with his Montenegrin counterpart Milo Djukanovic.
The two prime ministers were unanimous about the need to open a Bulgarian consulate general in Podgorica, the Bulgarian Government's Information Service said.
The Bulgarian Government is ready to render full support to Serbia and Montenegro in the process of its EU integration. Bulgaria pledged assistance in enhancing border control up to the Shengen requirements, the message said.
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Djukanovic said the upgrading of the infrastructure and communication would boost economic ties.
Earlier in the day the Bulgarian Prime Minister conferred with Montenegrin Parliament Speaker Ranko Krivokapic.
A visit to the town of Cetinje was the last event of the schedule of the Bulgarian Prime Minister's visit to Serbia and Montenegro. The Bulgarian delegation visited the palace of King Nikola I and cultural and historical monuments in the town.
Bulgaria Does Not Plan to Introduce Visas for Citizens of Serbia and Montenegro Until This Becomes Absolutely Necessary.
Podgorica, July 10 (BTA Spec. Corr. Nikolai Koev) - Bulgaria does not plan to introduce visas for the citizens of Serbia and Montenegro until this becomes absolutely necessary, i.e. by January 1, 2007, European Affairs Minister Meglena Kouneva said in Podgorica on Saturday. Kouneva is on a delegation, headed by Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, which is an official visit to Serbia and Montenegro.
Before journalists in Podgorica Kouneva voiced hope that Serbia and Montenegro will be removed from the EU visa blacklist, offering Bulgaria experience and software for the issuing of visas. Bulgaria has nice visa centres, build with the help of the PHARE programme.
"We believe that this would help avoid complication of economic, social and personal contacts," Kouneva also said, citing as an example Hungary, which did not introduce visa requirements until it joined the EU.
Bulgaria and Romania should become full EU members on January 1, 2004.
On July 1, 2004 Romania introduced visas for citizens of Serbia and Montenegro citing as a motive the commitments taken during the accession talks.
Defence Minister Svinarov Meets Counterpart of Serbia and Montenegro Davinic.
Belgrade, July 11 (BTA Correspondent Nikolai Koev) - Bulgarian Defence Minister Nikolai Svinarov met with his counterpart from Serbia and Montenegro Prvoslav Davinic on Sunday.
Svinarov is in Belgrade in connection with the ceremony of inauguration of the new Serb President Boris Tadic.
The two defence ministers discussed topical issues related to regional security and the two countries' contribution to this process as well as aspects of bilateral relations in the area of defence.
Davinic said he appreciated Bulgaria's experience gathered along the road to NATO membership and voiced hope to enlist its support for his country's inclusion into the Partnership for Peace initiative. He congratulated his guest on Bulgaria's accession to NATO and the completion of the EU accession talks.
Svinarov voiced Bulgaria's readiness to share its experience with Serbia and Montenegro. He told Davinic that the NATO membership has exerted a positive influence in the economic sphere, particularly in regards to the growth of foreign investments.
Serbian residents in the western border area with Bulgaria are among the poorest in the country, Serbian daily Blic read on Monday.
The western municipality of Dimitrovgrad, where many of the 10,000-population are of Bulgarian descent, has ranked on top of the unemployment statistics for decades.
The Serbian daily reports that scarcely 1,500 people are actually employed, while the majority is fighting daily to make ends meet. Local unemployment and chronic poverty pushes those people to search for jobs either in other Serbian towns or across the border in neighbouring Bulgaria.
Sofia, August 2 (BTA) - Bulgarian Transport Ministry officials have proposed to their counterparts in Serbia and Montenegro that bonus permits for international road carriers using multiple modes of transport of goods be provided at a rate of one permit per two deliveries of goods by multimodal Ro-Ro and Ro-La transport.
The proposal was made during the first meeting of the Bulgarian-Serbo-Montenegrin Commission on International Multimodal Transport, which was held in Sofia on July 28-29, the Bulgarian Transport Ministry said in a press release on August 2.
The meeting also considered the upgrading of infrastructure facilities that are important for the development of multimodal transport, and possible ways to finance such projects.
The sides agreed to update by the end of September 2004 the list of railway routes and stations, port terminals, and technical means which will be used for multimodal transport of goods.
The Commission will hold its second meeting in Belgrade not later than in November 2004.
Bulgarian Minority in Serbia National Board President Josifov: "We Should respect Our Past and Go Ahead"
Belgrade, July 29 (BTA correspondent Nikolai Kolev) - "The Bulgarian minority should feel this really is a new Serbia," Angel Josifov, President of the National Board of the Bulgarian National Minority (BNM) in Serbia, told BTA expressing his satisfaction with the election of Democratic Party Boris Tadic as the country's President.
Josifov shared his expectations for a win of the Democratic Bloc parties at the forthcoming local government elections in Dimitrovgrad (Bulgarian name Tsaribrod).
Josifov paid special attention to the problems of education in the border areas. In his view, the mother tongue status should be restored by all means, and the Bulgarian language lessons at school should be increased. He said the BNM National Board had drafted and proposed a programme insisting that 30 per cent of the history lessons at school be devoted to teaching Bulgarian history, in addition to increasing the number of Bulgarian language lessons.
"We take into account the fact that our secondary school graduates apply for enrolment in Bulgarian universities. That is, they should study their national history, we have the right to it and we will do it," Josifov said.
He discussed the outstanding problem of officiating services in Bulgarian in the churches of municipalities with Bulgarian residents. The BNM National Board will come up with a position on the problem hoping for its inclusion in the new religious faiths act.
In conclusion, Josifov stressed the role of the two countries' integration into united Europe and said it is a good chance for the Bulgarian national minority in Serbia. He called once again for Bulgarian investments in Serbia's border areas populated by Bulgarians in order to overcome the economic stagnation there and help resolve the population's grave social problems.
Bulgarian Defence Minister Svinarov Confers in Belgrade with Serbian President Tadic.
Belgrade, August 7 (BTA Correspondent Nikolai Koev) - Bulgarian Defence Minister Nikolai Svinarov, who is paying an informal visit to Serbia and Montenegro, conferred with President Boris Tadic of Serbia here Friday evening.
The session took place at the Belgrade Arena before a basketball match between Serbia-Montenegro and the US, which Svinarov watched.
Tadic stressed the need of a further strengthening of bilateral relations and thanked for the support that Bulgaria has been giving his country on its road towards European integration.
The President also thanked for the redundant servicemen retraining experience that Bulgaria has shared, the BETA News Agency reported, quoting a press release of the Serbian President's Office.
EuroBalkans Euroregion Drafts Project for Development of Bulgarian, Serbian Municipalities Situated in Balkan Range.
Sofia, September 1 (BTA) - The EuroBalkans Euroregion, established by Sofia, Nis and Skopje, is drafting a project for the popularization and development of Bulgarian and Serbian municipalities situated in the Balkan Range on both sides of the border, the head of the Sofia City Council PR department, told BTA.
The idea about the project was launched at an extraordinary session of EuroBalkans in Nis, organized to mark the third anniversary of this Euroregion.
Attending the Nis session were mayors Stefan Sofiyansky of Sofia, Goran Ciric of Nis, and Risto Penov of Skopje.
The project is expected to be endorsed by the end of September 2004. It will give the backward municipalities in the Bulgarian and the Serbian part of the Balkan Range to develop mountanous tourism and organize workshops. It is planned to built infrastructure, hotels and other tourist facilities in the desolate areas.
The European Commission (EC) and the European Parliament have already shown interest in the project.
Novinite.com
Politics: 16 September 2004, Thursday
Bulgaria's President will award high state orders Madara Hosreman to the Serbia and Montenegro men who saved dozens of Bulgarian lives this year.
On April 4, the Montenegrins rushed to the assistance of Bulgarian children, whose bus had plunged into the Lim River on their way back from a school trip. There were some 40 children in the vehicle, which was gulped by the swollen river in a few minutes.
Twelve of the young passengers died in the accident.
Media have highlighted that the volunteer rescuers risked their own lives to save the Bulgarians.
Impressive Success of Bulgarian Minority Organization in Dimitrovgrad (Caribrod) Local Elections.
Belgrade, September 20 (BTA correspondent Nikolai Koev) - The Democratic Alliance of Bulgarians of Serbia (DSBJ) in coalition with the Demochristian Party of Serbia won five seats in the municipal government of Dimitrovgrad (Caribrod) in Sunday's local elections in Serbia.
The Democratic Party holds the lead with seven seats, with the DSBJ a close second after polling 16 per cent of the vote.
This is a great success for the DSBJ and an impressive step towards the strengthening of democratic values, DSBJ leader Angel Josifov told BTA.
The Bulgarians' organization will support Dimitrovgrad (Caribrod) mayoral candidate Dr Veselin Velickov of Boris Tadic's Democratic Party in the second round of voting. "If we are successful - as I strongly hope we will be - the democratically oriented forces in Caribrod will win a full victory," Josifov said.
Cultural and Information Centre in Bosilegrad Protests Decision to Reduce Bulgarian Language Classes in School.
Bosilegrad, September 27 (BTA) - The Tsaribrod Cultural and Information Centre in Bosilegrad protested a decision of the
Serb educational authorities to reduce Bulgarian language classes in the primary schools in Bosilegrad, the Centre said in a fax to BTA on Monday.
The Centre describes the decision as a flagrant violation for the Council of Europe's Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, the Constitution and the minorities law of Serbia and Montenegro and the Serb education law.
According to the Centre, the Bulgarian diplomacy has not protected the rights and interests of the Bulgarian minorities in the way this has been done by other countries, Hungary, for example.
The Centre appeals to the authorities of Bulgaria and Serbia and Montenegro to unite their efforts for overall settlement of the problems of the Bulgarian minority concerning its national identity and economic and political development, the message said.
Political Relations between Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro Are Top Level - Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic Tells BTA.
Belgrade, September 30 (BTA Correspondent Nikolai Koev) - This year Balkan neighbours Bulgaria and Serbia and Montenegro will mark 125 years from the establishment of diplomatic relations. On this occasion, the Foreign Minister of Serbia and Montenegro Vuk Draskovic told BTA that bilateral relations between the two countries are currently at the highest possible.
According Draskovic, the two countries are now faced with the task of synchronising economic and cultural relations with the level of political relations.
"I am very pleased and impressed from what I see in Bulgaria. Serbia also has large economic and intellectual potential and the ideal is to erase the border between the two countries as soon as possible," Draskovic said. Without going into detail, he said he and his Bulgarian colleague Solomon Passy discussed some special projects with the objective of maximum rapprochement between the two countries and nations.
Dwelling on the results of his participation in the work of the UN General Assembly session, the Foreign Minister of Serbia and Montenegro pointed out that in New York he specially thanked his colleague Passy for his most precise, clear and firm support as compared to other foreign representatives regarding Security Council Resolution 1244 and the position of the Serbian and Montenegrin delegation.
In conclusion, Draskovic confirmed his opinion regarding a European solution for Kosovo and a European development of the region, but within Serbia and Montenegro.
SOLOMON PASSY - VISAS for MACEDONIA, SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO.
Bulgaria to Put Maximum Effort in Avoiding Visa Introduction for Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro after EU Accession.
Sofia, October 14 (BTA) - Bulgaria will put maximum effort to avoid the introduction of visas for Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro after this country's accession to the European Union. This statement was made by Foreign Minister Solomon Passy before the regular meeting of the Government Thursday.
The Foreign Minister said he was concentrated entirely on his forthcoming tour of the Balkans next week. "I will visit Skopje, Tirana, Belgrade, Podgorica and Pristina," he added.
The tour is planned both along the lines of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and bilateral relations. "We planned it for a time when Bulgaria would be a member of the OSCE and NATO and would be able to offer its experience to neighbouring states in their efforts to join these two organisations."
Bulgaria Will Not Introduce Visas with Respect to Serbia at Least for Two Years.
Belgrade, October 20 (BTA Special Correspondent Stoyan Vitanov) - Sofia will not introduce visa requirements with respect to Serbia at least until Bulgaria accedes to the EU in 2007, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Passy said Wednesday, emerging from a meeting with Serbian President Boris Tadic. The matter has been arranged with the European Commission, he added.
Passy, who is also Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), thanked Tadic for maintaining that elections are essential for democracy. Tadic expressed this view in connection with the parliamentary elections in Kosovo this coming Saturday.
Passy said Tadic's position is an expression of a truly European vision. The OSCE, the UN Mission in Kosovo, and KFOR will do everything within their power to maintain security during the elections and to make sure they are conducted properly.
Tadic said Serbs in Kosovo will be wise to go to the polls, because in this way they will be contributing to stability. The province needs functioning educational, judicial, and police systems to guarantee the rights of its citizens and its successful development, Tadic said. He warned that Kosovo's possible secession would undermine the stability of Serbia and the entire region.
Passy and Tadic found they share the view that Bulgaria's relations with Serbia are better than ever before in the 125-year history of bilateral diplomatic relations.
The Bulgarian Foreign Minister noted that bilateral economic cooperation is picking up. Annual two-way trade increased 44 percent in 2003, he said.
Passy is also expected to confer with Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, with Serbo-Montenegrin President Svetozar Marovic, and with the Head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Pavle.
Later in the day, Passy will be in Podgorica to open a Consulate General of Bulgaria and to meet with Montenegro's Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic and President Filip Vujanovic.
Passy is making a tour of the Western Balkans, which involves visits to Skopje, Pristina, Belgrade, Podgorica, and Tirana.
Sofia will not introduce visas for the citizens of Serbia and Montenegro until the EU-hopeful country enters the Union, Foreign Minister Solomon Passy said in Belgrade.
The two Balkan countries can be proud of the best ever development of bilateral relations for 125 years of diplomatic history, Serbian President Boris Tadic told his guest Solomon Passy.
Bulgarian Foreign Minister conferred with Serbian high profiles, including Chairman of the government Voislav Kostunica, Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic and Patriarch Paule, on the third day of his Western Balkans diplomatic shuttle.
Passy visits the region also in his capacity of OSCE Chairman-in-office to discuss issues concerning regional stability and cooperation of the Balkan countries.
The foreign ministers of Serbia and Montenegro Vuk Draskovic (L) and of Bulgaria Solomon Passy (R) pledged to preserve the non-visa regime between the two countries until 2007 at least. Photo by Tanjug.co.yu
PM Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Receives Deputy PM of Serbia and Montenegro Labus.
Sofia, November 2 (BTA) - Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha met with Miroljub Labus, Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia and Montenegro, within the Government's intensified Balkan dialogue, the Government's Information Service said on Tuesday.
Bilateral relations, particularly in the economic and social spheres topped the agenda of the talks. The sides also discussed attracting the private sector in the implementation of infrastructure projects. Bilateral trade and business relations are definitely expected to expand, Labus said after the meeting.
The Prime Minister and his guest talked on the prospects for integration of Serbia and Montenegro into the European Union. A number of issues related to the stability and protection of rights of all minorities in the region was also discussed.
The President of Serbia and Montenegro arrives in Sofia on Thursday, to ensure future support for Belgrade's democratic reforms and EU-integration ambitions.
Svetozar Marovic arrives at the invitation of his Bulgarian counterpart, Georgi Parvanov.
Boosting trade and economic cooperation between the two neighbour states is also on the Presidents' agenda.
Trade between Bulgaria and Serbia and Montenegro increased by 55% in the first eight of last year y/y, totalling USD 237 M, data shows.
The President of Serbia and Montenegro Svetozar Marovic (L) is welcomed to Sofia after arriving on an official visit. The invitation came from Bulgaria’s President Parvanov (R). Photo by Yuliana Nikolova (Sofia News Agency)
Presidents of Bulgaria and Serbia and Montenegro to Ask European Partners for Support for Sofia-Nis Road.
Sofia, November 11 (BTA) - Presidents Georgi Purvanov of Bulgaria and Svetozar Marovic of Serbia and Montenegro are planning to send a joint letter to the European partners of the two countries setting forth arguments to convince them in the regional importance of the project to build a motorway between Sofia and Nis, President Purvanov told a joint news conference after his meeting with the President of Serbia and Montenegro.
Marovic is on an official visit to Bulgaria, the first by a president of this union of states since 1963.
The two Presidents pointed out the need to speed up the implementation of infrastructure projects in promoting economic cooperation. "The key to activating commercial exchange is the solution of transport problems between the two countries and in the region as a whole," President Purvanov said.
Purvanov pointed out that in building the Sofia-Nis motorway the Bulgarian side will insist on a concessioning project on the basis of public-private partnership. "We believe that funds under ISPA and from the two European banks can be used in the realization of the project and Bulgaria is ready to assist its implementation," Purvanov also said.
President Purvanov also said that Bulgaria will step up its work in the electrification, rehabilitation and modernization of the Dragoman-Dimitrovgrad-Nis railway line.
The two sides also stressed the need to upgrade the existing and build new border checkpoints.
The two countries will solidarize in their efforts to extend the gas pipeline network towards Serbia and the building of the Dimitrovgrad-Nis pipeline and its further extension to other European partners, Purvanov said. He added that better partnership is needed with Russia and Italy and that Bulgaria can help in the construction as there are Bulgarian companies with experience in building such pipelines.
Purvanov expressed Bulgaria's categorical support for the efforts of Serbia and Montenegro towards European integration and for joining the Partnership for Peace programme.
President Marovic thanked for Bulgaria's support and said that it showed that Bulgaria is not only a friend of Serbia and Montenegro but also a neighbour committed to its goals.
The two Presidents also discussed the Bulgarian national minority in the Dimitrovgrad and Bosilegrad area. Purvanov said that the establishment of a National Minorities Council would provide a legitimate and active partner in communications with the authorities in Serbia and Montenegro. Purvanov also expressed his expectations of the realization of the constitutional right of Bulgarians in that region to five Bulgarian language classes a week at school.
Purvanov thanked the people of Serbia and Montenegro for their active role in saving the Bulgarian children whose bus plunged into the Lim River last Easter. The President will visit the site of the accident in which 12 children died on April 4.
Taking a question about Serbia and Montenegro's support in the case against the Bulgarian medics in Serbia and Montenegro, Marovic said that as good neighbours they had offered their modest help. "President Purvanov has done a lot for saving the Bulgarian nationals in Libya. I believe decisions will be made soon that will be a step forward," Marovic said.
Purvanov and Marovic also discussed the situation in Kosovo. Purvanov stressed the Bulgarian stand that the solution of the problems in Kosovo should be based on Resolution 1244 of the UN Security Council and this country's readiness to assist the policy of establishing a multiethnic and democratic Kosovo.
Taking a question, Purvanov stressed Bulgaria's intention not to introduce visas for its neighbors, including Serbia and Montenegro before joining the EU when it will have to pursue the visa policies of the EU.
Sofia, January 16 (BTA) - More than 20 activists of the youth organisation of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation (IMRO) protested Sunday in front of the building of the Serbian embassy in Sofia. The protests was against the guilty verdict of Nebojsa Ivanov.
"The Supreme Court of Serbia confirmed the verdict of a compatriot of ours, the Bulgarian from Tsaribrod Nebojsa Ivanov, to serve an effective prison sentence because of a verbal conflict with a local journalist. In our opinion, the verdict does not in any way correspond in severity to the 'crime" committed by the Bulgarian," a declaration read in front of the embassy states.
We expect Bulgarian public opinion and Bulgarian institutions to be a little more active when it is a question of Bulgarians, one of the protesters, Nikolai Nikolov, said for BTA. In his words, the protest will not continue and at this point is only an initiative of the IMRO youth organisation.
All protesters carried banners, featuring slogans like "Freedom for Nebojsa Ivanov", "Bulgaria is Looking", "Don't' Worry Nebojsa, We're with You", "Judge Criminals, not Bulgarians" and "Stop! Ethnic Discrimination in Western Outlands".
The so-called Western Outlands are territories inhabited by ethnic Bulgarians ceded to Serbia under the Treaty of Neuilly.
According to the protesters, the verdict against Ivanov is political, discriminational and aimed against the Bulgarian minority in the Western Outlands.
IMRO's youth organisation demands justice for Nebojsa Ivanov and that it not be permitted for him to enter jail.
A decision of the Supreme Court of Serbia confirmed the verdict of the District Court in Pirot against Nebojsa Ivanov who is an activist of the Democratic Union of the Bulgarians in Yugoslavia. The verdict was a three-months sentence to prison on charges of causing national, racial and religious hatred, enmity and intolerance under Article 134 (1) of the Criminal Code of that country.
Nebojsa Ivanov was called to begin serving his sentence on January 5, 2005 at the District Jail in Lescovac.
The initial verdict of the court in Pirot was 15 months effective imprisonment because he called a Serbian journalist "Serboman" and threatened to make her move to Nis.
Sofia, January 21 (BTA) - Following instructions by Foreign Minister Solomon Passy, Bulgaria's Ambassador in Belgrade Yani Milchakov will meet Serbian President Boris Tadic on Friday, the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry's Information and Public Relations Directorate told BTA.
The meeting will take place hours before Tadic's departure for Libya. The latest developments of the trial against five Bulgarian nurses in Libya will be among the topics discussed. The five were sentenced to death by the Benghazi Criminal Court on May 6, 2004 on charges of intentional HIV infection of several hundred Libyan children.
The two will also discuss a verdict against Nebojsa Ivanov, Deputy Foreign Minister and Ministry Spokesperson Gergana Gruncharova said, quoted in the press release.
Ivanov, who is an activist of the Democratic Union of Bulgarians in Yugoslavia, has received an effective prison sentence for a verbal altercation with a local journalist.
Bulgarian Reprieved in Serbia after Presidential Plea.
Novinite.com
Politics: 15 February 2005, Tuesday
Serbian President Boris Tadic has issued a decree of clemency on several persons, including a Bulgarian sentenced to three months in prison for "causing national, racial and religious hatred and intolerance."
It was Bulgarian President Peter Stoyanov (1996-2001) who sent a letter to Serbian President Tadic earlier this month to ask for clemency on Nebojsha Ivanov, holder of dual Bulgarian and Serbian citizenship.
Ivanov claimed that the trial against him was a "punishment for a person standing for the rights of Bulgarians living in the Western Parts of Serbia." He is also presiding over Bulgarian culture and information centre in the town of Pirot.
Monument to Bulgarian National Hero Vassil Levski Unveiled in Serbia's Bosilegrad.
Bosilegrad, Eastern Serbia, March 4 (BTA Correspondent Nikolai Koev) - A crowd of 2,000 gathered at a ceremony in Bosilegrad Friday to unveil a monument to Bulgarian national hero Vassil Levski.
Vassil Levski (1837-1873), who is revered as the Apostle of Liberty, was ideologist, strategist and leader of the struggle for Bulgaria's liberation from Ottoman rule.
The monument was inaugurated by Bulgarian Vice President Angel Marin in the presence of the town Mayor Vladimir Zaharijev, Bulgarian MPs, politicians, public figures, and journalists. Dragoljub Kojcic, Member of the Serbian Parliament, was among the speakers.
Vice President Marin presented Major Zaharijev with a scale replica of an old Bulgarian church and delivered books and a blessed icon of the Madonna with Infant Jesus to the local Bulgarian cultural centre. A blessing of the waters was performed.
Children from Vassil Levski School in Doulovo, Northeastern Bulgaria, had travelled 620 km to Bosilegrad to lay a wreath of flowers at the new monument.
"The voice of wisdom was heard here today," Marin told BTA after the ceremony. "People in this square, in this street heard and saw that government officials, politicians and public figures from our two countries can speak the same language, the language of good-neighbourliness, mutual respect, fraternity, and mutual aid. We proved today that we can accomplish what Levski once dreamed of."
The Bosilegrad Mayor said that with this monument, his municipality welcomed one more citizen into its community, and expressed the hope that "together with our brothers in Bulgaria we will join Europe soon."
The monument was built on funds raised from over 50 institutions and many individuals. The effort was coordinated by the Vassil Levski All-Bulgarian Committee and the Vassil Levski Foundation. The monument was designed and built by Bulgarian artists.
Bosilegrad is located in an area which Bulgaria ceded to Serbia under the 1919 Treaty of Neuilly and has since called "the Western Outlands."
Montenegro, Bulgaria Agree On Police Cooperation Protocol.
PODGORICA, Serbia-Montenegro (AP)--The interior ministers of Montenegro and Bulgaria agreed Tuesday to step up police cooperation by signing a protocol on joining forces to fight trans-border crime, the Montenegrin Interior Ministry said.
Visiting Interior Minister Georgi Petkanov of Bulgaria and his Montenegrin counterpart, Dragan Djurovic, agreed that all Balkan nations "face similar problems when it comes to crime and should therefore intensify cooperation to fight terrorism and organized crime," the ministry statement said.
Experts and representatives of the two police forces and interior ministries will work together and hold regular gatherings to advance communication channels, it said.
Petkanov was part of a Bulgarian state delegation, headed by President Georgi Parvanov, which arrived Tuesday for a two-day visit to Serbia-Montenegro, Yugoslavia's successor state and also Bulgaria's Balkan neighbor.
The visit will include signing several bilateral agreements.
State representatives from Bulgaria and Serbia and Montenegro inked Friday the memorandum for building a pipeline to link the two states.
The construction of the Dupnitsa-Dimitrovgrad-Nis facility will cost about EUR 60 M and will take five years. The pipeline will be 250km long.
Bulgaria's Energy Minister Miroslav Sevlievski and Radomir Naumov, the Serbian minister of energy and mining, signed the document that greenlights the project.
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