During a regular aviation exercise at the firing range of Koren, near Haskovo, last Friday, 96 aviation bombs were blown up as part of an experiment to demonstrate the possible seismological and environmental impact of the destruction of the SS-23 missiles.

The experiment was conducted at the initiative of the General Staff. The objective of the military was to convince the authorities in Stara Zagora that the analogous destruction of the SS-23 missiles would not pose any hazard to the lives and health of the people.

Present at the experiment were only the reporters of the Bulgarian National Television and the National Radio. They said that the blasts did not have any visible environmental impact. Stara Zagora's regional governor, also present, said that she already had no concerns about the impact of the conversion of the missiles.

Stara Zagora Mayor Evgeni Zhelev said the Air Force had only demonstrated its power but doubts remained. Tensions and fears of the people in the region will continue to escalate even after this experiment, Ivan Bozhkov, chairman of the municipal council, said.

The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) insisted Monday that the forthcoming destruction of Bulgaria's SS-23 missiles at a firing ground near Zmeyovo, in the southern Stara Zagora region, should be preceded by an assessment of the possible environmental impact of the process.

The leaders of the two parties' regional chapters, Trifon Mitev (BSP) and Stefan Radev (UDF), made statements to this effect during separate press conferences on Monday.

The two parties share the view that a comprehensive study should be conducted by chemical, medical, missile and environmental experts. Each of them should sign the future assessment report to indicate that the responsibility for the conclusions will be personal, not political, the two parties said.

Meanwhile, rural residents of Haskovo region have launched a sign-in campaign against the possible destruction of SS-23 missiles at the local Koren firing ground. They grew worried after aircraft bombs were destroyed at Koren last Friday, said Georgi Petrov, coordinator for a newly established public committee for environmental protection of the area.

The public was concerned because of the utmost secrecy about the bomb destruction operation at Koren, Petrov said, adding that the local authorities had not been notified.

"There is no change in the decision regarding the site where the SS-23 and Scud missiles and FROG rockets will be demolished," Defence Minister Nikolai Svinarov told the media on Monday, taking a reporter's question. He added that the contacts aimed to ease tensions in Stara Zagora and Kazanluk regions, which are close to the firing ground at the village of Zmeyovo chosen for the destruction of the missiles.

"We will not breach any safety rules to observe the deadline recommended by Parliament for the destruction, October 30," Svinarov said.

The technical experiment, aimed to produce an effect comparable to that produced as a result of the demolition of SS-23, Scuds and FROGs was successful for the military and the Defence Ministry, Svinarov said.