Sir
EVENTS in Uzbekistan are unfolding and it is a confused and tragic situation, but we are fed two points of view.
On the one hand, the BBC says peaceful protestors from a subjugated people have been attacked and gunned down by the police and security forces. Whereas the Russian news agency says that there was a massive jailbreak and that the former prisoners have rioted and attacked administrative buildings, and that the riot has been contained. Time will tell which version is closest to the truth. In Iraq we are constantly told that insurgents are trying to destabilise the country. Were these people referred to as partisans we would take a different view of matters. Are these people any different from any other people fighting for the release of their country from invaders? Well, their methods are much more violent, but aren't their aims the same? It's just a matter of how you view it. This brings me to my point, a very minor matter which cannot be compared, but is also a matter of how the press report it. Last week the inflammatory headline of the Echo was "Foreigner Prices Endure". Should we not be describing the different pricing of goods and services to foreigners and Bulgarians, as a discount to Bulgarians? Not as a rip off to foreigners. Throughout the world, tourists and travellers pay higher prices than normal for the purchase of goods and services. It may not be so obvious that you pay incredibly high prices in airports, tourist traps etc. because locals just don't go and buy in such places, but it still happens. Firstly, foreigners are still very happy with the prices here and perceive Bulgaria as a low cost country, and secondly I don't believe that the owners of new luxury hotels, or restaurants situated in prime locations could even cover their expenses, let alone make a profit charging "local prices". The fact that these discounted prices are available to locals should be treated as a concession, which pressure from unbalanced press opinion should not be allowed to disturb. This would inevitably lead to the higher price being charged to everyone, to the detriment of the many Bulgarians who do not have a high enough income to pay these prices. Of course we know that foreigners, quite logically, hate this practice when they come across it, but I saw a very good way of handling this when I was recently in Borovets. Naturally the restaurant menu carried the high tourist prices, but the owner handled the situation very elegantly. When the smetkata (bill) arrived, the prices on it were as per the menu, but at the bottom was written less 25 per cent discount. Now surely no one can complain about discounts, we're all trying to get these every day!

- David Clark
Sofia

A question of service

Sir
ON leaving Sofia after an enjoyable and interesting two weeks in Bulgaria, we read your article about differential hotel rates for foreigners (The Sofia Echo, May 13, 2005). As far as hotels and restaurants were concerned, we felt that we certainly received value for money with some not making a differential charge and matching the best anywhere. But the almost universal practice of charging differential fees for entrance to museums and historic sites is highly irritating. The museum at Rila charges five times as much as Bulgarians pay, yet the only thing written in English is the cost of entry. Only two cultural sites that we visited had made a reasonable effort to provide explanations in English. On three occasions, we did have the benefit of enthusiastic and knowledgeable guardians or curators who spoke impressive English. On the other hand, at Arbannasi, one of the most important monuments was closed and another unable to provide any information as staff were enjoying the national holiday, precisely when their services would be most required. The principle of making foreigners pay more is itself dubious and probably counter productive. If, to add insult to injury, an appropriate level of service is not offered it is difficult see how Bulgaria will achieve its ambition to develop a world class tourist industry.

- David and Margaret Parker
Belpech, France