These are some of the top stories in Bulgarian newspapers on November 18 2008. The Sofia Echo has not verified these stories and cannot vouch for their accuracy.

Politics

- The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) decided for the first time ever to run a TV ad before a party congress, which is to happen in Sofia on November 22-23, Dnevnik daily reported. On their website, the socialists released a 20-second black-and-white video called "Governance with ideas... and heart!", in which the BSP leader and Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev plays the role of a tram driver. Bulgarian Culture Minister Stefan Danailov also appears in the ad, whose plot is reminiscent of two communist-ear Bulgarian films in which he starred. The daily quoted advertising experts as saying that despite being cliché, the BSP ad was well targeted at the party's hardcore voters.

Social

- Years after it stopped being taught as an obligatory subject in schools, Russian keeps being a more used language in Bulgaria than English, Sega daily reported. About 40.2 per cent of the people of active labour force bracket (25-64 years) use Russian in actively or passively, but only 20.7 per cent used English, the daily said, quoting data from the National Statistical Institute. The survey also showed that 55.9 per cent of Bulgarians used at least one foreign language.

- Bulgarian Labour and Social Policy Minister Emilia Maslarova and the employer organisations on November 17 came up with different forecasts about the effects of the financial crisis on the labour market, Dnevnik daily said. According to Maslarova, in 2009 unemployment in Bulgaria would no more than seven per cent, as compared to the current 5.8 per cent. Representatives of the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria and the Bulgarian Industrial Association, however, said that it was an optimistic forecast and estimated unemployment as reachion 8-9 per cent, or possibly even a two-digit figure.

Economy

- The financial crisis was already having an impact on software companies in Bulgaria, Dnevnik daily said. Although none of them woult adimt to being hit by the crisis, talks of shrinking teams, cutting down on bonuses and work trips and other saving measures were being discussed in pribate, the daily said.