These are some of the top stories in Bulgarian newspapers on November 21 2008. The Sofia Echo has not verified these stories and cannot vouch for their accuracy.

Politics

- Foundations and associations will be able to finance political parties. This is what MPs from Parliament's legal affairs committee decided on November 20, adopting at second reading several amendments to the Political Parties Act, Dnevnik daily reported. It quoted the deputy head of the committee Yani Yanev from the ruling National Movement for Stability and Progress, who is against the idea, as saying this would give business an opportunity to pour money into parties via foundations. Representatives of the leftist parties, however, said this was the practice in some Western European states.

Social

- As of June 1 2010, smoking in closed public places, including bars, restaurants, offices, will be banned, Dnevnik daily said. The goal of the amendment to the Health Act is providing an environment free of tobacco smoke and preserving non-smokers' health, the daily quoted the Government as saying.

- Half of the Bulgarian state servants will receive a 13th salary, Standart daily said in a report on who is going to receive Christmas bonuses. In spite of the crisis, most mayors around the country have managed to save money for Christmas bonuses. Some ministries, however, have dropped behind, the daily said.

Economy

- Banks have introduced more strict requirements towards their clients when giving mortgage loans over the past weeks, Dnevnik daily said, reporting on the findings of a survey it carried out among credit institutions.