Police presence
About 300 police would be stationed at the Sunny Beach resort at Bulgaria’s seaside over the summer, Pavlin Dimitrov, head of the Bourgas police department, said on April 6. Foreigners are the victims of 60 per cent of the thefts and robberies that happen at seaside resorts, statistics show. The police will try to cut down on the pickpockets, prostitutes and currency swindlers over the summer. Police on horseback will also patrol the resort to ensure that their presence is more effective. The tourist season in Sunny Beach starts on May 1.

Tourist prognosis
More than 700 000 foreign tourists are expected for summer season 2006 in Nessebar municipality, according to information from tour operators. The companies expect the number of foreign tourist to increase between nine and 11 per cent as compared to last year. Most of the tourists are expected to come from Germany and England. The first 50 foreign tourist arrived in the city of Nessebar from England on April 4 and symbolically opened the tourist season for the city. More English tourists are expected to come to Nessebar, according to contracts with the tour operator companies Thomas Cook, Thompson and First Choice.

Preparations
The project of the new Bourgas airport terminal was officially presented to the public on March 30 by Kalin Barzov, executive director of the airport. After the new terminal is completed, the capacity of the airport will allow the processing of one million passengers per tourist season. The entrance of the new terminal will be built in the Museum of Aviation, Barzov said. The baggage hall will be extended to 1000 sq m. After the expansion, Bourgas airport will be the only airport in the country with three luggage carousels. The project envisages 30 more new bus spaces in the parking lot and 80 spaces for cars. A playground, a store and a bar will be built on the new terrace. The total sum of the investments is 1.2 million leva. During 2006 season, Bourgas airport will work with 12 new air companies and expectations are for busy traffic, Barzov said.

Flowers Anyone?
The 23rd Flora-Bourgas 2006 national exhibition will be held from April 26 to May 2 under the patronage of Bourgas mayor Yoan Kostadinov. The exhibition is unique because it unites under one roof the experience of Bulgarian and foreign companies and has become one of Bourgas most popular events in every spring.  So far 75 Bulgarian and foreign companies have confirmed their registration for the exhibition. Registration will continue until April 25. This year the list of foreign companies  will include participants from Netherlands, Hungary, Turkey, Germany, Russia, Greece, Czech Republic, Slovakia, France, Italy, Poland, Macedonia and Sweden.