STATE SUPPORT
The holder of the concession for Trakiya Highway will be authorised to list all interest instalments on loans as “construction expenditure”, it emerged at a meeting of the parliamentary transport and telecommunications committee. In addition, the new amendments to the Roads Act, the first reading of which has been debated in Parliament, set out the rules for setting future toll fees. The amendment had been drafted to suit the Trakiya Highway concessionaire, rightist MP Ivan Ivanov said. The change authorises the road owner to charge interest on late or special payments to the amount of the toll.

CONSTRUCTION IN IRAKLI
Construction of a resort facility within the Irakli-Emine zone, part of the Natura 2000 protected environmental network, has already begun, the Save Irakli civic group said. The group showed photographs of the construction, by investor Swiss Properties. They again recalled the EU’s unequivocal warning that the inflow of structural funds would be cut if there were breaches of EU directives on protection of birds and habitats.

WATER TRANSPORTATION IN CHIMIMPORT’S SCOPE
Chimimport continues to expand its presence in the water transportation sector after it acquired 9.7 per cent of the holding’s capital. Alexander Kerezov, deputy head of Chimimport’s board of directors, said that currently the investment could not be regarded as financial but in future it could be seen as such. He said that the reason to acquire a stake in the holding was its assets in maritime transportation, Bulyard shipbuilding industry and Port of Bourgas shipbuilding factory.

BUSINESS INCUBATOR IN BOURGAS
Ernesto Mazarato and Dino Gerard, Italian nationals, announced they would develop a business incubator in Bourgas. The two Italians and the mayor of the coastal city, Dimitar Nikolov, met to discuss the project. The business incubator will train entrepreneurs planning to build a business, sole proprietors as well as young people opting for a new business activity.

CHANGES PENDING AT OVERGAS ARM
Vestitel BG, the telecom arm of gas company Overgas, announced plans to change its core business, company sources announced but declined to give further details. At present, the company is developing a new business plan, which will be reviewed at the February 5 meeting of the company’s board of directors. Board member Rossitsa Vassileva confirmed to Dnevnik daily that changes were underway and they would seek to diversify the company’s business. “We will add new activities and will not give up what we have done to date,” she said. The company will keep its triple package comprising voice telephony, internet and interactive digital television (IPTV). The investment was serious, and would remain in the company’s portfoilio, Vassileva said.