BACK IN THE GAME?
Roumen Petkov, who had to step down as interior minister earlier this year after it emerged that he had held meetings with people under investigation, has decided to set up a foundation to help Bulgarian Government law enforcement policy. The name of the NGO will be the International Institute for Security and Regional Co-operation. The idea was announced by Macedonian former interior minister Ljubomir Mihajlovski. Petkov will rely on the support of Romanian former interior minister Vasile Blaga. Politicians from all parties in Bulgaria called Petkov’s initiative “not serious”, according to Bulgarian-language Dnevnik daily.
THE PRICE OF CHARITY
A total of 37 million leva was donated to charity in Bulgaria in 2007, the Bulgarian Donor’s Forum (BDF), the Bulgarian Charities Aid Foundation (BCAF) and website save-darina.org said. The sum in the first six months of 2008 was 30 per cent higher. In the past year, there have been 170 campaigns dedicated to various social, cultural, environmental or health-related causes. More people have started campaigns to raise money for health treatment, something that by definition should be the state’s responsibility, NGOs said.
SCHOOL CLOSING
A total of 389 schools across the country will be closed, the Education Ministry said. Most of the schools are in the regions of Shoumen, Turgovishte, Pleven, Kurdjali and Vratsa. A total of 2650 schools are currently operating in Bulgaria. Seventy-four schools are protected schools, meaning that they will not be closed even if they have only a few pupils. The list of protected schools will be updated at the end of October.
SPECIAL SALARIES
The average salary for those employed by the National Intelligence Service became 1483 leva as of July 1, up from 1235 leva, according to the State Gazette. Employees at the National Protection Service, which is responsible for personal protection of top-level officials, get an average 1320 leva a month, up from 1056 leva. A general employed by the service is paid a total of 1851 leva, while a deputy interior minister gets 1739 leva. The average salary at the Interior Ministry is 960 leva while those serving in Bulgaria’s military get 977 leva on average.
PARTY MONEY
Plovdiv municipality introduced a 50 leva fee for anyone who wants to organise open-air events. The city hall also wants 500 leva as a deposit against possible damages. The sanction for violators of procedures is 2000 leva.
SOCIAL SURPLUS
The Cabinet has allocated 210 million leva from the budget surplus for social welfare expenses, including free holidays for pensioners, Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev said. The money will come from the budget surplus, which is expected to reach six billion leva by the end of the year. The spending on social expenses is also to include financial assistance for energy, 100-leva inflation bonuses for the poorest households and one-time financial aid for pupils in first grade.
COLLATERAL DAMAGE
Two men were seriously injured after a bomb exploded in their hands in the early hours of September 3 in central Sofia. Both men were admitted to hospital. One of them was missing an arm, police said. The two told police that they had found the bomb in plastic bag near the Palace of Justice on Vitosha Boulevard. When they tried to pick the bag up, it exploded. The blast victims, however, had criminal records, which led to suspicions that they had tried to plant the bomb.
SOFIA BATHS OPEN
The historic building of Sofia’s former central mineral baths, near TZUM in the city centre, will open for business for the first time since 1986. Plans have it being divided into two areas. The north wing is to house a spa centre, which has been given in a 20-year concession. A central part would take up to 5600 sq m, with the remaining 7000 sq m serving as exhibition space for a museum of the city of the Sofia.
NO BBC IN BULGARIA
As of September 2, the BBC World Service stopped broadcasting in Bulgaria. The radio station, which was accessible at 91.0 FM in Sofia, started operations in the country in 1940. Claims on the BBC’s Sofia radio frequency were one of the reasons for the end of broadcasts, media reports said.
BLUE ZONE OPTIONS
As of September 1, permanent residents of Sofia centre whose residential address is a street in the paid parking blue zone, can apply for an annual 70 leva parking permit with the municipal company Parking i Garazhi. The annual parking permit is a sticker that is affixed to the vehicle’s windscreen. Applicants must have the same address registration on their ID as is on the registration documents of their vehicle to receive the parking pass. Such permits will not be issued for people who work in the relevant area.
