These are some of the top headlines in Bulgarian newspapers on April 9 2008. The Sofia Echo has not verified these stories and cannot vouch for their accuracy.

Politics

- The Interior Ministry would lose one of its major weapons, the control on the usage of special intelligence methods, Sega daily said. The two directorates, which now have the right to use surveillance equipment, would be transferred to a new agency.

- Opposition parties demanded hearing Prosecutor-General Boris Velchev in Parliament after the murder of Georgi Stoev, Monitor daily said. Stoev had written several books on organised crime in Bulgaria. He was shot twice in the head on April 7 and died later in the day.

Social

- Environment and Water Affairs Ministry offered to concede a million sq m of land near the Black Sea coast for a stone quarry, Dnevnik daily said. Most of the area was part of the European Environment network Natura 2000. The ministry's proposal has already been presented to the Cabinet.

Economic

- The International Monetary Fund decreased its forecast for economic growth in Bulgaria to 5.5 per cent in 2008 and 4.75 per cent in 2009, Dnevnik said. Initially, it expected growth to be 6.25 per cent in 2008 and six per cent in 2009.