These are some of the top headlines in Bulgarian newspapers on July 17 2008. The Sofia Echo has not verified these stories and cannot vouch for their accuracy.
Politics
- Bulgaria would completely lose 500 million euro from European pre-accession programmes, Dnevnik daily quoted Reuters as saying. According to Reuters, the funding cut would be included in the interim report of the European Commission on Bulgaria’s efforts to fight organised crime and corruption, due to be published on July 23.
- The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) stood behind each word written on the office’s report on Bulgaria, OLAF said, as quoted by Dnevnik. According to the report, there were powerful forces in Bulgaria’s authorities who protected businessmen involved in EU funding malfeasances.
- Although OLAF’s report linked in public the name of President Georgi Purvanov with businessmen suspected of malfeasances and embezzlement of funds from European pre-accession programme Sapard, Purvanov declined any comment, Sega daily said. One of the businessmen mentioned by OLAF, Lyudmil Stoikov, was among the sponsors for Purvanov’s presidential election campaign, the newspaper said.
Social
- The Commission for Protection of Competition fined 14 insurance companies a total of 2.45 million leva for creating a cartel, Dnevnik said. The companies were fined between 100 000 and 250 000 leva each.
Economy
- Lyulin Highway could be finished by May 2010, Monitor daily said. The construction company launched round-the-clock work on the project in mid-July to meet the deadline.
