These are some of the top headlines in Bulgarian newspapers on May 2 2008. The Sofia Echo has not verified these stories and cannot vouch for their accuracy.

May 2 is part of Labour day celebrations and is an official holiday in Bulgaria.

Politics

- In his Labour day address, Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev said that the Cabinet will continue to strictly monitor that workers' rights are not breached, but said that the onus for improving living standards in the country was on the private sector, with the Government responsible to provide a healthy business climate, Dnevnik daily reported.

Society

- The long Labour day break was archaic and needed to be abolished because it was a populist move that did not take into account the losses it generated in the private sector, the chairperson of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) told Standart daily.

- At least 20 trees were cut down in the Sevastopol park in downtown Varna this week, even though the trees were not a danger to passers-by, as the company that cut them claimed, Dnevnik daily said.

Economy

- Russian oil giant Lukoil plans to acquire a petrol stations chain in Croatia, which will sell fuels from the company's refineries in Bulgaria and Romania, Standart daily reported.