Bulgaria – English Blogactiv Posts

Archives for Bulgaria

Freedom 2010 in Balkans and Eastwards

May 2, 2010

“Freedom of the press, freedom of association, the inviolability of domicile, and all the rest of the rights of man are respected so long as no one tries to use them against the privileged class. On the day they are launched against the privileged they are overthrown.” (Prince Peter Kropotkin) Different aspects of freedom are… » read more

Albania, Ari Rusila´s BalkanPerspective, BalkanBlog, Balkans, Black Sea region, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Business environment, Caucasus, Croatia, English

Visegrad+ Energy Summit: Old Power with New Aims?

February 25, 2010

The V4+ Energy Summit held in Budapest on 24-26 February ended in a joint declaration signed by the V4 plus Austria, Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria, and the perspective member state Croatia (along with Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina). If these countries show such unity as they had in the March 2009 economic crisis summit, it can put a… » read more

Austria, Balkan, Bulgaria, Central Europe, Croatia, Czech Republic, energy efficiency, Energy Supply, English, EU Priorities and Opinion, Hungary, Poland, romania, Slovakia

I want to see the list of ’swaps’

February 24, 2010

Bulgarian agriculture minister Miroslav Naydenov described the ’swaps’ as “the biggest theft” in Bulgaria’s tormented transition from communism to a market economy. I agree with him. Under the so-called ’swaps’, local authorities authorise the exchange of privately-owned low-rated land with state-owned parcels located in the most attractive tourist locations. Those who benefited from the scheme… » read more

Bulgaria, English

Dazzling Bulgarian EU nominee wows Parliament

February 4, 2010

This story about Bulgarian commissioner-designate Kristalina Georgieva was published by EurActiv on 4th February 2010. Bulgarian commissioner-designate Kristalina Georgieva scored high marks at a European Parliament confirmation hearing yesterday (3 February), earning repeated applause from MEPs across party lines and paving the way for the approval of the Barroso II team next week in Strasbourg.… » read more

33901, Bulgaria, English, environment, EU Priorities and Opinion

Shining Kristalina

I told the Bulgarian commissioner-designate Kristalina Georgieva that I was receiving compliments for her performance at yesterday’s hearing. I did not deserve those compliments, but those present who knew me apparently felt how proud I was as a Bulgarian for her performance. I knew that she was familiar with the portfolio, so what I liked… » read more

Bulgaria, English, EU Priorities and Opinion

Jeleva chaired firm set up by communist secret services, says MEP

January 19, 2010

The following article about Rumiana Jeleva was published by EurActiv on 19th January 2010. Commissioner-designate Rumiana Jeleva was the CEO of a company established by the former communist secret services in Liechtenstein, a leading socialist MEP told EurActiv yesterday (18 January) as the European Parliament’s legal service appeared to clear Jeleva of any wrongdoing. Ivaylo… » read more

Bulgaria, English, Rumiana Jeleva

Bulgarians rally over planned snooping on Internet

January 15, 2010

SOFIA (Reuters) – Hundreds of Bulgarians protested Thursday against planned legal amendments allowing mass monitoring of emails, electronic messages and phone calls to fight crime and corruption. Under the changes to the electronic messages law, approved by parliament at first reading, Internet providers and mobile phone operators would be obliged to provide to police non-stop… » read more

32797, Bulgaria, egovernment, English, InfoSociety

Jeleva pitiful flop discloses EU weaknesses

January 13, 2010

Aspiring commissioner Rumiana Jeleva was so sure of her performance that she ordered the Bulgarian national radio to transmit the three-hour debate live. As a Bulgarian national, I am as embarrassed as any of my compatriots. Jeleva made a sorry show of herself and failed to dispel ‘rumours’ about her family business. But more importantly,… » read more

Bulgaria, eastern europe, English, Enlargement and Neighbours

Jeleva’s pitiful flop discloses EU weaknesses

Bulgaria, eastern europe, English, Enlargement and Neighbours

Bulgaria is not Big Brother, 2010 is not 1984

January 7, 2010

For immediate release On January 14th , 2010 there will be a massive protest around the Parliament building in Sofia under the slogan “Bulgaria is not Big Brother, 2010 is not 1984”. The protest will unite citizens, political parties and many organizations around their demand against the latest change in the data retention legislation. The… » read more

Bulgaria, egovernment, English, InfoSociety

The Nabucco-South Stream race intensifies

November 15, 2009

The race between the two EU’s eastern gas pipelines is going on while next winter can again show some supply problems via Ukraine. South Stream got latest boost on 11th November 2009 as Russia’s Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko and Slovenian Economy Minister Matej Lahovnik signed an agreement on the passage of the South […]

BalkanBlog, Balkans, Black Sea region, Bulgaria, energy policy, Energy Supply, English, European perspective, Russia, Slovenia, Ukraine

Bulgaria: A political earthquake not to be neglected by Europe

July 10, 2009

For the third time since 1989, Bulgarian voters have inflicted a massive “no” to their political class.The GERB party (a Bulgarian language shortcut for “Citizens for an European Development of Bulgaria”) got 116 of the available 240 seats in the one-c…

Borissof, Bulgaria, East-West, English, Sofia

Vote Counting Irregularities during EP Elections in Bulgaria

June 25, 2009

The Blue Coalition has discovered significant irregularities in vote counting and vote reporting during the European Parliament elections in Bulgaria. A sample of protocols from local polling stations reveals gross irregularities of vote numbers.

Bulgaria, Corruption, Elections, English, Irregularity

Ahmed Dogan: I’ve Got the Power!

Ahmed Dogan, the leader of the Turkish ethnic minority party, MRF, recently said: “I am the instrument in power that allocates the portions of financing in the country [Bulgaria]. I want you to be very aware of this fact”. He also said: “the power is in my hands”. Dogan mentioned specifically the State Fund “Agriculture”… » read more

Bulgaria, Bulgarian, Dogan, Elections, English, Public Affairs

Votes for Sale in EP election?

June 2, 2009

A common utterance “money talks” is sometimes used also related to elections. One could suppose that if voting matters the parties or candidates are investing more to win elections. Normal marketing is sometimes not guaranteeing enough votes so in many societies more crude means are used such as election fraud/rigging, non-transparent and illegal political campaign… » read more

Balkan, Bulgaria, Corruption, Elections, English, EU, Finland, vote buying

Blue Coalition Asks for International Observers in Bulgarian Elections

May 29, 2009

The leaders of the Blue Coalition, Ivan Kostov and Martin Dimitrov, asked the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to send observers to the forthcoming elections for the European Parliament (June, 7th) and national parliament (July, 5th) in Bulgaria. The reason for this is the refusal of the Central Election Commission (CEC) yesterday… » read more

Bulgaria, Elections, English, Enlargement and Neighbours

No Election Fever in Europe – Th!nk 09 Roundup

May 9, 2009

Andrei Tuch says that although voter apathy in the European elections is not a bug but a feature, it is still useful to try to persuade voters to participate and your vote truly counts. I share his views, even if reports from the member states do not seem to underpin our feelings.

Bulgaria, Czech Republic, English, Germany, ireland, Italy, Political, Slovakia, Slovenia

Bogus Signature Lists for Party Registration in Bulgaria

April 27, 2009

The Bulgarian Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) has accused the Turkish ethnic party Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) of making bogus lists for the registration of UDF for the elections. UDF claims that MRF members in Razgrad have started collecting signatures for support of the party registration in a fake list in order to… » read more

Bulgaria, Elections, English

One in Three Bulgarians May Sell Vote

April 21, 2009

A new survey by the Open Society Institute shows that a third of Bulgarians having voting rights can at least consider selling their vote. The most frequently mentioned price is 100 Leva (approx. 50 Euro). 63% firmly denounce vote selling. 74% understand that vote buying is a crime. For 12% however it is a normal… » read more

Bulgaria, Elections, English, Enlargement and Neighbours, vote buying, vote selling