Month: June 2005

FACTBOX – Key facts and figures about Bulgaria
SOFIA, June 23 (Reuters) – Bulgaria holds general elections on
Saturday. Following are some facts about Bulgaria:
POPULATION: 7.8 million – 83.9 percent ethnic Bulgarians, 9.4 percent
ethnic Turks, 4.7 Roma gypsies and 2.0 percent Russian, Armenian and
other, according to a 2001 census.
RELIGION: Eastern Orthodoxy is practised by 83 percent of Bulgarians,
while 12 percent are Muslims.
LANGUAGE: The official language is Bulgarian.
AREA: 110,994 sq km (42,855 sq miles).
Bulgaria is bordered to the north by Romania, to the east by the Black
Sea, to the south by Turkey and Greece, to the west by Serbia and
Montenegro and the Republic of Macedonia.
CAPITAL: Sofia. Population 1.19 million.
ARMED FORCES: Bulgaria became a NATO member in April 2004 after
carrying out defence reforms and cutting its 93,000-strong armed
forces to 45,000. It will be further reduced by 2015.
ECONOMY: The centrist government of former king Simeon Saxe-Coburg has
maintained macroeconomic stability, slashed the country’s public
foreign debt and earned it a series of credit rating upgrades since it
came into power in 2001.
Bulgaria enjoys relatively low inflation following an economic crisis
in 1996/97, when the country pegged its lev to the euro in a currency
board regime.
Despite a robust economic growth over 4.0 percent in the last four
years, monthly salaries average 150 euros ($185) and Bulgaria is the
poorest country of all EU candidates and member states except for
Turkey. GDP per capita was 2,498 euros in 2004, or 30 percent of the
EU average.
HISTORY: Established in 681, Bulgaria spent half of the last
millennium as part of the Ottoman Empire. Northern Bulgaria became a
constitutional monarchy after the 1878 Russian-Turkish war and was
united with the South in 1885.
By 1945 Bulgaria had taken part in three wars (the Balkan wars of
1912-13, World War One and World War Two, in which it sided with Nazi
Germany). In 1944, the Bulgarian Communist Party took power and ruled
as a single party until 1989.
On November 10, 1989 top communist party officials ousted
Soviet-backed dictator Todor Zhivkov. It renamed itself the Socialist
Party and won a sweeping victory in the first democratic parliamentary
election in June 1990.
But that government was ousted in a no-confidence vote after 11 months
in power to be replaced by a government of the right-of-centre Union
for Democratic Forces (UDF).
The UDF was followed by a non-party cabinet which resigned in
September 1994 amid accusations of slow reforms. Elections that
December again gave the Socialists, led by Zhan Videnov, a
parliamentary majority.
His government was no more successful at reforms and led Bulgaria into
an economic crisis marked by hyper-inflation and the collapse of a
third of the country’s banks in 1996-1997.
The Socialists were ousted in February 1997 as angry crowds stormed
parliament and was again replaced by the UDF, which achieved
macroeconomic stability and began talks to join NATO and the European
Union.
In 2001 ex-king Simeon Saxe-Coburg entered the election race three
months ahead of the vote. He stormed to power in a landslide election
victory with 120 of parliament’s 240 seats.
Europe’s first ex-monarch to be elected prime minister, Saxe-Coburg
formed a ruling coalition with the mostly ethnic-Turkish Movement for
Rights and Freedoms.
But despite securing NATO membership and signing Bulgaria’s EU entry
treaty, Saxe-Coburg’s Movement for Simeon II failed to stamp out
corruption and significantly raise living standards, and its
popularity has fallen to around 15 percent.
06/23/05 10:49 ET

FIFTH UNIVERSAL REGIONAL TRADE -INDUSTRIAL EXPO -FORUM “ARMENIA
EXPO-2005” TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN ON SEPTEMBER 14-17
YEREVAN, June 23. /ARKA/. The fifth universal regional trade
-industrial expo -forum “Armenia EXPO-2005” will be held in Yerevan on
September 14-17.
According to the LOGOS EXPO Centre Press Service Department, the
expo-forumincludes 6 exhibitions to be held simultaneously:
“Industrial Armenia ÅÕÐÎ 2005”, “ÅÕÐÎ 2005 Structure”, “Trans ÅÕÐÎ
2005”, “ÅÕÐÎ 2005 Food and Beverage”, “ÅÕÐÎ 2005
Polygraphy. Pupblishing. Advertisement”, “ÅÕÐÎ 2005 Comp”. In the
framework of expo-forum “Armenia EXPO 2005” Armenian -Russian business
meeting “Cooperation-2005” will be held, in which delegations of
business circles from Moscow and other regions of Russia will take
place. On September 15-17 days of business of the USA, China and
Russia will be held, as well as a contest for the nomination “High
Quality”.
Organizations from 15 countries, namely Armenian, Russia, USA, China,
Iran, Georgia, Turkey, Siria, Ukraine, UAE, West European and Middle
Asian countries, will participate in “Armenia EXPO 2005”. The total
number of participants made about 160-180 companies, and the area of
exposition will cove 1500 square meters. Compared to 2004, growth of
the number of participants and area of the exposition will make
15-20%. The main goals of the forum is search of new markets,
attractions of foreign investments in economy of Armenia,
demonstration of the economic potential of Armenia, search of new
business partners.
The organizer of “Armenia EXPO 2005” is LOGOS EXPO Center with the
official support of RA Ministry of Trade and Economic Development, RA
MFA and the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (Employees) of
Armenia.
The first regional universal forum “ARMENIA EXPO 2001” was held on
November 23-26, 2001. 45 companies from Armenia, Kazakhstan, Germany,
Japan and Austria participated in the exhibition, covering 280 square
meters. The second regional universal trade-industrial forum was held
on September 19-21, 2002jointly with the Union of Industrialists and
Entrepreneurs (Employees) of Armenia. 112 organizations from Armenia,
Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Belarus, Germany, Switzerland, Greece, Russia,
USA, Japan participated in the exposition covering 682 square
meters. The third forum was held on September 12-15, 2003. 180
representatives from Armenia, Ukraine, Belarus, Hungary, Russia,
Georgia, USA, Iran, Egypt participated in the exposition covering 960
square meters. The forth forum was on September 10-13, 2004, in which
196 representatives from Armenia, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Hungary,
Georgia, Syria, Iran, England, Greece, Italy, Germany, Japan, Austria
participated. The exposition covered 1100 square meters.
LOGOS EXPO Center – is the first private exhibition company of Armenia
founded in 1999. For the last 5 years the Center organized over 45
exhibitions. A.H.
–0–

Armenian officials, Norwegian speaker discuss cooperation
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
22 Jun 05
A delegation led by the head of the Norwegian parliament, Joergen
Kosmo, has arrived in Armenia for the first time. Armenian Speaker
Artur Bagdasaryan thanked the Norwegian government for the work of the
Armenian office of the Norwegian council on refugee affairs. Joergen
Kosmo spoke of Armenia’s important role in establishing peace and
stability in the region and stressed that any problems should be
solved only by political means.
He also expressed readiness to assist Armenia in establishing regional
ties.
Andranik Markaryan [Armenian prime minister] and Joergen Kosmo
discussed trade and economic relations and called for serious work in
boosting trade between the two countries and cooperation in the sphere
of high technologies, energy, agriculture, science, education and
culture.
The prime minister expressed the hope that the Norwegian council will
continue its work in Armenia and aid programmes to the tune of 12m
dollars will be implemented.
[Video showed the meetings]
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Pan Armenian News
OSCE MG AMBASSADOR EVALUATES OSKANIAN-MAMEDYAROV TALKS AS POSITIVE
23.06.2005 03:14
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ «I evaluate the Paris talks between Foreign Ministers of
Azerbaijan and Armenia Elmar Mamedyarov and Vartan Oskanian June 17 as
positive. These allowed to see new, additional opportunities for working out
bases for settlement in the near future. The impetus conveyed by the Warsaw
meeting of the Presidents May 15 was very important. We hope to manage to
strengthen and develop these positive trends during our trips to Baku and
Yerevan,» Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Yuri Merzlyakov said,
reported APA Azeri agency. The Russian diplomat positively evaluates the
proposal of the Azeri party to resume the operation of
Aghdam-Stepanakert-Shushi-Lachin-Armenia-Nakhichevan motor road. «The
opening of communication is an important component of the settlement.
However, in my opinion it is nevertheless secondary as compared to key
issues. One cannot say when the road will open yet: before or after the
conclusion of the grand peace. Possibly some parts may be opened earlier
that the route on the whole. At their latest talks the Ministers did not
discuss the matter in detail. However, I can say the matter does concern the
opening of communications,» the Ambassador said. It should be reminded that
experts will join further talks and, in Merzlyakov’s words, it will happen
in autumn or later. «The Co-Chairs will have to coordinate the work of
experts at the initial stage. Experts represent a wide composition
delegation of the parties and the issue of involvement of experts
representing the mediators was not discussed yet,» he said. Y. Merzlyakov
also said the date of the recurrent meeting of Presidents of Azerbaijan and
Armenia will be known during the Co-Chairs’ visit to the region. He did not
rule out the opportunity for the meeting of the Presidents to be held in
Kazan.

A1plus
| 16:17:33 | 23-06-2005 | Politics | PACE SUMMER SESSION |
CoE LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC AND REFORMERS’ GROUP CONCERNED OVER CONSTITUTIONAL
REFORM IN ARMENIA
Today the PACE Monitoring Committee rejected one of the three proposals
submitted on the draft resolution of constitutional reform in Armenia. The
proposal advanced by the Turkish delegation was rejected with the difference
of one vote, which belonged to Mr. Matyas Eorsi, head of the Liberal
Democratic and Reformers’ Group.
‘The Armenian delegation cannot take part in the vote, since the issue
refers to our country, while Turks and Azeris were free to pass their
suggestion on determining the state borders of Armenia. The vote of Matyas
Eorsi became decisive’, Shavarsh Kocharyan said.
According to Shavarsh Kocharyan, such an attitude displayed by Mr. Eorsi is
conditioned by the fact that he is really concerned over the establishment
of democracy in Armenia and perfectly realizes that Turks’ proposal is
absurd and the people are sure to vote against a constitution containing
such an item. `Thus the Turkish delegation purposed the objective to fail
the referendum on the Constitution.’
To note, Mr. Matyas Eorsi intends to deliver a speech on the draft
resolution on constitutional reform adopted by the PACE Monitoring
Committee.

A1plus
| 15:36:50 | 23-06-2005 | Politics | PACE SUMMER SESSION |
TODAY – DECISIVE FOR ARMENIA
Today the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will make
decisions on a number of issues vital for Armenia. The draft resolution on
constitutional reform in Armenia, adopted by the PACE Monitoring Committee
will be discussed.
Today at 4 p.m. the Venice Commission’s working group on constitutional
reform in Armenia will meet with the Armenian delegation, which also
includes Justice Minister David Harutyunyan and RA President’s
representative Armen Harutyunyan.
This evening the sitting of the PACE Committee on Karabakh will be held. To
remind, representatives of the Armenian and Azeri opposition Shavarshh
Kocharyan and Asim Molazade also serve on the committee.

A1plus
| 15:27:58 | 23-06-2005 | Politics | PACE SUMMER SESSION |
PACE MONITORING COMMITTEE REJECTED TURKEY’S PROPOSAL
Today at 11.30 Yerevan time the PACE Monitoring Committee sat to discuss
three proposals, submitted by the Assembly delegations on the constitutional
reform process in Armenia.
The first proposal was advanced by the Turkish delegates. `The Constitution
should be brought to the correspondence with international agreements, fix
the state borders with all the neighbors thus promoting friendly relations
in the region’, they said. Shavarsh Kocharyan called the proposal absurd.
Majority of the Monitoring Committee agreed with him and rejected the above
mentioned proposal. During today’s sitting the Turkish delegation is going
to press for adoption of the proposal.
Today to important proposals on amendments submitted by Dutch
parliamentarian Jurgens on behalf of the Committee on Legal Issues were
adopted. The first amendment referred to the change of sub-point 8 of point
13 of the resolution on constitutional reform in Armenia. `The Parliamentary
Assembly calls upon the Armenian leadership and the parliamentary majority
to hold the referendum no later than November, 2005 and secure the reform
effectiveness within reasonable terms and as soon as possible.’
According to the second amendment, in case the referendum is failed PACE
will make appropriate conclusions during the January session in 2006.

Armenpress
ARMENIAN PRISON EMPLOYEES TO TRAIN IN POLAND
YEREVAN, JUNE 23, ARMENPRESS: An official of Armenian justice ministry
told Armenpress that a verbal agreement was reached with Polish counterparts
about regular training of Armenian prison employees in Poland.
Samvel Hovhanesian, head of a ministry department, said the written
agreement to this end was expected to be signed soon. He said training
courses would last from 2 to 4 months. According to a preliminary agreement,
he said, the Polish side agreed to cover all expenses, except travel
expenses. The verbal agreement was reached during a visit of Armenian
justice ministry delegation to Poland on June 12-19, where Armenians had a
series of meetings with Polish counterparts and visited also several
correctional facilities.
Hovhanesian said there is a lot that Armenians can learn from Polish
experience of treating prison inmate and drug and alcohol addicts, singling
out especially how prison staff treats the inmates. Poland has a 39 million
population, and 82,000 prison population, Armenia’s population is 3 million
and there are 3,000 prison inmates.

Pan Armenian News
A. BOZHKO APPOINTED NEW UKRAINIAN AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA
23.06.2005 02:54
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Ukrainian President Victor Yuschenko has appointed
Alexander Bozhko Ambassador to Armenia. Bozhko, 59, is appointed to the
office for a second time: he also held it in 1996-2001. After that Mr.
Bozhko worked for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry and was appointed
Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan in December 2004, reported Mediamax.

Pan Armenian News
FRENCH SENATOR: OSCE MG PLAYS ARBITER ROLE IN KARABAKH SETTLEMENT
23.06.2005 04:36
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ «The French Senate does its best to improve relations
between Azerbaijan and Armenia. OSCE Minsk Group co-chair states are not a
deciding factor in settlement of the problem. The co-chairs play merely an
arbiter role in the issue. We just control the course of talks. The issue
can be solved on the will of peoples,» stated head of the French-Azeri
friendship interparliamentary group Ambroise Dupont at a meeting with
journalists yesterday. In his opinion, settlement of the Karabakh conflict
is an utterly difficult task. He evaluated the continuation of the talks
over settlement of the conflict on the initiative of the OSCE Minsk Group
Co-Chairs as a positive fact. In his words, the continuation of the talks
between the Armenian and Azeri Presidents and FMs should be appreciated. Mr.
Dupont noted that the importance of the Caucasus and the countries located
here is increasingly growing. «Thus, the countries themselves should be
interested in securing peace in the region and resolution of conflicts,» he
remarked. Though the French Senator named preference to the peaceful
resolution of the problem as an important condition, he avoided answering a
question whether France will support a settlement within the framework of
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. He said, «I cannot say for sure which
state the talks with the MG are at. The process is between the countries. I
want to say France is very much interested in resolution of the conflict.»
Touching upon earlier reports that the discussion of the Karabakh issue was
scheduled and then postponed at the French Senate, A. Dupont said this was
not planned at all. The guest noted that as the talks are held between the
FMs and Presidents with participation of the FM co-chairs, other structures
do not interfere with the settlement of the problem. «However, you know it
yourself that peoples’ will can do much. I suppose that the historical ties
between Azeris and Armenians will lead to a solution of the conflict,» the
Senator said, noting the President of the French Senate holds regular talks
with Speakers of the Azeri, Georgian and Armenian Parliaments. «The
President of the Senate of France told us that Azerbaijan, Georgia and
Armenia can cooperate in tourism and protection of cultural heritage,»
Dupont added. «If we do not manage to attain any development, we will not be
able to settle the conflict. Efforts should be made to that end. I want to
say that the MG progresses and the peaceful resolution of the conflict is
very important at present,» the Senator underscored.