Sat, Nov 21 2009
Photo: Nikolay Doychinov
Relaxing copyright laws or charging for downloading is better than the ongoing crusade against so-called internet piracy, Veni Markovski says
BTK sent out a self-congratulatory media statement after receiving an award for its IP-policy. Its business model, however, is hugely indebted to Bulgaria's piracy industry.
In the wake of European Union criticism of Bulgaria's police and judiciary, Dutch anti-piracy organisation BREIN (brain) is allegedly pressuring to close so-called torrent websites in the country, local media reported, quoting a publication on website torrentfreak.com. A specialised department of the Bulgarian police has tracked down the owners and administrators of several of the larger P2P websites in the country, including those that were hosted elsewhere.
Piracy, telecommunications reform, the European Heritage Label project and the illegal trafficking of objects of cultural significance were among the main topics discussed at an informal meeting of European Union-country cultural ministers in Versailles, France, on July 21 and 22. Bulgaria was represented by its minister of culture, the actor Stefan Danailov; the gathering was presided over by French culture minister Christine Albanel.
Bulgaria has been removed from the intellectual property piracy watchlist of the International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA) mainly due to attempts of law enforcement agencies to stem intellectual property theft, IIPA wrote in its report titled Special 301 Recommendations. Bulgaria was now moved to the "special mention" category alongside Germany, Japan, Switzerland, Hong Cong, Singapore, Jordan and New Zealand. Countries within this category are subject to close scrutiny and unless they make headway in curbing piracy they return to the watch list.
The European Commission is taking Bulgaria to court for delays in providing Sofia with adequate waste disposal facilities.
James Warlick is the spouse of Mary Warlick, director of the office of Russian affairs at the US state department, who has been nominated to serve as ambassador to Serbia
Bulgaria’s Health Ministry announced on November 20 2009 that the flu epidemic declared two weeks earlier is at an end as rates of infection decline. The announcement coincides with reports of two deaths from A (H1N1) flu in Bulgaria.
Acting on allegations by Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria leader Ivan Kostov, prosecutors and Government officials are to probe deals by which Movement for Rights and Freedoms leader Ahmed Dogan acquired various properties.
Prosecutors allege that a deal agreed by the former defence minister caused losses of 12.9 million leva.