These are some of the top headlines in Bulgarian newspapers on April 29 2008. The Sofia Echo has not verified these stories and cannot vouch for their accuracy.

Politics

- Parliament has paid more than 90 000 leva on temporary committees since 2005, Monitor daily said. According to an official check-up, Parliament has launched 18 temporary committees. The most expensive one was for fighting flood damages, which spent more than 21 000 leva.

- In 2006, the Chief Directorate for Combating organised crime investigated funding for Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) from illegal felling, Dnevnik daily quoted opposition member of Parliament as saying. Former Interior Minister Roumen Petkov personally ordered that the investigation should be handled by the national security service, where it was archived. The transfer aimed to stop the investigation, the resource said.

- The ruling coalition will discuss a total of 16 suggestions for transformation of agencies, funds and directorates during its summit on May 10 and 11 in Bansko, Sega said.

Society

- The Labour and Social Policy Ministry plans to encourage people to work longer before retiring, Sega daily said. However, the retirement age would not be amended, the newspaper said.

Economy

- Bulgaria should have a national strategy and planning for the exploitation of wind generators, according to environmentalists, Dnevnik said. The random construction of wind farms was dangerous for birds and could offset any benefits from harmless energy production, ecologists said.

- Sanoma Magazines International, which is part of the Finnish SanomaWSOY, would purchase 68 per cent of Bulgarian Internet company Net Info.bg, Dnevnik said. The value of the deal was still unknown.

- In the first quarter of 2008, batteries producer Monbat registered a 114 per cent increase in sales, compared the same period in 2007, Dnevnik said. The sales were worth 55.39 million leva. The benefit of the company for the same period registered a 205.74 per cent increase.