These are some of the top headlines in Bulgarian newspapers on May 17 2008. The Sofia Echo has not verified these stories and cannot vouch for their accuracy.

Saturday May 17 is an official working day in Bulgaria, to compensate for the additional non-working days between May 1 and 6.

Politics

The sub-committee on absorption of EU funding will present at a special meeting in Kavarna a report on the spending of EU funds for the period of January 1 2007 to June 1 2008, Dnevnik daily said.

Economy

Kapital traced the source of the rumours that Bulgarian First Investment Bank was in financial problems to user comments on Bulgarian website bg-mama, popular with pregnant women and young mothers, the weekly said.

Society

Bulgarian daily 24 Chasa reported that expensive hybrid cars have become a rage in Bulgaria. The Bulgarian Lexus dealers had sold 31 hybrid cars in the first four months of 2008 and this was expected to raise to 100 before the end of the year.

International conference “Integration of new immigrants: European policies” started in Sofia on May 17, Dnevnik said. The conference was funded by PHARE Civil society development 2004 programme and was organised by the Manfred Wörner Foundation.