More than 100 results were found.
Nov 28 2008 10:00 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
The second week of November greeted environmentalists in Bulgaria with news that the investors in the controversial Super Borovets ski resort project in Rila Mountain would apply for a certificate from the European Eco-Management and Audit Scheme, a European Union tool used to improve companies' environmental performance. All that sounds pretty good: the investors are finally deciding to construct the ski resort in a way that does not harm the environment, by building energy-efficient passive solar buildings, thus maintaining average temperature without heating or cooling systems; supplying energy to all tourist and sport facilities by using only renewable energy sources; developing systems for refuse management and creating an integrated tourism concept that harmonises with nature.
Nov 14 2008 10:00 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
The owners of Ostrovcheto avow that "everyone needs a little island where he can stop a bit, take a rest, refresh and enjoy himself before rushing back into the labyrinth of this hurried life. Ostrovcheto, which means the little island", is yours and we will take care of you". This restaurant in Sofia's Zona-B5, tucked on the corner of two little streets behind Mall of Sofia, provides just that.
Oct 31 2008 10:00 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
Where does environmental protection start and where does it end, if it ends at all? After several years pondering the issue, I concluded that it's all about culture. Those who presume to be cultured should take care of the environment.
Oct 24 2008 13:57 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
Four people with hepatitis B filed a collective court suit against the state-run National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) for 120 000 leva because it refused to provide the urgent medical treatment they needed. Patients are compelled to take consumer loans to pay for the treatment, private broadcaster bTV reported on October 24.
This is the first collective suit against the NHIF. Todor Petrov, one of the patients, said that NHIF refused the medical treatment with the argument that the financial amount allocated for the hepatitis B programme was exhausted in March 2008.
Oct 24 2008 13:46 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
On October 24 and 25, Green School Village association, Bikearea association and Ivailovgrad municipality organise a Mobility Celebration on the occasion of the official opening of the new Green Way - "a bicycle route in the region of Ivailovgrad's enchanting Easter Rhodopi Mountains", which was created as part of the project Ahrida - return of the harmony between man and nature.
The celebration will start at 6pm on October 24 at the main square in Ivailovgrad town centre, which lies about 260km south-east of Sofia. The Green Corridor will be presented to the guests, as well as other films, music and dances.
Oct 23 2008 15:18 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
New amendments to the Traffic Act, to be debated in Parliament on October 23, envision the driving and psychological tests of the candidate drivers to be carried out by private companies.
The goal is to curtail corruption practices during tests and to increase the quality of training, Bulgarian-language daily Dnevnik reported. Tests are now overseen by commissions that include trainers, officials from the vehicle administration executive agency of the Transport Ministry and officials from Traffic Police.
Oct 23 2008 13:08 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
A new survey of the international conservationist organisation World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) showed that the global warming was intensifying faster than expected, WWF Bulgaria said in a media statement. The organisation invited everyone interested in the topic to a discussion on climate change on October 27 in its Sofia office.
During the meeting, environmentalists will answer questions on climate change and what it would mean for Bulgaria, as well as what the European Commission and the Government were doing on the issue. Short films on the global warming will be screened.
Oct 22 2008 18:04 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
Ivory auctions that will take place in Namibia on October 28, Botswana on October 31, Zimbabwe on November 3, and South Africa on November 6 2008 have raised the concerns of international conservationists from Born Free Foundations (BFF), a member of the Species Survival Network, who said that the ivory auction was approved by members of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), despite an international outcry from scientists and conservationists.
Oct 22 2008 17:45 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
Bulgaria's ombudsman Ginyo Ganev warned that if Parliament approved the bills amending the condominium and the energy efficiency acts, which envision that owners of apartments in block of flats pay a common heating bill, he would ask Bulgaria's constitutional court to declare them void as unconstitutional. The amendments also initially allowed heating utilities to cut off servicing a block of flats if two thirds of the residents of the block did not pay the heating bill, but the MPs struck the amendment out.
Oct 22 2008 15:11 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
On October 22 2008, India launched its first Moon walker with 11 research modules, one of which was made in Bulgaria, Bulgarian-language daily Dnevnik quoted world new agencies as reporting.
The main goal of the spaceship is to film the Moon and to research in deep for availability of minerals.
Oct 22 2008 12:56 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
Kumerio copper plant in the central-Bulgarian town of Pirdop is opening a new refinery on October 28, the company said in a statement. The new station would increase the production from the current quantity of 65 000 tons to 180 000 tons a year.
The investment in the new line amounted to more than 78 million euro. President Georgi Purvanov will cut the ribbon of the new refinery, Kumerio said.
Oct 21 2008 15:46 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
Three of the greatest world masters of bass guitar, Marcus Miller, Stanley Clarke and Victor Wooten staged an unforgettable concert on October 20 in Sofia's National Palace of Culture.
Oct 21 2008 11:34 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
From October 20 to 24 2008, Bulgaria and the European Union mark European Forest Week 2008, celebrating the contribution of European forests in mitigating climate change and providing wood and renewable energy, securing supplies of fresh water and protecting our environment. In Bulgaria, the State Forestry Agency (SFA) is organising more than 60 events throughout the country to promote the protection of local wooded areas.
Filmini 2.0, a festival to showcase short films from around the world, takes place in Sofia at Dom na Kinoto and the Euro-Bulgarian Cultural Centre from October 22 to 26 2008. The event includes meetings with filmmakers and film buffs from many countries, workshops on the latest developments in filmmaking and a workshop on animation.
A special advance screening will take place on October 21 at The Red House Centre for Culture and Debate in Sofia. The venue has made its own selection of films from the festival to be projected - all with English subtitles. The show starts at 7.30pm.
Oct 21 2008 11:16 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
On October 21 2008, a coalition of environmental activists is holding protests in Sofia and Plovdiv against construction in Bulgaria's protected areas.
The Commission for the Protection of Competition (CPC) started a probe into the alleged abuse of a dominating position on the electricity market against the companies owned by EVN Bulgaria, the local subsidiary of the Austrian energy firm EVN. The reason for the investigation were letters and customer tip-offs from the city of Haskovo and a complaint filed by the town's municipal councillors, the regulator said in a statement on its website.
If found guilty of abusing its dominant position, EVN can be fined for up to 300 000 leva, according to the statement. EVN Bulgaria covers southern and southeastern Bulgaria, including the country's second largest city of Plovdiv.
Oct 20 2008 12:50 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
Bulgaria's Environment Ministry is organising three seminars on eco-labeling, which are free of charge and invite all interested companies to attend. The seminars will be held at the Rodina hotel in Sofia during the week of October 20-24.
The first seminar, on October 20, is for companies from the tourism industry, the second session on October 22 is for firms from the paper industry and the third seminar on October 24 is for enterprises producing electrical appliances and devices.
Oct 17 2008 16:20 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
The virtuoso guitarist of the band Mister Big, Paul Gilbert, is Plovdiv Guitar Festival's special guest this weekend. He will perform in Hall 2 of Plovdiv Fair on October 18. In Bulgaria, Gilbert will be joined on stage by a drum and bass player while his wife Amy Gilbert will be on the keyboard. The quartet will perform compositions from the last solo-album of Paul Gilbert called Silence Followed by a Deafening Roar, as well as hits from his time with Mister Big.
Oct 17 2008 14:25 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
Bulgaria's Parliament passed on October 18 at the first reading the draft bill of the law on European emergency number 112, which envisions a maximum fine of 20 000 leva for misuse of the emergency line.
The highest sanction would be imposed in cases when, as a result of the hoax phone call for help, the local offices for emergency reaction will have sent people out. In the milder cases, fines would range between 2000 and 5000 leva, Bulgarian-language daily Dnevnik reported.
Oct 15 2008 15:15 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
On October 15, Sofia city hall said that it would hold a public procurement tender on October 23 to choose a company that would build a new bicycle lane in Sofia. The new lane, 6.1km long and linking Macedonia square to Knyazhevo district via Tsar Boris III Boulevard to Knyazhevo district, is planned for the green area near the boulevard and would be built together with a walking path, the city hall said.
Oct 15 2008 14:08 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
Bulgarian company Universal K ranked 15th in the ninth annual Central and Eastern Europe Technology Fast50 ranking compiled by consultancy firm Deloitte, making it the second time it made the Deloitte list, Bulgarian-language daily Pari reported on October 15. The other two Bulgarian companies in the ranking were Technologica on 26th spot, and ITCE on 48.
Oct 15 2008 13:10 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
The second concert of the festival Meet the World will take place on October 18 at 7.30pm in Sofia's National Palace of Culture (NDK) and on October 22 at 7.30 in Hall 2 of Plovdiv Fair, presenting the colourful Spanish music band Calima.
Oct 14 2008 13:22 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
Bulgaria's State Fund Agriculture (SFA) has resumed payments for projects under the European Union's Sapard pre-accession aid programme that have been frozen at the request of the European Commission, Dnevnik daily reported on October 14. The fund is only paying out the Government's co-financing share of money, with the EC yet to decide whether to lift the moratorium on payments of European funds.
Oct 14 2008 13:01 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
Former prominent Bulgarian football player, Hristo Stoichkov, has become popular in another context - as an investor in renewable energy in the small settlement of Zaburdo in Rhodopi Mountain, where he plans to establish a wind farm.
Oct 14 2008 12:41 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
Sofia's first night bus - route 94 - took its first journey on October 14 2008 from the city centre to the students district Studentski Grad.
Oct 13 2008 17:34 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
Descendance Aboriginal and Torres Strait Dance Theatre will stage an exotic and spectacular performance on October 17 at the National Palace of Culture (NDK) in Sofia, October 19 in Hall 2 of Plovdiv Fair and October 20 in Varna's Palace of Sport and Culture.
The "Australian ambassadors" to Bulgaria, as they called themselves, will stage a show representing the Australian aboriginal culture, which dates back to the last Ice Age. The performance will include blood-freezing traditional dances, used by the local population of Australia to guard their land from evil spirits and other invasions.
Oct 13 2008 17:31 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
More than 30 000 road accidents have been registered in Sofia municipality since the start of 2008, the deputy head of the Road Police Vanyo Stanevski said on October 13, the European Road Safety Day, which runs under the motto "For safe traffic in our city". The number of serious incidents in Sofia since the start of the year was 1200, in which 94 people lost their lives.
For the country as a whole, the number of serious road accidents since the beginning of 2008 was 6265, taking the lives of 801 people and injuring 7829, according to the statistics kept by the Interior Ministry.
Oct 13 2008 15:25 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
An open-air art performance will take place on October 14 at 12.45pm in front of the central post office on Gourko Street in Sofia to support Vitosha Nature Park, seeking to harness public support for initiatives against the construction of more ski routes in the park. The event was organised by the coalition To Sustain the Nature in Bulgaria (SNB).
Oct 13 2008 15:13 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
World-famous piano player Richard Clayderman will perform for the Bulgarian audience of October 15 in the National Palace of Culture (NDK), starting at 7.30pm. After the performance in Bulgaria, Clayderman will head to Colombia, Germany, Dubai and Switzerland.
Clayderman is one of the favorite piano players of the Bulgaria audience. His actual name is Philippe Pagès and he was born in Paris in 1953. He played piano since he was 16 years old, but his unwillingness to stay within the confines of the classical music sent him to the field of the popular music, becoming world-known in 1976 with Ballade Pour Adeline
Oct 13 2008 15:03 CET
by Elitsa Grancharova
The scheduled performance of one of the greatest world saxophonists David Sanborn in Sofia has been postponed by four days to October 29 and would be held in Sofia's National Palace of Culture (NDK), starting at 8pm.
Initially scheduled for October 25, it was moved due to changes in Sanborn's tour dates, organisers Sofia Music Enterprises said in a media statement on October 13. All tickets bought for October 25 will be valid for the date on October 29.
