The colour red

The struggle for power in the BSP is spattering blood on the walls

Press review: Headlines in Bulgarian newspapers on October 10 2008

These are some of the top stories in Bulgarian newspapers on October 10 2008. The Sofia Echo has not verified these stories and cannot vouch for their accuracy.

Former interior minister accused of pressuring witness

Former interior minister Roumen Petkov has been accused of applying pressure on a witness to testify against the Marinov brothers - Krassimir and Nikolai. Evelin "Brendo" Banev told Nova Televisia on October 9 2008 that Petkov wanted him to testify in the case against the Marinov brothers who are charged with conspiring to murder three people.

Bulgarian morning TV soundbites July 29 2008

Bulgarian Socialist Party had to explain why it had dismissed Roumen Petkov from the post of interior minister. While Petkov was in office, police arrested several major criminals, something that probably displeased some circles in the party, Sofia mayor and informal leader of Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) Boiko Borissov said in the morning show of private broadcaster bTV. GERB was ready to ally with all the opposition parties, including the ultra-nationalist party Ataka.

Shining a light on shady affairs

After the arrest of Ivan Ivanov, deputy chief of the Chief Directorate for Combating Organised Crime (CDCOC), on charges of malfeasance and leaking information to businessmen who were under investigation, the Bulgarian-language media anonymously received a report revealing an investigation into Ivanov and several others. What follows is an edited version of the report. In October 2007, CDCOC investigated an

2007 IN REVIEW: Agency, lies and dossiers

If there is a subject that both politicians and the media like to endlessly discuss in Bulgaria, it is the subject of the dossiers of State Security, the former communist secret police and their impact on Bulgaria nowadays. The reason is simple. Unlike most of the former communist states in Eastern Europe, Bulgaria has lacked the political will to once and for all take a decision on the dossiers. They have neither been

TOURISM BAROMETER: Construction: BOOM!

During the first nine month of 2007, 245 illegally contrusted buildings were demolished, either voluntarily or through compulsory demolition, according to the latest assessment of the National Construction Control Directorate (NCCD). NCCD press officer, Tsvetelina Ivanova told The Sofia Echo on December 12 that different types and sizes of buildings had been demolished, including some large three-storey buildings.

Marginal cost*

The outcome of three separate cases, each happening in the past week and a half, showed all the controversy that surrounds the Bulgarian judiciary and has made it the usual suspect when it comes to European Commission criticism.

One of the most scandalous decisions by the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), which is meant to exercise control over senior members of the Bench, happened on November 14. By just two votes against, the SJC decided to reinstate Delyan Peevski as an investigator at the Sofia Investigative Service. The name Peevski became known around Bulgaria on May 5, when Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev fired him from

SEVERAL VANS WITH DOCUMENTS CONFISCATED FROM BUL INS OFFICES

Literally, van-loads full of documents were confiscated from the Bul Ins insurance company building at Sofia's James Bourchier boulevard during a special police and prosecution operation on November 8, Dnevnik daily said. The prosecution believed the documents could be used in the money laundering investigation against the brothers Krassimir and Nikolai Marinovi and their associates.

The Ovcharov affair in Bulgaria

A senior minister and the head of Bulgaria's National Investigative Service (NIS) both on compulsory leave, two deputy ministers fired and two former investigators facing allegations of corruption. This is the story so far of one of the biggest public controversies in Bulgaria's most recent history. The contretemps erupted only four months after Bulgaria joined the European Union and a week before Bulgaria's first

Bulgaria's crime controversies

National Investigative Service (NIS) head Angel Alexandrov told journalists on May 2 that he had been threatened by Economy and Energy Minister Roumen Ovcharov. Alexandrov, as quoted by Focus news agency, said Ovcharov had wanted him to commit acts that amounted to breaking the law. Alexandrov was asked by Ovcharov to find documents incriminating Hristo Lachev, executive director of the

NEWS FROM ALL SIDES: Petkov discloses `agents'

Interior Minister Roumen Petkov has disclosed to national private television channel bTV the names of four public figures, including two serving Deputy Speakers of Parliament and Bulgaria's Chief Mufti, who Petkov said worked for the communist-era political police. He sent the names in a letter to bTV morning talk show host Nikolai Barekov, who had requested information on the pasts of 47 people, including

THREE BULGARIAN MPS ALLEGEDLY FORMER INTELLIGENCE AGENTS

Interior Minister Roumen Petkov said that evidence existed three members of parliament and the chief mufti Mustaffa Alli Hadji were agents of the former State Security intelligence service. The three MPs are Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) representative Yunal Lyutfi, Ataka movement member Petar Beron and Krassimir Karakachanov from Bulgaria People's Union (BPU), Bulgarian National

Sofia Central Prison head dismissed

What must happen for a prison warden to lose his position and three prison guards to be put on trial? If you ask Dimitar Raichev, he would most probably say that the answer is the internet. On March 22, Raichev was dismissed from his position as head of Sofia Central Prison (SCP) because of mobile phone footage made public on the internet. The footage could have been just one of the thousands of others

Murder theories in Bulgaria

Rival theories about motives for businessman's assassination

Theories abound as to the reasons for the February 22 murder of Ivan "The Doctor" Todorov. The assassination of Todorov, who died after being hit by a fusillade of bullets while travelling in his luxury vehicle in the centre of Sofia, has revived the public debate about the state and level of organised crime in Bulgaria. The murder ended four months of relative calm for both Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev

`Donation drain' accusations spread in Bulgaria

AFTER the release of Hristo Grigorov and Krassimir Petrov in connection with the Bulgarian Red Cross (BRC) `donation-drain' affair, the names of polictical and religious figures were involved in the allegations. Grigorov, who is president of the BRC, and Petrov were released from custody on February 10 and 14, respectively. The court quoted the reason for release as insufficient evidence. The third person involved

Bulgaria's Interior Ministry continues anti-crime efforts

Further arrests planned, says top prosecutor

IN the three weeks following the murder of Emil Kyulev, Bulgaria's richest banker, the Interior Ministry is continuing high-profile efforts to fight organised crime in the country. On November 9, the Sofia Appeals Court ruled that Krassimir "the Margin" Marinov and his brother Nikoai would remain in custody until further investigation was completed. The brothers face charges of planning the murders of three people.

Top Bulgarian banker murdered

LESS than 24 hours after a European Commission report criticised Bulgaria for its failure to effectively combat organised crime and high-profile murders, another high-profile murder happened in Sofia. The murder happened while Interior Minister Roumen Petkov was giving a news conference in response to the report's criticism.

Doors to nowhere

Key to Cabinet conundrum eludes parties

AS coalition negotiations reached a dead end for yet another week and a third mandate loomed on the horizon, another controversy broke out. After the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) announced on the weekend of August 6 and 7 that they would not accept the invitation to form a Cabinet with the National Movement Simeon II (NMSII), the NMSII said that they would not accept the second mandate from President Georgi Purvanov.

Reading Room - Racism - spot it and stop it

Bulgarians can be proud of their level of ethnic tolerance, many will tell you. Others do not agree. BULGARIAN people will be much more tolerant for the 'otherness' in people once they stop repeating how tolerant they really are.

Hampered by injuries

BULGARIAN national head coach Plamen Markov is facing serious problems before the UEFA Euro 2004 qualifier against Belgium in Sofia on June 7.

Footballers and fans at war

PLOVDIV had to live through a blood-soaked afternoon on May 24, the Day of Bulgarian Culture. The feud between the "ultras" of the local football teams of Botev and Locomotive culminated in a real war. Botev fans went wild and ambushed supporters of Locomotive before the match, attacking them with stones and homemade fireworks. Some of the "weapons" fell in a nearby restaurant, full of high school graduates who were having their celebration there.

CSKA sees red over racism

FOR the 29th Champion title of Bulgaria, which Sofia's CSKA football team won last weekend, two players made serious contributions - Ibrahim Guy and Macdonald Mukasi. The first managed to strengthen the centre of the defence, and the second sharpened to the limit the attack of the red team. Despite their work on the football field, both athletes often met similar problems because of their skin colour.

Barbarians rule

The Belgian Barbarians rugby team won the Ninth International Rugby-7 Tournament for the Vassil Levski National Sports Academy (NSA) Rector's Cup in Sofia last weekend.

Guidya the golden wrestler

ANATOLII Guidya, the Slavia Litex team wrestler brought Bulgaria the only championship title from the European Championship in free style wrestling in Riga.

No fight for national football

BULGARIAN footballers, especially those playing for teams abroad, last week gave the impression that they were not very attracted to the idea of playing in friendly matches for the Bulgarian national team.

Blues beat the Reds

AS usual, the eternal derby between Bulgaria's two most popular football teams Levski and CSKA overshadowed last week's sporting events.

Balkan weightlifting battle

BULGARIA has been among the leaders in men's weightlifting in Europe and the world for quite a while.

A week of wrestling and tennis

IN the first week of April, Sofia hosted two international sports events - the 42nd annual Dan Kolov International Free Style Wrestling Tournament and the tennis match between Bulgaria and Ukraine of the first round in the Davies Cup Second Group of the Euro-African zone (unofficial men's world championship).

Aerobic achievements

THE Bulgarian national anthem was heard four times on Sunday in Sofia's Universiada Hall. Bulgarians had good reason to celebrate, as their representatives won four out of five possible gold medals in the World Cup Aerobics tournament.