Top Ten NES Games On Virtual Console

Millions of people have fond memories of playing games on Nintendo’s NES. The celebrated 8-bit system played host to numerous hits, some of which reside on the Wii’s Virtual Console. Regardless of whether you’re a nostalgic longtime fan or experiencing it for the first time, these top ten gems deserve your undivided attention.
#10 Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse

Castlevania played a huge role in the NES’ popularity, with Dracula’s Curse leading the charge. This intense action romp sends you on a mission to slaughter Dracula and his minions, but in this case, you may call on three assistant characters (including Alucard, star of Symphony of the Night) and have multiple paths to follow. In addition, Konami ditched the annoying exploration element from the game’s predecessor, Simon’s Quest.
#9 Super Mario Bros. 2

We consider SMB 2 the oddball of the Mario series, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. On the contrary, Nintendo’s quirky platform game provides several hours of fun, thanks to multiple playable characters (including Princess Peach), a new villain in Wart and the gang’s vegetable throwing antics.
#8 The Legend of Zelda

Nintendo redefined adventure games with The Legend of Zelda, introducing players to an open world to explore, dungeons to conquer and of course, a young and soon to be iconic hero named Link. We played it for hours while flipping through issues of Nintendo Power for tips.
#7 Mega Man 3 

At the end of the day, you should download all of the Mega Man games on Virtual Console, but we love the third installment. Sure, it follows the basic formula of all Mega Man games, where you defeat robot masters and take their powers, but this game introduced the ability to slide, as well as the hero’s faithful canine companion, Rush.
#6 Kirby’s Adventure

By 1993, the NES was a dinosaur compared to the SNES, but Nintendo managed to squeeze a few hits from its dusty console, including Kirby’s Adventure, a fun and cheery platform game starring an adorable pink puffball. What separated it from the competition was Kirby’s ability to inhale his enemies and use them as weapons. It’s a bit on the easy side, but the fun gameplay and catchy music make it a huge favorite.
#5 StarTropics

Zelda's a great game, but we prefer the underrated StarTropics.  The game revolves around Mike Jones, a kid who goes in search of his kidnapped uncle and embarks upon a wonderful adventure full of monsters, a talking parrot, a submarine and even aliens. It looks great, features enjoyable combat (with a yo-yo, no less) and packs quite a challenge. Good luck escaping the whale.
#4 Punch-Out!!

Most of us remember this game for Mike Tyson, but his replacement, Mr. Dream, didn’t ruin our enjoyment. Nintendo’s excellent boxing game puts you in control of Little Mac, an up and coming fighter who attempts to climb the ranks by defeating a series of trademark brawlers, including pushover Glass Joe and the much tougher King Hippo and Great Tiger. It's without question one of the NES’ defining games.
#3 Super Mario Bros.

You can’t talk NES without mentioning one of the greatest launch games of all time. Super Mario Bros. was huge for a plethora of reasons that go beyond introducing us to the publisher’s famous mascot. Yes, Mario was cool, but we also dug the side-scrolling action, secrets, power-ups and that trademark music. It’s no surprise that it’s still a joy to play after all these years.
#2 Metroid

Nintendo scored with Metroid, a 2-D smash hit that let players guide bounty hunter Samus Aran through an alien world teeming with dangerous critters. The fact that Samus turned out to be a woman was huge, since it proved that virtual ladies were every bit as powerful as the dudes, but overall, this was a stellar game with slick power-ups, interconnected levels and plenty of drama towards the end. On top of that, it has some of the best theme music in gaming.
#1. Super Mario Bros. 3

Let’s face it, the NES has a ton of quality hits, but none of them top Super Mario Bros. 3. Nintendo’s incredible sequel ditched vegetable throwing in exchange for good old fashioned goomba stomping fun, complete with more levels, warp whistles, air ships, a world map, Bowser’s bratty Koopalings and the introduction of suits that imbue Mario and Luigi with special abilities. Whenever we need an NES Mario fix, it’s always the first game we go back to. Both timeless and fun, Super Mario Bros. 3 should be at the top of your downloading list.

Bulgarian State Railways Hope to Become Profitable by 2015

Bulgarian state railway company BDZ expects to start making profit in 2015 as a result of a program of wide-ranging measures, its management announced.
In the first 11 months of 2010, BDZ improved its financial results by BGN 17 M compared with the same period of 2009, according to Vladimir Vladimir, Chair of the Board of Directors of the state-owned company.
He said that the total loss of BDZ in 2010 is expected to be down by between BGN 15 M and BGN 25 M compared with 2009. The board projects that the losses will be down by at least that much in 2011, and that by 2014 the state company will have a zero deficit, starting to make tangible profits in 2015 and 2016.
He pointed out that one of the measures that contributed substantially to the improved financial results is the reduction of operational costs by reducing the staff by about 1 200 workers, making a more beneficial contract for fuel supplies, and optimizing the locomotive spending.
At the same time, in January-November 2010 the volume of freight shipments transported by the BDZ grew by 62 000 tonnes compared with the same period of 2009, which is bringing the company closer to the pre-crisis freight traffic levels.
Vladimirov vowed that the surprise ticket inspections by conductors will continue as part of a campaign to reduce substantially the number of people who try to evade buying tickets. Only in November, these inspections led to a 5% increase of the BDZ revenue from passenger tickets year-on-year.
"The reforms in 2011 will be focused on the correct organizational restructuring of the two companies – BDZ Passenger Services and BDZ Freight Services," Vladimirov explained, as cited by bTV.
He said about 1000 people will be laid off from BDZ in 2011, and some practices that are costly but produce little benefit will also shed.
The state company will seek funding from the EU Operational Program "Transport" in order to pay consultants to help it with the operation and repairs of the trains.
In his words, the online sale of BDZ tickets should be up and running by the second half of 2011. Its setup will cost the company about BGN 700 000.
Earlier on Wednesday, BDZ CEO Tencho Popov announced that the company will be purchasing 30 new sleeping cars from the Turkish company Tuvasas.
BDZ has a contract for railway passenger services with the state for 15 years; in that period it is supposed to receive a total of BGN 1.2 B, but the subsidy will probably be decreased.
The Bulgarian government recently signed a framework memorandum with the World Bank for loans for BDZ and the National Railway Infrastructure Company expected to total BGN 600 M for urgent reforms in the sector; the restructuring, however, will probably produce much social tension as several thousand workers might be laid

Borisov Cabinet Reaches Out to Bulgarians in Lebanon

Bulgarian PM Borisov (middle) with FM Mladenov (left) and Lebanese PM Saad Hariri. Photo by Council of Ministers

The Bulgarian Cabinet will help the Bulgarian community in Lebanon to open a school of its own in Beirut.
This arrangement was made on the third day of the official visit of a Bulgarian government delegation to Lebanon at a meeting of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov with members of the Bulgarian community in Beirut and Lebanese graduates of Bulgarian universities.
The future Bulgarian school in Lebanon will be a "Sunday school" and will train local Bulgarian kids in Bulgarian language, culture, and history.
Borisov announced that the Bulgarian government will move to reduce the state university fees in Bulgaria by 50% for students of Bulgarian origin from Lebanon.
At the same time, the Bulgarian government will provide scholarships to Lebanese students pursuing higher education in Bulgaria, Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov revealed.
The Association of Lebanese Graduates of Bulgarian Universities even presented Prime Minister Borisov with a certificate of recognition of his contribution to the development of the Bulgarian-Lebanese relations.
In addition to education, the other matters raised by the Bulgarian community in Lebanon at their meeting with the Bulgarian PM and top diplomat had to do with the restoration of the direct Sofia-Beirut air line, which was discontinued in November 2010, the issuing of visas and Bulgarian IDs, and the opening of a Bulgarian cultural institute in Lebanon.
Mladenov said that the new system for issuing biometric IDs is already running at the Bulgarian Embassy in Beirut, which should ease the acquisition of new IDs for Bulgarians living in Lebanon.
He further noted that the visa policy will be reshaped once Bulgaria joins the Schengen Area.

Mladenov Convinced Bulgaria Will Join Schengen by 2011 End

Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov has stated that Bulgaria will be "technically" ready to join the Schengen Area by March 2011.
Upon arriving back to Bulgaria from Lebanon where he was part of a state delegation led by Prime Minister Borisov, Mladenov commented on the letter of the Foreign Ministers of France and Germany sent to EU Commissioner on home affairs Cecilia Malmstroem stating that Bulgaria and Romania were not ready to join the Schengen Agreement in March 2011, as the two countries have hoped.
"We need to keep in mind that the general situation in Bulgaria, the unresolved problems in the judiciary, the legacy on the issues of corruption and organized crime all reflect upon the Schengen accession process. We just have to resolve this by March, there is no need to try to escape from the truth. As a normal, civilized nation, let all of us work to cut the cord between those who are connected with organized crime and corruption in Bulgaria and those who make Bulgaria's image abroad. We need to get our job done to join Schengen. I am convinced that we will become part of the Schengen Agreement by the end of 2011. The rest is in the hands of the legislative branch and the judiciary," Bulgaria's top diplomat state

Top-Ranking Figure Arrested in Special Operation in Sofia

Santa Claus and Snow White minutes before they were arrested at Sofia Airport. The fact they used a Bulgarian government helicopter has been viewed as evidence of abuse of state assets by the prosecution. Photo by BGNES

A high-ranking public figure suspected of shocking crimes has been busted by Bulgarian anti-mafia units in a special operation in Sofia, a senior government official wishing to remain anonymous revealed specially for the readers of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency).
The top-ranking figure in question got arrested on charges of corruption, embezzlement of state assets, and animal abuse. He was handcuffed at the Sofia International Airport upon arriving from abroad using a Bulgarian government helicopter, the source said.
Employing special intelligence devices, the Bulgarian police have intercepted numerous calls, emails, and letters to the arrested person arranging what seem to be expensive gifts for a large number of people - which the investigators believe to be bribes. The detainee does not appear to have any legal source of income.
This immediately prompted the Bulgarian tax and customs authorities to start investigations into his wealth as well as to send out to a helicopter to search for any luxury properties that he might have around Sofia. The police have also arrested a young woman whose exact relation to the detainee was initially unclear.
The arrested person is believed to be an international criminal mastermind as he is found to have been using multiple identifies in different countries. He was caught with a Bulgarian ID card under the name "Nikolov" but is known to be using foreign passports with names such as Saint Nicholas, Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, Sinterklaas, Ded Moroz, among others. Apparently, he is known in certain Bulgarian circles with the suspicious nickname "Dyado Koleda", i.e. "Grandfather Christmas".
The Bulgarian police have also found the man to be in illegal possession of reindeer spurring concerns about their treatment and leading them to believe he had established a "private zoo" - a widespread practice among Bulgarian underworld figures and murky businessmen.
Shortly after the special police operation, however, a Bulgarian court released Santa and a woman, arrested together with him and identified as "Snow White", keeping a bag of gifts as bail.
In spite of the prosecutors' concerns that he might destroy important evidence or bribe potential witnesses with gifts, the court argued there was not sufficient evidence to detain Santa, and that he should be let go as he had some urgent business to take care of on December 25.
"I am glad this issue has been settled for the time being. I believe this incident resulted from a misunderstanding and hope that my name will be cleared of any accusations. I got a lot of presents to distribute now, especially to the good readers of Novinite.com and The Sofia Morning News," Santa said in an exclusive blitz interview not forgetting to mention that he himself is a committed reader of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency), which he described as the most influential Bulgarian media.
So the readers of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) from around the world should rest assured that nothing will prevent Santa Claus from bringing to you tons of presents, happiness, joy, and good health this Christmas!
Happy Holidays and sincere wishes for millions of good news in 2010 from your truly committed and professional team of Novinite.com! :)

Publishing, Editorial, and Web Development Team
Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency)
The Sofia Morning News
The Sofia Weekly

Bulgaria, Borisov Play 'Good Student' on Schengen unlike Romania

Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has sought to distance Bulgaria from Romania's negative reaction on France and Germany's opposition to the Schengen accession of the two newest EU members.
After arriving at the Plovdiv Airport (since the Sofia Airport was closed because of fog) from a three-day visit to Lebanon on Wednesday night, Borisov gave a news conference at the VIP terminal of the Sofia Airport commenting on Tuesday's letter to the EC in which the Foreign Ministers of France and Germany described Bulgaria and Romania's potential Schengen accession in 2011 as premature.
Unlike Romanian President Basescu, who called the letter "discriminatory", the Bulgarian Prime Minister described the French and German criticism of Bulgaria and Romania as "fully justified."
He explicitly pointed that unlike Romania's negative reaction, Bulgaria will use the time before the next EC monitoring report under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism in the summer to work on its problem areas. Borisov believes that the adoption of the recommended legislative amendments is crucial to achieve progress.
"There is hardly any Bulgaria who doubts we have corruption and a not so good judicial system. We react in a way that is different from the reaction of our esteemed Romanian neighbors. We have several months left. We have the opportunity to fix all points of criticism with respect to the control of the external borders. We will be 100% ready there by March 2011," the PM said.
The decision on Bulgaria and Romania's Schengen entry will be made by the countries that are members of the Schengen Area with unanimity based on an experts' report expected in January 2011.
Earlier on Wednesday, the European Commission confirmed its position against tying Bulgaria and Romania's Schengen zone entry with additional clauses and with the post-accession progress monitoring mechanism known as the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism.
Speaking to reporters at Plovdiv Airport as soon as the Bulgarian delegation landed from Lebanon, Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov stated that Bulgaria will be "technically" ready to join the Schengen Area by March 2011.
"We need to keep in mind that the general situation in Bulgaria, the unresolved problems in the judiciary, the legacy on the issues of corruption and organized crime all reflect upon the Schengen accession process. We just have to resolve this by March, there is no need to try to escape from the truth. As a normal, civilized nation, let all of us work to cut the cord between those who are connected with organized crime and corruption in Bulgaria and those who make Bulgaria's image abroad. We need to get our job done to join Schengen. I am convinced that we will become part of the Schengen Agreement by the end of 2011. The rest is in the hands of the legislative branch and the judiciary," Bulgaria's top diplomat stated.
Wednesday morning Bulgaria's Interior Minister and Deputy PM Tsvetanov made it clear it will aim to accede to the Schengen zone in March 2011 even though France and Germany decided to block the country from joining the Europe's passport-free travel zone.
"What I read in the newspapers today will in no way change our planned preparations for making the country fit for the Schengen zone in March 2011," Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov commented.
A day earlier the French and German interior ministers said it was "premature" to let them join Schengen in March 2011. In a letter to European Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem they said Bulgaria and Romania needed to make "irreversible progress" in the fight against corruption and organized crime.
"The letter shows that Bulgaria's Schengen accession has been tied up with the European Commission's continued monitoring of its justice reform and corruption combat and its record so far. What these countries want to see is determination in corruption and organized crime combat," the Tsvetanov added.
He pointed out that the interim report of the European Commission on the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM; e.g. progress in fighting crime and corruption) will be crucial for Bulgaria's Schengen bid.
Bulgaria's center-right government has assigned top priority to the country' accession to the Schengen zone in March 2011, a target date, which has been set as early as in 2007, during the term of the previous Socialist-led government.
But its preparedness has yet to get the EU greenlight and is facing strong opposition from older member states, who say entry next year will be premature.
Experts from EU states who visited Romania and Bulgaria are due to present a report in January that will be used by governments to make a decision on Romanian and Bulgarian membership, but it must be agreed by the Schengen members in unanimity

US Senate Ratifies START 2 Treaty, Russia, NATO Cheer

Democratic Senator John Kerry (L), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Republican Senator Dick Lugar (R) of Indiana deliver remarks after the Senate voted to rafity the START 2 treaty. EPA/BGNES

The Obama Administration has managed to get the ratification of the new US-Russia Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START 2) through the "lame-duck" Senate.
With a total of 71 votes in favor and 26 votes against, the US Senate sealed the long-anticipated ratification of the START 2 treaty by a comfortable margin. The Obama Administration had to reach out to some Republican Senators for bipartisan support since the Democrats have only 58 of 100 Senate seats, with a two-thirds majority needed to ratify international treaties.
The new START Treaty was signed in April 2010 by Obama and Medvedev but is viewed unfavorably by the Republican Party in the US Senate; some Republicans, who made gains in the Senate in the mid-terms in early November have been trying to delay the vote on the Treaty until the new Senate convenes in January 2011 when they would have been more likely to defeat the ratification.
President Obama's signature is the only thing left to complete the ratification of START 2 on the American side.
Senior US diplomats have stated their hopes that the START 2 Treaty will enter into force before the end of the winter as the two chambers of the Russian parliament are also supposed to ratify it, and the signature of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is also needed.
The new Russian-US pact obligates both nations to cap their fielded strategic nuclear weapons to 1 550 warheads, while the number of deployed and non-deployed delivery vehicles must not exceed 800 on either side.
During the recent NATO Summit in Lisbon, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen urged the US Senate to ratify the new US-Russia Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty warning that any delay in that would hurt the security and stability in Europe.
The news about the ratification of the treaty by the US Senate has been welcomed with great noted satisfaction by Russia.
"We welcome the approval of the treaty between the Russian Federation and the United States," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov declared as cited by Interfax.
NATO's chief Rasmussen has been equally, if not more excited by the US Senate ratification of START 2.
"The ratification of the START 2 treaty is extremely important for Euro-Atlantic security. It makes the reduction of the nuclear arms of the USA and Russia predictable. This paves the way towards progress on initiatives for control of conventional and nuclear weapons aiming to increase security in the Euro-Atlantic zone and beyond," Rasmussen said.
He further noted that at the recent NATO summit in Lisbon the Alliance has moved to cooperate with Russia in an array of fields, including on missile defense.
"The Alliance and Moscow agreed they are not threats to each other, to the contrary, they aspire for strategic partnership," he declared.

Sofia International Airport Cancels Flights

Thick fog has settled over Sofia canceling flights of the local international airport. Photo by BGNES

Sofia International Airport has announced it had canceled several departing and arriving flights, scheduled for Thursday.
Five flights, departing from Sofia International Airport at 7:10 am for Munich were canceled.
Two flights that were expected to arrive from Bucharest to Sofia at 10:05 am were also canceled.
Four other arriving flights of the carrier Regasus, scheduled to land at the Sofia International Airport from Istanbul at 7:20, were delayed. The situation is the same for two Bulgaria Air flights arriving to Sofia from the Black Sea cities of Burgas and Varna at 8:20 am and for a flight of Olympic Air, that was scheduled to arrive from Athens at 9 am.
According to the airport’s website, flights to Frankfurt and Prague were also canceled.
Problems with the flights started several days ago, initially because of the bad weather in Western Europe, and since yesterday – because of the thick fog in So

80% Bulgarians to Celebrate New Year's Eve at Home

Only 5% of Bulgarians will celebrate New Year's Eve at restaurants or clubs. 80% of the people will celebrate at home. File photo

About 80% of Bulgarians will celebrate New Year’s Eve at home and only 5% will go to a restaurant, data from a poll by the National Center for Study of Public Opinion (NZIOM) showed.
According to the data, the 5% of Bulgarians that will celebrate at restaurants and clubs are mostly young people up to 29 years and people with higher education, while 80% of the Bulgarians will spend the holiday at home or visiting relatives and friends.
Less than 2% of the respondents said they will celebrate New Year’s Eve at ski resorts, at the city square or abroad.
The data showed that the celebrations in 2010 will not be much different than last year. About 85% of the respondents said they have planned to spend money on Christmas presents.
19% of the people have prepared up to BGN 20 for presents, while 30% are planning to spend between BGN 20-50.
25% of the Bulgarians are spending between BGN 50-100 on presents, 7% of the people are preparing BGN 100-200 and 4% of the respondents are ready to spend more than BGN 200 on Christmas presents.
The people who will spend money on charity during the holidays are the same as last year – 39%. They will support financially people in need, either with objects or through text messages for charity campaign

Barroso Devastatingly Critical of Bulgaria's Failure to Absorb EU Funds

EC President Barroso has stressed Bulgaria's total failture to absorb EU money for crucial infrastructure projects. Photo by EPA/BGNES

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has sent a letter to the Bulgarian government in which he emphasizes explicitly Bulgaria's failure to utilize EU funds for infrastructure and water projects.
While Barroso's letter expresses hopes for improvement of the situation based on certain actions of the Bulgarian Cabinet, it outlines Bulgaria's inability to date to take advantage of the money allocated to it under EU's Structural and Cohesions Funds.
The EC President points out that Bulgaria has absorbed only a tiny share of the money made available to it by the EU under these mechanisms.
"As you probably know, the real level of absorption at the present moment amounts to 6% of the total EU budget allocated for 2007-2013, which is insufficient for achieving positive effect on the economy as well as for preventing potential losses of EU funds for Bulgaria," Barroso's letter to the Bulgarian Prime Minister and Cabinet reads.
It underscores the urgent need to address the main challenges in the various sectors, and to take decisive measures in order to fix the delays of large-scale EU-funded investments.
Barroso points out that a thorough analysis of Bulgaria's absorption of EU funds shows that the greatest issues are in the drafting and execution of large infrastructure projects for roads, railways, and the water sector, where only 1% of the total potential EU funding has been absorbed to date.
The EC President says that the major beneficiary of EU money in the road construction sector, the Bulgarian Road Infrastructure Agency, has been unable to overcome its major problems; not a single project has started in that field in Bulgaria since the start of the program period, while key strategic projects such as the Struma Highway have been delayed.
He recommends the urgent inclusion of "alternative structures" that can become beneficiaries of EU programs and speed up the realization of the respective investments.
According to the Barroso letter, the situation in Bulgaria's railway sector is no better, with the National Railway Infrastructure Company being unable to achieve the first stages of its set goals; less than 10% of the potential resources have been employed in the initial phases of specific projects.
The EC President says there are two major reasons for the delay of EU funded projects in Bulgaria's water sector – the lack of administrative capacity in the Bulgarian local authorities to prepare decent project proposals, and the delay of the overall reform.
He suggests that the "interested institutions" - the Ministry of Environment and Waters, the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, and the municipalities must create efficient coordination mechanisms among themselves.
On a more cheerful note, Barroso recognizes the commitment of the Borisov government to improving the situation.
"The commitment demonstrated by the ministers and deputy ministers who are directly in charge of the realization of various operational programs and the appointment of a special minister for the management of EU funds is of extremely great use for Bulgaria," the EC President notes.
He further points out that several international financial institutions have offered to help Bulgaria with reforms and improvement of its administrative capacity during a working meeting organized by Bulgarian EU Funds Minister Tomislav Donchev.
"In this respect I deem feasible the proposal, together with the Commission and the international financial institutions, under the leadership of the Minister for managing EU funds, to take steps to discuss, develop, and adopt an action plan for each of the above-mentioned sectors," Barroso recommends.
He further pledges all-out readiness on part of the Commission to support the Bulgarian institutions in order to speed up the quality realization of projects and the absorption of EU funds – as part of a joint initiative of the Bulgarian authorities, the EC, and the international financial institutions.
"Dear Mr. Prime Minister, I am convinced that with your personal support and the commitment and efficient coordination between the Bulgarian institutions and the European Commission, with joint efforts we will manage to overcome the existing serious difficulties, and problems, and will guarantee the successful execution of the Cohesion policy in Bulgaria," Barroso concludes.

Bulgaria's PM Mulls Removing Diaspora Minister Post

Bulgaria's PM Boyko Borisov is considering removing the post Minister without Portfolio. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria’s PM Boyko Borisovis considering removing the official post Minister without Portfolio after the resignation of Bozhidar Dimitrov.
"There are no suitable candidates for the post at the moment,” Borisov said Thursday, the Bulgarian News Agency has reported.
The prime minister has explained that the functions of the Minister without Portfolio, who is responsible for the Bulgarians abroad, could be taken by another member of the cabinet.
Bozhidar Dimitrov, the former Bulgarian Minister without Portfolio, resigned December 19 after it was revealed that he worked as an agent for the former Communist State Security.
At the beginning of the week, Borisov said that he would keep the post of the Diaspora Minister because it was not invented especially for Dimitrov.
The former minister has proposed Rosen Ivanov, the head of the Agency for Bulgarian Abroad, for his replacement. However, the proposal was not commented by Borisov.
Dimitrov’s resignation was involved in the recent scandal which broke out after it was revealed that 33 Bulgarian Ambassadors have worked as collaborators or agents for the former Communist State Security.
The revelations caused a political turmoil in Bulgaria, as Prime Minister Boyko Borisov firmly pledging to fire the discredited diplomats, while President Georgi Parvanovopposed this option.

Suicide Attempt Marks Romanian No-Confidence Vote

Romania's Prime Minister has survived the no-confidence vote, while a TV crew member survived a suicide attempt

Romania's Prime Minister Emil Boc has expectedly survived a fourth no-confidence vote in 2010, while a man jumped from the balcony of the parliamentary chamber to protest Boc's economic policies.
The vote was called over an unpopular public wages act
The expected result allows Boc's fragile coalition to push ahead with unpopular austerity measures needed to keep a bailout package led by the International Monetary Fund on track.

A man identified as an employee of Romanian public television stood on the baloncy railing and jumped onto a bench below, just as Boc was just starting a speech to lawmakers.He was wearing a shirt bearing the slogan "You killed our future". Intervention teams provided first aid and removed him from the hall.

Upon jumping from the balcony, the man shouted "You took the bread away from the mouths of my children, you killed the future of our children". His life is reportedly not at risk.

Swiss, Chilean Embassies in Rome Attacked, Two Injured

Security officers in front of the Swiss embassy in Rome, where a bomb exploded Thursday, seriously injuring one person. Photo by EPA

Bombs exploded in the embassies of Switzerland and Chile in Rome Thursday,  injuring at least two persons, reported world agencies.
An explosive device was planted in a parcel received around noon by the Swiss embassy in Italy. Some hours later a similar shipment exploded at the embassy of Chile.
In the two incidents, one worker at each the embassies was injured. The state of the Swiss national working at the mail department of the embassy is reported to be "serious." The worker at the Chilean embassy is said to be wounded "lightly."
There isn't any additional information about the attacks, including about other injured people.
All other embassies in Rome are now undergoing thorough checks after the two attacks.
Italy's foreign affairs minister Franco Fratini has confirmed that there is a "serious threat" for foreign missions in the country.
Tuesday a bomb-like device without detonator and explosives was discovered in the Rome metro.
During the last weeks Italy was the scene of violent anti-governmental protests but there is this far no information linking the attacks with the protests

EU, US Threaten to Freeze Ties with Belarus over Violence

Relatives and friends of arrested Belarussian opposition supporters wait outside the prison walls to bring food and clothes in Minsk, Belarus, 22 December 2010. Photo by EPA/BGNES

The EU and US are ready to freeze rapprochement with Belarus if no swift improvement is made in the human rights sphere, according to a joint statement by the two heads of diplomacy, Catherine Ashton and Hilary Clinton.
Last Sunday, incumbent President Alexandr Lukashenko won a landslide victory of over 80% at the presidental elections in Belarus, which were declared by the OSCE as "neither free, nor fair."
Although a number of opposition candidates participated in the vote and were given access to publicity that is ample by Belarusian standards, none of them appeared to achieve significant success, as the best-ranking opposition candidate Alexander Milinkievic scored just 6%.
The results proved frustrating for thousands of Belarusians, who walked out in protest Sunday night amid a snow storm. The protests erupted into clashes, with many wounded and imprisoned, including opposition candidates themselves.
In their joint statement, the EU and US call for immediate release of all those imprisoned,  and "strongly condemn all violence, especially the disproportionate use of force against presidential candidates, political activists, representatives of civil society and journalists."
The statement further describes the elections as an "unfortunate step backwards" for Belarus.
The EU High Representative Catherine Ashton and the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton jointly state that any progress in relations with Belarus is conditional on palpable improvement in the state of human rights and democratic governance in the country.

Head of Bulgarian Film Center Falls Victim of Fatal Actress

Alexander Donev's resignation has been accepted. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria's Culture Minister Vezhdi Rashidov has accepted the resignation handed by Alexander Donev, head of the Bulgarian National Film Center, on Thursday.
Donev resigned as a result of the notorious "Michelle Bonev" scandal. He is the second "victim" of the two major issues, after Bulgaria's Deputy Culture Minister, Dimitar Derelviev, was recently dismissed.
The turmoil involving Bulgarian born actress and director Michelle Bonev, was initiated by Italian media, which claimed that she received a "fabricated" award created just for her at the Venice Film Fest for her movie „Farewell to Mom".
Moreover, her participation was allegedly sponsored by the Italian government under the influence of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who is Bonev's friend. The reports triggered demands for the resignation of Italian Minister of Culture Sandro Bondi.
Further, Italian and Bulgarian media questioned the source of financing a 40-strong Bulgarian delegation at Venice led by the Minister of Culture, Vezhdi Rashidov.
Alexander Donev was also involved in the scandal, as it turned out that he has financed Bonev's movie with BGN 300 000 from the state budget.
Meanwhile, financing of Bulgarian filmmaking is in crisis after the parliament amended the formula for production support. Changes to the Film Industry Act in the beginning of December have released the Bulgarian government from keeping funding at last year's level. Up to 7 motion pictures, up to 14 documentaries and 160 minutes of animation are allowed each year, and the state will finance the projects "if possible".
This has sparked a wave of protests by a coalition of film and arts bodies outside the culture ministry and other government offices in Sofia,

Bulgaria's Sofia Completely Jammed Ahead of Holidays

Massive traffic jam in Sofia ahead of Christmas Eve. Photo by BGNES

Traffic in Bulgarian capital Sofia has been completely jammed Thursday evening ahead of Christmas Eve on Friday.
Tens of thousands cars are attempting to leave the city right after the end of the work day, reports BGNES news agency, adding that all exits from Sofia are effectively blocked.
December 24 (Christmas Eve) is an official holiday in Bulgaria.
Next week Bulgarians will again work Monday through Thursday, as December 31 has been declared a day off this year.

Bulgarian Patriarch Maxim to Hold Christmas Eve Mass

Bulgarian Patriarch Maxim (L) holding the Christmas Eve lithurgy in 2009. Photo by BGNES.

The Christmas Eve festive lithurgy of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church Friday will be presided by Patriarch Maxim, announced the church Thursday.
The service will start at 18.00 EET at the St. Alexander Nevski cathedral in downtown Sofia. As usual, it will be covered by the Bulgarian National TV and the Bulgarian National Radio.
Festive lithurgies will be held by metropolitan bishops in bishoprics across the country.
Recently the 96-year-old Patriarch Maxim dispelled worries that he is in failing health, saying that he is alive and well and is fully performing his duties as head of the church.

Bulgarian Family Celebrations Mark End of Lent

Bulgarian families celebrate the end of Lent and the beginning of the Christmas holiday with a traditional meal. Photo by BGNES

Christmas Eve marks one of the brightest of the Christian holidays for Bulgarians. It is a day devoted to home, hearth and family, including remembrance of the deceased of the family.
Known as "Little Christmas", the holiday anticipates the celebration of the Birth of Christ, and there are many rituals associated with its observance.
Practices may vary across the country, but there are some basic traditions observed throughout Bulgaria.
The numbers attending the celebratory evening meal have to be uneven in number, with at least seven people present. The food is Lenten, marking the end of the 40-day Lent fast. Therefore there is no meat on the table of the strict traditionalists.
The number of dishes is also uneven. Favorites include stuffed peppers, rice wrapped in leaves, beans, lentils, pumpkin and dried fruit. The more dishes there are on the table, the richer should the following year be.
Bread plays a central part in the meal. The head of the family breaks the freshly-prepared loaf after uttering a prayer. The first piece is placed to the left of a religious icon in the room; the second is for the house; and the reminder is shared by all present. The person who finds a coin buried in the dough is regarded as especially lucky throughout the coming year.
No-one should leave the table during the meal and, when it is finished, the dishes remain there – they are not cleared up. It is believed that the deceased later come to enjoy the remainder of the meal.
Strict tradition demanded that a fire be built in the hearth, with enough wood to burn all night and into Christmas Day, to help with the new birth of the sun.
Nowadays, Christmas tree with lighted candles symbolize this ritual. The main colors of all decorations are red, yellow and gold - the colors of sun and fire, and lit candles are like the sparks from the burning Yule log.
At midnight, carol singers may begin their rounds, calling at neighbors' houses, or the family may attend a midnight mass, bearing candles, ushering in Christmas Day.

Bulgarian Ruling Party Self-Congratulating on Education Policy

Bulgarian Minister of Education Sergei Ignatov. Photo by BGNES.

Minister of Education Sergei Ignatov has staged a show of self-congratulation by awarding like-minded politicians from the ruling GERB party for their contribution to educational policy.
All politicians who received the yearly distinction of the Ministry of Education are from Ignatov's GERB, excluding three MPs from the Ataka nationalist party, which has this far been a stauch GERB supporter in Parliament.
Among those awarded are a number of GERB MPs sitting on the parliamentary Education Committee, Ignatov's own deputy Sylvia Hubenova, as well as Sofia mayor from GERB Yordanka Fandakova.
The holders of the distinction include GERB back-bencher Rumen Stoilov, who recently tabled a controversial legislative proposal that, if adopted, will lead to the dissolution of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
BAS chief research secretary Stefan Hadjitodorov characterized that as "an insult" to the Academy and commented that apparently Education Minister Ignatov has chosen to award precisely those politicians who have been consistently helping him push his controversial reforms in the fields of education and research.

Bulgarian Socialists Prepare to Ride Popularity Surge

Bulgarian Socialist Party leader and ex-PM Sergey Stanishev pulling pranks in Parliament. Photo by BGNES

The leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party and ex-PM Sergey Stanishev expressed optimism for the outlook of his party in the upcoming 2011, which will see Bulgarians vote for both president and local authorities.
Speaking in an interview for the Bulgarian News Agency, he stressed the fact that in recent opinion surveys the Socialist Party - Bulgaria's biggest opposition formation - is the only one registering a boost in support.
This surge nevertheless comes after BSP scored a record-low level of support, retaining it for some months after the 2009 general elections, which it catastrophically lost to GERB.
Stanishev further commented that regarding the Socialists' presidential candidate, he is ready to discuss on a joint or compromise candidate with outgoing president Georgi Parvanov, who has vowed to stay in Bulgarian politics after the end of his second term.
The relations between Parvanov's political project and the Socialist Party are unclear, as Parvanov himself is strongly left-leaning and chaired BSP before Stanishev.
The Socialist leader also stated that he has 4 or 5 potential presidential candidacies in mind, but chose not to name names

For Whom The Bells Toll on Christmas in Bulgaria

The story of Maria Zabova, bell ringer at Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia, is a real epiphany, an inspiring tale of faith, commitment, strength and... higher mathematics. Milena Hristova finds out why the elderly woman is closer to God on Christmas than any of us.

Sunday morning. The cathedral is cold and dark. It smells of incense. Maria Zabova starts to climb the narrow, winding ladder up to the bell tower. Two hundred and twenty stairs later, she is standing up upon the platform. The cold wind blows through the open arches. A last look at her watch. She stretches out her hands, grabs the ropes and pulls them with all her might. The dance of the bells begins.
"I believe my power is a gift from God. It is unusual for a woman at my age to have so much energy," says Maria Zabova, who has been bell ringer at Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia, the biggest temple on the Balkans, for 27 years.
She is 81 years old and has been working as a teacher in mathematics all her life. A graduate of the French college Saint Joseph in the town of Plovdiv, she later studied higher mathematics and physics at Sofia University "Saint Kliment Ohridski". Contrary to widespread beliefs, she claims that higher mathematics, physics and the faith in God are completely compatible.
"Bell ringing is a demanding job, it is nothing short of a science," Maria Zabova says with a sharp look in her eyes and pulls once again the several ropes that she holds in each hand, one of her feet pressing a wooden pedal.
The belfry is open on all sides and left to the mercy of the unsparing winds, which clash against the elderly woman's fragile body and play havoc with her hair. She looks like a captain, who is steering the ship along the road of righteousness. During big religious holidays Maria Zabova performs the ritual three times a day, while on special occasions, such as the first visit to Bulgaria of the exiled former king Simeon Saxe-Coburg, the bells chime joyfully for more than three hours.
"The bells gave me great spiritual strength, which I feel to this very day – I enjoy excellent health, have achieved what I have wanted in life and am blessed with a wonderful family – my ten children, grandchildren and grand-grand children are all around me."
It is with nothing but love and respect that everybody in the cathedral treats her, calling her "Mrs Maria". Still she is loath to be observed or noticed except as the cloaked, humble but determined God's servant that she conjures up when seen next to the bells.
"I would have been happier if I was not paid for what I am doing here. I don't want to be noticed, so that I can be recognized by God," Zabova admits.
True, the process of bell ringing has traditionally been associated with the act of self-imposed isolation and awe, but Zabova redefines it as something more open and oxygenated – it is not rare that she lets into the belfry desperate people looking for healing. And God answers their prayers, Zabova says.
The cathedral was built to commemorate Bulgaria's liberation from Ottoman rule, while the twelve bells were cast in Tula, a large city near the Russian capital Moscow, on May 26, 1911, the date of Maria's birthday.
"I feel deeply moved by this coincidence," says Maria, her eyes glinting beneath her silvery hair.
Maria Zabova joined the choir of Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in 1950 while she was a freshman at the university only to find that her close affinity to the church has stirred up a hornet's nest. The communist era was a period of great persecution for the religious people in Bulgaria, turbulent times when religion officially did not exist and the entry into churches was banned.
"I faced unthinkable obstacles. I constantly lived with the fear that I will be punished or deported. The true communist is a Christian. Bulgaria was not ruled by communists, but by greedy and not that ethical members of the regime's nomenclature."

In a bid to keep a low profile, Zabova moved to the choir at the Saint George church and later to the Holy Seven Saints church. Asked why it was so important for her to sing in a church choir that she even risked being expelled from the university, she answers: "I could not do without the church." She came back to Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in 1975 and has never left it ever since.
"I was always persecuted for my firm faith, but I never gave it up," she says. Even though she keeps her serenity, her look sharpens when she remembers how the regime prevented her from landing a dream job at UNESCO because of her bourgeois origin and her faith in God. The political establishment made sure that the plot went off without a hitch and had no qualms about reminding her once and again about the threat of deportation.
Оf course all of this prompts the question how she found the strength to weather the turmoils, keep her faith and continue tacitly, like a true saint, to defend it.
"God showed me the way that I had to take and it was quite unexpected, even for me, that I fell in love with the bells. Our love keeps going strong for more than twenty seven years, with no delays and excuses."
Zabova believes that now, more than twenty years after the collapse of the communist regime, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, but says that the years of dictatorship have exacted their toll.
"I have been recently struck by an epiphany of my own – I am convinced that Bulgarians will again turn to God one day, but this will be a very tough and long process. Three generations have been left crippled by the ban to enter churches."
Maria often reminisces about the past – but also looks ahead to the future.
"Sometimes I fall into despair when I think about today's young Bulgarians. They have so many opportunities to develop and make something big in their lives, but they don't seem to care. That's why I am really pleased to see young people coming into the church."
She is convinced that the difficulties only cemented her faith.
"I had a very rich and diverse life, despite the incredible obstacles that I faced. I always felt God next to me and he never failed me. I will never let him down either

Father in Bulgarian Baby Death Case Sues Doctors

The expert team of coroners, who did the autopsy of the dead baby, are adamant the delivering doctors cannot be blamed. File photo

The father of the prematurely born baby, who died at the end of November in the hospital of the Bulgarian central town of Gorna Oryahovitsa, will sue the doctors who delivered it.
Stefan Pamukchiev, 24, says the pregnancy of his girlfriend Boryana, 16, had been a wanted one, adding the doctors killed the baby.
Pamukchiev was just released from prison Thursday where he served a 6-month sentence for thrashing.
The young man told the Bulgarian National Radio, BNR, he met Boryana 10 months ago; they fell in love, and planned to get married. After the girl became pregnant in May, the couple decided to keep the child. While in prison, Pamukchiev underwent a DNA test to establish paternity.
“I heart scary things about myself and the woman I love, all made – I have never been married nor am I Roma,” the man is quoted saying

Istanbul City Hall Restores Famous Bulgarian Iron Church

The Bulgarian "Saint Stephen" Church, also known as the Bulgarian Iron Church, is a Bulgarian Orthodox church in Istanbul, Turkey, famous for being made of cast iron. Photo by wikipedia

The Istanbul City Hall is to restore the Bulgarian "St. Stefan" church, the Bulgarian news agency BTA reports Friday, citing Turkish media.
The works are to being as soon as possible while 60% of the funds will come from Turkey's Regions Directorate and the rest will be financed by the City Hall.
The Bulgarian "Saint Stephen" Church, also known as the Bulgarian Iron Church, is a Bulgarian Orthodox church in Istanbul, Turkey, famous for being made of cast iron. The parts were manufactured in Vienna and then transported via the Danube River to Bulgaria and through the Black Sea to Istanbul. The Church was inaugurated in 1898 by Exarch Joseph and marks the beginning of the Bulgarian exarchate.
According to a legend, Sultan Abdul Azis, was not inclined to let Bulgarians have their own church, but yielded to the pressure under one condition – for the church to be built only in a month. Bulgarians found the solution by making the church from cast iron.
In the last few years, the Bulgarian State and the Istanbul City Hall have made significant efforts to raise funds for the church's renovation and maintenance, but those funds are still insufficient. The 110th anniversary of the iron church was celebrated at the end of 2008

Bulgarian Wholesale Prices Hit Record High before Christmas

The wholesale prices of produce in Bulgaria went up sharply right before the Christmas holidays. File photo

The index of wholesale prices went up sharply during the past week – from 1.745 points to 1.784 points, which is the highest level since the beginning of 2010.
The data comes from the State Commission for Commodity Exchanges and Market Places.
A similar trend was registered around the Easter holidays when the wholesale prices index reached 1.768 points.
The highest price hikes before Christmas were listed for the traditional Bulgarian yellow cheese (kashkaval); feta cheese, sugar, cooking oil, flour, ground meat, greenhouse tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, apples, tangerines, oranges and bananas.

Skype Resumes Service after Worldwide Outage

A picture, looking like a traditional Bulgaria obituary announcement, posted by a Bulgarian facebook user makes of fun of Skype's failure. Photo by facebook

The internet program for calling and instant messaging Skype is now back in operation and had almost entirely recovered from the worldwide outage.
The service went down for almost all of its users on Wednesday. Skype CEO Tony Bates announces that by Thursday afternoon about 21 million users were logged in due to improvement in the service, which was nearly 90% of the usual traffic. Some customers still were not able to log on.
Voice calling, video-chatting and text-based instant messaging are working for most users, but other features, such as offline instant messaging and group video chats, are still down, according to Bates.
Bates declined stating the reason for the glitch, pointing out the probe was ongoing.
On average, 124 million people use Skype each month, though the total number of registered users is more than four times that

Russian Gazprom Starts South Stream Sea Segment Study

The Russian energy giant "Gazprom" will be ready soon with the technology and economy feasibility assessment of the project to build the South Stream gas pipeline. File photo

The Russian energy giant Gazprom is launching in the beginning of 2011 the study of the sea segment of the gas pipeline South Stream.
The information was reported Saturday by the Russian news agency RIA Novosti, citing Gazprom's CEO Alexey Miller.
The study will begin as soon as the technology and economy feasibility assessment of the project is ready.
The South Stream gas transit pipeline is supposed to be ready by 2015. Its construction is expected to cost between EUR 19 B and EUR 24 B. It will be transporting 63 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually, or 35% of Russia's total annual natural gas export to Europe.
The South Stream pipe will start near Novorosiysk on the Russian Black Sea coast, and will go to Bulgaria's Varna; the underwater section will be 900 km long.
In Bulgaria, the pipe is supposed to split in two - one pipeline going to Greece and Southern Italy, and another one going to Austria and Northern Italy through Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia.
The segment from the Russian to the Bulgarian coast will be 900-km-long and 2-km-deep.
South Stream aims at diversifying the routes for the delivery of Russian natural gas to European customers' through the Black Sea to countries in Southern and Central Europe.
On November 13, Bulgaria and Russia signed an intergovernmental agreement for the construction of the Bulgarian section of the South Stream gas transit pipeline in the presence of their Prime Ministers, Boyko Borisov and Vladimir Putin, in Sofia

Prof Werner Weidenfeld, Munich University: Romania No Threat for Bulgaria's Schengen Bid

File photo

Prof Dr Dr h c Werner Weidenfeld is professor of political science at Munich University, Germany. He is a Director of the Center for Applied Policy Research in Munich. Member of a number of prestigious organizations, including the International Research Council of the "Center for Strategic and International Studies" Washington, the Board of the Bertelsmann Foundation, Gütersloh, Associated Member of the "Club of Rome".
Milena Hristova spoke with Prof Weidenfeld about Bulgaria's Schengen bid as Novinite.com launched the new section "Bulgaria in 2011", highlighting the most important issues that the country will face next year.
Chancellor Angela Merkel Merkel was non-committal on Bulgaria's Schengen bid during her visit to Sofia in October, but at the end of the year Germany and France flatly blocked the extension of the European Union's border-free area. How do you interpret this stance?
The question of being a part of the visa-free zone is not a question of benevolence or antipathy, of emotion and atmosphere. It's a matter of taking reasonable care to check the complex issues.
Do you think Germany's assessment is influenced by the recent expulsions of Bulgarian and Romanian Roma from France?
The adverse attitude of Germany towards Bulgaria is not affected by the attitude of France towards the Roma minority. In Germany France has been criticized very strongly on this issue.
Could a failure of either Bulgaria or Romania to join the visa-free zone jeopardise Schengen entry for the other?
Each single country is to be assessed very accurately. There isn't any influence of one country onto the other.
What do you think stands behind the reluctance of France, The Netherlands, Germany and Austria to let the two Balkan countries join the Agreement in 2011? Is it all about domestic politics and the voters in their own countries or they really believe the entry into Schengen will be premature, just as the EU entry?
The reluctance has no further political horizons –  it is only details of the security-relevant facts that matter. Bulgaria should not lose its bearings by speculating what every statement was supposed to mean, but should just do its homework.
Could we see a repeat of the scenario in 2005-2006, when many countries threatened to hamper Bulgaria's EU accession but eventually swallowed the pill?
No, such a scenario does not correspond to the reality.
Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov recently said in an interview that the country's bid to join the European visa-free Schengen zone in 2011 may fail because many countries are envious of its progress. How would you comment on that?
This is a benevolent exaggeration triggered by Bulgarians' emotions. There is no correspondence with the European realities.
Can Bulgaria succeed in its efforts to separate Schengen accession from the European Commission's continued monitoring of its justice reform and anti-corruption efforts?
The whole context has to be considered as one unity.
How serious are fears that the flow of illegal immigrants will be diverted to Bulgaria?
Such fears respond to a real background.
Isn't Bulgaria's economic growth more important than Schengen?
Both are likewise important for the development of Bulgaria and Europe.
Do you personally think Bulgaria deserves next year's entry into the Schengen zone?
Bulgaria will be worthy of joining the visa-free zone just when it manages to conform to all requirements – not a single day earlier or later!

German Expert: No Parallels between Bulgaria's EU, Schengen Entry

Bulgaria's center-right government has assigned top priority to the country' accession to the Schengen zone in March 2011, a target date, which has been set as early as in 2007, during the term of the previous Socialist-led government. File photo

Schengen aspirant Bulgaria is unlikely to see a repeat of the scenario in 2005-2006, when many countries threatened to hamper its EU accession but eventually swallowed the pill, a German political analyst has warned.
"No, such a scenario does not correspond to the reality," Prof Dr Dr h c Werner Weidenfeld, professor of political science at Munich University, who is known for his criticism over Bulgaria's accession to the European Union, said in an exclusive interview for Novinite.com.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel Merkel was non-committal on Bulgaria's Schengen bid during her visit to Sofia in October, but at the end of the year Germany and France flatly blocked the extension of the European Union's border-free area.
"The question of being a part of the visa-free zone is not a question of benevolence or antipathy, of emotion and atmosphere. It's a matter of taking reasonable care to check the complex issues," Prof Weidenfeld said in the interview.
He stressed that Bulgaria should not try to separate Schengen accession from the European Commission's continued monitoring of its justice reform and anti-corruption efforts, as the whole context has to be considered as one unity.
Bulgaria's center-right government has assigned top priority to the country' accession to the Schengen zone in March 2011, a target date, which has been set as early as in 2007, during the term of the previous Socialist-led government.
But its preparedness has yet to get the EU greenlight and is facing strong opposition from older member states, who say entry next year will be premature.
Experts from EU states who visited Romania and Bulgaria are due to present a report in January that will be used by governments to make a decision on Romanian and Bulgarian membership, but it must be agreed by the Schengen members in unanimity.

Bulgarian Lawyer Sues Interior Minister for Slander

Interior Minister, Tsvetan Tsvetanov (pictured), is using slander and lies, a Bulgarian attorney insists. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency

A Bulgarian lawyer, who was arrested during the special police operation, codenamed Octopus, had filed a defamation suit against Interior Minister, Tsvetan Tsvetanov.
The case, scheduled for December 23, did not start over Tsvetanov's failure to appear in court, the Bulgarian daily "Trud" informs.
The lawyer, Nikolay Velkov, had filed the case over the Minister's statements, after the February arrest, Velkov was tried and sentenced for illegal drug manufacturing in the so-called "Opitsvet" affair in 1997.
The lawyer is asking for BGN 1 compensations.
The summons, sent by a courier, had reached the Interior Ministry, but was never handed to Tsvetanov.
Velkov is part of the management of the "General Leasing" company and has 50% stake in the joined stock company "Art Center La Strada." He insists he had never been a defendant in the "Opitsvet' case.
The lawyer was arrested on February 10, 2010, during the Octopus police operation aimed mainly at controversial businessman and former agent of the State Agency for National Security (DANS), Aleksei Petrov, and was released shortly after (February 18) by the Sofia Appellate Court over the lack of evidence.
"I want to show Tsvetanov uses slander and lies," Velkov says.
The Sofia Regional Court has rescheduled the case for January 19.

Snow Mars Christmas Plans for Thousands of Europeans

A pedestrian walks in snow-covered Paris. Photo by bookclass.wordpress.com

Two thousand travelers have been left stranded at the main Paris airport, Roissy-Charles de Gaulle, as a relentless snow storm continues to pound France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.
Half the flights at Charles de Gaulle have been canceled, largely because of a shortage of de-icing fluid, BBC reports Friday. The French authorities said fresh supplies of de-icing fluid were on their way, but would not arrive before Monday.
Passengers were also stranded overnight at Charleroi airport in Belgium although some flights were operating on Friday morning. Cancellations were reported at Brussels airport as well and buses were not running in the capital and other areas.
In Belgium and Germany hundreds of accidents were reported on the icy roads and police are advising drivers to stay at home.
In western Germany, traffic was reported as paralyzed in parts of North Rhine Westphalia. Further east, the railway line between Berlin and Hanover was blocked because of frozen overhead power-lines.
Part of the city of Venice in Italy were flooded after lasting downpours in the area where unusually high water levels were reported, causing the evacuation of people living near the Venice lagoon and in the town of Vicenza.
Heavy snow was forecast for parts of Scotland and north-east England on Friday and passengers hoping to return home for Christmas by train were warned of reduced services on several lines.
Meanwhile dense fog caused many delays and cancellations at the airports of Sofia and Plovdiv in Bulgaria.

NORAD: Santa Left on Worldwide Tour

Santa has left his home in his sled pulled by his 9 trusty reindeer. File Photo

NORAD announced Friday Santa has officially left his home in Lapland to begin his trip around the world and deliver billions of gifts.
On Christmas Eve, NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, a joint organization of Canada and the United States, offers the NORAD Tracks Santa service through a special website. The site currently gets 1 billion hits.
NORAD uses Rudolph's red nose as the main tool to track Santa's trip around the globe.
The Website is updated each hour to show a CGI-rendered Santa flying over major cities in the different time zones where it is midnight. They also have a voiceover from the NORAD staff, explaining his location which has facts about Santa and the country which he has just visited.
The tradition to follow Santa around the globe dates from 1955 when an ad for the route of the legendary personality published by mistake NORAD's phone number.

Bulgarian Farmers Demand Resignations on Christmas Eve

The Union of Bulgaria Farmers demands the resignation of Deputy Agriculture Minister, Tsvetan Dimitrov, over their unpaid subsidies. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency

The Union of Bulgaria Farmers demanded Friday two resignations at the Agriculture Ministry, Darik radio reported.
The farmers want the ousting of Deputy Agriculture Minister, Tsvetan Dimitrov, and of the Director of the National Veterinary Service, (NVS), Yordan Voynov.
The Union's Chair, Ivan Chalakov, told Darik the reason is unpaid subsidies over problems and errors at NVS, and accused the two of diverting the money to "other people."
The Union is threatening mass protest rallies right after the winter holidays.

Pope Benedict: God Is Full of Surprises

Pope Benedict XVI said he prayed for the sick and elderly and "those who are going through any form of hardship". Photo by EPA/BGNES

God is faithful to his promises but often surprises us by how he fulfills them, Pope Benedict said in his first BBC radio broadcast.
The Pope's Christmas message for the UK was broadcast as the Thought for the Day on Radio 4's Today program, BBC reports Friday.
It was the first time that the Pontiff has addressed a Christmas message especially for one of the countries he has visited during the year but the British National Secular Society criticized the BBC's decision to broadcast it.
In his message, the Pope recalled his recent UK visit with "great fondness" and said he was glad to greet listeners again.
Benedict said he prayed for the sick and elderly and "those who are going through any form of hardship".
"Dear friends from Scotland, England and Wales and indeed every part of the English speaking world, I want you to know that I keep all of you very much in my prayers during this holy season. I am glad to have the opportunity to greet you again, and indeed to greet listeners everywhere as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ. I pray for your families, for your children, for those who are sick, and for those who are going through any form of hardship at this time. At the Christmas season our thoughts recall a moment in history when the Israelites were waiting for the Messiah whom they pictured as a great leader who would restore their freedom," Pope Benedict said.
"The child that was born in Bethlehem did indeed bring liberation, but not only for the people of that time and place - he was to be the savior of all people throughout the world and throughout history. It was not a political liberation, achieved through military means, he added, but rather "Christ destroyed death for ever and restored life by means of his shameful death on the cross," the Pope went on.
Benedict urged people to ask Jesus Christ to expel any darkness they have in their lives and added: "Let us give thanks to God for his goodness to us, and let us joyfully proclaim to those around us the good news that God offers us freedom from whatever weighs us down; he gives us hope, he brings us life."
Negotiations between the BBC and the Vatican went on for many months to enable the recording to take place, BBC informs.

Bulgaria Emerges as Major Israeli Ally over Rift with Turkey

Bulgarian PM Borisov with Israeli PM Netanyahu in 2010. Photo by BGNES

Israel is focusing on a boost of its relations with Balkan countries, including Bulgaria, which some have interpreted as a thrust to compensate for its rift with Turkey, a rising major power and a traditional Israeli ally prior to 2008-2010.
"There is an amazing and constant improvement in our relations with Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania and other countries, with whom our cooperation is increasing at all levels," Israel's Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said, as cited by BGNES, which quotes international media.
"This warming of ties is a natural development which we welcome and is not a substitution measure directed against a third country," he explains.
"Our relations with Turkey are at their lowest level, and so we have looked for new friends in the Balkans," Alon Liel, a former Israeli ambassador to Turkey, is quoted as saying. He further warns that if the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks keep stalling, Israel is threatened of an increased regional isolation.
Even though Israeli-Turkish trade grew substantially in 2010 year-on-year, hundreds of thousands of Israeli tourists have started to avoid Turkey as a destination.
The diplomatic rift between Israel and Turkey is widely regarded to have started with the December 2008 Israeli military operation in Gaza, and to have effectively been wrapped up with the Israeli raid on a convoy of ships crossing Israel's naval blockade of the Gaza Strip in which Israeli forces killed nine Turks

Bulgaria's Plovdiv Wants to Build New 'National Stadium'

The Vasil Levski National Stadium is deemed no good any more because his location in downtown Sofia jams the Bulgarian capital every time it hosts a major event. Photo by ticketpro.bg

The southern city of Plovdiv has come up with an initiative to host a new national stadium of Bulgaria, which could be realized instead of the expensive construction of a new stadium in Sofia.
Last week Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov announced a plan to construct a new "National Stadium" for international matches to be located in the outskirts of the capital Sofia, near the Sofia International Airport. This project is said to rectify the present situation in which Sofia gets congested any time there is big match or event on the Vassil Levski National Stadium located right in the downtown.
Georgi Tityukov, a Deputy Mayor of Plovdiv, however, has come up with an alternative. In a letter to Borisov and Sports Minister Svilen Neykov he has suggested that the government invest BGN 20 M in the completion of the "Plovdiv Stadium" in order to turn into a "National Stadium" for important international matches.
Tityukov claims that the construction of a second national stadium in Sofia for 40 000 people discussed recently will cost a lot more – about BGN 120-150 M.
At the same time, the Plovdiv Stadium will have a capacity to fit 53 000 people – which will be sufficient to host a final of the Champions League (a capacity of 50 000 is required).
In the past, the Hristo Botev Stadium in Plovdiv was used an alternative to the Vasil Levski National Stadium in Sofia. Then, for a brief period, a newer stadium in the Black Sea city of Burgas was also used for international matches of the Bulgarian national football team.

BRIC to Become BRICS as China Invites South Africa to Join

South Africa's foreign minister Nkoana-Mashabane pictured with US Secretary of State Clinton. Photo from flickr

South Africa will attend the BRIC summit in 2011 Q1, thus becoming part of the grouping of four major newly advanced global economies – Brazil, Russia, India, and China.
This has become clear after Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, announced that China had invited South Africa to join BRIC. With South Africa's addition, the grouping will be renamed "BRICS".
Nkoana-Mashabane wrote to the foreign ministers of the BRIC countries back in 2009 expressing her state's desire to join the grouping.
"The rationale for South Africa's approach was in consideration of a matter of crucial importance to BRIC's Member States, namely the role of emerging economies in advancing the restructuring of the global political, economic and financial architecture into one that is more equitable, balanced and rests on the important pillar of multilateralism. Our approach to intensifying our relations with emerging powers and other countries of the South is, of course, through active and strong bilateral engagement," the South African foreign minister said as cited by CNN International.
Even though South Africa is the most advanced economy in Sub-Saharan Africa, its growth has experienced much greater difficulties than BRIC countries such as China, Brazil, and India. What is more, the South African economy is only 31st in the world in terms of size, far smaller than the economies of China (3rd), Brazil (8th), India (11th), and Russia (12th).