Bulgaria News
23 July 2008, Wednesday Bulgarian Manager Placed in Charge of Russia's Third Largest Brewery 
The Bulgarian manager Dimitar Aleksiev will be placed in charge of the third largest brewery in Russia Heineken starting on August 25, 2008, the Heineken Zagorka Brewery announced Wednesday.Aleksiev will replace the current Chief Executive Director Ronald Pirmez, who will be transferred to the company's division in the Asia-Pacific region. According to the regional president for Central and Eastern Europe of the Netherlands-based company, Nico Nusmeyer commented Aleksiev was the most appropriate person to manage one of the company's key markets. Dimitar Aleksiev is presently in charge of Heineken Slovakia, where he has won the Heineken Central and Eastern Europe Business Excellence Award 2007. In 1994 he manages the acquisition of Bulgaria's brewery Zagorka by the Coca Cola Hellenic Bottling Company. Between 1995 and 2005 he is the Executive Director of Zagorka. 
11 July 2008, Friday The Indiana Jones of Pernik 
Some may argue, but here are the main ingredients that one needs to mix oneself into the next Indiana Jones: loads of courage, encyclopedic knowledge, fierce curiosity and a great sense of humor.Pernik municipality is giving local high school students a possibility to find the Indiana Jones character in themselves while having a wonderfully adventurous summer. From July 14 to August 8, two brigades will participate in archaeological digs exploring Krakra Fortress, situated near Pernik. The expedition will be the final scholarly-defined research of the treasures hidden under layers of historical and cultural heritage, Simeon Kroumov from the city hall’s press center said to The Sofia Echo. After that, the idea is to restore the fortress and make it an attractive tourist site, he said.The selected students will go through a lecture course in which they will learn the basics of archaeology, will delve into the history of the region, and will study the prehistoric settlements discovered along the Strouma riverbank. Then, they will participate in the unearthing of significant artefacts that are expected “to turn a new page in Bulgaria’s history”. It is accepted that the fortress had been built shortly after the beginning of ninth century, and according to some scholars, it had had primarily defensive functions up to the crossing of the Third Crusade (1189/92) through the area. Then the fortress had been abandoned. Later on, during the ruling of Bulgarian Tsar Samouil (997/1014), the fortress had been named after Krakra, a local voivoda, or warlord, meant to drive back the attacks of the Byzantine army. Long before that, however, the territory where the fortress is situated had been home to Thracian settlers. The archaeological expedition will try to discover not only the exact location of the Thracian settlement there, but also some signs of the living habits of its people.
9 July 2008, Wednesday Condoleezza Rice Awarded Bulgaria's Highest State Order 
President Georgi Parvanov and US official Condoleezza Rice © Sofia Photo Agency Bulgaria's President Georgi Parvanov awarded Wednesday the US official Condoleezza Rice the highest state order Stara Planina - first degree over her help for releasing the Bulgarian medics, who were jailed for more than eight years in Libya. "The order is a modest sign to crown the excellent relations between the US and Bulgaria. They have not been better in the past 100 years," Bulgaria's head of state said at the solemn ceremony. "Stara Planina order symbolizes the victories of your country as well as its bright future," Ms Rice said after receiving the distinction. Condoleezza Rice is on an official arrived to Sofia for only several hours. In the framework of the visit, the US state secretary conferred with the Foreign Minister Ivaylo Kalfin and the Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev.
6 July 2008, Sunday Bulgaria's Dimitrov Wins Wimbledon's Boys Single Title 
The Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov became the first ever Bulgarian to win a Grand Slam title after beating his Finnish rival at the Wimbledon final. The 17-year-old Bulgarian teenage star defeated Henri Kontinen in straight sets (7-5, 6-3). The final match lasted for one hour and 18 minutes as in the end, the fact that Dimitrov had less unforced errors than Kontinen took its toll and Dimitrov won 7-5. From then on Dimitrov had full control over the game and the second set was an easy 6-3 win. The Finnish player had nine double faults with Dimitrov only one. The Fin had 22 unforced errors while Dimitrov had just six. Dimitrov was born on May 6 1991 and he entered this year's Wimbledon as the world's number 747. His highest ranking in singles so far has been 744.
30 Jun 2008, Monday Bulgaria chose Madara horseman as its symbol 
The Madara Horseman Relief The monumental Madara horseman near Shoumen was selected as the symbol best representing Bulgaria, after voting in a nationwide campaign ended June 29. The rock relief, which is on Unesco's world heritage list, won ahead of the Cyrillic alphabet, followed by the Tsarevets medieval fortress near Veliko Turnovo, the Bulgarian rose and rose oil, with the Rila Monastery finishing last in the final voting. The Madara horseman will now be depicted on the Bulgarian euro coins when the country enters the euro-zone.The national campaign of selecting the symbol was launched at the end of 2007 by the Bulgarian Association for Business and Tourist Information (BABTI). After sorting through thousands of suggestions, BABTI decided to separate the ideas in several main categories such as Bulgarian culture, history, economy, science, tourism and sport. Bozhidar Dimitrov, director of the National History Museum, said that by definition the Madara horseman has always been a symbol of victorious Bulgaria, and dated back to the period of khan Tervel (circa 700 – 718/721 CE), Focus news agency reported. Rila monastery was the first choice of Meglena Plougchieva, deputy prime minister in charge of the EU funds, who had previously said that people in Europe think of the monastery when Bulgaria is mentioned. Focus quoted her as saying that being a Bulgarian, she felt proud that the country boast so many historical landmarks each one of which could be a symbol representing Bulgaria. A little over one million Bulgarians have cast their vote during the campaign.
29 June 2008, Sunday Ancient Church, Necropolis Discovered in Bulgaria's Veliko Tarnovo 
Archaeologist Nikolay Ovcharov in the city of Veliko Tarnovo
A church, built in 13th century was unearthed by the team of Bulgaria's prominent archaeologist Nikolay Ovcharov in the city of Veliko Tarnovo. The temple, called "St. Ivan Rilski", is the place where the relics of the saint were once saved before being sent to the Rila Monastery. "It took us a month to find the church. Unfortunately, it is not completely preserved but even the remains could show us its magnificence," Ovcharov said. Near the temple, the scientists discovered a unique necropolis, where only aristocrats are supposed to have been buried. A golden ring with a two-head eagle as well as numerous silver coins, jewelry and ceramic utensils were also found at the site. "The bird on the ring was a symbol of the dignity of the Orthodox countries rulers in 14th century, which reveals it belonged to a boyar," the archaeologists commented.
11 June 2008, Wednesday Bulgaria to Promote Spa and Wellness Tourism 
Anelia Kruchkova, Chair of the State Tourist Agency © Sofia Photo Agency The State Tourist Agency is preparing a strategy for the development of spa and wellness tourism in Bulgaria. The strategy was announced by the Agency's Chair Anelia Kruchkova at the First Specialized Business Forum dedicated to Spa and Wellness. The forum is held in the sea resort "Albena" and is organized by the National Spa and Wellness Association with the goal for tour operators and state institutions to reach a common vision regarding the development of spa tourism in the country. A work group has already been created at the State Tourist Agency with the task to prepare a strategy for the development of the spa sector. The document will determine the spa and wellness centers' criteria and standards. "This way, according to Kruchkova, we will avoid calling a hotel with a sofa and a Jacuzzi a spa center." University professors are also going to participate in the strategy's preparation, which is to be completed by the end of the current year. Stanimir Stankov, Chairman of the Association's Managing Board stated that spa and wellness tourism would attract wealthier visitors to Bulgaria. Unofficial statistics from 2007 show that 130 000 tourists have used spa and wellness services last year, while there are 75 five-star hotels in the entire country. According to Stankov, Bulgaria offers spectacular nature and climate for the development of the spa and wellness tourism, adding that strict rules must be created and enforced in order to avoid repeating the mistakes made in the sea and ski tourism sectors. Stankov explained that currently the hotels in Velingrad and Sandanski are overbooked while in a place such as Varchets with excellent possibilities for the development of spa and wellness tourism nothing had been built in years. 
7 June 2008, Saturday US Investors in Bulgaria to Pay Lower Taxes US companies and US individuals investing in Bulgaria will soon pay lower taxes for doing business in the country, the Bulgarian Standard Daily announced Friday. The tax reduction is included in the agreement between Bulgaria and the US for avoiding dual taxation. US President George W. Bush has sent a letter to the Senate, urging senators to ratify the agreement. The US Senate's approval is the last formality before the agreement can enter into effect since the Bulgarian MPs already approved the document. The agreement for avoiding dual taxation provides for a five-percent interest and royalties' tax to be paid by Bulgarian firms to US companies. Copyrights can include distribution of books, movies, music and television shows as well as the use of trademarks. Bulgarian companies will pay the same five-percent dividend tax to US shareholders. Bulgarian firms participating in US pension funds investing in Bulgaria, will also take advantage of the new tax relief measures since the interests and the dividends paid to those US pension funds will be tax exempt. The pensions, the ex-spouse and child support given to US citizens residing in Bulgaria would not be taxed according to the Bulgarian Tax Law. The same is valid for the financial support received by Bulgarians residing in the US. Bulgarian interns and students in the US will not be paying taxes on income lower than USD 9000 per year neither will they pay taxes on all amounts they receive from Bulgaria to pay their tuition fees and living expenses. However, Bulgarian students who work in the US only for the summer will continue to pay taxes according to the US Tax Law. Afterwards, however, the taxes paid in the US will be deducted from the tax they owe in Bulgaria. In addition, the agreement regulates the information exchange between taxation and investigating authorities in Bulgaria and USA, which will lead to the prevention of tax evasion for deals conducted between Bulgarian and US companies. The preparation of the tax agreement precedes the upcoming visit of the Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev to the US from June 14 to June 18. Stanishev is scheduled to meet US President George W. Bush during the last day of his visit.
6 June 2008, Friday Tourists Enjoy Medieval Erotic Graffiti in Bulgaria's Preslav Erotic graffiti dating back to the Middle Ages have become the greatest attraction for tourists visiting Bulgaria's medieval capital of Preslav. 
The drawings are on the eastern fortress wall of Preslav, which was the capital of the First Bulgarian Empire from 893 to 972 and one of the most important cities of medieval Europe.Archaeologists say that the ancient graffiti were thoroughly examined in the 70s but they had not gained much popularity until recently. The director of the national archaeological reserve, Alexander Gorchev, said that it is not clear who was the author of the drawings but scientists suppose authorship belongs to Bulgarian soldiers or workers from the 10th century. Mr Gorchev added that there is an idea to create an "alley of love and sex" in the fortress in order to further popularise the drawings among tourists. "If we consider the artistry of the drawings, we could say the medieval inhabitants of the old Bulgarian capital had elaborate sex lives," Gorchev also said.
31 May 2008, Saturday US Best Selling Travel Guide Ranks Bulgaria Top Travel Destination for 2008 Travel writer Pauline Frommer, daughter of the renowned US travel writer and publisher Arthur Frommer, ranks Bulgaria among the top 10 budget destinations for summer vacations in 2008. The Guide's Introduction to Bulgaria says the following: "Founded in 681, Bulgaria is the oldest state in Europe, but its roots reach far deeper into history. In the Valley of Kings, in tombs adorned with frescoes and bass reliefs, archaeologists continue to discover mankind's most ancient gold treasures -- the beautifully worked objects buried with Bulgaria's Thracian forebears, some dating as far back as 3000 B.C. Uncovering the countless burial mounds dotted throughout Bulgaria's central "belly" -- a process only started in earnest less than a decade ago -- has revealed that this was home to the world's most sophisticated goldsmiths, and prompted local claims that it was here, in the shadow of the Balkan Mountains, that Europe's first civilization was birthed." In addition to Bulgaria, Frommer's 2008 top selections include destinations in the US, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Newfoundland and the Mayan Coast in Mexico. Bulgaria is, however, the only European location to be listed as a top budget destination for this year. The guide explains that "the strength of the euro has made much of Europe a budget-buster for American travelers, but it's also an opportunity to explore less heavily touristed areas of the continent -- such as Bulgaria." While pointing out that Bulgaria doesn't yet have much of a tourism infrastructure, Pauline Frommer praises the country for being quite safe and for its "ancient monasteries and beautifully preserved medieval villages along with affordable spas and Black Sea beach resorts." The guile lists accommodation prices in the range of $50 to $100 for budget Bed & Breakfast hotels and guesthouses and full Mediterranean meals for just $6 or $7. Since May 2007, the writer's father - Arthur Frommer has been actively blogging about travel on the Frommers.com website. In his blog travelers can read his impressions of Bulgaria such as "Europe's budget champion, with its Black Sea beaches and well-preserved medieval villages" and "in Bulgaria you can wander the cobblestone streets of Plovdiv, sip plum brandy at a Black Sea resort, or pay just $15 to stay at the famous Rila Monastery, a grandiose medieval construction packed with painted icons amidst green mountains". Frommer's is one of the best selling travel guides in America. Frommer's travel guidebook series began in 1957 with the publication of Arthur Frommer's book, Europe on $5 a Day. The book ranked popular landmarks and sights in order of importance and included suggestions on how to travel around Europe on a budget. It was the first travel guide to show Americans that they could afford to travel in Europe. It was a new concept for the time and has been credited with opening the door to modern tourism and travel guidebook publishing, particularly for budget travel. Frommer's has expanded to include over 350 guidebooks across 14 series, as well as other media including the award winning Frommers.com website which covers over 3,500 destinations.
31 May 2008, Saturday Prices of Bulgaria Real Estate to Grow 15% in 2008 – Report The global real estate company ERA has predicted a 15% increase in the prices of real estate properties in Bulgaria in 2008. According to ERA, the number of real estate deals in Bulgaria in 2007 grew between 4% and 5% to reach a total of about 325 000. 25% of the deals were made by foreign buyers. Two-room apartments with an area of about 60 square meters remain the residential property of greatest demand on the Bulgarian market, the ERA research shows. Bulgaria's annual increase of the residential credits is estimated at 62%, with an average annual increase of 7,1% in the Eurozone. The most preferred loans in Bulgaria are for EUR 30 000 with a 25-year repayment period. ERA's research on Romania has found that the real estate prices there would go up at about the same rate with the salaries, which record an annual increase of 13%. The residential property in Romania's capital Bucharest went up 27% in 2007 compared to the 2006 levels to reach EUR 1500-3000 per square meter. In comparison, the prices in Sofia are EUR 670-3900 per square meter. Romania's inflation rate is twice lower than Bulgaria's.
30 May 2008, Friday The Biggest Catch Kotooshu Katsunori, born in Bulgaria as Kaloyan Stefanov Mahlyanov, became the first European to win the Prestigious Emperor’s Cup at the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament on May 24 in Japan. The 25-year-old, ranked as ozeki or ‘champion’, the second-highest level in the sumo ranking system behind only yokozuna, needed only one win in this past weekend’s fights to claim the title.
Kaloyan Mahlyanov - Ozeki On May 24, he beat his Mongolian opponent Ama, boosting his score to a 13-1 record, enough to claim the title with one bout to spare, the International Herald Tribune reported. ‘I’m so happy,’ Reuters quoted a beaming Kotooshu as saying on Japan’s NHK television, ‘I’m speechless. I did it at last’. Kotooshu was the seventh foreigner to win an Emperor’s Cup. He could be elevated to the highest rank in sumo, yokozuna, if he wins the next major event in Nagoya in July.
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