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| Identifier | Subject | Date | Office | Classification | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01SOFIA3033 |
BULGARIAN ELECTIONS: PRELIMINARY RESULTS [...] PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF BULGARIA'S JUNE 17 ELECTIONS SHOW A COMMANDING LEAD FOR THE NATIONAL MOVEMENT SIMEON II, WITH AN OUTRIGHT MAJORITY IN PARLIAMENT SEEMINGLY LIKELY BUT NOT YET ASSURED. THE UDF OF PM KOSTOV HAS SUFFERED A SERIOUS DEFEAT, AND HE IS EXPECTED TO RESIGN AS PARTY LEADER SHORTLY. [...] |
2001-06-18 09:26:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV BU |
| 03SOFIA88 |
SQUARING THE LAWYERS' CIRCLE: LEADING [...] (C) SUMMARY: THE FOUR MOST PROMINENT MEMBERS OF THE SO-CALLED "LAWYERS CIRCLE," WHICH HAS BEEN EXTREMELY INFLUENTIAL WITHIN THE RULING NATIONAL MOVEMENT SIMEON II (NDSV), HAVE COME UNDER VARYING DEGREES OF SUSTAINED CRITICISM IN RECENT WEEKS, MUCH OF IT RELATED TO CORRUPTION. THE PRIME MINISTER H [...] |
2003-01-10 15:18:00 | Embassy Sofia | SECRET | PGOV PINR BU |
| 04SOFIA2338 |
BULGARIAN COURT RULING ENDS MUSLIM LEADERSHIP [...] SUMMARY: A recent court ruling has resolved -- at least for the time being -- the leadership dispute that has divided the top echelons of Bulgaria's Muslim community since December 2003. A new chief mufti (the spiritual head of the denomination) has been appointed; however the community's new a [...] |
2004-12-09 10:33:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | SOCI PGOV KIRF BU |
| 05SOFIA1000 |
STABILITY PACT FOR SOUTH EAST EUROPE PRESSING [...] SUMMARY: The Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe's semi-annual Regional Table Meeting May 17-18 in Sofia pushed countries in South East Europe to make a greater political and resource commitment to the Pact's regional initiatives. The meeting was the first serious discussion countries have [...] |
2005-06-03 14:06:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID ECON PREL PHUM PARM BU |
| 05SOFIA1020 |
SCENESETTER FOR BULGARIA'S JUNE 25 GENERAL ELECTIONS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Bulgaria holds general elections on June 25, the sixth since communism collapsed in 1989. The election will likely come down to a race between the ruling National Movement for Simeon II (NMSS) and the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP). The NMSS began the 30-day official campaign [...] |
2005-06-07 13:56:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV BU |
| 05SOFIA1031 |
BULGARIAN REACTION TO ETHIOPIAN POST-ELECTION [...] (C) The GOB has not adopted any special decisions on the Ethiopian elections and will follow the EU's position on the issue, according to a nonpaper delivered to us on June 6 from the MFA Africa Directorate. The MFA did not address directly the questions in reftel, but has pledged itself to su [...] |
2005-06-09 07:54:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PREL PGOV PHUM ET BU |
| 05SOFIA1032 |
BULGARIA: PRESIDENT TO STAY ENGAGED ON BULGARIAN [...] (C) SUMMARY: President Purvanov met Ambassador on June 8 to discuss his recent trip to Libya to pursue the release of the Bulgarian medics. Purvanov said Qadhafi recognizes the seriousness of the problem of the medics, would like to find a solution, but does not seem to have a plan. He thanke [...] |
2005-06-09 08:03:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM LY BU |
| 05SOFIA1033 |
CLASSIFIED BULGARIAN ARMS EXPORT REPORT REVEALS [...] (S/NF) SUMMARY: In a classified government report passed to us by a reputable NGO, the GOB summarizes the amounts and locations of all authorized Bulgarian arms exports for the period 2002-2003. The report has not been officially released yet and remains secret even though EU regulations requir [...] |
2005-06-09 08:16:00 | Embassy Sofia | SECRET//NOFORN | ETTC BU |
| 05SOFIA1036 |
BULGARIA: NUTS AND BOLTS OF THE JUNE 25TH ELECTION [...] SUMMARY: Bulgaria holds general elections on June 25 to elect 240 members of parliament for a four-year term. The MPs are elected through a system of proportional representation in 31 electoral regions, and parties must win a minimum four percent of the nationwide vote to enter parliament. T [...] |
2005-06-09 12:07:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV BU |
| 05SOFIA1054 |
BULGARIA: GOVERNMENT PLAN FOR ELECTION LOTTERY [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: A government plan to use a lottery to boost voter turnout in the June 25 election has stirred controversy in Bulgaria, drawing criticism towards PM Simeon Saxe-Coburg's ruling party during the election campaign. The state-funded lottery - giving out prizes to those who vote - i [...] |
2005-06-13 12:11:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV BU |
| 05SOFIA1101 |
BULGARIA: ANOTHER SCOLDING ON ARMS DEALS [...] (S) SUMMARY. Bulgarian Deputy Foreign Minister Nikolai Milkov confirmed in a meeting with Ambassador on June 14 that Bulgaria sold 100 T-55 tanks to Eritrea. According to Milkov, the GOB has not approved further military sales to Eritrea after this delivery in 2005 and insisted that the GOB now [...] |
2005-06-21 06:31:00 | Embassy Sofia | SECRET | ETTC ER ET BU |
| 05SOFIA1110 |
BULGARIA REQUESTS ASSISTANCE IN SETTING UP [...] (U) This is an action request. Please see para. 3. 2. (C) Bulgaria's Ambassador designate to Iraq, Col. Valeri Rachev, requested USG assistance in securing an office in the Green Zone for a temporary Bulgarian Embassy to Iraq during a meeting with Ambassador on June 21. Rachev said the GOB [...] |
2005-06-22 13:53:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL IZ BU |
| 05SOFIA1114 |
BULGARIA: SOCIALISTS LEAD POLLS FOR SATURDAY'S VOTE; LATE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) retains a comfortable lead over the ruling party for the June 25 general election according to all reputable opinion polls released as the 30-day campaign draws to a close. Surveys show the Socialists appear poised to win the most s [...] |
2005-06-23 04:28:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV BU |
| 05SOFIA1134 |
BULGARIAN SOCIALISTS WIN: COALITION TALKS BEGIN; EXTREMIST [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) won the June 25 general elections, though by a smaller margin than expected, and face tough coalition talks on the formation of the government. Official results show seven parties, including extreme nationalist group "Ataka", passed the four pe [...] |
2005-06-26 13:21:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV BU |
| 05SOFIA1144 |
SOCIALIST LEADER FAVORS LARGE COALITION; SAYS [...] (C) SUMMARY: In a one-on-one meeting with Ambassador on June 27, a confident Sergei Stanishev, Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) leader, laid out his party's views on a future government in anticipation of negotiations to form a coalition. At this point, Stanishev favors a large coalition, inc [...] |
2005-06-28 04:01:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV BU |
| 05SOFIA1207 |
(U) BULGARIAN ORGANIZED CRIME (C-CN5-00054) [...] (U) This cable is in response to ref A request for information about organized crime in Bulgaria and the Balkans. Where direct sources are not cited, connections are largely based on information from operational contacts and open-source publications. ----------------------- OVERVIEW AND ACTIVITIES [...] |
2005-07-07 07:59:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PINR KCRM PGOV EINV ECON KCOR BU |
| 05SOFIA1217 |
BULGARIAN COALITION TALKS STALL AS SIMEON TRIES TO KEEP [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), which won a plurality in the June 25 general elections, so far is struggling to hammer out a coalition deal to form the new government. The Socialists say the best option for a stable government is a three- party coalition including the defea [...] |
2005-07-08 10:06:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV BU |
| 05SOFIA1239 |
BULGARIA: EXTREME NATIONALIST PARTY ENTERS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The extreme nationalist political group Ataka (Attack) won 8.7 percent of the vote in June's general election and became the fourth largest political party in the new parliament which commenced in Sofia July 11. If, as expected, the first three parties form a coalition governme [...] |
2005-07-12 12:29:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR BU |
| 05SOFIA124 |
DEFENSE MINISTER PLEADS FOR DEMONSTRATION OF [...] (C) Summary. Defense Minister Svinarov called the Charge to his office January 19 to repeat a now- familiar refrain: the current government must demonstrate to its electorate that there are tangible benefits to its deployment of troops in Iraq. The alternative, according to Svinarov, will b [...] |
2005-01-20 15:42:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MOPS MARR IZ BU |
| 05SOFIA1280 |
PUTTING OUT BRUSHFIRES: FRANCE AND ISLAMIC [...] (C) Summary: Through surveillance, arrests and other methods, the GOF prevents or puts out brushfires of Islamic extremism on an almost daily basis, and has been doing so for decades. According to recent press reports, the RG, France's police intelligence service, estimates that 6 million Musli [...] |
2005-07-15 16:37:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV BU |
| 05SOFIA1318 |
BULGARIAN COURT REJECTS JEWISH COMMUNITY PROPERTY [...] SUMMARY: In a July 6 decision, the details of which were not available until July 20, Bulgaria's highest court rejected the property claim of the Jewish community over a valuable piece of land in downtown Sofia that was nationalized during Communism and used for hotel construction. The deci [...] |
2005-07-22 11:42:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | ASCH PREL KTIA BU |
| 05SOFIA1325 |
COALITION TALKS FAIL: SOCIALISTS PREPARE WEAKER [...] (C) SUMMARY. High-stakes coalition talks between the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and that of outgoing PM Simeon Saxe-Coburg Gotha collapsed July 22 with the Simeon Movement (NMSS) announcing it would not participate in a BSP-led government. The Socialists, who won a small plurality in th [...] |
2005-07-22 15:30:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV BU |
| 05SOFIA1329 |
BULGARIAN SOCIALISTS PRESENT MINORITY GOVERNMENT, [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Socialist PM-designate Sergei Stanishev presented his cabinet choices July 24, drawing candidates from his own party as well as his coalition partner, the mainly ethnic-Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms, and outside technocrats. The proposed list seeks to garner public [...] |
2005-07-25 16:02:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV BU |
| 05SOFIA1339 |
BULGARIA: OPPOSITION WALKOUT BLOCKS VOTE ON [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. A coordinated walkout by every member of the opposition to Bulgaria's proposed Socialist-led government forced parliament to adjourn July 26 without voting on the new cabinet. While the Socialists and their junior coalition partner may still be in the race, their odds are sign [...] |
2005-07-26 12:46:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV BU |
| 05SOFIA1363 |
BULGARIA: AS SOCIALISTS FAIL AMID POLITICAL CHAOS, [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: A hostile opposition rejected the minority government of Socialist PM-designate Sergei Stanishev in a dramatic 117 to 118 vote shortly before midnight July 27. The Socialists, who overplayed their hand with an elaborate scheme to secure votes for their proposed minority governm [...] |
2005-07-28 13:50:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV BU |
| 05SOFIA137 |
O/I DAVIES Q KUNEVA TALKING POINTS [...] (C) The following text is sent as an O/I to EUR/SCE because Embassy Sofia's classified e-mail system is not working. DAS Glyn Davies meeting with Bulgarian Minister for European Affairs Meglena Kuneva on Jan 24 CONTEXT Bulgaria's next step in the process towards EU accession (planned for [...] |
2005-01-21 16:34:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | AMGT BU |
| 05SOFIA1373 |
ANOTHER BULGARIAN CRIME BOSS SHOT DEAD IN DOWNTOWN [...] Three organized crime figures were shot dead at a popular ice cream shop in downtown Sofia - close to the former chancery - on Saturday evening, bringing to over two-dozen the number of OC-related killings in the last 24 months. Anton Miltenov (&The Beak8), Ivan Todorov (&The Ghost8), and Nik [...] |
2005-08-01 15:24:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | SNAR KCRM PGOV PINR BU |
| 05SOFIA1375 |
BULGARIA?S ECONOMIC OUTLOOK FOR 2005 REMAINS [...] SUMMARY: The Bulgarian economy showed encouraging growth of 6 percent in the first quarter of 2005, cementing experts? views that the economy will continue to grow in 2005 despite the political turmoil surrounding the formation of the new government. The Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) issued [...] |
2005-08-02 14:51:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | EFIN ECON EINV BU |
| 05SOFIA1380 |
BULGARIA: SIMEON'S PARTY HAS SLIM CHANCES TO FORM A [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: PM Simeon Saxe-Coburg's party, which ranked second in the June elections, is struggling to forge a coalition deal with the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP). However, given the deep bitterness that emerged during the BSP's failed attempt to form a government, talks between Simeon' [...] |
2005-08-03 15:22:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV BU |
| 05SOFIA139 |
BULGARIA/IRAQ: PRESIDENT CALLS FOR A "QUICK [...] (U) SUMMARY: Bulgarian President Georgi Purvanov called January 21 for a "quick but not premature" withdrawal from the multinational force in Iraq, urging parliament to bring the Bulgarian troops home by the end of 2005. Purvanov, who addressed Parliament and the diplomatic corps on the third [...] |
2005-01-21 16:37:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV MOPS IZ BU |
| 05SOFIA1398 |
BULGARIAN GOVERNMENT ESTIMATES HIGHER ECONOMIC [...] SUMMARY: The situation in Bulgaria is slowly improving after weeks of heavy rains and flooding. However, conditions remain dangerous in some areas, and on August 4 the government declared a state of disaster in three municipalities. There have been 17 flood-related deaths and more than 60 [...] |
2005-08-08 03:58:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID PREL ASEC BU |
| 05SOFIA1404 |
ANOTHER WAVE OF HEAVY RAINS WREAKS HAVOC, LEAVES [...] SUMMARY: The Bulgarian government has declared a state of emergency in 23 municipalities as another wave of heavy rains hit the country over the weekend. The disaster left five people dead and blocked major motorways and railways with mud and debris. The number of buildings, homes and brid [...] |
2005-08-08 14:18:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID PREL ASEC BU |
| 05SOFIA1429 |
BULGARIA: AS SIMEON'S PARTY FAILS TO FORM [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: PM Simeon Saxe-Coburg's party August 11 abandoned its attempt to form a government after failing to strike a coalition deal with the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP). The two parties have been at odds over forming a cabinet since the Socialists won the June general elections but [...] |
2005-08-12 12:47:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV BU |
| 05SOFIA1448 |
BULGARIA: THREE-PARTY COALITION FINALLY FORMS A NEW [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Nearly eight weeks after general elections, the three largest parties in parliament are poised to form a coalition government. In an extraordinary session scheduled for later today (August 16), Parliament is expected to approve the Bulgarian Socialist Party's (BSP) Sergei Stan [...] |
2005-08-16 12:44:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL BU |
| 05SOFIA1450 |
PARLIAMENT APPROVES BULGARIA'S NEW GOVERNMENT [...] (U) Action request Para 7 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: At an extraordinary session of parliament on August 16, the largest coalition in Bulgaria's post-communist history approved the nomination of Socialist leader Sergei Stanishev as prime minister. Stanishev was backed by MPs from a three-party coalitio [...] |
2005-08-17 14:18:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV BU |
| 05SOFIA1477 |
NEW BULGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES IRAQ, [...] (C) SUMMARY. Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin told Charge' August 22 that Bulgaria would not follow the "Spanish model" in its withdrawal from Iraq. Instead, the Bulgarian departure, planned to take place before the end of the year, will be done in close consultation with the U.S. and other Coa [...] |
2005-08-23 15:12:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MARR EINV ETTC OVIP LY IZ BG |
| 05SOFIA1504 |
BULGARIA: MEDIA AND POLITICIANS FAN ANTI-ROMA [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The emergence of the extreme nationalist party Ataka has paralleled a surge in anti-Roma reporting that is adding to a troubling increase in ethnic tension. Ataka won a surprisingly high nine percent of the national vote in June and continues to fan negative attitudes towards R [...] |
2005-08-26 14:15:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV PREL KTIA BU |
| 05SOFIA1527 |
BULGARIA ISSUES STATEMENTS SUPPORTING IRAQI [...] (SBU) In response to reftel points delivered by DCM to Deputy Foreign Minister Lyubomir Kyuchukov and Presidential Foreign Policy Advisor Zlatin Trupkov August 29, President Purvanov's office and the MFA released the following supportive statements (informal translation provided by Embassy So [...] |
2005-08-31 12:13:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL IZ BU |
| 05SOFIA1545 |
BULGARIA: AS FLOOD WATERS FALL, EXTENSIVE COSTS [...] SUMMARY: Though government officials are still completing on-site damage assessments, their preliminary estimate of flood losses stands at one billion leva (USD 625 million) and 10 deaths. A recent USDA report shows the agricultural sector has sustained substantial damage, estimated at USD [...] |
2005-09-02 09:26:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID PREL ASEC BU |
| 05SOFIA1546 |
BULGARIAN POLICE RAID PIRATE CD PRODUCER, ARREST [...] SUMMARY: The Bulgarian police broke up a large-scale Optical Disc Media (ODM) bootlegging operation, involving production and distribution of pirated goods. Following a well-planned investigation, the police raided two illegal production sites August 31, seizing over 70,000 pirated discs wi [...] |
2005-09-02 10:37:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON ETRD KIPR ASEC BU |
| 05SOFIA1548 |
BULGARIAN PM CONFIRMS INTENTION TO REMAIN ENGAGED [...] (U) SUMMARY: In a weekly parliamentary question and answer session, Prime Minister Stanishev confirmed his government's intention to remain engaged in Iraq despite the withdrawal of its military contingent by the end of 2005. Stanishev added that an interagency commission will suggest possible [...] |
2005-09-02 13:04:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL IZ BU |
| 05SOFIA1554 |
BULGARIANS FOCUSING ON IRAQI FOLLOW-ON MISSION [...] (C) Summary: In their Sept. 7 introductory meeting, new Bulgarian FM Kalfin told Ambassador Beyrle that Bulgaria considers it very important to be "loyal, predictable and remain involved in Iraq," and hopes to have its position regarding follow-on Iraqi military participation ready for disc [...] |
2005-09-07 13:26:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | BU IZ MARR MOPS NATO |
| 05SOFIA1561 |
SENATOR HAGEL MEETS NEW BULGARIAN GOVERNMENT [...] (C) SUMMARY: Senator Hagel was the first Washington official to meet the new government after the June elections. He stressed energy and investment issues, Bulgaria's strategic importance as an ally in the region that extends eastward, and Bulgaria's need to improve its investment climate by [...] |
2005-09-08 16:31:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV OVIP PREL OREP ENRG MARR EINV LY BU |
| 05SOFIA1565 |
BULGARIA REQUEST FOR FY06 USDA PL-480 TITLE I [...] Name and Address of Applicant Government of Bulgaria Contacts: Brian Goggin Agricultural Attache Sofia Bulgaria Telephone: (3592) 939-5704 Email: Brian.goggin@usda.gov 2. Country of Donation Bulgaria 3. and 4. Kind and Quantity of Commodities Requeste [...] |
2005-09-09 12:42:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EAGR EAID BU |
| 05SOFIA1566 |
DEVELOPMENT ISSUES AT THE UNGA HIGH LEVEL EVENT: [...] (SBU) We delivered reftel talking points to Emil Yalnazov, head of the MFA's UN Directorate on 7 September. Yalnazov agreed that the specific proposals contained in the Declaration are "also complicated for us" and conveyed that the GOB was not likely to support any binding application of the [...] |
2005-09-09 13:34:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL EAID EFIN KPAO BU UNGA |
| 05SOFIA1568 |
BULGARIA TO RESPOND SHORTLY TO INTERNATIONAL [...] No summary [...] |
2005-09-12 04:01:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | EAGR EAID ECON KSCA PREL SOCI TBIO BU |
| 05SOFIA1578 |
NEW DEFENSE MINISTER CONFIRMS PLANS TO ADDRESS [...] (C) Summary. Defense Minister Veselin Bliznakov told Amb. Beyrle September 9 that an interagency working group would be ready to receive USG experts soon to discuss the timing and manner of withdrawing Bulgaria's contingent from Iraq, as well as a possible follow-on mission. He also expressed [...] |
2005-09-12 15:15:00 | Embassy Sofia | SECRET | MARR MOPS PREL IZ BU NATO |
| 05SOFIA1597 |
ECONOMY MINISTER: BULGARIA TO STAY THE MACRO [...] (C) SUMMARY: Ambassador Beyrle made an introductory call on Roumen Ovcharov, the new Minister of Economy and Energy, on September 12. He stressed USG support for Bulgaria's EU accession in January 2007, as well as continued close cooperation on economic and commercial issues. In the ensuing [...] |
2005-09-15 14:30:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EINV KIPR ENRG EFIN ETTC PREL BU EUN |
| 05SOFIA1598 |
BULGARIA: CHARISMATIC INTERIOR MINISTRY CHIEF [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Interior Ministry Chief Secretary General Boiko Borisov, one of Bulgaria's most popular officials, submitted his resignation September 14, citing planned legislative amendments that significantly curbed his position's powers. In a letter to the President and the PM, Borisov sai [...] |
2005-09-15 15:06:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KCRM ASEC PINR BU |
| 05SOFIA1618 |
BULGARIAN INTERIOR MINISTER DEFENDS CONTROVERSIAL [...] (S) SUMMARY. Interior Minister Rumen Petkov argued in his first meeting with Ambassador Beyrle for both deeper and more formal cooperation on intelligence and law enforcement matters. He called for the signing of a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) or a memorandum of understanding on law [...] |
2005-09-19 14:14:00 | Embassy Sofia | SECRET | PREL PGOV ASEC KCRM PINR BG |
| 05SOFIA1639 |
BULGARIANS REACT TO IRAQ FOLLOW-ON MISSION [...] (C) Summary. A Washington engagement team presented Bulgarian security officials September 21 with three possible follow-on missions in Iraq. The expert-level Bulgarian interagency group was receptive and positive, but repeatedly noted the difficult political decision that awaits the governme [...] |
2005-09-21 17:03:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MOPS PREL IZ BU NATO |
| 05SOFIA1675 |
BULGARIA PUSHING TO RESOLVE IRAQ & SHARED BASES [...] (C) Summary. Foreign Minister Kalfin told Amb. Beyrle September 28 that Bulgaria intends to have selected a follow-on mission in Iraq prior to the October 17 Bush-Purvanov meeting in Washington. He said that Bulgaria wishes to focus on the draft Defense Cooperation Agreement during next week [...] |
2005-09-29 16:09:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MOPS PREL BG IZ LY |
| 05SOFIA1681 |
COMBATING EXTREMISM IN BULGARIA [...] (S) SUMMARY: Bulgaria,s Muslim minority has been a target for recruitment by foreign extremist groups since the early 1990s, and local media have reported sensational accounts of purported radical Islamic activity. Despite these reports, the vast majority of Bulgaria,s roughly 13 percent Muslim min [...] |
2005-09-30 12:49:00 | Embassy Sofia | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PHUM KDEM KPAO KMPI EAID BU |
| 05SOFIA1683 |
BULGARIA WANTS TO CONSULT WITH EU BEFORE COMMITING [...] (SBU) Pol/Econ Off and Agricultural attache delivered the talking points regarding the International Partnership on Avian Influenza and upcoming Senior Officials meeting to the Ministry of Health and Agriculture Ministry respectively. Dr. Angal Kunchev, the head epidemiologist at MOH, and Rado [...] |
2005-09-30 14:04:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | TBIO ECON PREL SOCI BG KSTH WHO |
| 05SOFIA1685 |
BULGARIAN INTERIOR MINISTER SAYS HE WILL DISBAND [...] (S) SUMMARY: Interior Minister Rumen Petkov's appointment of a "Citizen's Advisory Council" consisting largely of retired Communist-era security officials has caused a domestic political uproar in Bulgaria that has forced the Socialist-led government into some quick backtracking. Petkov told A [...] |
2005-09-30 15:34:00 | Embassy Sofia | SECRET | PREL PGOV ASEC KCRM BG |
| 05SOFIA17 |
BULGARIA'S BIOSAFETY LEGISLATION: CARTAGENA [...] Bulgaria ratified the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety in 2000. In 1996 Bulgaria set out a Biosafety Decree regulating biotechnology work for contained use, and field testing. Commercialization and trade (both imports and exports) were not subject to this decree. Therefore, the legislation [...] |
2005-01-04 14:11:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | SENV EAGR ETRD ECON TBIO BU |
| 05SOFIA1704 |
BULGARIAN TROOPS LIKELY TO REMAIN IN IRAQ THROUGH [...] (C) Summary: Prime Minister Stanishev told Ambassador October 5 that Bulgaria will likely maintain its contingent in Iraq through the December 15 elections. The decision regarding a follow-on military activity is still under discussion and will next be considered in the coalition government,s [...] |
2005-10-05 15:08:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | BU IZ MARR MOPS NATO |
| 05SOFIA1715 |
BULGARIA SUPPORTS SEEBRIG DEPLOYMENT TO AFGHANISTAN [...] No summary [...] |
2005-10-07 10:22:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR PREL BU NATO BULGARIA ENDURING FREEDOM |
| 05SOFIA1719 |
BULGARIA PROPOSES MINIMAL FOLLOW-ON MISSION IN IRAQ [...] (U) This is an action request. See Para 8 2. (S) Summary: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed DCM Oct. 7 that Bulgaria,s follow-on military activity in Iraq would consist of 40 soldiers dedicated to the NATO Training (NTM-I) and Multi-National Security Transition Command (MNST [...] |
2005-10-07 12:54:00 | Embassy Sofia | SECRET | MARR MOPS PREL BU IZ NATO |
| 05SOFIA1729 |
ISLAM AND ISLAMIC EXTREMISM IN BULGARIA [...] (S) SUMMARY: Bulgaria's large Muslim community is predominantly moderate and traditional, though both foreign and indigenous Islamic extremists are active in the country. Bulgaria's government is officially tolerant, but Muslim minorities and their problems are often ignored by central authori [...] |
2005-10-11 14:08:00 | Embassy Sofia | SECRET//NOFORN | PTER PGOV ASEC SOCI PINR BU |
| 05SOFIA1741 |
BULGARIAN PRESIDENT'S AGENDA FOR OCTOBER 17 WHITE [...] (C) SUMMARY. Ambassador Beyrle met the evening of October 10 with President Purvanov at the President's request to discuss Purvanov's upcoming visit to Washington. Purvanov provided a non paper outlining "key points" for his meeting with President Bush (ref A and para 4 below). He confirmed [...] |
2005-10-12 11:54:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KDEM MARR MOPS EINV OVIP IZ LY BG |
| 05SOFIA1748 |
BULGARIA REQUESTS NEW EXTRADITION TREATY [...] (U) This is a guidance request; please see paragraph 6. 2. (SBU) Post has received an official request from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to begin negotiations on a revised extradition treaty. Political and Consular officers raised the issue in consultations with MFA counterparts last we [...] |
2005-10-12 14:19:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL ASEC CASC KCRM KJUS BU |
| 05SOFIA1749 |
BULGARIA 2005 CHILD LABOR UPDATE [...] SUMMARY: Since our 2004 report, Bulgaria has made significant progress in implementing a national strategy to fight child labor abuses. The GoB has signed an agreement with the International Labor Organization (ILO), established a child labor unit within the Ministry of Labor and Social Poli [...] |
2005-10-12 14:34:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | ELAB EIND ETRD PHUM SOCI BU USAID |
| 05SOFIA1765 |
BULGARIA AGREES TO DEFER IRAQ FOLLOW-ON MISSION [...] (C) Based on ref A demarche, the Bulgarian government agreed to postpone decision regarding its Iraqi follow-on mission until after President Purvanov,s meeting with President Bush. Rayko Raychev, chief of staff to Foreign Minister Kalfin told DCM that the Council of Ministers, which had bee [...] |
2005-10-13 11:46:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MOPS PREL IZ BU NATO |
| 05SOFIA1767 |
BULGARIA SCRAMBLES TO RESPOND TO NEARBY THREAT OF [...] (SBU) Bulgarian authorities are intensifying efforts to respond to a possible outbreak of avian flu in Bulgaria after several cases of bird flu were confirmed in neighboring Romania and Turkey over the weekend. So far no cases of avian flu have been discovered in Bulgaria. Officials from the [...] |
2005-10-13 14:45:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | TBIO ECON PREL SOCI BG KSTH WHO |
| 05SOFIA1785 |
BULGARIA CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC - PERHAPS OVERLY SO [...] (C) SUMMARY: All eyes are on Brussels on the eve of the October 25 European Commission (EC) progress report on Bulgaria's EU accession. The government is engaged in a complex strategy of playing down the public's expectations, encouraging parliament to pass the necessary legislation - partic [...] |
2005-10-14 15:24:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV BU EUN |
| 05SOFIA1795 |
DEMOCRACY BUILDING: SUCCESS STORIES AND BEST [...] Democracy building in Bulgaria has been a lengthy process with multiple dimensions. The USG has been actively involved with different aspects of the reform efforts and can claim excellent results and success in many areas. There are two areas where the USG is a pioneer in terms of providing [...] |
2005-10-17 13:35:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV KDEM BU |
| 05SOFIA1796 |
PROGRESS ON U.S. MILITARY ACCESS, BUT TOUGH ISSUES [...] (C) SUMMARY: A negotiating team led by Ambassador Robert Loftis made significant progress toward concluding a supplemental Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with the GOB during talks in Sofia October 6-7. Significant work remains to be done, however, in the areas of freedom of movement and c [...] |
2005-10-17 14:11:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR PGOV PREL BU |
| 05SOFIA1799 |
BULGARIA: U.S. WTO AG PROPOSAL [...] We delivered reftel demarche and fact sheet to Bulgarian trade official Diana Naydenova on October 17. The GOB is currently reviewing the U.S. proposal with its future EU colleagues. Naydenova feels agriculture is the most advanced topic in the discussions. She said the EU proposal put forth [...] |
2005-10-18 03:36:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | EAGR ETRD BU WTRO |
| 05SOFIA1808 |
BULGARIA CONFIRMS MANPADS COMPONENTS SHIPPED, [...] (S) SUMMARY: The GOB confirmed that 50 MANPADS components were shipped to Egypt after the conclusion of a U.S.-Bulgarian bilateral agreement intended to take Bulgaria out of the commercial MANPADS business. The GOB maintains it never committed to preventing this sale and claims a misunderstan [...] |
2005-10-20 06:52:00 | Embassy Sofia | SECRET | PARM PREL MASS MARR BG |
| 05SOFIA1826 |
SOFIA MAYOR'S ELECTION TESTS RULING COALITION STABILITY [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Bulgaria will hold mayoral by-elections October 29 in Sofia and seven other cities where mayors were elected to parliament in the June general elections (Ref. A). The partners in the Socialist-led government have failed, however, to agree on joint candidates, turning the by-election [...] |
2005-10-24 03:23:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV BU |
| 05SOFIA1847 |
TOP BULGARIAN MONEY LAUNDERER SHOT DEAD IN SOFIA [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Controversial banker Emil Kyulev, owner of Bulgaria's biggest financial group DZI, was shot dead in in central Sofia October 26. The killing of Kyulev is the latest in a series of apparent organized crime-related assassinations in recent months. It comes only a day after the [...] |
2005-10-26 15:14:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL KCRM ASEC BU |
| 05SOFIA1856 |
E.C. REPORT TURNS UP THE HEAT ON BULGARIA [...] (U) SUMMARY: The European Commission (EC) in its October 25 monitoring report confirms that Bulgaria should be able to accede to the EU on January 1, 2007, provided that promised reforms are implemented. However, behind this relatively positive overall assessment lies a very harsh assessment [...] |
2005-10-28 12:59:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL ECON SOCI BU EUC |
| 05SOFIA1858 |
BULGARIA NARROWS ITS MILITARY PRIORITIES, BUT [...] (C) SUMMARY. The MOD has finally managed to narrow from eleven to three its list of top-priority modernization projects. Multi-role fighters are not among them. The decision reflects belated acceptance by the MOD of the Finance Minister's argument that there is not enough money in next year' [...] |
2005-10-28 14:00:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | MASS PREL BU NATO |
| 05SOFIA1860 |
BULGARIAN FOREIGN MINSTER DISCUSSES LIBYA, IRAQ, [...] (C) SUMMARY. Foreign Minister Kalfin told the Ambassador October 27 that Bulgaria would be ready "soon" to continue discussions regarding a follow-on mission for Bulgarian soldiers in Iraq. We will follow up with the MFA the week of October 31. On the fate of the Bulgarian nurses sentenced t [...] |
2005-10-28 15:01:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MOPS KCRM LY IZ BU |
| 05SOFIA1866 |
BULGARIAN REACTION TO IRAQ'S CONSTITUTIONAL [...] Deputy Chief of Mission delivered reftel talking points to Bulgaria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday, October 28. The Ministry referred him to the text posted on October 27th on their website. 2. Begin text posted on Bulgaria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs official website. "Th [...] |
2005-10-31 12:41:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV KPAO KDEM IZ BU |
| 05SOFIA187 |
BULGARIAN DEFENSE MINISTER SIGNS SUSPECT [...] (C) SUMMARY. Despite a letter from the Ambassador questioning the adequacy of the process used to select the winning bidder, Defense Minister Svinarov signed January 28 a deal worth up to USD 400 million for the purchase of 18 Cougar and Panther helicopters from EADS. Sikorsky Helicopter was [...] |
2005-01-31 15:53:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | MASS PREL BEXP ETRD KCOR BU NATO |
| 05SOFIA1873 |
BULGARIA: COALITION ALLIES BACK RIVAL CANDIDATES IN [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Bulgaria's colorful former Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Boiko Borissov won the largest number of votes in the October 29 Sofia by-election, but fell short of the 50 percent needed for an outright victory. He will now face a run-off against Socialist (BSP) MP Tatyana Donche [...] |
2005-11-02 04:31:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV BU |
| 05SOFIA1874 |
FY 2006 PROPOSALS FOR INL-MANAGED SEED FUNDED [...] SUMMARY: Post herein submits proposals to continue four INL-managed projects using FY 2006 funding: Resident Legal Advisor (RLA); Forensics Laboratories Project; the Criminal Law Liaison (CLL); and Embassy Rule of Law Assistant. Post also proposes transforming the Regional Criminal Justice [...] |
2005-11-02 04:44:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | SNAR KCRM KJUS EAID ASEC PGOV BU |
| 05SOFIA1881 |
BULGARIA DENIES ENTRY TO REV. MOON [...] SUMMARY: Unification Church leader Sun Myung Moon was denied permission to enter Bulgaria on October 26 after the MOI deemed his presence "undesirable," citing inability to provide security following the shooting of high-profile banker Emil Kyulev. 2. (SBU) Moon had planned to arrive on Oct [...] |
2005-11-02 15:25:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SCUL KIRF BU |
| 05SOFIA1882 |
BULGARIA'S CRACKDOWN ON ORGANIZED CRIME: IS IT [...] (C) Summary: In the wake of the high-profile killing of banker Emil Kyulev, Bulgarian authorities have begun a crackdown on organized crime, including the arrest of two notorious crime figures. It is not yet clear whether this is a genuine effort to deal with the problem of organized crime or [...] |
2005-11-02 15:44:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PINR EINV ECON KCOR KCRM BU |
| 05SOFIA1889 |
BULGARIAN FIRST LADY'S LETTER TO MRS. BUSH [...] Bulgarian President Parvanov's Foreign Policy Advisor, Mr. Zlatin Trapkov, requested a meeting November 4 to deliver a copy of a letter from Mrs. Zorka Parvanova, Bulgaria's First Lady, to Mrs. Laura Bush. Below is the text of the letter. 2. BEGIN TEXT: Dear Laura, Please, accept [...] |
2005-11-04 12:07:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | OVIP PGOV BU |
| 05SOFIA1892 |
BULGARIAN PRESIDENT PARVANOV'S LETTER TO PRESIDENT [...] Bulgarian President Parvanov's Foreign Policy Advisor, Mr. Zlatin Trapkov, requested a meeting November 4 to deliver a copy of a letter from President Parvanov to President Bush. Below is the text of the letter. 2. BEGIN TEXT. The Republic of Bulgaria November 4, 2005 The [...] |
2005-11-04 19:45:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | OPDC OVIP PGOV BU |
| 05SOFIA1902 |
BULGARIA: PRESIDENT SIGNALS A MEK DECISION IS CLOSE [...] (C) SUMMARY: In a November 8 meeting with the Ambassador, President Parvanov mirrored the General Staff's forward-leaning position on Bulgaria's follow-on activities in Iraq, indicating the government is now leaning toward the MEK mission at Camp Ashraf. He also expressed his optimism for a p [...] |
2005-11-08 15:39:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MOPS MARR KCRM IZ BU |
| 05SOFIA1916 |
BULGARIAN REACTION TO IP ACTION PLAN; NEXT STEPS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The Bulgarian government's reaction to our proposed intellectual property (IP) action plan (REF A) has been generally favorable. More than ever, the GOB appears eager to demonstrate progress on IP issues largely because the EU has identified it as a key area of concern. Despi [...] |
2005-11-10 14:16:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ETRD KIPR ASEC BU |
| 05SOFIA1925 |
2006 BUDGET PROMISED INCREASED SOCIAL SPENDING [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The Bulgarian government approved on October 31 the consolidated draft budget for 2006, which is now undergoing Parliamentary committee hearings. The government plans a balanced budget and introduces a package of measures aimed at sustaining strong economic growth. The budget [...] |
2005-11-15 09:08:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN ELAB PGOV SOCI BU |
| 05SOFIA1942 |
PRESS REACTION: DELAY IN LIBYAN CASE EVOKES MIXED [...] (U) SUMMARY: The November 15 decision by the Libyan Supreme Court to postpone judgment on the case of five Bulgarian medics until January 31st 2006, has provoked a mixed reaction in Bulgaria. Government leaders, while relieved at having averted confirmation of the death sentences, have voice [...] |
2005-11-18 12:06:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PHUM PINR PGOV LY BU |
| 05SOFIA1945 |
BULGARIA SEEKS BALANCED APPROACH TO KOSOVO [...] (C) Summary: Bulgaria supports a balanced approached to negotiations over Kosovo's future status and believes that all options should be considered. Sofia sees the prospect of EU integration for Kosovo, and other West Balkan countries, as the key factor in bringing stability and development to [...] |
2005-11-18 12:34:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR BU |
| 05SOFIA1950 |
2006 NTE UPDATE FOR BULGARIA [...] The following is Embassy's input for the 2006 National Trade Estimate (NTE) report for Bulgaria. The text -- including the ranking of barriers -- has been sent electronically to USTR and State (EB). RANKING OF BARRIERS: The following are general range estimates of what the increase in U.S. e [...] |
2005-11-21 14:47:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | ETRD EFIN ECON KIPR BEXP EAGR PGOV BU |
| 05SOFIA196 |
FY-05 TV CO-OP PROPOSALS FROM SOFIA [...] PA Sofia proposes to participate in the PA/OBS TV-Co-op projects this year, with proposals from Bulgaria's national broadcaster Bulgarian National Television (BNT). The Director of BNT's News Division is herself a former participant in the TV Co-op program, and is well aware of the overall r [...] |
2005-02-01 12:47:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | KPAO OPRC OIIP BU |
| 05SOFIA1962 |
BULGARIA'S PREPARATION FOR AVIAN FLU [...] (U) The following is post's response to reftel: A) PREPAREDNESS/COMMUNICATION --Does the government have a preparedness plan/strategy for preventing avian flu from becoming a pandemic and containing a pandemic once it occurs? If the country has a strategy, how capable is it of implementin [...] |
2005-11-23 14:29:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | TBIO ECON PREL SOCI BG KSTH WHO |
| 05SOFIA1971 |
MOVING CLOSER TO AGREEMENT ON U.S. MILITARY ACCESS [...] (C) SUMMARY: A negotiating team led by Ambassador Robert Loftis made substantial progress toward a supplemental Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) and Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) with the GOB during talks in Sofia on November 16-17. The U.S. and GOB reached agreement in principle on mos [...] |
2005-11-25 10:11:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR PGOV PREL BU |
| 05SOFIA1987 |
U.S.- BULGARIA SECURITY RELATIONSHIP: PUSHING ON [...] (C) SUMMARY. The U.S.- Bulgaria security relationship is strong and shows no signs of weakening after the August formation of a three-party coalition including the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP). Despite our concerns in the pre-election period, the coalition remains a solid ally supporting [...] |
2005-11-29 16:02:00 | Embassy Sofia | SECRET | MARR PGOV PREL BU |
| 05SOFIA2003 |
Bulgarians Making False Asylum Claims, Part II [...] Summary: As noted reftel, we are seeing growing numbers of following-to-join (Visas 92) Immigrant Visa cases where it is obvious the original successful asylum seekers based their claims on fraud, lies, forged documents and false pretenses. On November 14 alone we received five such cases. [...] |
2005-12-05 10:59:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | CVIS KFRD ASEC BU |
| 05SOFIA2025 |
BULGARIA'S "ATAKA" PARTY BECOMING INCREASINGLY ANTI- [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The rhetoric of the extreme nationalist party Ataka has become increasingly anti-American in recent weeks, with much of the party's wrath focused on proposed joint military facilities and Bulgaria's participation in the Iraq coalition. Neither high-profile infighting in Ataka' [...] |
2005-12-09 14:34:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV MARR PINR SOCI BU RU |
| 05SOFIA2026 |
GOVERNMENT FINALIZES DEAL WITH AES ON MARITSA [...] (U) SUMMARY: Representatives of the Bulgarian government signed December 7 the underlying financial agreements with AES and four financial institutions to construct a new 670 MW coal-fired power plant. The financial agreements represent the biggest ever greenfield investment in the Bulgaria [...] |
2005-12-09 14:44:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | ENRG PREL ETRD PGOV BU |
| 05SOFIA2036 |
BULGARIA: 2005-2006 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS [...] Per reftels, Post provides its submission for the 2005- 2006 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report for Bulgaria. Begin text of 2005-2006 INCSR for Bulgaria: Part I - DRUGS AND CHEMICAL CONTROL I. Summary Bulgaria is a major transit country, as well as a producer of illic [...] |
2005-12-12 14:41:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | SNAR KCRM EFIN KTFN PTER KSEP BU |
| 05SOFIA2051 |
BULGARIA: 2005 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM [...] The following submission provides Post's contributions to the Department's "Country Reports on Terrorism 2005" report. 2. Bulgaria remains a steadfast member of the global coalition against terrorism. No significant acts of terrorism occurred in Bulgaria in 2005. Bulgaria is not a sp [...] |
2005-12-14 04:02:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | PTER ASEC BU |
| 05SOFIA2054 |
BULGARIA'S CRACKDOWN ON ORGANIZED CRIME: BUSINESS [...] (C) Summary: The Bulgarian government has little to show for its effort to crack down on organized crime six weeks after the killing of controversial banker Emil Kyulev. The police and Interior Ministry have yet to conduct a thorough investigation of the murder, possibly out of concern about r [...] |
2005-12-14 11:51:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PINR ECON KCOR KCRM BU |
| 05SOFIA2055 |
Entertainment Recruiter's Likely Ties to Visa Fraud [...] We have noted a pattern of visa abuse that strongly implicates Magic Star Entertainment (MSE) -- 142 Estates Circle, Lake Mary, FL 32746, phones (407) 322-9211 and (407) 322-9322, email Kristo500@aol.com, website www.magic- star.com -- in alien smuggling, using the P1 visa category. MSE's pres [...] |
2005-12-14 13:15:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | CVIS KFRD ASEC BU |
| 05SOFIA2056 |
BULGARIA SEEKS TO PLAY POSITIVE ROLE IN KOSOVO [...] (SBU) Summary: With the Kosovo talks about to begin, Bulgaria is actively working to build confidence among the participants and create a positive environment for negotiations. The Bulgarian Minister of Culture last week hosted a meeting with his Serbian and Kosovar counterparts to discuss pr [...] |
2005-12-14 15:36:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PINR BU |
| 05SOFIA2063 |
RUSSIA PLAYING ENERGY HARDBALL WITH BULGARIA [...] (C) SUMMARY. Prime Minister Stanishev's Foreign Policy Advisor, Valentin Radomirski, told the Ambassador December 12 that a Gazprom representative gave Stanishev "an ultimatum" to either renegotiate the current agreement on the purchase of natural gas or face a cutoff. In face-to-face meeti [...] |
2005-12-15 15:52:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ENRG MARR BU RU |
| 05SOFIA2069 |
New Validation Study Shows Lower Than Expected [...] No summary [...] |
2005-12-16 15:20:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | CVIS KFRD ASEC BU |
| 05SOFIA2076 |
BULGARIA HAILS SUCCESSFUL IRAQI VOTE, PLEDGES COOPERATION [...] Bulgaria's government congratulated the Iraqi people on the successful conduct of the December 15 parliamentary elections and said it was ready to continue its cooperation with the new Iraqi leadership. In a special public statement issued December 16, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Dimiter Tsanch [...] |
2005-12-19 15:15:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PTER KPAO IZ BU |
| 05SOFIA2089 |
SHADES OF GRAY: BULGARIA'S UNDERGROUND ECONOMY [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Bulgaria's thriving underground economy is one of the few cloudy areas in an otherwise bright macroeconomic outlook. Most experts estimate the gray economy is responsible for 30-40 percent of GDP. Likewise 14 to 25 percent of the labor force are employed in the gray economy, [...] |
2005-12-22 05:20:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON ETRD KCOR KCRM BU EUN |
| 05SOFIA2120 |
BULGARIA: ECONOMIC CLOUDS ON THE HORIZON, BUT TOO [...] (U) SUMMARY: Having already risen above the 2005 forecast of 3.5 percent, Bulgaria's inflation rate is expected to jump dramatically to 8.4 percent in the first quarter of 2006 thanks to higher fuel prices and an increase in excise taxes to match EU minimum levels. However, inflation is exp [...] |
2005-12-29 16:12:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | EFIN ECON EINV BU |
| 05SOFIA2123 |
BULGARIA: BASING PROSPECTS ON TRACK DESPITE PUBLIC [...] No summary [...] |
2005-12-30 10:31:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR PGOV PREL KPAO BU RU |
| 05SOFIA217 |
BULGARIAN GOVERNMENT IN SHOCK AS UNITED [...] (C) Summary. The government is in shock at the rapid escalation of the political crisis that began earlier this week with the collapse of the BulgarTabak privatization deal (reftel), with the Prime Minister telling the Ambassador this evening that he is "very worried." The turmoil gained mom [...] |
2005-02-03 17:59:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL BU |
| 05SOFIA228 |
BULGARIAN PARLIAMENT FIRES SPEAKER: DEATH KNELL FOR [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Parliamentary speaker was ousted February 4 in the opposition's first step in a march to bring down the government. Debate on a motion of no confidence is scheduled to begin February 9, when the opposition will have to muster at least 2 more votes to achieve success. A key Pa [...] |
2005-02-04 15:59:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL BU |
| 05SOFIA242 |
BULGARIA RULING PARTY SEALS DEAL TO AVERT POLITICAL [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Bulgaria's ruling coalition signed February 7 a cooperation agreement with the New Time (NT) party that secured majority support for Simeon Saxe-Coburg Gotha's government in the upcoming no-confidence vote. Under the deal, the ruling party, its junior coalition partner, and the [...] |
2005-02-07 15:31:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL BU |
| 05SOFIA267 |
FOUR MORE BULGARIAN TROOPS TO JOIN NATO [...] No summary [...] |
2005-02-10 12:35:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL IZ BU NATO |
| 05SOFIA27 |
BULGARIA PUSHES FOR MILITARY SALES TO IRAQ [...] (C) SUMMARY: In another sign that Bulgarian political leaders are agressively looking for concrete benefits from their military participation in Iraq, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Lydia Shuleva met with Ambassador and the Iraqi Ambassador to Bulgaria, Hayder Al Barrack, on Jan [...] |
2005-01-05 15:31:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | MASS MARR PREL PGOV PL IZ BU |
| 05SOFIA283 |
BULGARIAN DEFENSE EQUIPMENT SALES TO IRAQ AND [...] (S/NF) SUMMARY: We continue to support procurement of military equipment for the security forces in Iraq and Afghanistan as a major USG priority, but aspects of this process at the local level have raised concerns about potential weapons diversion. Embassy has encountered at least one case wh [...] |
2005-02-11 12:55:00 | Embassy Sofia | SECRET//NOFORN | PARM PREL PGOV ETTC IZ AF BU |
| 05SOFIA288 |
BULGARIAN PM SURVIVES NO CONFIDENCE VOTE: STRONGER [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg survived the biggest challenge yet to his nearly four-year- old government, defeating a vote of no confidence in Parliament on February 11. The government survived the motion with 128 votes to 106 and four abstentions. The rejection of the mo [...] |
2005-02-11 16:59:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL BU |
| 05SOFIA302 |
BULGARIA: STAYING COMMITTED IN IRAQ IN 2005 [...] (C) SUMMARY: Ambassador's discussions with Bulgarian Defense Minister Nikolai Svinarov and Foreign Minister Solomon Passy indicate that Bulgaria does not plan any dramatic shift in its Iraq troop commitments through 2005. Passy and Svinarov recommend that the future of Bulgarian troop commitme [...] |
2005-02-15 14:20:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM IZ BU |
| 05SOFIA333 |
BULGARIAN PRIME MINISTER RESHUFFLES CABINET ON [...] (SBU) Summary. As he departed for Brussels on February 21, Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg Gotha sacked three cabinet ministers, including his influential Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Lydia Shuleva. Shuleva's departure was expected in the wake of last week's confidence vo [...] |
2005-02-21 16:42:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL ETRD BU NATO |
| 05SOFIA345 |
2005 SPECIAL 301 REVIEW - BULGARIA [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Based on the amount of pirated goods flowing through Bulgaria and the lack of necessary government action despite repeated prodding by all levels of the embassy and industry, we feel that this government lacks seriousness in addressing intellectual property rights (IPR) violati [...] |
2005-02-23 14:24:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ETRD KIPR BU |
| 05SOFIA35 |
PRESIDENT REQUEST CLOSER CONSULTATION ON [...] (C) Summar. Presiden Purvanov said that Bulgarian forceswould remain in Iraq and asked for closer policy-evel coordination, especially with regard to theredeployment of its battalion in Karbala. He ured the U.S. to maintain pressure on the Libyan rgime to release the five Bulgarian medical [...] |
2005-02-25 15:36:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM MOPS IZ LY BU ARR |
| 05SOFIA357 |
BULGARIA FORMALLY CONFIRMS FIVE TROOPS WILL [...] No summary [...] |
2005-02-25 15:35:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL IZ BU NATO |
| 05SOFIA358 |
PRESIDENT REQUEST CLOSER CONSULTATION ON [...] (C) Summar. Presiden Purvanov said that Bulgarian forceswould remain in Iraq and asked for closer policy-evel coordination, especially with regard to theredeployment of its battalion in Karbala. He ured the U.S. to maintain pressure on the Libyan rgime to release the five Bulgarian medical [...] |
2005-02-25 15:36:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM MOPS IZ LY BU ARR |
| 05SOFIA382 |
BULGARIA TO SEND 30 MORE TROOPS TO ISAF [...] (SBU) The Bulgarian parliament passed a motion on 24 February that will send an additional 30 troops to participate in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). This will raise Bulgaria's total ISAF troop commitment to 65. Bulgaria also has 7 soldiers participating in Operation Endu [...] |
2005-03-01 09:47:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL MARR AF BU NATO |
| 05SOFIA422 |
BULGARIA: FOLLOW-UP LETTER REQUESTING DUELFER [...] This is an action request; see paragraph 4. 2. Post received the letter in paragraph 3 on 1 March from the Chairman of the Parliamentary Commission investigating the Iraqi Oil-for-Food scandal. 3. Begin text of letter: Republic of Bulgaria National Assembly 1 March 2005 To [...] |
2005-03-04 14:18:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PINR IZ BU |
| 05SOFIA423 |
BULGARIAN PARLIAMENT RATIFIES ANGLO-AMERICAN SCHOOL [...] After months of intensive lobbying by Embassy Sofia, the Parliament ratified with an overwhelming majority March 1 the U.S.-Bulgarian agreement defining the legal status of the Anglo-American School (AAS) in Sofia. With its status defined in law, AAS can now begin construction of a new camp [...] |
2005-03-04 14:21:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | ASCH PREL KTIA BU |
| 05SOFIA436 |
BULGARIAN LEADERS ASSERT SOLDIER KILLED BY U.S. [...] (C) SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST. Bulgarian Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg Gotha and President Georgi Purvanov called the Ambassador to their offices March 7 to assert that the Bulgarian soldier killed in Iraq on March 4 died as a result of friendly fire by U.S. forces. In separate, back-to- [...] |
2005-03-07 13:13:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR MOPS IZ BG |
| 05SOFIA508 |
BULGARIA LOOKING TO SELL ELECTRICITY TO IRAQ [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. Bulgaria's new Minister of Energy, Miroslav Sevlievski, asked March 15 for U.S. assistance in facilitating a deal that would provide Bulgarian electricity to Iraq through Turkey. In a meeting with the DCM, he suggested that the deal would provide up to 300 MW to the Bosporus g [...] |
2005-03-17 04:33:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ENRG PREL ETRD PGOV IZ TU BU |
| 05SOFIA524 |
BULGARIA/IRAQ: POLITICS FORCING MOVE TOWARD EXIT [...] (C) SUMMARY. Defense Minister Svinarov's public statement that Bulgaria may pull its troops out of Iraq by year-end is strong evidence that election-year politics are forcing the government to move rapidly toward an exit strategy. Despite Svinarov's comments, no such decision has in fact been [...] |
2005-03-18 13:55:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MOPS PGOV IZ BU |
| 05SOFIA548 |
SCENESETTER FOR VISIT TO WASHINGTON OF BULGARIAN [...] (C) SUMMARY. Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Passy's meeting with you on March 25 is an opportunity to shape Bulgaria's commitment to the Iraq coalition as the government searches for an exit strategy. Passy has consistently been the most pro-American voice in this government on the full [...] |
2005-03-22 15:01:00 | Embassy Sofia | SECRET | PREL PGOV MOPS MARR EFIN LY IZ BU EUN |
| 05SOFIA557 |
SCENESETTER FOR THE DEPUTY SECRETARY'S MEETINGS [...] (C) SUMMARY. Your visit to Sofia comes in the midst of a highly politicized review of Bulgaria's military participation in Iraq. With Parliamentary elections scheduled for June, the government has clearly decided that an Iraq exit strategy must be announced before the campaign season begins. [...] |
2005-03-24 10:48:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR MOPS ECON LY IZ BU |
| 05SOFIA604 |
BULGARIAN COUNCIL OF MINISTERS CONSIDERS DECISION [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Bulgarian Council of Ministers (CM) is considering a proposal on March 31 to withdraw its troops from Iraq on 31 December 2005 in accordance with the GOB's understanding of UNSCR 1546. During a meeting with Foreign Minister Solomon Passy on March 30, Passy informed Deputy Sec [...] |
2005-03-31 13:14:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MOPS PGOV IZ BU |
| 05SOFIA616 |
BULGARIA: GOVERNMENT SENDS IRAQ EXIT STRATEGY TO [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The Bulgarian Council of Ministers (CM) approved and sent to Parliament on March 31 a proposal to set 31 December 2005 as the deadline for the end of Bulgaria's military participation in the Multi-National Force in Iraq (MNF-I). The CM also asked Parliament to reduce the country [...] |
2005-04-01 13:33:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MOPS PGOV IZ BU |
| 05SOFIA623 |
BULGARIA: SOCIALISTS RETAIN STRONG LEAD FOR JUNE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Support for Prime Minister Simeon Saxe- Coburg and his ruling party has slowly but steadily increased over the past year, and the former king was named by a plurality as the preferred candidate to lead the next government, according to a survey by the International Republican I [...] |
2005-04-04 10:31:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV BU |
| 05SOFIA626 |
BULGARIA: NEXT STEP ON NEGOTIATING A DOUBLE [...] SUMMARY. Bulgarian tax authorities will meet with officials from U.S. Treasury in Washington on April 19-20 to review technical issues and determine when formal negotiations of a Treaty for the Avoidance of Double Taxation (DTT) should begin. Deputy Secretary Zoellick lent his support to a [...] |
2005-04-04 10:32:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | EFIN ECON PREL BU |
| 05SOFIA677 |
BULGARIA OFFERS TO PROVIDE DEFENSE ARTICLES TO [...] (C) SUMMARY: In the past year, Bulgarian political leaders have aggressively looked for concrete benefits from their military participation in Iraq. Most recently, the Prime Minister raised the issue with Deputy Secretary Zoellick (ref A). Post has noted that contracts and subcontracts awarded [...] |
2005-04-08 14:24:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | MASS MARR PREL PGOV PL IZ BU |
| 05SOFIA72 |
NAMES, TITLES AND CONTACT INFORMATION FOR [...] No summary [...] |
2005-01-11 11:04:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR PREL BU |
| 05SOFIA74 |
BULGARIAN PRESIDENT PURVANOV REQUESTS MEETING WITH [...] (SBU) The Chief of Staff to President Purvanov, Andrei Karaslavov, called on the Ambassador to request a meeting between the two presidents. Purvanov prefers the first half of this year. 2. (SBU) Karaslavov noted that Bulgaria has been the most stalwart coalition ally in Iraq, but is the on [...] |
2005-01-11 12:38:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV BU |
| 05SOFIA766 |
CONTINUED CRIMINAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE FOR [...] SUMMARY: Bulgarian criminal activity already has a direct and increasing impact on the United States, which is likely to continue even after Bulgaria's planned EU entry in 2007. Embassy Sofia requests continued U.S. criminal justice assistance following SEED graduation in FY06. Current U.S [...] |
2005-04-21 14:02:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | SNAR KCRM KJUS EAID ASEC PREL BU |
| 05SOFIA780 |
BULGARIA SIGNS EU ACCESSSION TREATY, BUT MUCH WORK [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Bulgaria signed the EU Accession Treaty on April 25 paving the way to join the Union on January 1, 2007. The Bulgarian government plans immediate submittal of the treaty to Parliament for ratification prior to the late May election recess. Despite Bulgaria's solid progres [...] |
2005-04-25 15:42:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL ECON SOCI BU |
| 05SOFIA808 |
BULGARIA'S SOCIALIST PARTY: SOCIAL DEMOCRATS OR [...] (C) SUMMARY. If opinion polls are correct, the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) is likely to play a leading role in the next government. Street protests drove the last BSP government from power in 1997 amid hyper-inflation and the collapse of the banking system. More than eight years later, [...] |
2005-04-29 13:06:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON MARR IZ BU |
| 05SOFIA836 |
BULGARIA: AS GOVERNMENT TAKES TO THE CAMPAIGN [...] No summary [...] |
2005-05-05 15:02:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL BU |
| 05SOFIA859 |
BULGARIAN PARLIAMENT RATIFIES EU ACCESSION TREATY, RULING [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Bulgaria's parliament ratified May 11 the EU accession treaty, as another step on the way to join the European Union on January 1, 2007. The document, signed in Luxembourg on April 25, passed with 231 votes in favor, one against and two abstentions. To come into force, the trea [...] |
2005-05-11 13:52:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL ECON SOCI BU EUN |
| 05SOFIA874 |
BULGARIA: 2005 SPECIAL 301 NOTIFICATION [...] ACTION REQUEST IN PARA 5. 2. On April 29, we informed Deputy Minister Parvanov, Ministry of Economy, and Chavdar Zhenchev, MFA's America's Directorate, of the decision to place Bulgaria on the Watch List for 2005. We delivered the points in reftel verbally, and left them as a non-paper. [...] |
2005-05-13 06:48:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | KIPR ECON ETRD |
| 05SOFIA91 |
BULGARIA: U.S. MARKET ACCESS PRIORITIES [...] U.S. market access priorities in Bulgaria (ranked with a value from one to five, with one a top priority for U.S. service suppliers in host country and five a very low priority for U.S. service suppliers): -3-Legal services -3-Accounting, auditing and bookkeeping services -3-Taxation servic [...] |
2005-01-14 04:44:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | ETRD BU WTO |
| 05SOFIA922 |
BULGARIA: PRESIDENT PURVANOV CONFIRMS TRIP TO [...] (C) Summary: President Georgi Purvanov will travel to Libya later this month to raise the case of the Bulgarian medics. According to his staff, the President has tentatively scheduled the trip for May 27-28. During the visit, Purvanov plans to meet with Qadhafi and the medics in Tripoli [...] |
2005-05-20 12:45:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | BU LY OPDC PREL EUN |
| 05SOFIA924 |
U.S. MILITARY PRESENCE IN BULGARIA: NEXT STEPS [...] (C) SUMMARY: A negotiating team led by Ambassador Robert Loftis made substantial progress in concluding a supplemental SOFA with the GOB during talks in Sofia May 16-17. Amb. Loftis also presented the draft Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) and identified the military facilities of interest [...] |
2005-05-20 14:20:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR PREL PGOV BU |
| 05SOFIA931 |
THE "KING'S MOVEMENT": BULGARIA'S BEST HOPE? [...] (C) SUMMARY. Though current polls show it lagging behind the Socialists in the June 25 elections, the ruling National Movement Simeon II (NMSS) may play an important role in the next Bulgarian government -- either as the junior partner in a Socialist-led government or the core of a disparate [...] |
2005-05-25 11:57:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | BU PGOV PREL |
| 05SOFIA933 |
TOP GENERAL DISCUSSES WAY AHEAD FOR BULGARIAN [...] (C) SUMMARY: On the eve of his renewed mandate, Bulgarian Chief of the General Staff (CHOD) General Nikolai Kolev gave us an overview of the direction of the Bulgarian Armed Forces for the next calendar year during a meeting on May 16. Kolev sees Bulgaria as a strategic partner of the U.S., wi [...] |
2005-05-25 13:52:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR PREL MOPS BU |
| 05SOFIA957 |
BULGARIAN COURT REGISTERS NEW CHIEF MUFTI, BUT [...] SUMMARY: The 18-month leadership dispute within Bulgaria's Muslim community is closer to being resolved with the recent official court registration of a new Chief Mufti (the spiritual head of the denomination) and Supreme Council. The new leadership is supported by the ethnic-Turkish polit [...] |
2005-05-31 07:43:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | KISL PGOV SOCI PHUM KIRF BU |
| 05SOFIA999 |
NATO-AFGHANISTAN: BULGARIA WILL NOT LIFT ISAF [...] No summary [...] |
2005-06-03 14:02:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MARR AF BU NATO |
| 06SOFIA1017 |
SOCIALISTS CONTINUE MACROECONOMIC PROGRESS, BUT [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Almost one year into its tenure, the Socialist-led government has succeeded in preserving macroeconomic stability, growing the economy and preparing the country to meet EU convergence criteria. The coalition government has maintained the key elements of the previous governmen [...] |
2006-07-21 12:03:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN EINV BU |
| 06SOFIA1024 |
BULGARIA ON BOARD WITH P5+1 INCENTIVE PACKAGE FOR [...] No summary [...] |
2006-07-21 14:21:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM KNNP PREL AORC IR EU BU |
| 06SOFIA1025 |
BULGARIA ON BOARD WITH P5+1 INCENTIVE PACKAGE FOR [...] No summary [...] |
2006-07-21 14:21:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM KNNP PREL AORC IR EU BU |
| 06SOFIA103 |
BULGARIAN POLICE BUST COUNTERFEIT CD RING [...] SUMMARY: Bulgarian Police busted a syndicate believed responsible for illegal production, storage and retail distribution of pirate optical disc media (ODM). During a two-day operation (January 20-21, 2006), police simultaneously raided an illegal production site, warehouse premises and ret [...] |
2006-01-24 15:37:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON ETRD KIPR ASEC BU |
| 06SOFIA1042 |
AVIAN FLU DISCOVERED IN BULGARIAN DOMESTIC FLOCKS, [...] SUMMARY: Avian Influenza (AI) has been identified in poultry in Slanchogled (a predominantly ethnic-Turkish village in the southern Kardzhali region), where at least 107 chickens died between July 11 and 19. This is the first suspected case of AI in domestic stock. Until now, all other rep [...] |
2006-07-26 03:44:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | TBIO KSTH ECON PREL SOCI WHO BU |
| 06SOFIA1045 |
BULGARIAN REPRESENTATION AT 61ST UN GENERAL [...] (SBU) Kamen Velitchkov at the MFA's UN Directorate informed us on July 26 that Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivailo Kalfin will be the highest ranking member of the Bulgarian government attending the 61st UN General Assembly general debate in September. Kalfin will head a delegation consisting [...] |
2006-07-26 11:57:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL OTRA OVIP KSEP UNGA BU |
| 06SOFIA1063 |
BULGARIA SUPPORTS U.S. POSITION ON HLD; REQUESTS [...] (U) Summary: We delivered reftel demarche to Mr. Kamen Velichkov of the MFA,s Department of UN and Global Issues on July 28. He said the GOB sees no need for a permanent forum on migration and that migration issues are best discussed in regional fora. He also requested USG support for Bulg [...] |
2006-08-01 06:45:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAID PREF SMIG UNGA BU |
| 06SOFIA1068 |
LEBANON: BULGARIA CONDEMNS QANA ATTACK, CALLS FOR [...] SUMMARY/COMMENT: The Bulgarian government has closely coordinated its position with that of the EU from the outset of the Israel/Hezbollah conflict. On July 13, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement calling for maximum restraint from all parties, condemning the kidnapping of Isr [...] |
2006-08-01 14:44:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL IS LE BU |
| 06SOFIA1080 |
LINE OF BULGARIAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES BEGINS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The October 22 presidential elections will offer Bulgarian voters the opportunity to pass judgment on the country,s most influential politician, incumbent President Georgi Parvanov. With Parvanov's candidacy a certainty (though still formally unannounced), several other figur [...] |
2006-08-03 12:42:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL BU |
| 06SOFIA1083 |
FOLLOW-UP REQUEST - DETAINED U.S. GAUGES FROM [...] (U) This is an action request - please see paragraph 4. 2. (SBU) We delivered reftel demarche to MFA representative Elizabeth Konstantinova on 2 August. She agreed to convey our request for continued detention of the gauges and information on the truck's routing to inter-ministerial collea [...] |
2006-08-03 15:00:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETTC PTER ASEC KNNP UK IR BU |
| 06SOFIA1089 |
BULGARIA NOT IN A POSITION TO OPPOSE INVITATION TO [...] No summary [...] |
2006-08-07 08:20:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM EUN BU |
| 06SOFIA1102 |
BULGARIA SUPPORTS DRAFT UNSC RESOLUTION ON LEBANON [...] (SBU) We delivered reftel on draft UNSCR regarding Lebanon to Emil Yalnazov, MFA's Head of United Nations and Global Issues Directorate, on Aug. 7. Yalnazov said the GOB welcomes the resolution as a sign of a united UN voice on the issue. It is time for action; allowing the crisis to go on [...] |
2006-08-07 15:16:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PTER MOPS UN BU |
| 06SOFIA1111 |
BULGARIA KICKS OFF DECADE OF ROMA INCLUSION WITH [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: In an official ceremony on July 4, Bulgaria took over the presidency of the 2005-2015 Decade of Roma Inclusion. The pomp and circumstance of Bulgaria's ascendance to the Decade's presidency contrasts sharply, however, with the squalid living conditions of the Roma throughout [...] |
2006-08-09 03:57:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV PREL KTIA BU |
| 06SOFIA1119 |
BULGARIA CONSULTS ON MANPADS SALES TO EGYPT [...] (U) This is an action request -- please see paragraph 4. 2. (S) On August 9, Christo Atanasov, head of the Export Control Department of the Ministry of Economy, informed us that Bulgarian arms manufacturer Samel 90 has applied to export 100 sets of MANPADS components to Egypt. The proposed [...] |
2006-08-09 12:29:00 | Embassy Sofia | SECRET | PARM PREL MARR MASS ETTC EG BU |
| 06SOFIA1135 |
INTERIOR MINISTER PETKOV: BULGARIA HESITANT ON WMD [...] No summary [...] |
2006-08-11 14:43:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MASS MNUC MARR BU |
| 06SOFIA1138 |
RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON UNSCR ON LEBANON [...] No summary [...] |
2006-08-14 10:23:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PTER MOPS UNSC BU |
| 06SOFIA1162 |
BULGARIA SPARRING AGAINST RUSSIAN ENERGY DEPENDENCE [...] (C) SUMMARY/ACTION REQUEST: Bulgarian leaders are battling against the grip that Russia increasingly holds over the energy sector here, but are struggling to strengthen their position. President Purvanov and Prime Minister Stanishev appear especially concerned; Minister of Economy and Energy [...] |
2006-08-15 13:36:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ECON EPET PREL BU |
| 06SOFIA1165 |
BULGARIAN RESPONSE: SOLICITING CONTRIBUTIONS FOR [...] No summary [...] |
2006-08-16 14:15:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MOPS PREL BU |
| 06SOFIA1168 |
BULGARIA: NEW TOOLS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST MONEY [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Under U.S. and EU urging, Bulgaria has begun considering more sophisticated tools to fight organized crime (OC), especially its financial aspects. Complex money laundering schemes finance massive, pervasive local underground activities. Recognizing that inadequate laws and w [...] |
2006-08-17 04:10:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN KCRM PGOV PTER BU |
| 06SOFIA1169 |
BULGARIA NON-COMMITTAL BUT LEANING TOWARDS [...] No summary [...] |
2006-08-17 07:29:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM UNHCR BU |
| 06SOFIA1170 |
BULGARIA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY ISSUES STATEMENT IN [...] (U) Bulgaria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs released the following public statement supporting UNSCR 1701 on August 16: Begin text of unofficial translation: Bulgaria supports unanimously-adopted UN Security Council Resolution 1701 which calls for a full cessation of hostilities, deployment [...] |
2006-08-17 07:44:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL KPKO KPAO UN UNSC BU |
| 06SOFIA1173 |
BULGARIA: TOUGH GMO LAW HAMSTRINGS BIOTECH INDUSTRY [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Bulgaria currently has some of the most restrictive legislation on biotechnology in Europe, surpassing even the European Union's stringent standards. In addition to prohibiting the commercialization and release into the environment of modified products banned by EU member countr [...] |
2006-08-17 09:00:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | TBIO KSTH ECON EAGR ETRD PREL BU |
| 06SOFIA1177 |
BULGARIANS LOOK FORWARD TO U.S. BOOTS ON THE GROUND [...] (C) Prime Minister Stanishev's Chief of Staff, Philip Bokov, told the Charge' August 17 that Bulgaria looks forward to completing the 13 implementing agreements necessary for U.S. forces to begin rotating into Bulgaria on a regular basis. We told Bokov to expect a EUCOM negotiating team in la [...] |
2006-08-18 06:44:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MARR BU |
| 06SOFIA1182 |
TIP: BULGARIA WANTS TIER 1, BUT STRUGGLES TO FIND [...] No summary [...] |
2006-08-21 09:12:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL SMIG KCRM KWMN BU |
| 06SOFIA1187 |
BULGARIA: GOVERNMENT VOTES FOR UNIFIL DEPLOYMENT [...] (C) On August 21, Deputy Foreign Minister Lyubomir Kyuchukov briefed Charge Karagiannis on the Council of Ministers' August 20 decision to deploy troops in support of UNIFIL's expanded mission. Kyuchukov emphasized that the scope of Bulgarian participation in UNIFIL will be determined by thre [...] |
2006-08-21 14:49:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MARR MOPS LE BU |
| 06SOFIA1195 |
EXTRADITION: BULGARIA EAGER TO NEGOTIATE, ASKS FOR [...] On August 22, we delivered the draft texts of the proposed extradition treaty and mutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT) to Ministry of Justice's Peter Rashkov, Director of the International Cooperation and European Integration Office, and Vesselina Maleva, Head of the International Legal Assis [...] |
2006-08-23 11:16:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL KTIA BU |
| 06SOFIA1196 |
BULGARIA: BLUE LANTERN ACTION OFFICER [...] (U) Embassy Sofia's Blue Lantern action officer is: John Senior Political Officer 359 2 932 5270 (office) 359 2 937 5320 (fax) SeniorJM@state.gov (unclassified email) SeniorJM@state.sgov.gov (classified email) Estimated Departure Date: August 2007 2. (SBU) After receiving a Blue Lanter [...] |
2006-08-24 14:29:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETTC KOMC KSEP BU |
| 06SOFIA1204 |
BULGARIA: DIP NOTE ON MANPADS SALES TO EGYPT [...] (U) This is an action request -- please see paragraph 4. 2. (S) On August 24, we received a Diplomatic Note from Parisa Popnikolova of the MFA's International Security Directorate which formally informs the U.S. of a planned MANPADS component transfer in accordance with the U.S.-Bulgaria MA [...] |
2006-08-25 12:16:00 | Embassy Sofia | SECRET | PARM PREL MARR MASS ETTC EG BU |
| 06SOFIA1205 |
BULGARIA SUPPORTS UNSCR 1701, MINISTER TO ATTEND [...] (C) We delivered reftel A & B talking points to Margarita Isaeva from the MFA's Near East and Africa Directorate on August 25. Isaeva was unaware of any planned delegations to or from Iran or Syria, and considered them unlikely for the foreseeable future. However, she promised to share our c [...] |
2006-08-25 13:30:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL EAID MOPS MARR IR LE SY SW BU |
| 06SOFIA121 |
BULGARIA: EDGING CLOSER TO AGREEMENT ON MILITARY [...] (C) SUMMARY. A negotiating team led by PM/SNA Senior Advisor Ambassador Robert Loftis made substantial progress toward concluding a combined supplemental Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) and Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) with the GOB during talks in Sofia January 18-20. This session p [...] |
2006-01-26 14:40:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR PGOV PREL KPAO BU |
| 06SOFIA1216 |
BULGARIA ON BOARD FOR NATO STRATEGIC AIRLIFT [...] (C) We delivered reftel A talking points to Zlatin Krystev, acting head of the MFA's International Security Directorate on August 24. After conferring with MOD colleagues, Krystev reconfirmed Bulgaria's commitment to the Letter of Intent (LOI) signed previously, adding that "there is no sugge [...] |
2006-08-29 13:56:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MARR MASS MOPS NATO BU |
| 06SOFIA1230 |
BULGARIAN PRISONERS IN LIBYA: SOFIA SEEKS [...] (C) SUMMARY. After the August 29 court hearing in Tripoli (ref), Bulgarian officials are showing signs of guarded optimism that the current judicial process may run its course before the end of September. This would open the way for a political decision to return to Bulgaria the six nurses i [...] |
2006-08-30 14:26:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM LY BG |
| 06SOFIA1233 |
BULGARIA SUPPORTIVE ON U.S.-INDIA DEAL [...] (SBU) On August 28 we delivered reftel demarche to Elizabeth Konstantinova of the MFA's International Security Directorate. While hesitating to commit to a statement at the NSG meeting, she emphasized Bulgaria's overall support for the U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Cooperation Initiative. Specific [...] |
2006-08-30 15:23:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PARM ETTC ENRG MNUC KNNP TRGY BU |
| 06SOFIA1241 |
BULGARIA'S VIEW ON KOSOVO STATUS NEGOTIATIONS [...] (C) We delivered reftel demarche to Deputy FM Lyubomir Kyuchukov on 21 August. He confirmed Bulgaria's supportive approach to U.S. policy on Kosovo, while voicing Bulgaria's concern that the effect of a final settlement on regional security be given due consideration by all parties. In an Au [...] |
2006-08-31 13:54:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV UNMIK UN EU YI BU |
| 06SOFIA126 |
BULGARIA: NEW CORRUPTION STRATEGY OFFERS LOFTY [...] SUMMARY: (SBU) After weeks of delay and last-minute revisions, the Council of Ministers finally adopted its new National Anti-Corruption Strategy on January 12. The strategy clearly seeks to address Brussels' criticism that Bulgaria has made little progress in curbing corruption, particularl [...] |
2006-01-27 16:37:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KCRM PREL PINR |
| 06SOFIA1264 |
BULGARIA SUPPORTS WEDGWOOD FOR UNHCR [...] No summary [...] |
2006-09-07 13:01:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM UNHCR BU |
| 06SOFIA1267 |
BULGARIA ATTENDING NAM SUMMIT FOR POLITICAL REASONS [...] No summary [...] |
2006-09-07 14:56:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PTER PHUM UNGA CU BU |
| 06SOFIA1273 |
SCENESETTER FOR DAS ROSEMARY DICARLO'S VISIT TO [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Two issues dominate Bulgaria's political scene and calendar: a final verdict on EU accession, framed by the September 26 European Commission report on Bulgaria's readiness for membership; and Bulgaria's October 22 Presidential election. Seized by these two overlapping events, t [...] |
2006-09-08 12:25:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV UNMIK KPKO SR YI EU BU |
| 06SOFIA1291 |
BULGARIA: FM KALFIN WILL ATTEND SECRETARY'S [...] No summary [...] |
2006-09-12 12:09:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL NATO OPDC UNGA BG |
| 06SOFIA1292 |
BULGARIA: DEMARCHE ON IRAN DELIVERED [...] No summary [...] |
2006-09-12 12:09:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL PTER IAEA UNSC BU |
| 06SOFIA1293 |
BULGARIA'S UNTAPPED RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES [...] SUMMARY: Bulgaria's alternative and renewable energy sources hold great potential, but most will go unrealized for the foreseeable future due to a lack of financial and manpower resources and a comprehensive national plan. Diversification of the energy sector is nonexistent. In 2004, 96 per [...] |
2006-09-12 12:10:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | ENRG ECON ETRD BU |
| 06SOFIA1295 |
BULGARIA SUPPORTS USG VIEW ON UNSCR 1695 [...] No summary [...] |
2006-09-12 14:00:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM KNNP MNUC KPAO PTER KN BU |
| 06SOFIA1311 |
BULGARIA FULLY SUPPORTS THE COMMUNITY OF [...] No summary [...] |
2006-09-14 12:22:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | UNGA PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM BU |
| 06SOFIA1314 |
BULGARIA WILL RAISE SUDAN AT NAM IF POSSIBLE [...] No summary [...] |
2006-09-14 13:34:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PHUM UNSC KPKO KDEM BU |
| 06SOFIA1316 |
BULGARIA'S IN GENERAL AGREEMENT ON THE GAERC'S [...] (C) Summary: Bulgaria has long supported including the Western Balkans into EU and NATO. On Congo and Sudan, the GOB supports international involvement but will not be able to contribute because of its commitments in Afghanistan and Iraq. Bulgaria hopes GAERC will produce a common EU positio [...] |
2006-09-14 15:20:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV EUN BU |
| 06SOFIA1320 |
BULGARIAN BIOFUEL INDUSTRY [...] SUMMARY: The Bulgarian biofuels industry is just getting off the ground. Biodiesel and bioethanol (see Definitions at bottom) are currently produced only in small quantities, although an increasing number of investors are constructing facilities for production of biofuels, mainly biodiesel. [...] |
2006-09-15 10:55:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | EAGR ENRG ECON ETRD BU |
| 06SOFIA1330 |
BULGARIA: DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER ON HAMAS, SYRIA, [...] (C) SUMMARY. In response to Bulgaria's plans to open a diplomatic office in Ramallah following the formation of a "national unity" government in the Palestinian territories, Charge' cautioned deputy Foreign Minister Faim Chaushev, stressing the steps Hamas would have to take in order to legi [...] |
2006-09-18 15:43:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL XF AF IS LE SY IZ IR LY BU |
| 06SOFIA1331 |
61ST UNGA: UPDATED BULGARIAN HIGH LEVEL ATTENDANCE [...] (SBU) On September 14, 2006, we met with MFA's Kamen Velichkov, Head of the MFA's UN and Global Issues Department, to confirm Bulgaria's official representation at the 61st UN General Assembly. Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin will lead a delegation of Deputy Ministers and Ambassadors. 2. Pl [...] |
2006-09-18 15:43:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | UNGA OVIP OTRA PREL KSEP BU |
| 06SOFIA1342 |
YOUR MEETING WITH BULGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTER KALFIN [...] (C) Your meeting with Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin in New York on September 20 comes just six days prior to the European Commission's final report on Bulgaria's readiness for accession. Much of official Bulgaria is holding its breath in anticipation of the report, which in turn will play in [...] |
2006-09-19 14:37:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV EUN LY IZ BU |
| 06SOFIA1369 |
BULGARIA,S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: PARVANOV HAS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Incumbent Georgi Parvanov, a consistent supporter of moderate, pro-U.S. policies, looks poised to win re-election, if not on October 22 then in a second-round run off the following week. The conspicuous absence from the line-up of the charismatic Sofia Mayor Boiko Borissov has d [...] |
2006-09-25 15:11:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV BU |
| 06SOFIA1370 |
BULGARIA,S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: PARVANOV HAS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Incumbent Georgi Parvanov, a consistent supporter of moderate, pro-U.S. policies, looks poised to win re-election, if not on October 22 then in a second-round run off the following week. The conspicuous absence from the line-up of the charismatic Sofia Mayor Boiko Borissov has d [...] |
2006-09-25 15:15:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV BU |
| 06SOFIA1392 |
MURADOVA'S RELATIVES SEEK POLITICAL ASYLUM IN [...] (C) SUMMARY: Exiled relatives of Turkmen dissident Muradova, who died under disputed circumstances in Turkmenistan (ref A), believe Turkmen authorities are blocking their calls to Muradova,s three children and allege that Turkmen security forces are watching the family. The two relatives are o [...] |
2006-09-28 14:24:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL BU |
| 06SOFIA1393 |
BULGARIA CONSULTS ON ARMS TRANSFERS TO GEORGIA [...] (U) This is an action request -- please see paragraph 5. 2. (S) On September 26, Christo Atanasov and Ivelina Bachevanova of the Ministry of Economy's Export Control Department informed us of a high-value export application for sale of Bulgarian weapons and ammunition to the Republic of Geo [...] |
2006-09-28 14:26:00 | Embassy Sofia | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PARM MASS ETTC GG BU |
| 06SOFIA1402 |
RELIEVED BULGARIA ACKNOWLEDGES NEED TO CONTINUE EU [...] (C) SUMMARY: Bulgarians' satisfaction over receiving the green light for a January 2007 entry into the European Union has not been dampened by the threat of "safeguard" actions if certain reforms are not completed following accession. Ruling coalition politicians have put a positive spin on the [...] |
2006-09-29 14:27:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV EUN BU |
| 06SOFIA1423 |
BULGARIA CALLS POSSIBLE NORTH KOREAN NUCLEAR TEST [...] (U) The Ambassador delivered reftel points to Foreign Minister Kalfin October 5. Subsequently, the MFA issued the following statement the same day: "The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry expresses deep concern with the statement of the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic [...] |
2006-10-06 09:05:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PARM KN KNNP BU |
| 06SOFIA1425 |
BULGARIA SUPPORTS AMENDING EMBARGO RESOLUTION, [...] (C) Panteley Spassov of the MFA's UN and Global Issues Department agreed that the Cuban Embargo Resolution at UNGA should be balanced with a statement on Cuba's human rights record. He said the GOB will seriously consider our proposed language for the amendment but doubted our text would pas [...] |
2006-10-06 12:26:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | EUN INRO PHUM PREL UNGA UN CU BU |
| 06SOFIA1427 |
BULGARIA COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR MEGAN HALL, OCT. [...] Embassy Sofia warmly welcomes and grants country clearance for G/TIP Reports Officer for Europe Megan Hall to visit Sofia, Bulgaria, from 18 through 21 October, 2006. Purpose of the visit is to assess recent government efforts to combat human trafficking through discussions with Embassy offic [...] |
2006-10-06 13:31:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | OTRA PHUM PREL BU |
| 06SOFIA1451 |
BULGARIA: CFE ENTITLEMENT TRANSFERS [...] (C) We delivered CFE talking points on October 13 to Dimitar Dimitrov, head of the MFA's OSCE & Regional Security Department. He expressed openness to the possibility of approaching Greece on CFE entitlement transfers, but he did not make any commitment. Noting bruising discussions on the Am [...] |
2006-10-17 13:57:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR MOPS BU |
| 06SOFIA1452 |
BULGARIA SCOLDS NORTH KOREAN AMBASSADOR, SUMMONS [...] (C) On October 13, DCM met with Deputy Foreign Minister Feim Chaushev to follow up on reftel A demarche. Chaushev emphasized Bulgaria's strong reaction to the test, pointing out that he had summoned North Korean Ambassador Jo Song Ju to his office to express his displeasure. In Chaushev's wo [...] |
2006-10-17 14:08:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PARM KNNP KN IR UN BU |
| 06SOFIA1464 |
BULGARIAN TEXTILES AND APPAREL SECTOR UPDATE [...] SUMMARY The abolition of import quotas for Asian producers from 1 January 2005 has had no adverse effect on Bulgaria's textiles and apparel production and export capacity. The sector experienced an increase in new investment and technology, which supported higher labor productivity and wages [...] |
2006-10-19 14:54:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON ETRD KTEX BU |
| 06SOFIA1481 |
BULGARIA FAVORS RUSSIAN BID TO BUILD BELENE NPP [...] (C) SUMMARY: In a meeting with the Ambassador Oct. 19, Energy/Economy Minister Rumen Ovcharov confirmed press reports that Bulgaria has decided in favor of the Russian/European consortium for construction of a new nuclear plant at Belene. Ovcharov acknowledged a link between the Belene decis [...] |
2006-10-24 12:18:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ECON EPET PREL RU GR BU |
| 06SOFIA1491 |
BULGARIAN MOD COMMITTED TO IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN, [...] (C) SUMMARY: In an October 25 meeting with the Ambassador, Defense Minister Veselin Bliznakov confirmed the GOB's willingness to extend its current mission in Iraq, and discussed plans to increase the Bulgarian deployment in Afghanistan. He also outlined the challenges the ministry will face [...] |
2006-10-26 13:54:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR MOPS NATO BU |
| 06SOFIA1494 |
BULGARIA: END GAME IN SIGHT ON JEWISH RESTITUTION [...] (C) SUMMARY: A report submitted to the Prime Minister by the government-appointed Restitution Commission sidesteps the controversial Rila hotel case (reftel), but recognizes Jewish claims on MOD property in Varna and urges the Ministry of Health (MOH) to give Shalom some space at the already [...] |
2006-10-27 12:38:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KNAR BU |
| 06SOFIA1495 |
BULGARIA WOOS INVESTORS WITH 10 PERCENT CORPORATE [...] SUMMARY: The Bulgarian government's recent decision to lower the corporate tax rate to 10 percent was a bold act to put the country in the lowest bracket in Europe, attract foreign investors and encourage domestic growth. During its recent mission visit, the IMF commended continued strong e [...] |
2006-10-30 06:51:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | EFIN ECON PGOV EINV BU |
| 06SOFIA1499 |
INCUMBENT PARVANOV SCORES LANDSLIDE VICTORY IN BULGARIAN [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Incumbent President Georgi Parvanov scored a decisive victory against extreme nationalist Volen Siderov in the October 29 run-off, becoming Bulgaria's first president re-elected since communism collapsed. The former Socialist leader captured 75.9 percent of a weak turnout, an u [...] |
2006-10-30 12:41:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV BU |
| 06SOFIA1504 |
BULGARIA: FOLLOWING EU LINE ON UNGA'S ISRAEL [...] No summary [...] |
2006-10-31 13:46:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM UNGA BU |
| 06SOFIA1518 |
BULGARIA NAMES POPULAR, PRO-U.S. MINISTER AS EU [...] (C) SUMMARY: The government on October 26 nominated European Affairs Minister Meglena Kuneva to serve as Bulgaria's first EU Commissioner. EC President Jose Manuel Barroso welcomed the nomination and assigned Kuneva the consumer protection portfolio. One of Bulgaria's most respected politica [...] |
2006-11-02 13:56:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL EUN BU |
| 06SOFIA1521 |
BULGARIA: REFORM-MINDED PRIME MINISTER DETERMINED [...] (C) SUMMARY: A feisty and confident Prime Minister Stanishev told the Ambassador Nov. 2 that his government would not let up on reforms. He looks to speed up structural changes, improve government ministries' efficiency and effectiveness, and keep up public support for reform. The Prime [...] |
2006-11-03 13:30:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV BU |
| 06SOFIA1531 |
BULGARIA TO FOLLOW EU ON CUBA EMBARGO RESOLUTION [...] No summary [...] |
2006-11-06 14:09:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL UNGA BU |
| 06SOFIA1532 |
BULGARIA CONSIDERS ACCEPTING GUANTANAMO MIGRANTS [...] No summary [...] |
2006-11-06 14:21:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREF SMIG BU |
| 06SOFIA1540 |
BULGARIA SUPPORTS NORTH KOREA AND BURMA [...] No summary [...] |
2006-11-08 13:59:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL KTIA UNGA BU |
| 06SOFIA1541 |
CUBA EMBARGO RESOLUTION: BULGARIA STILL TO FOLLOW [...] No summary [...] |
2006-11-08 14:04:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL UNGA BU |
| 06SOFIA1542 |
BULGARIA/GEORGIA: DAS BRYZA, FM KALFIN PREVIEW [...] (C) SUMMARY. By hosting the Friends of Georgia on November 9, Bulgaria seeks to send a message of support to the GoG while at the same time urging the Georgians to "stop giving Russia excuses to crack down." Bulgarian Foreign Minister Kalfin and EUR DAS Bryza agreed that both objectives would [...] |
2006-11-08 14:52:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL OSCE GG RU BU |
| 06SOFIA1554 |
BULGARIA, TURKEY AND GREECE WANT MORE U.S. [...] (C) SUMMARY: Political and energy leaders from Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey told EUR DAS Bryza on November 3 that the U.S should play a stronger role in ensuring diversity of energy supply - particularly gas - in the region. Bryza stressed the need for countries in the region to work together [...] |
2006-11-09 15:44:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ENRG PGOV RU BU |
| 06SOFIA1559 |
BULGARIA MOST LIKELY TO SUPPORT COUNTRY-SPECIFIC [...] No summary [...] |
2006-11-13 14:58:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL KTIA UNGA BU |
| 06SOFIA1560 |
B-A OIL PIPELINE: SIGNS OF PROGRESS; BULGARIA AND [...] (C) SUMMARY Greek and Bulgarian officials described to EUR DAS Matt Bryza progress on the Burgas-Alexandropoulis (B-A) oil pipeline during his November 3 visit to Sofia. The Greek consortium plans to transfer most of its shares to international private sector participants, including Chevron, [...] |
2006-11-14 10:04:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ENRG PGOV RU BU |
| 06SOFIA1562 |
BULGARIA NEGOTIATING WITH IRAQ ON DEBT RELIEF [...] (C) Ambassador Beyrle delivered talking points in reftel to Minister of Finance Plamen Oresharski on November 14, stressing the need for Bulgaria to reach an agreement that will allow Iraq to get its fiscal house in order. Although we have lobbied for Bulgaria to adopt a Paris Club-like agree [...] |
2006-11-15 08:29:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN IZ BU |
| 06SOFIA1565 |
BULGARIA LIKELY TO VOTE AGAINST BELARUS' [...] No summary [...] |
2006-11-16 14:34:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL UNGA BU |
| 06SOFIA1566 |
GLOBAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ACADEMY (GIPA), [...] (U) Per reftel, we would like to nominate Mrs. Shtiriana Valchanova-Krasteva and Ms Vanya Vassileva, of the Bulgarian Patent Office, for USPTO IPR training scheduled for January 08-12, 2007. Valchanova-Krasteva has been with the Patent Office since 1981. In her capacity as Head of the Legal [...] |
2006-11-16 15:29:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON ETRD KIPR AORC BU |
| 06SOFIA1573 |
CNO VISIT HIGHLIGHTS BULGARIA'S BLACK SEA POLICY [...] (C) SUMMARY: The November 9-10 visit of Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Mike Mullen to Bulgaria shed light on the GOB's evolving Black Sea strategy -- particularly the General Staff's continuing wariness of Turkey's Black Sea Harmony (BSH) proposal. Their reluctance was echoed by MFA NATO an [...] |
2006-11-17 14:37:00 | Embassy Sofia | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PGOV NATO MARR MOPS BU |
| 06SOFIA1574 |
BULGARIA WILL FOLLOW EU ON EMERGENCY SPECIAL [...] No summary [...] |
2006-11-17 14:47:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL UNGA |
| 06SOFIA1575 |
BULGARIA GOES HOLLYWOOD . . . FINALLY [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. In a suspenseful tale full of intrigue, deceit and high-powered bluffs, Los Angeles-based NuImage films finally received the keys to the Boyana Film Studios on November 16, a year-and-a-half after they were selected as the winner of a three-way bid for the Bulgarian state film c [...] |
2006-11-17 15:50:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EINV ECON KPAO BU |
| 06SOFIA1579 |
BULGARIA: DRAFT UNSCR IRAQ RESOLUTION AND [...] No summary [...] |
2006-11-20 12:15:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PARM UNSC IZ BG |
| 06SOFIA1597 |
BULGARIA STRUGGLES TO SHED CAVEATS ON THE ROAD TO [...] (C) SUMMARY: In the lead-up to the Riga Summit, the GOB supports nearly every item on the U.S. agenda, but continues to struggle with a shortage of funds, equipment, and "capabilities" as it looks toward elimination of national caveats and more demanding missions overseas. Bulgaria's commitme [...] |
2006-11-22 09:59:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MARR MOPS NATO BU |
| 06SOFIA1608 |
TERRORIST FINANCE: TERRORIST FACILITATORS AND [...] No summary [...] |
2006-11-28 08:51:00 | Embassy Sofia | SECRET | EFIN PTER ETTC PREL KTFN BU |
| 06SOFIA1613 |
BULGARIA SEEKS TO WITHDRAW FROM TWO BILAT TREATIES [...] This is an action request, please see para. 4. 2. (SBU) On Nov. 24, Emilena Popova, Head of MFA's International Law Directorate, presented us with diplomatic note #54-00-17 proposing to terminate two U.S. - GOB bilateral trade agreements and to amend one. According to the three-part note, [...] |
2006-11-29 10:13:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETRD EISNLN EUN PREL BU |
| 06SOFIA1622 |
SPECIAL 301 UPDATE - BULGARIA MAKING PROGRESS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The GOB has made strong progress this year towards improving its Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Regime. The inter-ministerial council, which we urged them to create, has been instrumental in implementing much of our IPR Action Plan, pushing through legislative changes and im [...] |
2006-11-30 11:05:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON KIPR ETRD BU |
| 06SOFIA1626 |
USPTO FEBRUARY 12-16, 2007 GLOBAL INTELLECTUAL [...] (U) Per reftel, we would like to nominate Mrs. Anka Chervenkova and Mrs. Svetla Iordanova, of the Bulgarian Patent Office, for the USPTO Advanced Patent Law and Procedure Program scheduled for February 12-16, 2007. From April 2006 until now Chervenkova has headed the Disputes Department at the [...] |
2006-11-30 15:27:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON ETRD KIPR AORC BU |
| 06SOFIA1639 |
BULGARIA: SA/LW DESTRUCTION HITS A ROADBLOCK [...] (U) This is an action request. Please see Paragraph 5. 2. (SBU) Embassy Sofia and the GoB are eager to begin work on the USG-financed destruction of excess Small Arms/Light Weapons articles authorized in reftel A. Logistical obstacles remain, however, before the $400,000 in authorized ass [...] |
2006-12-06 08:38:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PARM PREL AFIN MARR BU |
| 06SOFIA1648 |
GOB READY TO EXCHANGE BIT INSTRUMENTS DURING [...] (U) This is an action request. Please see para. 4. 2. (SBU) We delivered ref. A points and draft protocol to MFA's Emilena Popova, Director of the International Law Department, on December 7. Popova confirmed that the Additional Protocol to the Bilateral Investment Agreement (BIT) was rati [...] |
2006-12-08 14:11:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETRD EINV KTIA OVIP OFDP PREL EUN BU |
| 06SOFIA1652 |
BULGARIAN BANKS GENERALLY HEALTHY, BUT A FEW BAD [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The Bulgarian banking sector is in its strongest position since the banking crisis of 1996. Thanks to stricter legislation, sound bank oversight and management, and an influx of large, stable foreign banks, most Bulgarian banks are prospering legitimately. Two skunks are circling [...] |
2006-12-11 12:44:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PGOV BU |
| 06SOFIA1655 |
BULGARIA STRUGGLES TO DISCLOSE COMMUNIST-ERA FILES [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Bulgaria's parliament passed groundbreaking legislation on December 6, to open up the files of the former communist secret services. Under the law, adopted after heated debate, all senior officials in the Presidency, Parliament, government, the Judiciary, academia, mass media, [...] |
2006-12-11 15:17:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR BU |
| 06SOFIA1656 |
TERRORIST LISTS: BULGARIA [...] (SBU) According to our contacts at the Financial Intelligence Agency and other Bulgarian government entities, Bulgaria does not maintain its own "national" list of terrorists. The GOB instead uses information from the United Nations, European Union and other individual countries when determin [...] |
2006-12-12 07:22:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ETTC KTFN PREL PTER BU |
| 06SOFIA1661 |
ANTI-OC TRAINING CENTER: BULGARIA READY TO HOST [...] (SBU) Introduction and Summary: Mission strongly supports establishment of a South Eastern European Regional Organized Crime Training Center (SEEROCTC). We believe a center located in Bulgaria will advance U.S. rule of law objectives here and regionally. A center in Bulgaria would build on an [...] |
2006-12-13 11:13:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL KCRM EAID KJUS KCOR SNAR KPAO BU |
| 06SOFIA1662 |
YOUR MEETING WITH BULGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTER [...] (C) SUMMARY: FM KALFIN'S VISIT TO WASHINGTON, A SHORT TWO WEEKS BEFORE BULGARIA CELEBRATES ITS FORMAL ACCESSION TO THE EU ON JANUARY 1, TOPS OFF AN EXTRAORDINARILY PRODUCTIVE YEAR IN THE U.S.-BULGARIAN RELATIONSHIP. KALFIN AND PRIME MINISTER STANISHEV ARE LEADING BULGARIAN PUBLIC OPINION IN [...] |
2006-12-14 08:35:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL EINV EUN MARR MOPS OVIP KPAS SR IZ LY |
| 06SOFIA1667 |
BULGARIANS READY TO EXTEND ASHRAF MISSION AFTER [...] (S) SUMMARY: Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev and Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin visited Iraq on December 12-13, meeting senior Iraqi officials and sending early Christmas greetings to Bulgarian troops at Camp Ashraf. FM Kalfin described a worrying security situation, but stated that [...] |
2006-12-15 09:33:00 | Embassy Sofia | SECRET | PREL PGOV MARR MOPS IZ BG |
| 06SOFIA167 |
BULGARIA 2005/2006 ALLIED CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE [...] (U) General Assessment. Since joining NATO in April 2004, Bulgaria has maintained its defense spending at 2.6% of GDP and made substantial troop contributions to overseas missions. Following national elections in June 2005, the incumbent National Movement for Simeon the Second (NMSS) was for [...] |
2006-02-01 07:18:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | MCAP NATO PREL BU |
| 06SOFIA1677 |
MOSCOW TIGHTENS SCREWS AS BULGARIA PREPARES FOR EU [...] (C) SUMMARY: During his first official visit to Moscow, Foreign Minister Kalfin discussed several unresolved bilateral issues, including arm sales to Georgia, the production and sale of weapons under outdated Soviet licenses, and efforts to trim Bulgaria's ballooning trade deficit with Russia [...] |
2006-12-18 14:30:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ETRD RU BU |
| 06SOFIA1682 |
BULGARIA: STEP FORWARD ON JEWISH HOSPITAL [...] (C) SUMMARY: In a December 14 meeting with the Ambassador, Minister of Health Radoslav Gaidarski confirmed that the Ministry is prepared to return the already-restituted hospital to the Jewish organization Shalom, but it must wait until the hospital's new facilities are renovated. To emphas [...] |
2006-12-19 13:34:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KNAR OVIP BU |
| 06SOFIA1683 |
OUTRAGED BULGARIA CONDEMNS LIBYAN DEATH SENTENCES OF [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Bulgaria predictably reacted with shock and outrage to the Tripoli Criminal Court decision to confirm the death sentences of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor accused of deliberately infecting more than 400 Libyan children with HIV. Although largely expected, the dec [...] |
2006-12-19 14:20:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM LBY BU |
| 06SOFIA1684 |
OUTRAGED BULGARIA CONDEMNS LIBYAN DEATH SENTENCES OF [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Bulgaria predictably reacted with shock and outrage to the Tripoli Criminal Court decision to confirm the death sentences of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor accused of deliberately infecting more than 400 Libyan children with HIV. Although largely expected, the dec [...] |
2006-12-19 14:24:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM LBY BU |
| 06SOFIA1686 |
BULGARIA: ARMS DEALER WARNS THAT EGYPT IS HUNTING [...] (S) SUMMARY: In a December 18 meeting with an Embassy Political Officer, a well-connected Bulgarian arms broker told us that he had recently rebuffed an Egyptian MoD order for Bulgarian MANPADS, which he viewed as a proliferation risk. He warned that the Egyptians seemed to view the order as [...] |
2006-12-20 07:56:00 | Embassy Sofia | SECRET//NOFORN | ETTC PARM PTER EG BU |
| 06SOFIA1691 |
DIRTY ENERGY: CORRUPTION AND LACK OF TRANSPARENCY [...] (C) SUMMARY: Cleaning up pernicious corruption in Bulgaria's powerful (and often murky) energy sector, where cronyism is alive and well, should rank high on Bulgaria's to do list. A closer look at the sector reveals an ideal environment for graft and abuse. Accounting for a significant shar [...] |
2006-12-20 13:52:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ETRD KCOR KCRM PGOV PREL BU |
| 06SOFIA1692 |
BLUE LANTERN, APPLICATION 05-050020397: [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: In response to reftel instructions, Poloff met with TEREM Executive Director Mariyan Yovchev on December 18 and spoke with MoD Arms Control Director Nikola Mihaylov on December 19. Post believes this transaction to be legitimate and has no information to recommend against its a [...] |
2006-12-21 06:58:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KOMC ETTC BU |
| 06SOFIA1694 |
RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR INFO ON BULGARIAN ARMY [...] (C/NF) Post provides the following answers in response to reftel questions: - Are the bribery charges against LTC Lyutskanov an isolated case of wrongdoing or part of a broader pattern of bribery and corruption within the Bulgarian Armed Forces? Based on prior experience, open-source infor [...] |
2006-12-21 13:29:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PINR BU |
| 06SOFIA1695 |
BULGARIAN GOVERNMENT DROPS "SILENT DIPLOMACY;" [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The death sentences passed by a Tripoli court on five Bulgarian nurses Dec. 19 triggered mounting outrage in Bulgaria as politicians, NGOs, the public and the press lashed out at Libya for holding a deeply politicized trial and called for international support. Over the course o [...] |
2006-12-21 13:33:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM LBY BU |
| 06SOFIA1696 |
BULGARIA LOCKS IN NEW DEAL WITH GAZPROM UNTIL 2030 [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Bulgaria signed December 18 a deal with Russian gas giant Gazprom, guaranteeing Russian natural gas deliveries and transit until 2030. Insiders tell us the price of gas will gradually rise 40 percent by 2012 - largely due to the termination of the agreement to barter gas in lieu [...] |
2006-12-21 13:41:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ENRG ECON RU BU |
| 06SOFIA1718 |
BULGARIA'S FIRST EU BUDGET CONTINUES FISCAL DISCIPLINE [...] (U) SUMMARY: Parliament approved the 2007 state budget on December 19 - Bulgaria's first as a full EU member state. It is a fiscally disciplined plan with an expected surplus of 0.8 percent of GDP (well above the Maastricht requirement of a 3 percent deficit or better for Euro entry.) This co [...] |
2006-12-29 12:21:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | EFIN ECON PGOV SOCI BU |
| 06SOFIA181 |
QUARTERLY FRAUD SUMMARY, SOFIA, OCT-DEC 2005 [...] No summary [...] |
2006-02-02 13:51:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | CVIS KFRD CPAS CMGT ASEC BU |
| 06SOFIA185 |
COUNCIL OF MINISTERS APPROVES BULGARIA'S FOLLOW-ON [...] (C) SUMMARY. The Council of Ministers voted February 2 to approve Bulgaria's new mission in Iraq to guard Iranian internees at Camp Ashraf located north of Baghdad. In announcing the decision, Defense Minister Bliznakov said, "The decision to dispatch this mission fully corresponds with our n [...] |
2006-02-02 16:09:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MOPS MARR IZ BU |
| 06SOFIA187 |
IMF AND BULGARIA AGREE TO 3 PERCENT BUDGET SURPLUS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The recent January 19-26 IMF mission to Bulgaria succeeded in reaching an agreement on economic policies for this year. The agreement entails radical fiscal tightening through a three percent budget surplus and a credit growth rate target of 17.5 percent. The IMF commended Bu [...] |
2006-02-03 09:47:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON EINV BU |
| 06SOFIA190 |
BELENE NUCLEAR PLANT: KEY TO DIVERSIFICATION, [...] (C) SUMMARY: The EU requirement that Bulgaria close Kozloduy Nuclear reactors 3 and 4 by the end of the year as part of the accession process, combined with increased international gas and oil prices and pressure by Russia's Gazprom to renegotiate gas delivery contracts, has focused the GOB [...] |
2006-02-03 11:58:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ECON ETRD TRGY EINV EPET PREL SENV RU BU |
| 06SOFIA198 |
NEW CHIEF PROSECUTOR READIES FOR "WAR" [...] (C) SUMMARY: In a February 3 meeting with the Ambassador, newly elected Chief Prosecutor Boris Velchev made clear that despite pressure to produce immediate results for an EU audience, his main focus would be on building solid cases against OC figures and asserting control over a deeply dysfun [...] |
2006-02-07 16:27:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KCOR KCRM BU |
| 06SOFIA202 |
UNDER THE YOKE: BULGARIA'S DEPENDENCE ON RUSSIAN OIL AND GAS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Sixteen years after the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact, Bulgaria still finds itself under the Russian energy yoke. Bulgaria receives 88 percent of its natural gas from Gazprom or one of its sister companies, and 73 percent of its oil from Russia. As it awaits entry into the EU [...] |
2006-02-08 11:57:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ECON ETRD TRGY EINV EPET PREL SENV |
| 06SOFIA215 |
SCENESETTER FOR BULGARIAN INTERIOR MINISTER [...] (C) SUMMARY: Interior Minister Rumen Petkov is one of the most influential personalities in the current government, and is almost certainly the one who evokes the strongest feelings among Bulgarians. Recent public opinion data shows him to be among the most popular public officials in the coun [...] |
2006-02-10 16:00:00 | Embassy Sofia | SECRET | PREL PGOV ASEC KCRM KCOR BU |
| 06SOFIA220 |
BULGARIA - PRESIDENT AND RELIGIOUS LEADERS CALL FOR [...] SUMMARY: Bulgarian President Georgi Purvanov used a media- sponsored tolerance event to call for tolerance in the wake of violence inspired by cartoons of Mohammed. The previously- scheduled event, sponsored jointly by Bulgaria's Turkish- language daily and the largest circulation Bulgarian [...] |
2006-02-13 13:54:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV KISL KPAO BU |
| 06SOFIA233 |
BULGARIA CONFIRMS FIRST CASE OF AVIAN FLU [...] (U) SUMMARY: Bulgarian officials on February 12 confirmed the country's first case of avian flu. Authorities over the weekend were informed by a British reference lab that a wild swan found in the Danube near the Northwestern town of Vidin had tested positive for the deadly H5N1 virus. Two ot [...] |
2006-02-13 16:08:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | TBIO KSTH KFLU ECON PREL SOCI WHO BG |
| 06SOFIA249 |
PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES APPROVE BULGARIAN MISSION [...] The parliamentary committees on foreign policy and defense voted in a joint session February 15 to approve the proposal to send Bulgarian military personnel to Camp Ashraf in Iraq. Four MPs from the ultra-nationalist Ataka party voted against the proposal as expected, and the other 14 MPs re [...] |
2006-02-16 15:14:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KJUS KCRM EU IZ BU |
| 06SOFIA250 |
BULGARIAN CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS: TOO FAR OR NOT [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The Bulgarian parliament is currently considering a package of proposed constitutional amendments aimed at implementing judicial reform and responding to EU criticism of the judicial system. While most observers view the package as essentially well-meaning, concerns have been r [...] |
2006-02-17 07:52:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KJUS KCRM EU BU |
| 06SOFIA251 |
BULGARIA 301 REVIEW: RECOMMEND WATCH LIST [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: In response to increased pressure from the EU and our Embassy, the Bulgarian government has made progress this year towards improving the Intellectual Property (IP) regime. Ambassador Beyrle has consistently raised the issue with responsible ministers and MPs, and highlighted [...] |
2006-02-17 13:10:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ETRD KIPR BU |
| 06SOFIA259 |
Smuggling of Bulgarians through Mexico [...] Bulgaria is a transit point for illegal migration and alien smuggling as well as a source country for illegal migration to the United States. A common smuggling scheme remains for Bulgarians to obtain Mexican visas, travel to Mexico as tourists and from there cross illegally into the U.S. T [...] |
2006-02-21 14:56:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | CVIS KFRD ASEC BU |
| 06SOFIA264 |
BULGARIA: DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES UN [...] (C) SUMMARY. In response to reftel demarches, the Bulgarian MFA said that it supports Guatemala's UNSC candidacy, agrees that the Secretary General appointment process should be based on individual qualifications rather than regional affiliations, and supports continued UN reform. Bulgaria a [...] |
2006-02-22 12:12:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KUNR PHUM UN UNSC ADCO GT VE BU |
| 06SOFIA267 |
PARLIAMENT APPROVES BULGARIAN MILITARY DEPLOYMENT [...] (SBU) Bulgaria's ruling three-party coalition won parliamentary approval February 22 to send 155 Bulgarian military personnel to Camp Ashraf, Iraq. The vote was 151 to 14 with one abstention. This decision clears the final hurdle in the GOB's political approval process for the mission and hi [...] |
2006-02-22 16:06:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KJUS KCRM EU IZ BU |
| 06SOFIA276 |
BIGTIME SMUGGLER, MONEY LAUNDERER GUNNED DOWN IN [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: One of Bulgaria's biggest contraband dealers and money launderers, Ivan Todorov (a.k.a. the Doktor), was shot dead in broad daylight in central Sofia February 22. The killing of Todorov shattered a three-month period of calm since the October murder of controversial banker Emil [...] |
2006-02-23 16:03:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KCRM ASEC BU |
| 06SOFIA292 |
BULGARIA CONDEMNS AL-ASKARIYA SHRINE BOMBING [...] (SBU) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Venelin Lazarov, Head of the MFA's Near East and North Africa Section, on February 24. The MFA issued an official statement February 24 condemning the Al-Askariya bombing and calling on Iraqis to exercise restraint. 2. (U) Embassy Sofia's unofficia [...] |
2006-02-27 13:53:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PTER KDEM KPAO PREL PGOV IZ BU |
| 06SOFIA304 |
BULGARIA: 2006 ANTI-TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS (TIP) [...] SUMMARY: This cable provides Embassy Sofia's input for the sixth annual Anti-Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report. Bulgaria is primarily a country of transit and origin, and to a lesser extent a country of destination for human trafficking. The past year has seen enhanced cooperation betwee [...] |
2006-03-01 14:52:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREF ASEC ELAB SMIG KCRM KWMN KFRD BU |
| 06SOFIA310 |
BULGARIAN ENERGY MINISTER'S MEETINGS IN MOSCOW [...] (C) SUMMARY: Economy and Energy Minister Rumen Ovcharov called his January 31 - February 1 meetings with Russian energy officials constructive and productive, in contrast to the bad taste left by Gazprom's heavy-handed approach to PM Stanishev in Sofia last December (Ref A.) Bulgaria and Russ [...] |
2006-03-02 10:27:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG EPET PREL RU BU |
| 06SOFIA372 |
BULGARIANS DISCUSS IRAQ, JOINT BASES, [...] (U) This is an action request, please see para 4. SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST -------------------------- 2. (C) EUR DAS Mark Pekala met March 9-10 with Bulgarian officials to discuss, inter alia, Bulgaria's follow-on mission in Iraq, ongoing negotiations on the use of Bulgarian military b [...] |
2006-03-14 11:30:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MARR ECON KCRM KDEM LY IZ BG |
| 06SOFIA394 |
BULGARIA: PRIME MINISTER ON BASING [...] (S) SUMMARY. Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev told Ambassador on March 15 that Bulgaria remains committed to a successful conclusion of the basing negotiations, although additional consultations between the ruling coalition's party leaders are necessary. Following these consultations, accordi [...] |
2006-03-16 13:56:00 | Embassy Sofia | SECRET | MARR PGOV PREL KPAO RU BU |
| 06SOFIA395 |
BULGARIA REACTS TO THE U.S.-INDIA CIVIL NUCLEAR [...] (C) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Elizabeth Konstantinova in the MFA's NATO and International Security Directorate March 13. Konstantinova said the GOB did not have an official position on the initiative, but it supported adherence to all non-proliferation regimes to which it is a party [...] |
2006-03-16 14:39:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ENRG KSCA PARM KNNP ETTC IN BU |
| 06SOFIA430 |
BULGARIA LOOKS TO U.S. FOR "PUSH" ON LIBYA [...] (C) SUMMARY: IN A MARCH 23 MEETING WITH THE AMBASSADOR, FOREIGN MINISTER KALFIN EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT NEGOTIATIONS ON THE RELEASE OF BULGARIAN NURSES IN LIBYA WERE "GOING INTO SLEEP MODE" AND SUGGESTED THAT A HIGH-LEVEL PUSH FROM THE U.S. SIDE MIGHT BE THE BEST NEAR-TERM CHANCE OF GETTING TALKS BA [...] |
2006-03-23 14:29:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL LY BU |
| 06SOFIA444 |
BULGARIA: FINAL COURT DECISION REJECTS JEWISH [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: In a decision released March 20, Bulgaria's highest court ended the Jewish community's 15- year legal struggle for restitution of the Rila Hotel. The ruling of the Supreme Court of Cassation denied the Jewish community's request for an extraordinary appeal of the 2005 court de [...] |
2006-03-24 15:22:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PHUM KCOR KNAR KIRF BU |
| 06SOFIA454 |
BULGARIA: NEGOTIATING TEAMS AGREE ON BASING TEXT [...] (C) SUMMARY. An interagency negotiating team led by PM/SNA Senior Advisor Ambassador Robert Loftis reached agreement "ad referendum" with the GOB on all articles of the Defense Cooperation Agreement March 23. The U.S. team preserved USG red lines in all areas including freedom of action (or [...] |
2006-03-28 08:19:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR PGOV PREL KPAO BU |
| 06SOFIA465 |
BULGARIA'S RESPONSE TO THE INDEPENDENT INQUIRY [...] (U) Per reftel, we are submitting information on the actions of the Bulgarian government as a result of the information discovered by the Independent Inquiry Committee (IIC). 2. (U) In response to the release of the USG's "Duelfer Report," the 39th Parliamentary Assembly of Bulgaria (2001- [...] |
2006-03-30 11:11:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL KFIN PGOV IZ BU |
| 06SOFIA468 |
BULGARIAN TROOPS LEAVE FOR IRAQ [...] (U) A contingent of 153 soldiers departed Bulgaria March 30 to begin its mission at Camp Ashraf, located 70 kilometers north of Baghdad. The unit will replace a U.S. Army military police company, providing security for defectors from the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MEK), an Iranian opposition group. [...] |
2006-03-30 13:45:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KJUS KCRM EU IZ BU |
| 06SOFIA482 |
MILITARY BASING: MEDIA BATTLE SHIFTS IN THE RIGHT [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. After the March 24 announcement (reftel) that the U.S. and Bulgaria had reached agreement on text for the Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA), Bulgarian officials at all levels have come out in support of the agreement. Continuing Embassy public diplomacy efforts, combined with [...] |
2006-04-04 15:22:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR PGOV PREL KPAO BU |
| 06SOFIA502 |
BULGARIA: CORRUPTION MAKES A COMEBACK IN 2005 [...] (SBU) Summary: Corruption in Bulgaria reached a high-water mark in 2005, reversing a gradual positive trend of declining rates of corruption from 1998 to 2004. This was the main conclusion of the seventh annual Corruption Assessment Report prepared by the NGO, Center for the Study of Democracy [...] |
2006-04-10 15:23:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KCOR KCRM BU |
| 06SOFIA518 |
BULGARIA: JEWISH COMMUNITY PONDERS OPTIONS FOR [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Following the recent court decision rejecting the Bulgarian Jewish community's claim to the Rila Hotel (reftel), the community and the government have initiated talks toward a political settlement to outstanding property claims. The creation of a commission to consider restitu [...] |
2006-04-12 07:05:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PHUM KNAR KIRF BU |
| 06SOFIA527 |
BULGARIA'S VIEW ON UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL [...] (U) We delivered reftel A talking points to Ambassador Kamen Velichkov, Director of the MFA's UN and Global Issues Directorate, on 12 April. Velichkov stressed the importance of the Human Rights Council (HRC) to Bulgaria's UN agenda, and said that the Foreign Minister might raise the issue w [...] |
2006-04-13 14:34:00 | Embassy Sofia | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PHUM UNGA BU |
| 06SOFIA537 |
BULGARIA'S G8 CTAG MEETING: POLITICS OVERSHADOWS [...] (C) SUMMARY: On 13 April, A/DCM attended a local meeting of the G8 Counter-Terrorism Action Group and delivered reftel A talking points. The meeting was chaired by Russian Ambassador Anatoly Potapov and was attended by diplomatic representatives of all G8 member nations except Canada, which [...] |
2006-04-17 14:45:00 | Embassy Sofia | SECRET | PGOV PTER RS BU |
| 06SOFIA553 |
BULGARIA: NEW CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF TO CONTINUE [...] (C) SUMMARY. President Purvanov has appointed Lieutenant General Zlatan Stoykov to be Bulgaria's new Chief of the General Staff. Stoykov is a strong supporter of increased U.S./NATO engagement as well as Bulgaria's continued participation in OIF and ISAF. From the U.S. point of view, he is [...] |
2006-04-19 12:12:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MASS PREL PGOV BU |
| 06SOFIA554 |
BULGARIA PLANS TO IMPOSE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS ON [...] No summary [...] |
2006-04-19 12:33:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ECON ETRD BO BU |
| 06SOFIA557 |
BULGARIA REMAINS SUPPORTIVE ON KOSOVO [...] (C) We delivered reftel points to Hristo Georgiev, director of the MFA's Europe I (Balkans) department. Georgiev agreed to convey the recommended messages to both Belgrade and Pristina on behalf of Bulgaria, and said the GOB's position on Kosovo remains very close to that of the United States. [...] |
2006-04-19 13:00:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV SR KPKO BU |
| 06SOFIA562 |
SCENESETTER FOR YOUR BILATERAL PROGRAM IN SOFIA [...] (C) SUMMARY. All of Bulgaria -- and many others in the region -- will be watching April 27 as you and Foreign Minister Kalfin sign in Sofia the Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA), which gives U.S. military forces access to Bulgarian bases. The long-awaited agreement will be the highlight of [...] |
2006-04-20 12:55:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR ENRG EINV OVIP EUN LY IZ BG |
| 06SOFIA565 |
SCENESETTER FOR YOUR BILATERAL PROGRAM IN SOFIA [...] (C) SUMMARY. All of Bulgaria -- and many others in the region -- will be watching April 27 as you and Foreign Minister Kalfin sign in Sofia the Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA), which gives U.S. military forces access to Bulgarian bases. The long-awaited agreement will be the highlight of [...] |
2006-04-20 14:45:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR ENRG EINV OVIP EUN LY IZ BG |
| 06SOFIA579 |
YOUR MEETING MAY 4 WITH BULGARIAN PRESIDENT [...] (C) Bulgarian President Georgi Purvanov, whom you will meet May 4 in Vilnius, Lithuania, has played a key role in ensuring the continuity of this country's pro-U.S. foreign policy through three administrations in Sofia. By any measure -- percentage of GDP spent on deployments abroad, number o [...] |
2006-04-25 12:57:00 | Embassy Sofia | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MARR EUN LY IZ BG |
| 06SOFIA58 |
TERRORIST FINANCE: POSSIBLE HIT IN BULGARIA ON [...] (C) Dr. Vasil Kirov, Director of the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA), called in Econ Officers on January 13 to discuss a possible hit on one of the eight names the USG sent the GOB in terrorist finance list 74 on December 9, 2005. 2. (C) Bulgarian bank Bulbank informed the FIA that the [...] |