February 2 (SeeNews) - Following are some of the main stories in Bulgarian newspapers on Tuesday morning. SeeNews has not verified these reports and cannot vouch for their accuracy.
DNEVNIK
- Bulgaria’s Premier Minister Boyko Borisov surprisingly backed President Georgi Parvanov's decision to veto amendments to the law on armed forces which restrict the powers of the president as commander-in-chief of the Bulgarian army and cut the servicemen's welfare benefits, and to the law on rallies and demonstrations which ban protest rallies in front of government buildings. The amendments were sponsored by members of Borisov's cabinet and passed by Parliament recently.
- The first audit of the implementation of the EU-funded programme for the development of rural areas in Bulgaria carried out by European Commission experts established that the Agriculture Ministry should make urgent changes to almost all ordinances connected with programme, Dnevnik quoted the State Agriculture Fund's executive director Kallina Ilieva as saying. The audit report was sent to the State Agriculture Fund late last week.
24 HOURS
- The chairman of Bulgaria’s state commission on gambling Dimitar Terziev resigned after it emerged that the commission had drafted a law amendment cutting gambling tax. Bulgaria’s government as of January 1 raised gambling tax to 15% from 10%.
- Russian oil company Lukoil stopped production in its Bulgarian refinery, Lukoil Neftochim Burgas, for a month-long maintenance in February.
- Doctors, nurses and citizens in small towns across Bulgaria are holding protests against the planned shutdown of a number of hospitals over huge debts.
SEGA
- Unemployment in Bulgaria will not exceed 10% by the end of February, the head of Bulgaria’s National Employment Agency Rositsa Stelyanova said.
PARI
- Pharmaceutical companies listed on the Bulgarian Stock Exchange posted an average profit rise of 67% in 2009, the companies’ non-consolidated annual reports showed.
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