Europe Intelligence Wire articles from August 2004

Europe Intelligence Wire archives from August 2004

Bulgarian Special Forces Match Those in USA and Russia.
August 31, 2004... (From PARI Daily) "We accept only 10 out of 100 candidates willing to join our squad" Colonel Georgi UZUNOV, commander of the Specialised Squad for Fight against Terrorism (SSFT), tells Plamen GRIGOROV Colonel Uzunov, it's been...

Local Special Units to Merge into One.
August 31, 2004... (From PARI Daily) Byline: Plamen TODOROV THE FIRST Bulgarian special unit is the Parachute Battalion. Its bases were laid in the spring of 1942 and on March 18, 1943 the chief of His Majesty's Air Force, Major-General Ayranov,...

Crude Affects Current Account by EUR 13m in June.
August 31, 2004... (From PARI Daily) Byline: Valentina ILIEVA The receipts from BTC privatisation raise investments 50.2% in H1 BULGARIA'S trade deficit worsened by 38.5% in the first half of 2004, year on year, BNB balance of payments data show....

Industrial Holding Bulgaria Rises Profit to BGN 1.477m.
August 31, 2004... (From PARI Daily) Byline: Borislav KOEV INDUSTRIAL Holding Bulgaria reported a consolidated profit of BGN 1.477 million for the first half of 2004, an 80% jump compared to the corresponding period of 2003. The profit per share is BGN...

State to Raise Stake in Armeets.
August 31, 2004... (From PARI Daily) Byline: Tanya RAYCHEVA in Varna THE BULGARIAN state is willing to raise its stake in Armeets, Valentin Dimov, member of the insurance company's management board, said. Currently the state holds 8.2% of Armeets...

Income from Interests Not to be Taxed.
August 31, 2004... (From PARI Daily) Byline: Viktoria LAZOVA THERE is no requirement for Bulgaria to introduce taxation over the income from interests, finance minister Milen Velchev said. According to him, it could be an idea of separate countries but...

Macedonian President Urges More Investment.
August 31, 2004... (From PARI Daily) BULGARIA and Macedonia should boost the level of economic activity, investment and trade exchange, Macedonian president Branko Crvenkovski said after meeting his Bulgarian counterpart Georgi Parvanov. In a liberal...

NACO Letter Stops Works on Airport.
August 31, 2004... (From PARI Daily) Byline: Iliana TONCHEVA THE DESIGNER of the new passenger terminal of Sofia Airport, the Dutch NACO, has sent a letter to the transport ministry saying that the additional costs of the project will not be paid by...

Vice Premier Heads Airport Concession Commission.
August 31, 2004... (From PARI Daily) PRIME minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha has appointed a commission to choose a concessionaire for Bulgaria's airports in Varna and Bourgas. The commission is chaired by vice premier and transport minister Nikolay...

AF Invests BGN 13m in Agriculture Jan-Aug.
August 31, 2004... (From PARI Daily) AGRICULTURE Fund has invested a total of BGN 13.366 million in local agriculture sector for the first eight months of the year, according to data provided by the Bulgarian Agriculture Ministry. Of the sum, a total of...

Bulgaria's Suspended IOC Member to Sue BBC.
August 31, 2004... (From PARI Daily) BULGARIAN Ivan Slavkov, who was suspended from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on corruption charges, will sue the BBC, it emerged Monday. Bulgaria's prosecutor general Nikola Filchev has reportedly promised...

Aroma Posts BGN 1.163m Consolidated Loss.
August 31, 2004... (From PARI Daily) COSMETICS company Aroma generated a consolidated loss of BGN 1.163 million for the first half of 2004, compared to BGN 669,000 for the corresponding period of 2003. Aroma's non-consolidated loss for the first six...

Memo to Help Improve Environmental Protection.
August 31, 2004... (From PARI Daily) BULGARIA'S ministers Milko Kovachev of energy and Dolores Arsenova of environment and the heads of Maritsa Iztok Mines and Maritsa Iztok thermal power plants (TPPs) signed a memorandum on cooperation in the field of...

Justice Minister Rebuffs Wire-tapping Facilitation.
August 31, 2004... (From PARI Daily) Byline: Nadya MARINOVA BULGARIA'S justice minister Anton Stankov does not share the ideas of prosecutor general Nikola Filchev and interior ministry chief secretary Boyko Borissov for facilitation of the procedure...

Oil&Gas Marks 10% Rise on the Bourse.
August 31, 2004... (From PARI Daily) THE SHARES OF Oil and Gas Exploration and Production company appreciated by 10% to BGN 12.95, while registering a trade volume of 2,500 on the Bulgarian Stock exchange yesterday. Oil and Gas Exploration and...

Phantom Companies Win Public Contracts for Training.
August 31, 2004... (From PARI Daily) Byline: Mila KISSYOVA THE STATE tolerates unfair competition and the infringement of copyrights, Bulgarian Industrial Association (BIA) chairman Bozhidar Danev said. He explained that a lot of public contracts in...

Official Results Give Alkhanov 74%.
August 31, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) GROZNY -- Kremlin-favored candidate Alu Alkhanov won 74 percent of the vote in Chechnya's presidential election, election officials said Monday, amid reports of widespread vote rigging from independent observers....

'Russian New Yorker' Off to a Good Start.
August 31, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) A new weekly magazine has hit the newsstands -- Novy Ochevidets, or The New Eyewitness, which the press immediately dubbed the "Russian New Yorker." Intellectual magazines like The New Yorker are a distinct...

Travel Unsafe at Any Speed.
August 31, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) After two planes crashed almost simultaneously last Tuesday, killing all 90 people on board, the authorities -- including the Federal Security Service, or FSB -- insisted that no evidence of a terrorist attack had...

Downed Planes Were Not Hijacked.
August 31, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) After analyzing flight recorders and the debris from two planes that crashes almost simultaneously last week, investigators concluded Monday that the planes had been blown up in a terrorist attack but had not been...

News in Brief: Bus Stop Bomb Probe.
August 31, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) Moscow -- Moscow police are stepping up their search for two suspects connected to a bus stop explosion on Kashirskoye Shosse in southern Moscow last Tuesday, but maintaining that the attack was not linked to twin...

News in Brief: Election Changes.
August 31, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) MOSCOW -- The Central Elections Commission will discuss amendments to the Election Law on Tuesday that would drastically change how the State Duma is elected. The amendments envision deputies being elected...

Putin Lifts Embargo on Iraqi Arms Sales.
August 31, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) Russian arms companies can sell weapons to the new Iraqi government, according to a decree by President Vladimir Putin published on the Kremlin's web site Monday. While the move is a formality that brings...

Money Supply Shrinks After Bank Crisis.
August 31, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) The nation's M2 money supply shrank in July for the first time in 17 months. M2, which includes all funds that can be spent immediately plus small-time deposits, declined 1.4 percent to 3.635 trillion rubles...

Realty Prices Take a Summer Break.
August 31, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) Moscow apartment prices will continue to grow in the foreseeable future, City Hall said last week, in a rebuttal of recent media reports that the construction sector is in crisis and real estate prices may soon...

Belorussky Project Gets Green Light.
August 31, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) Mayor Yury Luzhkov has endorsed a multimillion-dollar project to build new lanes and a tunnel under Ploshchad Tverskoi Zastavy at Belorussky Station in a move that City Hall hopes will help to ease downtown...

St. Pete Makes $1.7M in Gas Station Leases.
August 31, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) ST. PETERSBURG -- A total of 52 million rubles ($1.7 million) will be transferred to the city budget by gas station operators Shell and Neste St. Petersburg, the winners last week of the first land leasing rights...

Ask a Stupid Question.
August 31, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) How much tax do I have to pay when selling or buying a flat in Russia? Olga Boltenko, tax lawyer with Haarmann, Hemmelrath & Partner, writes: If an expat is a tax resident, he or she enjoys a significant...

Russian Converts to Islam Promote Tolerance.
August 31, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) Taras Cherniyenko looks like a typical young Russian banker: neatly dressed in a short-sleeved shirt and necktie, with a thin beard and short hair. Sitting in a cafe on Ulitsa Sretenka, he told the story of...

Floral Boutiques Are a Cut Above Metro Kiosks.
August 31, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) Since beginning work at KPG recruitment agency about a year ago, Ilona Ragueva has found herself faced with the delightful dilemma of buying fresh-cut flowers at least once a month. "We have quite a large...

ARINSO: Roll-out of HR Outsourcing strategy translates into robust sales growth & lower EBITA.
August 31, 2004... (From Hugin) 1H04: Increase in Net Sales & Net Profit Net Sales: [euro] 73.6 million (+18%) EBITA: [euro] 5.9 million (- 5%) Current profit: [euro] 4.6 million (+ 4%) Net profit: [euro] 2.6 million (+ 6%) Brussels, 31 August 2004...

ARINSO: Mise en oeuvre de la strategie d'Outsourcing RH se traduit en une forte croissance du Chiffre d'affaires et une marge EBIT reduite.
August 31, 2004... (From Hugin) 1H04: Croissance du Chiffre d'affaires et du Benefice net Chiffre d'affaires net: 73.6 millions [euro] (+18%) EBITA: 5.9 millions [euro] (-5%) Benefice net courant: 4.6 millions [euro] (+4%) Benefice net: 2.6 millions [euro]...

Clive Dolman named new Group Chief Financial Officer of Swissport International.
August 31, 2004... (From Hugin) Zurich, August 31, 2004 - In view of its continuing international expansion and plans for a Stock Exchange Listing, the Board of Directors and Executive Management of Swissport International have decided to strengthen the...

Clive Dolman nomme responsable des finances et CFO de Swissport International.
August 31, 2004... (From Hugin) Zurich, 31 aout 2004 - En vue des nouvelles etapes d'expansion et de la cotation en bourse prevue, le conseil d'administration et la direction de Swissport International ont decide de renforcer le service des finances. Clive...

Converium today informs on the external reserve review and resulting capital measures.
August 31, 2004... (From Hugin) Converium Holding Ltd - Zug, Switzerland - August 31, 2004 (not for distribution in the United States) * Converium's Board of Directors has approved a proposal to recommend to shareholders the raising of additional...

ARINSO: Uitvoering HR Outsourcing strategie vertaalt zich in stevige omzetgroei en lagere EBITA.
August 31, 2004... (From Hugin) 1H04: Groei van omzet & netto winst Netto omzet: [euro] 73.6 miljoen (+18%) EBITA : [euro] 5.9 miljoen (-5%) Courante winst: [euro] 4.6 miljoen (+4%) Netto winst: [euro] 2.6 miljoen (+6%) Brussel, 31 augustus 2004 ARINSO...

Converium berichtet heute uber die Ergebnisse der externen Uberprufung ihrer Schadenruckstellungen sowie uber resultierende Kapitalmassnahmen.
August 31, 2004... (From Hugin) Converium Holding AG - Zug, Schweiz - 31. August 2004 (nicht fur die USA bestimmt) * Der Verwaltungsrat von Converium hat einen Antrag verabschiedet, der den Aktionaren eine Kapitalerhohung von einem US$ 420 Millionen...

Clive Dolman wird neuer Finanzchef und CFO von Swissport International.
August 31, 2004... (From Hugin) Zurich, 31. August 2004 - Im Hinblick auf weitere Wachstumsschritte und den allfallig geplanten Borsengang hat sich der Verwaltungsrat und die Geschaftsleitung von Swissport International entschlossen, die Finanzabteilung zu...

Debenhams Selects Trintech's Total Smart Card Solution to Manage Chip and PIN Transactions.
August 31, 2004... (From Hugin) Trintech's Industry-leading Smart 5000 PINPad, SmartPIN SDK and EMS Enables UK's Leading Department Store to Migrate to Chip and PIN London, UK/Dublin, Ireland - 31 August, 2004 - Trintech Group Plc (NASDAQ: TTPA: Prime...

Eniros nya ledningsstruktur -fran den 1 september.
August 31, 2004... (From Hugin) Tomas Franzen tilltradde som koncernchef och VD for Eniro den 1 juni 2004 och kommer fran den 1 september aven bli VD for Eniro Sverige. Samtidigt kommer koncernens ledningsfunktioner att laggas samman med motsvarande...

Intentia "on the Road".
August 31, 2004... (From Hugin) Unternehmen/ERP- und SCM-Markt/Veranstaltungen Intentia macht Station in der Schweiz sowie Deutschland und Osterreich: Roadshow informiert zu den Themen RFID und CPFR Zug, 30. August 2004. Neue Technologien wie Radio...

Eniro: New management structure - from September 1.
August 31, 2004... (From Hugin) On June 1, 2004,Tomas Franzen was appointed CEO and president of Eniro. From September 1, he will also take up the position as president for Eniro Sweden. At the same time, the Group's staff functions will be merged with the...

Board of Directors of BasWare Corp to review a possible share issue during the fall.
August 31, 2004... (From Hugin) Stock Exchange Release 31 August 2004 The Board of Directors of BasWare Corporation resolved in its meeting on 30 August 2004 to review the possibility of carrying out a share issue during the fall and of applying for...

BasWare Oyj:n hallitus tutkii mahdollisen osakeannin toteuttamista syksyn aikana.
August 31, 2004... (From Hugin) Porssitiedote 31.8.2004 BasWare Oyj:n hallitus on kokouksessaan 30.8.2004 paattanyt tutkia mahdollisen osakeannin toteuttamista syksyn aikana ja yhtion osakkeiden hakemista Helsingin Porssin paalistalle samassa...

Notice of Extraordinary General Meeting in TDC.
August 31, 2004... (From Hugin) The Board of Directors of TDC A/S hereby invites the Company's shareholders to attend the Extraordinary General Meeting. The Extraordinary General Meeting which will be held on Monday 27 September 2004 at 2:00 PM at the...

Indkaldelse til ekstraordinar generalforsamling i TDC.
August 31, 2004... (From Hugin) Bestyrelsen for TDC A/S indkalder herved selskabets aktionarer til ek-straordinar generalforsamling: mandag den 27. september 2004, kl. 14.00 pa Radisson SAS Scandinavia Hotel, Amager Boulevard 70, 2300 Kobenhavn S....

REMINDER: Bayer AG Investor Conference on First Half 2004 Results.
August 31, 2004... (From Hugin) Today Bayer AG has published its results for the first half of 2004. Starting at around 7:30 p.m. (CEST), there will be a live Internet audio broadcast of the Investor Conference with presentations by Werner Wenning,...

REMINDER: Investorenkonferenz der Bayer AG zu den Ergebnissen des 1. Halbjahrs 2004.
August 31, 2004... (From Hugin) Die Bayer AG hat heute die Ergebnisse des 1. Halbjahrs 2004 veroffentlicht. Ab ca. 19:30 Uhr (MESZ) erfolgt live im Internet die Audio-Ubertragung der Investorenkonferenz mit Prasentationen von Werner Wenning, Vorsitzender...

New Production Wells on Stream.
August 31, 2004... (From Hugin) New production wells put on stream on the Glitne Field and the Sharyoof Field have contributed to an increase of the oil production to DNO. DNO's oil production averaged at close to 15.000 BOPD during the last week of...

YTV hankkii jatteenkuljetuksen logistiikan tietojarjestelman WM-data Novolta.
August 31, 2004... (From Hugin) Lehdistotiedote 31.8.2004 Paakaupunkiseudun yhteistyovaltuuskunta YTV hankkii WM-data Novolta logistiikan tietojarjestelman helpottamaan jatteenkuljetusten ohjausta ja seurantaa. Jarjestelma on aluksi tulossa kayttoon...

Markets.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) THE unbroken gain by the Dublin equity market last week came to a sudden stop yesterday when the ISEQ index closed 7.44 points lower at 5461.27. The slender nature of the setback reflected a fairly mixed trend...

Fexco boosts travel arm with [euro]8m car rental deal.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) KERRY-based global payments firm Fexco has made a new acquisition that further expands the reach of its travel and leisure division. It has bought Nova RentaCar Reservations Ltd, an independent global car...

Profits slip at Kilkenny printing firm.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) KILKENNY People Printing Ltd, which was bought by Scottish Radio Holdings in 2000, saw gross profit slip back slightly to [euro]1.3m last year. However, administration expenses were shaved by close to...

Gas plant operator wins Galway contract.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) A DIVISION of German energy giant RWE has won a contract which could generate revenues of up to [euro]1bn over its 10-year life, to operate and supply gas to a new power plant in Galway. RWE Trading Ireland...

ComReg moves to settle unbundling debate.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) THE Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) has taken another step in its long running battle to reduce Eircom's charge for Local Loop Unbundling (LLU). Yesterday, the regulator issued a draft...

News In Brief.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) SE expands info on website THE Irish Stock Exchange has set up a new facility on its website to teach consumers the basic principles of investing in equities. The e-learning tool has sections on stock...

Big increases in ESB and gas prices coming.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) BUSINESSES and consumers are set for a double whammy later this week when energy regulator Tom Reeves is due to sanction large increases in gas and electricity prices. It is understood Mr Reeves is set to...

Swedish telco Tele2 offers new fixed line service.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) SWEDISH-based telecom operator Tele2 is expected to name Mark O'Toole to head up its drive into the Irish fixed line market, according to industry sources. A spokesperson for Nasdaq-listed Tele2, which is...

Mercury duo flying high with [euro]20m jet.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) TYRONE-born engineer Frank O'Kane and his fellow director Joe Morgan have joined the jet set by acquiring a Bombardier Challenger 604 worth about [euro]20m. The two men's highly successful business, Mercury...

Chamber lashes IBEC in rates row.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) EMPLOYERS group IBEC has been attacked by rival organisation, the Chambers of Commerce of Ireland, over claims its rhetoric is not matched by its actions in pay negotiations. John Dunne, chief executive of...

Anglo Irish backs [euro]27m UK property deal.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) A FUND run by Anglo Irish Bank has backed the takeover of a [euro]27m shopping centre in the West Midlands in England. Among the investors in the fund is the bank's chief executive, Sean FitzPatrick. The...

EU contracts service for Dublin firms.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) A NEW service will give Dublin companies daily information on procurement contracts by any public body throughout the EU - a business worth [euro]1,500bn a year. The Dublin Euro Info Centre* is a...

Icon chairman Climax paid $734k last year as directors share $2m.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) THE executive chairman of clinical research company Icon, Dr John Climax, was paid $734,470 in total last year as the eight directors of the company shared $2m, the company's annual report shows. According to...

Investors backing hedge funds.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) HEDGE Funds will continue to offer an alternative, or even additional, option for investors now that equities are offering lower returns and greater volatility. David Hogarty, head of Consultant Relationships...

EC taking further step towards Pact revamp.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) THE European Commission will review its ideas for a revamped Stability and Growth Pact on government deficits this week, including a plan to broaden the scope of a get-out clause which takes account of protracted...

Consumer spending rebounds in US.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) US CONSUMER spending rebounded sharply in July, erasing the disappointment of June and bolstering hopes that the economy has recovered from its recent soft spot. Personal spending rose 0.8pc, more than making...

Bringing shame on their country.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Sir - May I refer to the letter by Patrick O'Loughlin, Abbeyfeale, Co Limerick, titled "puzzled by Nigeria". As a patriotic Nigerian, I would like to thank him for his well thought-out and objective comments. ...

Oil prices drop sharply despite Iraq attacks.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) OIL prices dropped sharply to about $42 a barrel yesterday, as last week's sell-off continued despite sabotage of Iraqi oil infrastructure that curbed exports. "It just goes to show you that when the...

Papers speak volumes about decision making.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) THE sheer persistence of a college president has paid off with the release of fascinating documents under the Freedom of Information Act. They speak volumes about how decisions are taken at official and political...

Flawed decision.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Flawed decisionIN THE scale of bad moves, last year's decision to close St Catherine's College of Home Economics in Blackrock, Co Dublin, and concentrate teacher training in St Angela's in Sligo, came nowhere...

In for the kill ().
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Animal-rights activists have been hitting the headlines in Britain with their militant campaign against labs, but in this country testing still seems to be clouded in secrecy. Willie Dillon reports It's one...

Here today ... but will they be gone tomorrow?
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) A new survey claims that handwriting will be consigned to the history books in just 50 years. Pat Stacey reflects on a few other things that could soon be on the endangered list - including himself When was...

From Asia to Letterkenny in one dish.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Ready in half an hour Myles McWeeney I t might seen a little OTT to travel all the way from Dublin to Letterkenny just for dinner, but, as the following recipe for an exotic Asian chicken dish will prove, it...

A step-by-step approach to getting a nursing place.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Today is the long awaited closing date for CAO's first round of offers - long awaited, particularly by those who are anxious to find out if they will receive a higher preference offer in the next round. Those...

Tried & tested korma curry sauces.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) A Korma curry is one of the classic Indian dishes. It's hugely popular for its rich yellow sauce, coloured naturally with turmeric and thickened with coconut and almonds. It's supposed to be mild, which may be...

Okay guys, have you really thought this one through?
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Party conventions tend to be rather partisan affairs. Here in Ireland, we hold them in Dublin because it offers our rural TDs and delegates a chance to sample the delights of our fantastic capital city (well, if...

WINTERS.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Some of us are old enough to recall the days when you could go to the shops, leave your door open and return to find nothing changed - apart from six inches of snow in the hallway. Ah, they don't make winters...

Men's grooming - it's not for me.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) One Man's Life Ed Power Male grooming - is there really, seriously, honestly such a thing? Are significant numbers of men actually flinging money away on dubious potions that presume to deflect the ageing...

It's a fishy business.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Marianne Heron visits a bright home full of children, dogs and tropical fish As conversation pieces go it's a showstopper. A slice of tropical reef, where fluorescent fish dart quickly among pastel-coloured...

Best cellars New World domination.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Sometimes a simple statistic can force eyebrows sharply skyward. Last week, Kieran Tobin, chairman of the Wine and Spirit Association of Ireland, revealed one that had those of a posse of Irish wine writers...

Honouring Ireland's heroes of today.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) It has recently been suggested that Ireland should have a system of honours. Sue Leonard poses the question - who would get the people's votes? We love our heroes. Cian O'Connor has won the hearts of the...

Claire Byrne, TV3 news anchor.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Claire Byrne said she would like to see a system like the British one. "My partner's grandfather got an MBE for making wooden implements for the disabled. He's dead now, but it's such a nice thing for us to...

Horoscope Horoscope.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Your stars Sarah Delamere Hurding Aries: This is a dynamic, go-getting stretch, so prepare to forge ahead with your plans. Make way for what's new and exciting. Times change and you are sure to embrace some...

My daughter's pretty in pink.
August 31, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Family life Alison Walsh Yesterday, I took junior out to buy some presents for my daughter's fourth birthday. As I pushed the pram down the canal towpath, I wondered where I could look next for her requested...