Europe Intelligence Wire articles from November 2004

Europe Intelligence Wire archives from November 2004

Czech press survey.
November 30, 2004... (From Czech News Agency) PRAGUE, Nov 30 (CTK) - President Vaclav Klaus is likely to admit Mirek Topolanek's "temporary" successes as Civic Democratic Party (ODS) chairman but also to support his own favourites seeking the posts of ODS...

Corruption in Interior Ministry Remains High.
November 30, 2004... (From PARI Daily) Byline: Nadya MARINOVA THE NUMBER of corruption cases in Bulgaria's interior ministry remains unchanged from last year, the Military Prosecutor's Office said. The hardest cases for investigation are corruption...

Allianz Bulgaria Sells EUR 15m Mortgage Bonds.
November 30, 2004... (From PARI Daily) Byline: Valia ILIEVA COMMERCIAL bank Allianz Bulgaria placed successfully its EUR 15 million mortgage bonds emission. The five-year bonds that carry a 5.75% annual interest were fully subscribed. The securities are...

Price of Mobiltel Deal Reaches EUR 1.6bn.
November 30, 2004... (From PARI Daily) Byline: Iliana TONCHEVA and Konstantin NIKOLOV Telekom Austria given exclusive right to start negotiations TELEKOM Austria has signed a memorandum of understanding with Mobiltel's shareholders which gives it the...

Optimism in Business Climate Cools Down.
November 30, 2004... (From PARI Daily) BULGARIAN business climate index dropped by 4.6 percentage points in November, according to data provided by the National Statistical Institute (NSI). The sharpest decrease was registered in construction sector,...

Hebros Leasing Launches Good Client Programme.
November 30, 2004... (From PARI Daily) Byline: Ekaterina HRISTOVA HEBROS LEASING started its new leasing programme, called Good Client, CEO Stanislav Tanushev said. The leasing company will issue a card to every good client it has and the document will...

Bankers Mull New Mechanism for DIF Contributions.
November 30, 2004... (From PARI Daily) Byline: Valentina ILIEVA THE BANKING circles in Bulgaria are discussing changes to the system of contributions paid to the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF). The changes are intended to take into account the differences...

Further Improvement Expected in Investment Conditions.
November 30, 2004... (From PARI Daily) Byline: Nikola ABADJIEV, chairman of the Bulgarian Association of Supplementary Pension Security Companies THE LAWS and statutory regulations are the basis for development of supplementary pension insurance....

C-Bank Fixes Base Interest Rate to LEONIA Index.
November 30, 2004... (From PARI Daily) Byline: Biliana VACHEVA BASE interest rate in Bulgaria will be fixed to the reference index LEONIA /Lev Over Night Index Average/ as of the beginning of 2005, treasurer Gergana Beremska said. The rate will no longer...

Dynamic Processes Accompany Insurance Sector Development.
November 30, 2004... (From PARI Daily) Byline: Gergana IVANOVA DYNAMIC and somewhat unexpected processes have accompanied the rapid development of the insurance sector in Bulgaria in 2004. The branch started the year without a supervisor; the...

Considerable Growth Expected in Coming Years.
November 30, 2004... (From PARI Daily) Byline: Venislav YOTOV, management board chairman of the Association of Bulgarian Insurers THIS year again we expect that insurance market growth will exceed the rate of economy growth. However, we should keep in...

Voluntary Health Insurance Market Develops Rapidly.
November 30, 2004... (From PARI Daily) Byline: Gergana IVANOVA THE YEAR 2004 has been interesting for the voluntary health insurance market. Five companies have received licences this year alone, which has raised their total number to eleven. The data...

Biovet Hits Four-Year High.
November 30, 2004... (From PARI Daily) Byline: Anna BRANDIYSKA SHARES of Biovet jumped by 8.96% to an average price of BGN 6.08, marking a four-year high on the Bulgarian Stock Exchange (BSE) yesterday. Some 3,200 of the company's stocks changed hands...

Prospects before Health Insurance in Bulgaria Murky.
November 30, 2004... (From PARI Daily) Byline: Mimi VITKOVA, chairwoman of the Association of Licensed Voluntary Health Insurance Companies THE PROSPECTS for development of voluntary health insurance in Bulgaria remain murky. It is more than obvious that...

Year of Challenges for Social Security Branch.
November 30, 2004... (From PARI Daily) Byline: Gergana IVANOVA IF we have to describe the year 2004 for the pension insurance branch in Bulgaria in just one word, it will be 'challenge'. The year started with the process of account transfer, provisions...

Neochim Net Profit up 60%.
November 30, 2004... (From PARI Daily) Byline: Violeta IVANOVA THE CONSOLIDATED net profit of Bulgaria's fertiliser maker Neochim for the first nine months of 2004 has risen 59.2% to BGN 2.77 million. The net sales income for the same period has...

MG Elite Holding Boosts Performance.
November 30, 2004... (From PARI Daily) Byline: Elina GEORGIEVA THE CONSOLIDATED profit of Bulgaria's MG Elite Holding for the first nine months of 2004 amounts to BGN 3.9 million, the company's financial statement shows. The figure is 70% higher than the...

Doverie Consolidated Profit Drops 18%.
November 30, 2004... (From PARI Daily) Byline: Violeta IVANOVA THE CONSOLIDATED profit of Bulgaria's Doverie United Holding for the first nine months of 2004 has dropped 18.65% to BGN 3.7 million, down from BGN 4.5 million for the year-ago period....

State to Auction 17 Firms.
November 30, 2004... (From PARI Daily) BULGARIA will place 17 limited liability companies on the the seventh remote public auction. It will start on the sixth day after the list of companies to be auctioned on it appears in the State Gazette. The event will...

Iraq Eyes Bulgarian Power Supplies.
November 30, 2004... (From PARI Daily) Byline: Stela NENKOVA IRAQ'S interim government is interested in importing electricity from Bulgaria through Turkey, as well as in the participation of Bulgarian companies and specialists in the reconstruction of...

EU Employers Worry on Weak U.S. Dollar.
November 30, 2004... (From PARI Daily) DEVALUATION of the U.S. dollar and the liberalisation of trade relations with China are threatening the stability of European economy, representatives of EU employers' organisations said. The meeting of the Union...

IMF Concerned about Budget Changes.
November 30, 2004... (From PARI Daily) Byline: Ekaterina MARCHOKOVA THE INTERNATIONAL Monetary Fund (IMF) is concerned about Bulgaria's intentions to raise the spending and, respectively, the revenue projected in the 2005 budget by BGN 135 million, the...

Kiev's Boys in Blue Are Turning Orange.
November 30, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) KIEV -- Kiev policemen patrol the streets wearing orange ribbons on their sleeves to show their solidarity with the supporters of opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko who have inundated the city....

Spin Doctors Blame Yanukovych.
November 30, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) Back in Moscow after campaigning for Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, two prominent Kremlin-connected spin doctors sought to deflect criticism of their role by turning on Yanukovych, saying his criminal past had...

Putin's Impossible Dream.
November 30, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) The falsification of election results in Ukraine's presidential runoff, carried out by a corrupt local oligarchy with Kremlin support, seems finally to have ended the four-year romance between Russia's...

Klebnikov Suspect Detained in Minsk.
November 30, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) A main suspect in the murder of American journalist Paul Klebnikov has been detained by Belarussian authorities after reportedly fleeing to Minsk to hide from Russian authorities. Kazbek Dukuzov, an ethnic...

Kurgan's United Russia Governor Faces Runoff.
November 30, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) Despite support from the United Russia party, incumbent Kurgan Governor Oleg Bogomolov failed to win re-election outright in weekend elections and will now square off against Yevgeny Sobakin, a candidate of the...

Deutsche to Gazprom: Buy Yugansk.
November 30, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) Gazprom is considering a recommendation from Deutsche Bank that it buy Yuganskneftegaz, Yukos' main production unit, as part of a wider strategy to increase its presence in the oil sector, a company official said...

News in Brief: Flap Over Fines.
November 30, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) MOSCOW -- Russian citizens staying in places other than where they are permanently registered face a fine of 2,500 rubles ($90) if they fail to register with the authorities within three days. The fine, which...

Russia Close to Paris Club Debt Deal.
November 30, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) Russia is close to striking a deal with Paris Club creditors to pay off billions of dollars of its debt early, a senior Finance Ministry official said Monday. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity,...

Dawn Breaking for Days Inn.
November 30, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) U.S.-based Cendant Corporation, the world's largest lodging franchiser, has signed a deal with Hermitage Hospitality to develop 45 of its midrange Days Inn hotels in Russia and 14 former Soviet countries over the...

Outbid, Tycoon Wins Rossiya Tender.
November 30, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) Moscow on Monday awarded the right to redevelop the massive Rossiya Hotel complex -- one of the most coveted contracts in Russian real estate -- to a multimillionaire with a long history of doing business with the...

Russian Realty, Retail Turn Heads in France.
November 30, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) CANNES, France -- Just a few years ago, Russia was way off the radar screen of most international retailers, developers and investors. But if this month's MAPIC retail exhibition in the south of France is any...

U.S. Developer to Build a City Within a City.
November 30, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) A developer from Texas plans to erect an entire city in central Moscow, right next to another city-within-a-city. Houston-based construction giant Hines, which has $13 billion worth of projects under way...

St. Pete Flea Market Gets $30M Facelift.
November 30, 2004... (From The Moscow Times) ST. PETERSBURG -- Apraksin Dvor plans to spend up to $30 million on reconstruction to become one of the highlights of the center of St. Petersburg, the head of the agency charged with the complex's development...

Following EMEA decision to review safety of COX-2 class, Novartis temporarily withdraws EU Mutual Recognition Procedure application for Prexige[R].
November 30, 2004... (From Hugin) New Prexige data further strengthening product profile to be presented at Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) meeting in Chicago Basel, November 30, 2004 - Novartis Pharma AG announced today that it...

Graham Dixon joins Galapagos as Chief Scientific Officer.
November 30, 2004... (From Hugin) Mechelen, Belgium, November 30th, 2004 - Galapagos announced today that Graham Dixon has been appointed Chief Scientific Officer (CSO). Dr. Dixon will be responsible for directing the target selection and drug discovery...

News In Brief.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) CNG signs deals with hotel chains KERRY-based CNG Travel Group has signed distribution agreements with two additional hotel chains, Swiss Quality Hotels and Sol Melia Hotels. ComReg move on wireless...

ECB is unlikely to raise rates as growth stalls.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) INTEREST rates are likely to stay unchanged for the next six months, a group of eurozone think-tanks said yesterday, as markets watch for a change of tone from the European Central Bank this week. The...

Outgoing airline boss fielding offers.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) OUTGOING Aer Lingus boss Willie Walsh has received job offers from airlines in North and South America, Britain and Asia since he announced he is leaving his job, it has emerged. While some of the contacts...

Kennedy arcade posts [euro]119,000 after revamp.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) THE Dublin city centre arcade founded by controversial businessman Jim Kennedy saw retained profits surge 28pc to [euro]119,000 in 2003 as it invested heavily in revamping its Westmoreland Street premises as a...

Exports slipped sharply in September to [euro]6.6bn.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) THE trade surplus of exports over imports fell to the lowest level in more than four years as exports slipped sharply in September. Preliminary figures from the CSO showed exports down by [euro]800m from...

Elan's MS drug gets US pricing boost.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) SHARES in Elan rose yesterday after the Dublin-headquartered drugs company announced higher-than-expected pricing in the US for its new multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri. Responding to the pricing, analysts...

Broadband rollout falling further adrift.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) IRELAND has a shortfall of 360,000 broadband connections compared with average levels across 21 countries, according to a review by Government think-tank Forfas. The study found that Ireland's rollout of...

Tullow flows gas in Bangladesh.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) TULLOW Oil has enjoyed more success with its exploration programme in Bangladesh, with test results on its gas discovery Bangora-1 revealing gas flows in excess of 120 million cubic feet per day. This was the...

Coca-Cola bottler's profits surge 23pc.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) PRE-TAX profit at the company which bottles and distributes Coca-Cola and other popular drinks in Ireland surged 23pc to [euro]18.8m in 2003. The improved performance came as John Daly & Company cut almost...

Bosses seek higher spend on infrastructure in Budget.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) HIGHER expenditure on infrastructure comes top of the Budget wish list of Irish chief executives, according to a pre-Budget survey by Deloitte. Thirty-four per cent of chief executive officers would prefer...

Oracle eyeing 150 new jobs in expansion.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) TECHNOLOGY company Oracle is set to recruit 150 people after establishing a new consulting centre at Dublin's East Point Business Park and a new Northern Ireland base. The new Dublin centre will directly...

Finn is named as third energy regulator.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) THE former head of regulation in the Channel Island of Guernsey has been appointed as the third energy regulator in this country, it has been learned. Irishwoman Regina Finn will join Tom Reeves and former...

Minco raises [euro]4.5m for Mexican silver project.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) MINCO, the Irish base metals company which is now concentrating on silver and gold projects, has raised [euro]4.5m in a fundraising to institutions. The company placed 40.91m new ordinary shares at 11p per share,...

Housing market in UK is slowing.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) THE number of approvals for British home loans tumbled in October to their lowest in nearly five years, in another sign that the housing market is slowing. The Bank of England said yesterday that approvals -...

Use development funds properly.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Sir - It is deeply ironic that Minister Conor Lenihan should upbraid aid agencies for spending money on advocacy. The body which he controls, Development Co-operation Ireland, funds NGOs to engage in development...

Dear old Bewley's.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Sir - While it is terrible for the employees of Bewley's to lose their jobs, I cannot feel sorry for the loss of Bewley's in general. It may well be a Dublin institution but it has been over-priced for many...

Keep our promises.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Sir - Ireland's commitment to the world's poor has long been a source of national pride and international respect. At the UN Millennium Summit in New York in 2000 our Taoiseach announced, on behalf of the Irish...

Just review the restaurant.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Sir - I notice of late that restaurant reviewers trying to be witty spend most of the review space discussing matters which have no relevance to the issue at hand. The review of Restaurant de Roberto by...

Questions for the FAI.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Sir - Surely apart from the obligation of placing advertisements for the position of Chief Executive and Head of Finance, the Football Association of Ireland should be instructed to make public the exact...

Time to move on, Mary.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Sir - I read with interest the article 'Merck in R&D boost for Irish subsidiary' in the business pages. Investment in research and development by such a prestigious company is an endorsement of recent government...

Not such a free flow.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Sir - True to form, the first morning of traffic free flow has gone to schedule. It took me 15 minutes longer to get to work. That did give me more time to listen to journalists talking about how the extra gardai...

Tax cuts are best way of fuelling economic growth.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) IN THE debate about raising taxes, especially direct taxes, to finance more spending on services the key issue is what economists call the "tax wedge". In relation to direct taxes and labour this means the...

Broken promises.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) A LORRY damages a bridge. One lane of the busiest road in the country is closed, trapping thousands upon thousands of truckers and motorists who take up to two hours to travel 14 miles. Their suffering will last...

Bitter divide.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) THE divisions between East and West Ukraine remained as bitter as ever yesterday, but the two leaders of the old guard moved towards moderation and, at least partly, to the solution to the country's crisis...

Why we all want a celebrity wedding.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) We're demanding bigger weddings than ever, but will they guarantee the happiest days of our lives? Catherine Murphy reports Glamour model Jordan recently revealed that she wants to make her forthcoming...

Horoscope Horoscope.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Your stars Sarah Delamere Hurding Aries: Access all the potent energy at your disposal. It is perhaps time to pick yourself up, dust yourself down and start all over again. Concentrate on you for the moment....

The loneliness of a celibate priest.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) When I was training to be a priest more than 30 years ago, celibacy was considered far superior to marriage. Back then, sex was frowned upon. Its only purpose was procreation. People looked up to those who led...

Living in a material world.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Family life Alison Walsh I am an avid reader of the property section of the newspaper. This isn't because I have any interest whatsoever in bricks and mortar. I scan the pages and envision myself as the...

Fake fur: Is it truly better than the real thing?
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) 10 years after fur became a fashion no-no, the trade is trying to out-ethicise animal rights lobbyists by claiming faking it pollutes the environment. Liz Jones reports Until recently we always thought that...

The Fur debate.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) FAKE FUR FACTS * This autumn fake fur garments are very much in vogue, with all high street stores and major designers stocking synthetic imitations. Faux fur coats start from around [euro]50 and go up to...

Get into the perfect party dress.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) With a fortnight to go until the Christmas party Lucy Bowen tried the new cereal diet This week our fashion pages are dedicated to the traditional and favourite party outfit - the LBD, little black dress. But...

They milk horses, don't they?
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) For a nation obsessed by the gee-gees, the news that horses' milk could be on the dairy counters might come as a bit of a surprise, Christine Doyle reports A new report suggests that bottles of cows' milk may...

"Dear Santa, I would like...".
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Suzanne Walsh's Beauty Spot The following are my favourite beauty products and treatments around; you might want to include some of them in your Christmas wish list. TRANSFORMULAS LIP VOLUME -...

Surviving your fortnight.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) * Try to drink 6 - 8 glasses of water per day * Snack on fruit * If you need a pudding, then try making sugar-free jelly * Trim fat and remove skin from meat * Choose grilled food over fried food...

Let's dance.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Gisele's Celeb Style * I'm not actually a great fan of the BBC'sStrictly ComeDancing where celebrities team up with professional dancers in a weekly charity "dance off". However the frocks and shoes are fab....

WHAT'S HOT IN FASHION AND BEAUTY.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) FASHION Celebs worldwide have been donning suede ruched boots either worn high or scrunched down over jeans. It seems that this look is the new hot thing and is cropping up everywhere. Our favourite TV and...

How to avoid being a martyr to your family this Christmas.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Women are particularly guilty of taking on too much over Christmas. Well, there's no need. Follow our simple guide and enjoy the day, says Katy McGuinness What is it about the very mention of the word...

Win a Boots hamper of pressies worth around [euro]500.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) The lead up to Christmas can be a stressful time for most people especially when it comes to shopping for Christmas gifts, but with a bit of forward planning and some manageable Christmas gift ideas from Boots,...

My children's Christmas concert is on the same night as my office party. What should I do?
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Your dilemmas answered by Katy McGuinness Q: I have just discovered that my children's Christmas concert is on the same night as our office party. I am in a complete state trying to decide which one to go to....

Mind & Body this week: children & depression.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Children throughout the world are increasingly being prescribed antidepressants and other drugs designed to calm or stimulate the brain. And dentists are warning about the dangers of antidepressants which may...

ALL THE LATEST ON ... DUMMIES.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) * Babies who are given dummies and bottle fed are twice as likely to have misaligned milk or 'baby' teeth as babies who are breastfed. Milk teeth will be replaced by permanent teeth, but the positioning and...

Cafe society.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Eating out Alan Stanford reviews Cafe Bar Deli Style: Cafe/Bistro The Look: Old Bewleys Clientele: Business people and tourists Don't Miss: The pastas Cost per person: [euro]20 (without wine) Ihave always...

Tried & tested smoked salmon.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Probably the most popular starter for Christmas dinner in Ireland is smoked salmon. On a day when everyone tends to stuff themselves silly, a little of it goes a long way because it is is quite rich. We put five...

Irish oysters come out of their shells.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Ready in half an hour Myles McWeeney Not everyone likes oysters, mostly because they are, for the most part, eaten raw. But if you thought that the only way of eating one was to suck it off its shell with...

Best cellars Christmas Cheer.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Tesco recently took over the library in the RDS to display their Christmas range of goodies, a cornucopia of food, confectionery and consumer durables that contained everything from mince pies and Christmas cakes...

Why the path to progress is littered with technology.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Ed Power reports on our never-decreasing capacity for consumerism S hedding a tear for the soon-to-be-departed video recorder is rather like mourning the slide into irrelevance of the horse-drawn cart and the...

Why the world listens when this man speaks.
November 30, 2004... (From Irish Independent) Stephen R Covey is king of the self-help gurus. His blockbuster The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People has made him a confidante of political and business leaders - and earned him a huge fortune. Now, 15...