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Hoover's Online Minister says Bulgaria to spend more for defence than other NATO candidates June 26, 2002 6:50pm 06/26/2002 Sofia, 26 June: Bulgaria will continue spending more for defence in the next three years than the other NATO membership candidates do, Finance Minister Milen Velchev told the press upon his return Wednesday [26 June] from a working visit to the US between 23-25 June. The expenses will be about 2.7 per cent of the GDP, he said. According to him, the US side appreciates highly this fact. In the US he met with representatives of the government administration and of Congress, to discuss financial aspects of Bulgaria's future accession to NATO. During his visit Velchev conferred with IMF Managing Director Horst Koehler, IMF Mission Leader for Bulgaria Gerald Schiff, World Bank Vice-President Johannes Linn and other senior officials of the international financial institutions. The schedule for the increase of energy prices will be presented to the IMF before 20 July when the Fund Board of Directors is due to meet to discuss, among other things the latest review of the agreement with Bulgaria, and, hopefully, to decide to release the second tranche of nearly 32.5m dollars under a 300m dollar two-year programme. The International Finance Corporation showed interest in the privatization of Biochim Commercial Bank, DSK Bank and the state-owned telecoms, but not in Bulgartabac, said Velchev. Asked to comment the effect of the sliding dollar on the Bulgarian economy, he said that there will be more positive effects than negative. Source: BTA web site, Sofia, in English 26 Jun 02 /� BBC Monitoring __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! - Official partner of 2002 FIFA World Cup http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bacIlu Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
