Resolution from the Midnight Crisis of SOFIMUN 8
Resolution 1 (2015)
The Security Council, Expresses its deepest concern about the bringing down of the Turkish Airlines flight by the terrorist organisation ISIS, Deeply regretting the losses that resulted from the incident at hand, Reaffirms the importance of actions currently carried out by Turkey and the United States in the border region of southern Turkey against ISIS,
1. Calls for increased assistance to the Turkish government to counter the local black market through which ISIS is partially able to economically sustain itself;
2. Affirms substantial UN -led involvement in order to further investigate the situation at hand;
3. Decides to remain seized of the matter.
The Security Council, Expresses its deepest concern about the bringing down of the Turkish Airlines flight by the terrorist organisation ISIS, Deeply regretting the losses that resulted from the incident at hand, Reaffirms the importance of actions currently carried out by Turkey and the United States in the border region of southern Turkey against ISIS,
1. Calls for increased assistance to the Turkish government to counter the local black market through which ISIS is partially able to economically sustain itself;
2. Affirms substantial UN -led involvement in order to further investigate the situation at hand;
3. Decides to remain seized of the matter.
MIDNIGHT CRISIS AT SOFIMUN 8
Abu Zamaan (who is a national of Afghanistan) is a former detainee released from Guantanamo Bay prison, in January 2013. He has seeked, and has been subsequently granted asylum in Cuba in March 2014. He curently resides in Havana.
Due to the nature of the actions carried out by the authorities of the US in Guantanamo, Abu Zamaan has filed an individual complaint under the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights, in the United Nations Human Rights Committee at the end of 2013.
Several international media outlets have made allegations that Abu Zaaman is involved with the Islamic State (ISIS) and is remotely aiding and planning an attack in France, similar to the Charlie Hebdo attack. The news about Abu Zamaan’s involvement in ISIS have been sporadically published throughout 2014 and 2015.
On August 2 2015, a Turkish Airlines airplane travelling from Moscow, Russia to Istambul, Turkey has exploded over the Black Sea. The person responsible for the attack is thought to be Ashkan Mahmoud, an Iranian national.
On August 4 2015, a video surfaces online in which Abu Zamaan claims ISIS’s responsability for the attack and makes a statement that ISIS is on its way to take over the world.
Immediately, Iran releases an official statement dennouncing the attack.
On August 5 2015, the United Nations Security Council declares a global emmergency situation and decides to convene in Sofia, Bulgaria, at 12:00 am local time.
Additional information as to the situation will be provided.
Due to the nature of the actions carried out by the authorities of the US in Guantanamo, Abu Zamaan has filed an individual complaint under the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights, in the United Nations Human Rights Committee at the end of 2013.
Several international media outlets have made allegations that Abu Zaaman is involved with the Islamic State (ISIS) and is remotely aiding and planning an attack in France, similar to the Charlie Hebdo attack. The news about Abu Zamaan’s involvement in ISIS have been sporadically published throughout 2014 and 2015.
On August 2 2015, a Turkish Airlines airplane travelling from Moscow, Russia to Istambul, Turkey has exploded over the Black Sea. The person responsible for the attack is thought to be Ashkan Mahmoud, an Iranian national.
On August 4 2015, a video surfaces online in which Abu Zamaan claims ISIS’s responsability for the attack and makes a statement that ISIS is on its way to take over the world.
Immediately, Iran releases an official statement dennouncing the attack.
On August 5 2015, the United Nations Security Council declares a global emmergency situation and decides to convene in Sofia, Bulgaria, at 12:00 am local time.
Additional information as to the situation will be provided.
News Broadcast 1
Our chairs being silly :Р
Say "Hello" to our Secretariat!
Meet the new chairs of the councils, explore the topics
part 4
This article is the last piece of the puzzle. With it, the entirety of the picture representing the councils in SOFIMUN will be completed. And so, the last article in our sequence is dedicated to one of the most philanthropic organizations- the UN Human Rights Council.
UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
This council is an intergovernmental one, focused on tackling with situations of human rights violations. It also has the mission to promote the protection of human rights all around the world. This year's topics that will be discussed by it's delegates will be - The international Status of Refugees and Asylum-seekers from the Middle East and North Africa and Global challenges to the freedom of expression.
One of the chairpersons for this committee is Piotr Sitnik from Poland. Currently he is studying law at the University College London. He is a passionate MUN-er as well and has chaired in three countries-his homeland Poland, Belarus and UK.
Mr.Sitnik regularly checks with websites that provide him with info about upcoming MUN events. This is how he knew about SOFIMUN in the fist place.
And about his further motivation to participate he explains: „Throughout its history, SOFIMUN has garnered a considerable group of avid followers and fans on the European MUN circuit. I have heard all the best things about its organization and atmosphere its delegates create and maintain. Also, having already met some of the main actors on the circuit (including, but not limited to Mr. Villena Sierra) I felt convinced that the conference must be a success. These are the reasons why I believe SOFIMUN is a perfect match for my aspirations”.
With the course of his studies being law-the basis on which human rights stand, and having additional interest in the subject area, Piotr decided to go for this cometee as a suitable choice.
But of course he has more reasons to do so :“Not only do issues discussed by the Council have a bearing on the current state of affairs, but they can also be viewed in a philosophical or ideological dimension. I am bent on specialising in human rights whether in a capacity of a barrister, or that of an academic, and do my utmost to stay up-to-date with all the newest developments“.
When asked to elaborate more on the specific topics that the council will have to discuss, he gives a very passionately spoken answer :„Freedom of expression is the bedrock of participative socio-legal systems. Its complexity is all-embracing. One cannot simply think of another human right, apart from the right to life, that would serve as an umbrella term for so many less major sub-rights, such as freedom of association, right to a fair trial, right to privacy.
Onerous for oppressive regimes, cherished by democracies, is freedom of speech-an inherent right, flowing directly from the universally acknowledged concept of human dignity? What can be done to ensure that government opponents have a right to voice their opinions freely? What can be done to counteract hate speech, so prevalent in recent months with the surge of ISIL and Boko Haram? How should universally recognized limits of freedom of speech be interpreted and safeguarded? On account of the country composition of the Council, the discussion is destined to be very heated and contentious“.
He feels thrilled to take part in this years edition of SOFIMUN and he promises to „leave no stone unturned to make the best experience for the delegates“.
Our second chairperson for this council is Yousra Shawki from Egypt. Although we weren't able to have an interview, we have some brief information about her so that she can be introduced to the public. During the conference we will see her in action and understand much more about her and how she thinks.
She is just 21 years old, born and raised in Cairo. She has graduated from Modern Sciences and Arts University in Cairo, Faculty of Managment sciences and all that while majoring in Economics.
Yousra shares that she is a passionate MUN-er. She has some experience to back this up- this will be her 10th MUN conference and just this yeat she was the secretary general for Arab League in the Cairo University MUN. Currently she is working in a training company in Cairo that focuses on character building and youth development.
Mrs. Shawki says she loves traveling and she is extemly excited to come to Bulgaria and participate in SOFIMUN for the first time, but she is also happy to be to able to experience the atmosphere of the country.
article by Aleksandra Dzhermova
UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
This council is an intergovernmental one, focused on tackling with situations of human rights violations. It also has the mission to promote the protection of human rights all around the world. This year's topics that will be discussed by it's delegates will be - The international Status of Refugees and Asylum-seekers from the Middle East and North Africa and Global challenges to the freedom of expression.
One of the chairpersons for this committee is Piotr Sitnik from Poland. Currently he is studying law at the University College London. He is a passionate MUN-er as well and has chaired in three countries-his homeland Poland, Belarus and UK.
Mr.Sitnik regularly checks with websites that provide him with info about upcoming MUN events. This is how he knew about SOFIMUN in the fist place.
And about his further motivation to participate he explains: „Throughout its history, SOFIMUN has garnered a considerable group of avid followers and fans on the European MUN circuit. I have heard all the best things about its organization and atmosphere its delegates create and maintain. Also, having already met some of the main actors on the circuit (including, but not limited to Mr. Villena Sierra) I felt convinced that the conference must be a success. These are the reasons why I believe SOFIMUN is a perfect match for my aspirations”.
With the course of his studies being law-the basis on which human rights stand, and having additional interest in the subject area, Piotr decided to go for this cometee as a suitable choice.
But of course he has more reasons to do so :“Not only do issues discussed by the Council have a bearing on the current state of affairs, but they can also be viewed in a philosophical or ideological dimension. I am bent on specialising in human rights whether in a capacity of a barrister, or that of an academic, and do my utmost to stay up-to-date with all the newest developments“.
When asked to elaborate more on the specific topics that the council will have to discuss, he gives a very passionately spoken answer :„Freedom of expression is the bedrock of participative socio-legal systems. Its complexity is all-embracing. One cannot simply think of another human right, apart from the right to life, that would serve as an umbrella term for so many less major sub-rights, such as freedom of association, right to a fair trial, right to privacy.
Onerous for oppressive regimes, cherished by democracies, is freedom of speech-an inherent right, flowing directly from the universally acknowledged concept of human dignity? What can be done to ensure that government opponents have a right to voice their opinions freely? What can be done to counteract hate speech, so prevalent in recent months with the surge of ISIL and Boko Haram? How should universally recognized limits of freedom of speech be interpreted and safeguarded? On account of the country composition of the Council, the discussion is destined to be very heated and contentious“.
He feels thrilled to take part in this years edition of SOFIMUN and he promises to „leave no stone unturned to make the best experience for the delegates“.
Our second chairperson for this council is Yousra Shawki from Egypt. Although we weren't able to have an interview, we have some brief information about her so that she can be introduced to the public. During the conference we will see her in action and understand much more about her and how she thinks.
She is just 21 years old, born and raised in Cairo. She has graduated from Modern Sciences and Arts University in Cairo, Faculty of Managment sciences and all that while majoring in Economics.
Yousra shares that she is a passionate MUN-er. She has some experience to back this up- this will be her 10th MUN conference and just this yeat she was the secretary general for Arab League in the Cairo University MUN. Currently she is working in a training company in Cairo that focuses on character building and youth development.
Mrs. Shawki says she loves traveling and she is extemly excited to come to Bulgaria and participate in SOFIMUN for the first time, but she is also happy to be to able to experience the atmosphere of the country.
article by Aleksandra Dzhermova
Meet the new chairs of the councils, explore the topics
part 3
Once more the time to present yet another council and it's chairs has come. A very important and recognizable organization-NATO is at this article's focus.
NATO
NATO is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty (signed 4 April 1949).The organization constitutes a system of collective defense whereby its member states agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party. The topics are NATO's future involvement in the Middle East: Afghanistan Reflections and the issue of ISIS and The role of NATO in the building of an international cyber warfare combat system.
NATO is a very important international organization with great responsibilities to help conflict resolvment and restore peace in war zones. Therefore the pressure must be high. But rest assured because the chairing is entrusted to capable and experienced people- Yavor Gochev and Silvia Fiore.
Yavor Gochev is from Bulgaria. He is in his 4th year of Business Management studies at the University of Dundee, Scotland. His experience includes being a delegate and a chairperson for many conferences MEU, MUN and Model NATO.
But what is his motivation to come to his home country this summer and undertake a crucial role in the SOFIMUN conference? Well, Mr. Gochev has enjoyed acquiring skills from many conferences around Europe, but unfortunately he hasn't had the chance to to do so in Bulgaria...yet. This will change this year and our team hopes that SOFIMUN will be a positive experience for him. He adds :“I have some great recommendations about SOFIMUN from a number of friends and I know some of the people that are part of this year’s chairing committee. But, probably, my biggest motivation to take part is to see for myself what the level of the conference is and how the Bulgarian participants will perform. Something that is very interesting for me, due to the fact that there are not many Bulgarians attending such international conferences in other countries.”
Reaching the question how he decided to participate in this particular council he replies: “I think it was the other way around. I was chosen for this committee. It is probably due to the fact that I have a relatively substantial experience and knowledge when it comes to NATO and the current agenda and activities of the Treaty.”
The topics need no justification to be included in the discussions, since the Middle East issues and the growing threat of ISIS is something that troubles even people with no special interests in politics and military conflicts. Same thing goes for the cyber crime, since technologies are completely guiding our lives and this makes it a real threat for everyone.
Mr. Gochev gave his opinion on the choice of discussion themes:“We will be discussing the post 2014 engagement of NATO in Afghanistan and the implications of ISIS in this region. A very current topic, because in the last couple of years, NATO has begun on cluding the ISAF mission in Afghanistan. After 11 years of operations it is time for the Afghani people to take control over their country. Nevertheless, the support of NATO in the region will continue long after the end of the mission. What is more, the threat of ISIS operations within the country is more and more current."
About the second topic-"In today's modern world where almost everything is dependent on some sort of computerized software and hardware it is more than important to talk about cyber warfare and what NATOs engagement in this new kind of warfare should be“.
Yavor is excited to meet new people and explore how the young part of the global society sees the common problems, their ideas for solutions. „When it comes to my role, the thing that I want is to transfer some of my knowledge and experience to the delegates and as well, at the same time, learn new things from them and enhance my knowledge on the various topics that will be discussed."- Mr. Gochev explains his feelings about the position of a chairperson.
Our second chair of this council is a lady. And a well prepared one, as all of them in this edition of SOFIMUN. Silvia Fiore is from Italy and she in now studying International Managment at the the Bocconi University.
MILMUN 2014 was her first experience of such kind and she truly enjoyed it. Soon after that, thanks to the recommendations of some people she decided to become a delegate at the SOFIMUN 2014 conference. This year she is coming back for another round of excitement in the 2015 edition. Let's see her motivation in her own words:“This will be my first chairing experience. I prefer small MUNs, where you get the chance to know everybody, enjoy your time in the city as well as in the committee work and be able to gain something from other's experiences. It's definitely better for me to give myself a challenge in such an inspiring place. In addition, I love the city!”
We asked her about her reasons to choose to be part of the NATO committee and she shortly answered that simply because she really wanted to join it. It has an exciting and vibrant atmosphere.
When asked to share with us her view on the issues behind the topics, she chose to answer for the NATO cyber warfare combat system. Her answer is a very thorough examination and description of the problem:
“NATO put cyber defense on its agenda following the 1999 cyber attacks against it during the Kosovo war. Its main mission remains securing its own networks, although it aims also to ensure a minimum level of cyber defense to all Allies and reduce vulnerabilities in their critical infrastructure. At the NATO Summit in Wales, in September 2014, the Allies claimed an enhanced cyber defense policy to create partnerships with industry, help individual States to improve their capabilities in the cyber world and focus more on training and education. NATO's political power remains focused on its own networks as any agreement has been signed yet to allow NATO to deploy to help member States. Many multinational projects have been undertaken to advance MSs’ cyber defense capabilities on multinational basis, that is for all NATO members, sharing technical information and awareness of threats and attacks and advanced cyber-defense sensors. Moreover, cooperation and information sharing have been recognized as very helpful. In June 2014, the creation of a new NATO military cyber warfare training centre in Estonia was approved. The importance of cooperation on cyber defense, such as joint exercises, exchange of best practices and mapping the extent of cyber attacks is essential.
The cyber world has become a new hot-spot for a variety of conflicts between companies and between governments. It is called “the new cold war” for either the vast potential for serious arguments between specific countries (i.e. China and the U.S.), or the deliberate missions to explicitly declare the States responsible for cyber attacks to avoid legal and diplomatic issues. In short, there remains the urgent need to reach a solution on a multilateral level in order to find international agreements to face the issue in a fast and proper way“.
Finaly, when she had to share her expectations of the event and her her view on her own involvement, Silvia said:
“I feel I have learned something more valuable than just debating during SOFIMUN 2014. Instead of trying to get my own ideas in the resolution and cutting off anyone who gets in the way of that, I have learned that other people almost always have something important to add. So I have learned to listen and agree with other people. I feel the listening part became a whole lot more important.“.
“The role of the chairs is something essential, I'd say, to make this kind of experiences works. Can't wait to be part of such an amazing team!“- adds Ms. Fiore .
article by Aleksandra Dzhermova
Meet the new chairs of the councils, explore the topics
part 2
As we have promised to post informative articles regularly we present you another short text about the next team in our list that you need to know of-the one chairing over the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Although we could have an interview only with one of the chairs of the council we believe his answers are enough for you to understand it's concept, the topics that will be discussed and to introduce you to the emotions around the conference as it's time is drawing near.
UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL (ECOSOC)
This council is all about sustainable development. It is the body from the UN system that is responsible for coordination, policy, review, recommendations for economic, social and environmental challenges that the world faces today. ECOSOC is also monitoring the implementation of the internationally agreed development goals.
This year's topics that the council will be working on are: Post 2015 Development Agenda: Mistakes in financing the MDG's; more effective ways to finance the Sustainable Development Goals. And topic number two-Allocation of financial aid developing countries; a threat or an opportunity for improvement in the Sustainable Development Goals.
Sounds like there will be a lot of work to do.
Marko Simovski, one of the chairpersons, will ensure the work will be done. Native of Skopje, Macedonia, now he is in his final year in the Faculty of Economics at the „ Ss. Cyril and Methodius“ University with focus on Foreign Trade. His experience as a MUN-er spans trough 3 conferences that he himself describes as „absolutely excellent“, all of them taking place in UK.
Why did he decide to come to Sofia this year? „Model United Nations is an excellent opportunity to meet new people with whom you share a passion, one about international relations and debate, develop yourself and your set of skills, make your network of international friends grow and be a part of a wonderful experience.
SOFIMUN was just what I was looking for, a great international MUN conference, close to home, during summer, where I will have the pleasure to work closely with a group of highly motivated delegates from all around the world, debate on various topics during sessions and have a great time at the parties!“- said Marko Simovski.
The economic and social issues of the world are one of the most troubling that our modern society experiences. Therefore this committee is very important and udertaking the role of a chair in it would be a great responsibility. But Mr. Simovski's involvement has it's reasons to justify the risks - „ECOSOC is my choice because of the importance of the council from a global perspective, the opportunity to focus on economic and social issues crucial to the sustainable development of our society and more importantly the chance to find a resolution to these issues through dialogue and peaceful negotiations between the stakeholders.“
When asked to make a brief analysis on the two topics that are chosen for this year's discussions, he says : „The topics speak for themselves. We are halfway through 2015, the year in which the previously set Millennium Development Goals should be achieved through out the world. As we are approaching the deadline of their fulfillment, there is no better time to review the MDGs, the ways they were financed through out the years and see where did we make mistakes. With the Sustainable Development Goals on their way, it is of high importance that we as ECOSOC discuss what we've learned from the revision of the MDG's financing and offer more effective solutions for the financing of the Sustainable Development Goals, as one of the factors in achieving them. The second topic is much more focused on the allocation of the financial aid in the developing and under developed countries, tackling issues such as developing institutions and infrastructure,
reducing corruption and so on, in order to achieve a more effective and efficient allocation of the financial aid and support in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in the future. As the topic says, we can look at this as an obstacle in achieving the goals, or an opportunity to further more develop these countries and ensure a better future for us all.”
Marko expects and hopes that during all discussions of the delegates they will be thinking out of the box, respecting the different opinions, and that they will be truly involved in the event and thinking of it as a chance for acquiring valuable skills and not just like „another conference for their CV".
“Being a chair comes with great responsibility. As one of the two chairs of ECOSOC, I dedicate myself fully to this role I've been given by the Secretariat, ensuring that I will give my very best in fulfilling my duties as a chair, expecting nothing but the very best from the delegates in return“.- says Marko about his responsibilities as a chair.
article by Aleksandra Dzhermova
UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL (ECOSOC)
This council is all about sustainable development. It is the body from the UN system that is responsible for coordination, policy, review, recommendations for economic, social and environmental challenges that the world faces today. ECOSOC is also monitoring the implementation of the internationally agreed development goals.
This year's topics that the council will be working on are: Post 2015 Development Agenda: Mistakes in financing the MDG's; more effective ways to finance the Sustainable Development Goals. And topic number two-Allocation of financial aid developing countries; a threat or an opportunity for improvement in the Sustainable Development Goals.
Sounds like there will be a lot of work to do.
Marko Simovski, one of the chairpersons, will ensure the work will be done. Native of Skopje, Macedonia, now he is in his final year in the Faculty of Economics at the „ Ss. Cyril and Methodius“ University with focus on Foreign Trade. His experience as a MUN-er spans trough 3 conferences that he himself describes as „absolutely excellent“, all of them taking place in UK.
Why did he decide to come to Sofia this year? „Model United Nations is an excellent opportunity to meet new people with whom you share a passion, one about international relations and debate, develop yourself and your set of skills, make your network of international friends grow and be a part of a wonderful experience.
SOFIMUN was just what I was looking for, a great international MUN conference, close to home, during summer, where I will have the pleasure to work closely with a group of highly motivated delegates from all around the world, debate on various topics during sessions and have a great time at the parties!“- said Marko Simovski.
The economic and social issues of the world are one of the most troubling that our modern society experiences. Therefore this committee is very important and udertaking the role of a chair in it would be a great responsibility. But Mr. Simovski's involvement has it's reasons to justify the risks - „ECOSOC is my choice because of the importance of the council from a global perspective, the opportunity to focus on economic and social issues crucial to the sustainable development of our society and more importantly the chance to find a resolution to these issues through dialogue and peaceful negotiations between the stakeholders.“
When asked to make a brief analysis on the two topics that are chosen for this year's discussions, he says : „The topics speak for themselves. We are halfway through 2015, the year in which the previously set Millennium Development Goals should be achieved through out the world. As we are approaching the deadline of their fulfillment, there is no better time to review the MDGs, the ways they were financed through out the years and see where did we make mistakes. With the Sustainable Development Goals on their way, it is of high importance that we as ECOSOC discuss what we've learned from the revision of the MDG's financing and offer more effective solutions for the financing of the Sustainable Development Goals, as one of the factors in achieving them. The second topic is much more focused on the allocation of the financial aid in the developing and under developed countries, tackling issues such as developing institutions and infrastructure,
reducing corruption and so on, in order to achieve a more effective and efficient allocation of the financial aid and support in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in the future. As the topic says, we can look at this as an obstacle in achieving the goals, or an opportunity to further more develop these countries and ensure a better future for us all.”
Marko expects and hopes that during all discussions of the delegates they will be thinking out of the box, respecting the different opinions, and that they will be truly involved in the event and thinking of it as a chance for acquiring valuable skills and not just like „another conference for their CV".
“Being a chair comes with great responsibility. As one of the two chairs of ECOSOC, I dedicate myself fully to this role I've been given by the Secretariat, ensuring that I will give my very best in fulfilling my duties as a chair, expecting nothing but the very best from the delegates in return“.- says Marko about his responsibilities as a chair.
article by Aleksandra Dzhermova
Meet the new chairs of the councils, explore the topics!
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Jovana Perovska is going to be the Secretary General of SOFIMUN 8
On the Balkans we have a very famous folklore song that basically glorifies the qualities of macedonian girls. Having in mind how young, yet very accomplished Jovana Perovska is, it seems we have a reason to believe in it. The decision to give the responsible position of Secretary General at the SOFIMUN 2015 conference, received full majority among the members of the Executive Board.
Originally from Skopje, Macedonia, Jovana is only 22 years but has some really impressive life experience under her belt. For a starter, she has been working for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in the Hague, and for the oldest national law firm, "Mens Legis", in Macedonia ... and she speaks seven languages. Yes that's right - seven!
“I like to share my participation and winning at the National French Competition in Macedonia as an interesting event in my life, wich has really reconfirmed that hard work and dedication leads to success. I have also been involved in karate and tennis for 8 and 5 years respectfully”. Now, Jovana is currently in her last year of studying to obtain a bachelor degree in international law at the Haugue University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands.
Ever since being at the age of 12, Jovana shared a passion for activities connected with public speaking. She was a journalist at a teen TV in her primary school, which resulted into not having any stage fright and being completely comfortable with presenting, discussing and speaking in front of an audience. Such qualities ensured Jovana's place on the high school debating team and then the debating team of the American Corner in the Мacedonian capital. One thing let to another and she landed into the MUN world, where she is currently developing her skills and broadening her knowledge in the field of international relations, politics and law. “ Taking a further glimpse at the future I see myself as a legal professional working within the United Nations in areas of human rights law and terrorism.” Jovana answers, as she feels very confident swimming in international waters.
Before joining the SOFIMUN conference, she has been an old hand in the trade, as they say. Participating in 10 other MUNs all over Europe and carrying out the duties of several positions, ranging from being a delegate, committee director, chairperson and crisis director, she admits now that she is more than ready to become the 8th Secretary General of Sofia International Model United Nations. However, this is not her first involvment in a SOFIMUN conference, previously she served as a delegate of the Republic of India, chairperson and crisis coordinator.
Miss Perovska will be involved in all stages of the conference, such as application processes, overseeing the study guide drafting, as well as the work in the committees and crisis planning. "I will honestly say that I am equal parts honored, excited, happy and intimidated! I am honored that I have been trusted by the SOFIMUN Foundation to be assigned to such a task, and knowing the atmosphere during the SOFIMUN Conference, I am very happy that I will get the chance to experience that atmosphere once more; however I am intimidated as the previous Secretary Generals have set quite the standard for me, which I humbly intend to set even higher." said Jovana as she expressed her feelings about her high position on the board.
As Jovana Perovska describes herself as persistent, eclectic and assertive, the Executive Board of SOFIMUN has no doubt that she is the right choice for this challenging task. Her success in life is not drawn out of wise men's quotes, but of her very own : "Take pride and do your best in every task you ever undertake”.
article by Aleksandra Dzhermova
Originally from Skopje, Macedonia, Jovana is only 22 years but has some really impressive life experience under her belt. For a starter, she has been working for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in the Hague, and for the oldest national law firm, "Mens Legis", in Macedonia ... and she speaks seven languages. Yes that's right - seven!
“I like to share my participation and winning at the National French Competition in Macedonia as an interesting event in my life, wich has really reconfirmed that hard work and dedication leads to success. I have also been involved in karate and tennis for 8 and 5 years respectfully”. Now, Jovana is currently in her last year of studying to obtain a bachelor degree in international law at the Haugue University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands.
Ever since being at the age of 12, Jovana shared a passion for activities connected with public speaking. She was a journalist at a teen TV in her primary school, which resulted into not having any stage fright and being completely comfortable with presenting, discussing and speaking in front of an audience. Such qualities ensured Jovana's place on the high school debating team and then the debating team of the American Corner in the Мacedonian capital. One thing let to another and she landed into the MUN world, where she is currently developing her skills and broadening her knowledge in the field of international relations, politics and law. “ Taking a further glimpse at the future I see myself as a legal professional working within the United Nations in areas of human rights law and terrorism.” Jovana answers, as she feels very confident swimming in international waters.
Before joining the SOFIMUN conference, she has been an old hand in the trade, as they say. Participating in 10 other MUNs all over Europe and carrying out the duties of several positions, ranging from being a delegate, committee director, chairperson and crisis director, she admits now that she is more than ready to become the 8th Secretary General of Sofia International Model United Nations. However, this is not her first involvment in a SOFIMUN conference, previously she served as a delegate of the Republic of India, chairperson and crisis coordinator.
Miss Perovska will be involved in all stages of the conference, such as application processes, overseeing the study guide drafting, as well as the work in the committees and crisis planning. "I will honestly say that I am equal parts honored, excited, happy and intimidated! I am honored that I have been trusted by the SOFIMUN Foundation to be assigned to such a task, and knowing the atmosphere during the SOFIMUN Conference, I am very happy that I will get the chance to experience that atmosphere once more; however I am intimidated as the previous Secretary Generals have set quite the standard for me, which I humbly intend to set even higher." said Jovana as she expressed her feelings about her high position on the board.
As Jovana Perovska describes herself as persistent, eclectic and assertive, the Executive Board of SOFIMUN has no doubt that she is the right choice for this challenging task. Her success in life is not drawn out of wise men's quotes, but of her very own : "Take pride and do your best in every task you ever undertake”.
article by Aleksandra Dzhermova
Few words from the Executive Board of SOFIMUN in the beginning of 2015
The 8th edition of SOFIMUN promises to be an unforgettable experience. The Executive Board recently appointed Ms. Jovana Perovska and Mr. Cody Meyer as the Secretary General and the Deputy Secretary General respectively. Boasting such a competent and diverse secretariat, SOFIMUN 2015 will be amongst the must attend conferences of the summer. Since its inception 2007, SOFIMUN has provided an opportunity for young people from all around the world the opportunity to discuss pressing issues that baffle the United Nations. Over the years, we have had participants from as far as Qatar, Namibia, the US and even Peru. The Executive Board truly hopes that the 8th edition of SOFIMUN will build on the tradition of excellence and live up to the expectations that the name SOFIMUN brings with itself. The Executive Board of SOFIMUN is as diverse as this year’s secretariat and signifies all the values that SOFIMUN holds dear. Between its members, the SOFIMUN executive board has over 50 conferences under their belts.
The Executive Board of SOFIMUN would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to the SOFIMUN foundation for its support over the years. It has however come to our attention that in order for both the SOFIMUN foundation and the SOFIMUN conference to reach its full potential, the time has come for the two entities to part ways and to pursue a separate future.
As with any other conference, SOFIMUN 2015 is expected to have a simulation of the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council. Traditionally SOFIMUN has also simulated the Human Rights Council during its conferences. It is also reasonable to expect one or two more specialized agencies such as the UNICEF or UNESCO to be present. All in all SOFIMUN 2015 expects to welcome approximately 100 delegates and simulate 4 – 5 committees. SOFIMUN also boasts a tradition of welcoming influential keynote speakers to the conference so as to broaden the experience of the participants. With socials during the evenings and tours of Sofia before the start of the conference, SOFIMUN seeks to provide the ultimate experience for all its participants whether they are the Secretary General or a delegate.
We have tentatively scheduled our chairing applications to start at mid-January and for our delegate applications to begin in early April. Chairing applications will not be on a rolling basis and decisions for the committee appointments for chairs will be made in mid – March. The actual conference will take place 1st – 8th of August 2015. The executive board of SOFIMUN is looking forward to welcoming the participants of SOFIMUN 2015 and sharing an incredible experience.
article by Munkbold Badarch
The Executive Board of SOFIMUN would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to the SOFIMUN foundation for its support over the years. It has however come to our attention that in order for both the SOFIMUN foundation and the SOFIMUN conference to reach its full potential, the time has come for the two entities to part ways and to pursue a separate future.
As with any other conference, SOFIMUN 2015 is expected to have a simulation of the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council. Traditionally SOFIMUN has also simulated the Human Rights Council during its conferences. It is also reasonable to expect one or two more specialized agencies such as the UNICEF or UNESCO to be present. All in all SOFIMUN 2015 expects to welcome approximately 100 delegates and simulate 4 – 5 committees. SOFIMUN also boasts a tradition of welcoming influential keynote speakers to the conference so as to broaden the experience of the participants. With socials during the evenings and tours of Sofia before the start of the conference, SOFIMUN seeks to provide the ultimate experience for all its participants whether they are the Secretary General or a delegate.
We have tentatively scheduled our chairing applications to start at mid-January and for our delegate applications to begin in early April. Chairing applications will not be on a rolling basis and decisions for the committee appointments for chairs will be made in mid – March. The actual conference will take place 1st – 8th of August 2015. The executive board of SOFIMUN is looking forward to welcoming the participants of SOFIMUN 2015 and sharing an incredible experience.
article by Munkbold Badarch
SOFIMUN 7!
26 July - 1 August 2014
The 7th edition of SOFIMUN has just started in the capital of Bulgaria and already the debates are heated! Here are the articles from the first plenary day showing the dynamics!
Day Two at ECOSOC
The ECOSOC started an epic journey: paving the path to a better world for the global community!
Even though we are living in a gloomy context, this week, in Sofia light is emerging. Together, gathered from different corners and cultures, we reshape our future.
Words of wisdom engulfed ECOSOC room. Yet again, we are struggling to reach a consensus; obstacles lay ahead of us but hope is fuelling our hearts.
Topics that are being debated upon have a strong impact. During the second day, drugs problem created a major clash among civilizations: greedy and savage capitalist – pro depravation – and colonial imperialists – pro exploitation and profit. In this dystopian scenario, Albania unveils its humane side, that of a caring nation.
We fought for our liberty and prosperity, now it’s time to give a hand to those in need. Even though our soul is opened, we encountered viral opposition ! We must raise the alarm of an incoming doom: humanity is steadily becoming a thing of the past. ECOSOC has proved again that the world is driven by selfish interest and that is being manipulated by wealthier nations. Here is a view of the “battlefield”:
- Germany is being perverse and inoculates insurgent type of thinking
- Great Britain is acting anachronic, seeing around it people waiting to be exploited
- France is in a state of rage against the basic ethical principles
Albania quoted the Quran, they quoted the work of Satan – internet; we showed them compassion, they responded with rocks and insults; we want peace, they want terror !!
Still, we are not alone! Our brothers in suffering – Panama , old reliable Russian Federation and Japan may Allah show them the path to holiness – are giving us courage. Our shouts of discontent will be heard and reverberate on the hallways of the New Bulgarian University. We shall not be silenced !
Mothers are crying, fathers are fighting and children are hoping …. REVOLUTION ! “
Delegate of Albania
Even though we are living in a gloomy context, this week, in Sofia light is emerging. Together, gathered from different corners and cultures, we reshape our future.
Words of wisdom engulfed ECOSOC room. Yet again, we are struggling to reach a consensus; obstacles lay ahead of us but hope is fuelling our hearts.
Topics that are being debated upon have a strong impact. During the second day, drugs problem created a major clash among civilizations: greedy and savage capitalist – pro depravation – and colonial imperialists – pro exploitation and profit. In this dystopian scenario, Albania unveils its humane side, that of a caring nation.
We fought for our liberty and prosperity, now it’s time to give a hand to those in need. Even though our soul is opened, we encountered viral opposition ! We must raise the alarm of an incoming doom: humanity is steadily becoming a thing of the past. ECOSOC has proved again that the world is driven by selfish interest and that is being manipulated by wealthier nations. Here is a view of the “battlefield”:
- Germany is being perverse and inoculates insurgent type of thinking
- Great Britain is acting anachronic, seeing around it people waiting to be exploited
- France is in a state of rage against the basic ethical principles
Albania quoted the Quran, they quoted the work of Satan – internet; we showed them compassion, they responded with rocks and insults; we want peace, they want terror !!
Still, we are not alone! Our brothers in suffering – Panama , old reliable Russian Federation and Japan may Allah show them the path to holiness – are giving us courage. Our shouts of discontent will be heard and reverberate on the hallways of the New Bulgarian University. We shall not be silenced !
Mothers are crying, fathers are fighting and children are hoping …. REVOLUTION ! “
Delegate of Albania
Welcome letter on the behalf of the SG of the 7th edition of SOFIMUN Mr. José Sierra
Distinguished Delegates,
The city of Sofia, with many centuries of culture, is one of the oldest European capitals and the administrative, economic and political center of Bulgaria. It is without discussion one of the most beautiful cities on Earth and a jewel disputed by different empires along history. Sofia occupies a privileged position at the center of the Balkan Peninsula and a strategic place for investment, traditions and culture.
The above described features make Sofia an attractive city to develop ideas, discussions, visions and projects. Its quality of life, the kindness of their citizens and infrastructure recently built open the doors to confident leaders that want to change the world.
We are currently living a time for changes, tolerance and respect.
After many years of experience, the Sofia International Model United Nations (SOFIMUN) seeks for students, representatives, leaders and fighters who trust in the values of the United Nations, those who can work with different cultures, learning, teaching and expressing their ideas, working day by day in behalf of the international community.
SOFIMUN has the unique experience learned in the past years to organize the best conference for you. The knowledge to be shared, the international vision to do the change and the best culture and night life to be discovered, makes SOFIMUN the experience you want to live.
Choose the best place to enjoy and learn during the summer, surrounded by beautiful places and enthusiastic leaders. Join us and show us a bit of your life, of your culture and of our common goals.
Waiting to know you and to hear your ideas, we are delighted to give you a sincere and warm WELCOME TO SOFIMUN 2014!!!!
Mr. José Antonio Villena Sierra
Secretary General 2013-2014
Distinguished Delegates,
The city of Sofia, with many centuries of culture, is one of the oldest European capitals and the administrative, economic and political center of Bulgaria. It is without discussion one of the most beautiful cities on Earth and a jewel disputed by different empires along history. Sofia occupies a privileged position at the center of the Balkan Peninsula and a strategic place for investment, traditions and culture.
The above described features make Sofia an attractive city to develop ideas, discussions, visions and projects. Its quality of life, the kindness of their citizens and infrastructure recently built open the doors to confident leaders that want to change the world.
We are currently living a time for changes, tolerance and respect.
After many years of experience, the Sofia International Model United Nations (SOFIMUN) seeks for students, representatives, leaders and fighters who trust in the values of the United Nations, those who can work with different cultures, learning, teaching and expressing their ideas, working day by day in behalf of the international community.
SOFIMUN has the unique experience learned in the past years to organize the best conference for you. The knowledge to be shared, the international vision to do the change and the best culture and night life to be discovered, makes SOFIMUN the experience you want to live.
Choose the best place to enjoy and learn during the summer, surrounded by beautiful places and enthusiastic leaders. Join us and show us a bit of your life, of your culture and of our common goals.
Waiting to know you and to hear your ideas, we are delighted to give you a sincere and warm WELCOME TO SOFIMUN 2014!!!!
Mr. José Antonio Villena Sierra
Secretary General 2013-2014
Welcome from SNN!
SNN is the official news network of the Sofia International Model United Nations and we bring to you all the ongoing events around the 2014 conference.
As some of you might know from last year’s edition, our media platform covered the development of the debates during the conference in a variety of ways and proved to be an excellent source of information for everyone. A daily newspaper presented all the events from the previous day, while an online version was available on the official website. SNN experimented and did a successful TV news broadcast for the 6th edition of SOFIMUN, which proved the flexibility and dedication of the unit. Furthermore, the news network made SOFIMUN the very first MUN that offered live stream from the conference. The hardworking team of SNN was active during the whole year and manages the advertisement, PR and all other media strategies for the next edition of the conference.
The whole unite gives you a warm welcome to the 7th edition of SOFIMUN! We will give you information about the planetary days and make a gossip page to spice up the dynamic discussions! Looking forward to it!
From Alexandra Sverrisson, Editor of SNN and Polina Spartyanova, Director of News of SNN
Security Council starting the debates
The start for the Security Council’s debates was very dynamic as well. The discussion around the issue of Ukraine’s territorial integrity was extremely fierce according to the Chairperson Christian Thiel.
Really difficult questions were addressed in the non-moderated caucus surrounding the issues of Crimean citizen’s rights and the possibility of ceasefire. The economic interest of both sides was also discussed.
The Chairperson Thiel expressed his satisfaction with how everything is going. The range of experience is what he found to be the most exciting, with delegates who have been participating in MUNs for years to people who are doing it for the very first time.
The next few days will prove to be revelatory to the issue’s development.
This article was written with the kindly support of the SC’s Chairperson Mister Christian Thiel.
The start for the Security Council’s debates was very dynamic as well. The discussion around the issue of Ukraine’s territorial integrity was extremely fierce according to the Chairperson Christian Thiel.
Really difficult questions were addressed in the non-moderated caucus surrounding the issues of Crimean citizen’s rights and the possibility of ceasefire. The economic interest of both sides was also discussed.
The Chairperson Thiel expressed his satisfaction with how everything is going. The range of experience is what he found to be the most exciting, with delegates who have been participating in MUNs for years to people who are doing it for the very first time.
The next few days will prove to be revelatory to the issue’s development.
This article was written with the kindly support of the SC’s Chairperson Mister Christian Thiel.
Day one in the Human Rights Council
The first day of the conference came out productive for the Human Rights Council according to the Chairperson’s press release. The setting of the agenda occupied the first part of the morning before the coffee break.
The delegates of the United Nations Human Rights Council decided to first focus on the issue of immigrant’s human rights in the border areas of the Mediterranean. The first job of the delegates was to examine the topic of irregular immigration thoroughly before taking any concrete decisions. The delegate of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recognized the potential threat in the sphere of religion that immigration in that area can cause. The delegate from France supported this point of view.
Overall the discussions went slowly in the beginning, with each delegate presenting the state’s position on the issue. The engagement of Italy changed the course of events, bringing a fiery moderated caucus and sharp words from the delegates. The coffee break subdued the emotions.
The upcoming days will surely bring more clearance to a lot of questions. “Will the HRC come to a common ground? Will the blame be pointed to the countries welcoming the irregular migrants, or the states of origins? What about the first landing countries?”, asks the Chairperson Miss Perovska. Only the advanced knowledge and diplomatic method of approach of the participating delegates will give the answers.
The article was written with the great assistance of the Chairperson of the Human Rights Council Miss Jovana Perovska.
The first day of the conference came out productive for the Human Rights Council according to the Chairperson’s press release. The setting of the agenda occupied the first part of the morning before the coffee break.
The delegates of the United Nations Human Rights Council decided to first focus on the issue of immigrant’s human rights in the border areas of the Mediterranean. The first job of the delegates was to examine the topic of irregular immigration thoroughly before taking any concrete decisions. The delegate of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recognized the potential threat in the sphere of religion that immigration in that area can cause. The delegate from France supported this point of view.
Overall the discussions went slowly in the beginning, with each delegate presenting the state’s position on the issue. The engagement of Italy changed the course of events, bringing a fiery moderated caucus and sharp words from the delegates. The coffee break subdued the emotions.
The upcoming days will surely bring more clearance to a lot of questions. “Will the HRC come to a common ground? Will the blame be pointed to the countries welcoming the irregular migrants, or the states of origins? What about the first landing countries?”, asks the Chairperson Miss Perovska. Only the advanced knowledge and diplomatic method of approach of the participating delegates will give the answers.
The article was written with the great assistance of the Chairperson of the Human Rights Council Miss Jovana Perovska.
Press release from the Chairperson of the ECOSOC Minoas Vitalis
Here are a few words from the Chairperson of the Economic and Social Council of the 7th edition of SOFIMUN. It is concerning the issue of legalizing drugs in Latin America, the first discussed topic in the committee:
“Portugal was the first country in the European Union that in 2001 decriminalized drugs purchasing, possession and consumption: that means that people found in possession or using a certain amount of drugs are sanctioned with administrative sanctions. The Portuguese republic is against drugs consumption and possession as well, but we believe that a flexible approach can be more efficient than a strict prohibition. Drug trafficking is still considered a crime, but our government tries to implement policies that help drugs consumers to eliminate their addiction, rather than treat them and make them feel criminals.
This policy is still too recent to show clear evidence, but such flexible approach seems not to increase drugs consumption (as many were tragically foreseeing) and in few categories consumption rates seem to have slightly decreased. We hope that, given this positive social perspective, other countries will consider such measures to develop an efficient approach in dealing with drugs.”
This article was written with the kindly support of the ECOSOC Chairperson Mister Minoas Vitalis.
Here are a few words from the Chairperson of the Economic and Social Council of the 7th edition of SOFIMUN. It is concerning the issue of legalizing drugs in Latin America, the first discussed topic in the committee:
“Portugal was the first country in the European Union that in 2001 decriminalized drugs purchasing, possession and consumption: that means that people found in possession or using a certain amount of drugs are sanctioned with administrative sanctions. The Portuguese republic is against drugs consumption and possession as well, but we believe that a flexible approach can be more efficient than a strict prohibition. Drug trafficking is still considered a crime, but our government tries to implement policies that help drugs consumers to eliminate their addiction, rather than treat them and make them feel criminals.
This policy is still too recent to show clear evidence, but such flexible approach seems not to increase drugs consumption (as many were tragically foreseeing) and in few categories consumption rates seem to have slightly decreased. We hope that, given this positive social perspective, other countries will consider such measures to develop an efficient approach in dealing with drugs.”
This article was written with the kindly support of the ECOSOC Chairperson Mister Minoas Vitalis.
Welcome to SOFIMUN 2014: the new Executive board
With the Chair and Delegates applications for SOFIMUN’s 7th edition already open, it is high time to present the conference’s management team and the news around it.
At the very end of last year’s edition, the Managing Director, Milen Christov, announced some very exciting news about the structure of SOFIMUN. Since the organizational team proved to be exceptionally flexible, reliable and competent of working efficiently under the stressful, but exciting conditions of the event, it was decided that it would immediately be transformed into a permanent Executive board of SOFIMUN.
Why should you be excited about the news? Because the team consists of the best people a MUN conference can ask for: the experienced and the innovative. The SOFIMUN organizers Dimiter, Milen, Nicolas, Georgi and Lyubomira joined forces with the MUN veterans José Antonio Villena, also known as Pepe, Munkhbold Badarch, also known as Muni, and Stefano Castagna as well as the totally new members of the conference Polina and Alexandra to build up a new team that would manage every aspect of the organization. Besides the traditional coordination of gathering sponsors, structuring the content of the committees and their tasks, and managing the incoming applications, we are also strongly focusing on SOFIMUN’s promotion around the world, in order to bring as many competent members as possible.
We are determined to deliver you the best of what a MUN can offer, that’s why we gladly welcome your inquiries and commitment to join us in July in the sunny capital of Bulgaria! Send us your applications now and become a part of the amazing experience SOFIMUN!
article by this years editor - Alexandra Sverrisson
At the very end of last year’s edition, the Managing Director, Milen Christov, announced some very exciting news about the structure of SOFIMUN. Since the organizational team proved to be exceptionally flexible, reliable and competent of working efficiently under the stressful, but exciting conditions of the event, it was decided that it would immediately be transformed into a permanent Executive board of SOFIMUN.
Why should you be excited about the news? Because the team consists of the best people a MUN conference can ask for: the experienced and the innovative. The SOFIMUN organizers Dimiter, Milen, Nicolas, Georgi and Lyubomira joined forces with the MUN veterans José Antonio Villena, also known as Pepe, Munkhbold Badarch, also known as Muni, and Stefano Castagna as well as the totally new members of the conference Polina and Alexandra to build up a new team that would manage every aspect of the organization. Besides the traditional coordination of gathering sponsors, structuring the content of the committees and their tasks, and managing the incoming applications, we are also strongly focusing on SOFIMUN’s promotion around the world, in order to bring as many competent members as possible.
We are determined to deliver you the best of what a MUN can offer, that’s why we gladly welcome your inquiries and commitment to join us in July in the sunny capital of Bulgaria! Send us your applications now and become a part of the amazing experience SOFIMUN!
article by this years editor - Alexandra Sverrisson
Russian Pipeline Project Stirs Concerns for Black Sea Coast
As far as eyes can reach, there’s just sand between the last hills covered with forest and the endless sea, the Black Sea. Although the ships are far away, there on the horizon, their rumble is still audible - the only noise that breaks the silence. Local people call this place Pasha dere, in other words “the royal bay.” This wild beach is just 10 kilometers away from Varna, the biggest city on the Bulgarian coast.
In the summer months many people can be found here. Some spend just a calm afternoon sunbathing, others decide to camp for a week or two. Now that it is January, it’s surprising that a man is walking on the ice cold beach.
Lately, the 47-year old Stefan Velinov is doing this more and more often. He is saying his last goodbyes to his favorite wild beach for next spring construction of a huge gas pipeline begins here.
“In this wilderness I felt free, happy and beloved for a first time,” Velinov says. Memories take him back to his younger years when he used to spend whole summers camping in Pasha dere with his friends.
Velinov is one of the thousands of Bulgarians against the construction of South Stream – a gas pipeline that will supply Europe with Russian fossil fuel. Since 2008 intergovernmental agreements were signed with Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Greece, Slovenia, Austria, and Croatia to implement the onshore gas pipeline section.
Five years later, at the end of 2013, the exact way the project will be realized in Bulgaria is more opaque than ever.
The competition for a company to take on the biggest construction job in Bulgaria restarted quietly on the last workday before the Christmas holidays. By Jan. 10, the last day of the competition, eleven candidates had applied. The winning company gains the right to supply pipes, machinery, and equipment to start the pipeline and to do staff training.
A group of French and Spanish companies was dissatisfied by the short term for bidding. One of the companies confirmed unofficially for Capital Daily its intentions to appeal against the competition.
Another recent problem with South Stream was the statement of European Commission that bilateral agreements signed between Russia and countries like Bulgaria are in violation of the so-called EU Third Energy Package. Speaking at a press conference in Brussels Dec. 12, 2013, European Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger said that the European Commission does not oppose the South Stream gas pipeline project and considers it an important addition to the energy network.
After meeting with Oettinger, Economy and Energy Minister Dragomir Stoynev announced that Bulgaria would not withdraw from the project and the scheme would be implemented. Ultimately, Stoynev submitted Dec. 18 a letter to Oettinger authorizing the EC to lead the negotiations with Russia over the South Stream gas pipeline.
In an interview for Rossiyskaya Gazeta Dec. 31 the Russian Ambassador to Bulgaria Yuri Isakov estimated that Bulgaria would secure revenues of 2.5 milliard euros by 2040 from
the project. The South Stream also would create over 600 jobs in Bulgaria, provide Bulgarian construction companies with unique experience and give a strong boost to the development of the depression-stricken Northwestern Region. Further, the project will increase the workload of Bulgaria's largest Black Sea port, Port Varna, and the Bulgarian State Railways company.
Same statements could be found on the main page of the project. A big banner welcomes the visitors with the sentence: “Eco-friendliness and safety are top priorities of South Stream!”
The sections of the site give more detailed and precise information about the advantages Yuri Isakov discussed. The Environment section maintained that Europe would significantly reduce CO2 emissions before long as transition to natural gas from more polluting fuels is the most effective way of reducing hazardous air emissions. South Stream will be built with the use of cutting-edge and time-tested engineering solutions meeting environmental requirements, according to the site.
Most Bulgarians however, dare skeptical that the promises that environmental laws will be observed. In the beginning of November, 176,000 square meters of land contiguous with the part of the beach, where the pipes of South Stream will be placed, were put up for sale. The offer describes “a unique property with sandy beach on the first line in Pasha dere, included in the Master Plan of Varna Municipality.” The seller is Eurotop Holding.
The end of November came with the news that a cluster of technical equipment is already positioned on the beach of Pasha dere. Local people wrongfully took this as a sign that the construction had begun before the environmental impact report, expected to be ready in February, was officially announced.
An explanation came from Andrey Fick, Technical Director of South Stream Transport, the company implementing the sea part of the project: “I confirm that those are just exploration activities, in a technical way we aren’t ready to start.”
Fick, speaking for the Bulgarian Capital daily Dec. 2, said pipes will be placed in tunnels below the beach, so there won’t be serious harm to the natural look. He said a minimum of trees would be uprooted near the tunnels and more trees would be planted.
The proximity of the pipeline to Varna also has people worried about noise and other pollution. They challenge the assertion that South Stream is more than 20 kilometers away from the city center and about 4.5 kilometers away from south suburbs. In a straight line it is 10 kilometers from center and 2-3 kilometers from the Galata neighborhood.
They also suspect that as a part of the pipeline an entry terminal and a compressor station will be constructed, possibly adding to the noise problem. Statements by builders on the topic are ambiguous - they say noise won’t be made in general, but they promise soundproof barriers.
Many Bulgarians oppose South Stream because Russia would be the gas provider. They see this business transaction as a political concession to the Russians, who want to get around Ukraine in gaining access to the Western European market.
Meanwhile, Velinov has finished his walk on the ice cold wild beach. He has already taken the path to the nearest village and he turns his head to the sea for a last time. “This place will soon turn to a cemetery. And people I shared it with… they left Bulgaria long, long ago,” he said.
article by Petia Dimitrova
In the summer months many people can be found here. Some spend just a calm afternoon sunbathing, others decide to camp for a week or two. Now that it is January, it’s surprising that a man is walking on the ice cold beach.
Lately, the 47-year old Stefan Velinov is doing this more and more often. He is saying his last goodbyes to his favorite wild beach for next spring construction of a huge gas pipeline begins here.
“In this wilderness I felt free, happy and beloved for a first time,” Velinov says. Memories take him back to his younger years when he used to spend whole summers camping in Pasha dere with his friends.
Velinov is one of the thousands of Bulgarians against the construction of South Stream – a gas pipeline that will supply Europe with Russian fossil fuel. Since 2008 intergovernmental agreements were signed with Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Greece, Slovenia, Austria, and Croatia to implement the onshore gas pipeline section.
Five years later, at the end of 2013, the exact way the project will be realized in Bulgaria is more opaque than ever.
The competition for a company to take on the biggest construction job in Bulgaria restarted quietly on the last workday before the Christmas holidays. By Jan. 10, the last day of the competition, eleven candidates had applied. The winning company gains the right to supply pipes, machinery, and equipment to start the pipeline and to do staff training.
A group of French and Spanish companies was dissatisfied by the short term for bidding. One of the companies confirmed unofficially for Capital Daily its intentions to appeal against the competition.
Another recent problem with South Stream was the statement of European Commission that bilateral agreements signed between Russia and countries like Bulgaria are in violation of the so-called EU Third Energy Package. Speaking at a press conference in Brussels Dec. 12, 2013, European Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger said that the European Commission does not oppose the South Stream gas pipeline project and considers it an important addition to the energy network.
After meeting with Oettinger, Economy and Energy Minister Dragomir Stoynev announced that Bulgaria would not withdraw from the project and the scheme would be implemented. Ultimately, Stoynev submitted Dec. 18 a letter to Oettinger authorizing the EC to lead the negotiations with Russia over the South Stream gas pipeline.
In an interview for Rossiyskaya Gazeta Dec. 31 the Russian Ambassador to Bulgaria Yuri Isakov estimated that Bulgaria would secure revenues of 2.5 milliard euros by 2040 from
the project. The South Stream also would create over 600 jobs in Bulgaria, provide Bulgarian construction companies with unique experience and give a strong boost to the development of the depression-stricken Northwestern Region. Further, the project will increase the workload of Bulgaria's largest Black Sea port, Port Varna, and the Bulgarian State Railways company.
Same statements could be found on the main page of the project. A big banner welcomes the visitors with the sentence: “Eco-friendliness and safety are top priorities of South Stream!”
The sections of the site give more detailed and precise information about the advantages Yuri Isakov discussed. The Environment section maintained that Europe would significantly reduce CO2 emissions before long as transition to natural gas from more polluting fuels is the most effective way of reducing hazardous air emissions. South Stream will be built with the use of cutting-edge and time-tested engineering solutions meeting environmental requirements, according to the site.
Most Bulgarians however, dare skeptical that the promises that environmental laws will be observed. In the beginning of November, 176,000 square meters of land contiguous with the part of the beach, where the pipes of South Stream will be placed, were put up for sale. The offer describes “a unique property with sandy beach on the first line in Pasha dere, included in the Master Plan of Varna Municipality.” The seller is Eurotop Holding.
The end of November came with the news that a cluster of technical equipment is already positioned on the beach of Pasha dere. Local people wrongfully took this as a sign that the construction had begun before the environmental impact report, expected to be ready in February, was officially announced.
An explanation came from Andrey Fick, Technical Director of South Stream Transport, the company implementing the sea part of the project: “I confirm that those are just exploration activities, in a technical way we aren’t ready to start.”
Fick, speaking for the Bulgarian Capital daily Dec. 2, said pipes will be placed in tunnels below the beach, so there won’t be serious harm to the natural look. He said a minimum of trees would be uprooted near the tunnels and more trees would be planted.
The proximity of the pipeline to Varna also has people worried about noise and other pollution. They challenge the assertion that South Stream is more than 20 kilometers away from the city center and about 4.5 kilometers away from south suburbs. In a straight line it is 10 kilometers from center and 2-3 kilometers from the Galata neighborhood.
They also suspect that as a part of the pipeline an entry terminal and a compressor station will be constructed, possibly adding to the noise problem. Statements by builders on the topic are ambiguous - they say noise won’t be made in general, but they promise soundproof barriers.
Many Bulgarians oppose South Stream because Russia would be the gas provider. They see this business transaction as a political concession to the Russians, who want to get around Ukraine in gaining access to the Western European market.
Meanwhile, Velinov has finished his walk on the ice cold wild beach. He has already taken the path to the nearest village and he turns his head to the sea for a last time. “This place will soon turn to a cemetery. And people I shared it with… they left Bulgaria long, long ago,” he said.
article by Petia Dimitrova
Banks in the Balkans are well capitalized - growth in the region will be below 3% by 2018
For the past five years, the gross domestic products of Bulgaria and Romania fell by 30% in total in forecasts of Piraeus Bank and they are still unable to return to their pre-crisis levels of economic growth, Ilias Lekos, chief economist at Piraeus Bank, explained during the two-day Euro- Balkan summit, organized by the Economist magazine. According to him, although the crisis is starting to withdraw from banks in the Balkan region, they remain well capitalized. The sector must learn from its mistakes in order not to end up back in the same starting position. Ilias Lekos pointed out some of the major mistakes of banks, such as the sharp credit growth before 2008 and the great focus on the level of economic growth posed by financial institutions which at the same time ignored its pace. The economist expressed hope that banks in the Balkans have "learned their lesson" and will need to upgrade their credit sector and criteria for risk management.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski told participants at the summit that Bulgaria’s credit rating is the highest in the Balkans, but the economy is still suffering from the blows of the five-year recession. The Prime Minister paraphrased Friedrich Nietzsche saying that "the crisis has not killed us, but made us stronger". In turn, in her opening speech, Deputy Prime Minister of Bulgaria in charge of the "Economic Development" sector Daniela Bobeva emphasized that Balkan countries will cope with financial problems more effectively if they work together in this respect. According to the Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister, Balkan countries need to work together on public-private partnership and develop together common policies in order to restore the economic growth in the region. According to Bobeva, this could be a sound basis for the strengthening of investor interest and restoration of the confidence in the Balkans.
Coordinator of the World Bank for Balkan countries Wolfgang Fengler pointed out four major problems related to the slowdown and weak economic growth in the Balkans. The first, and main one, is the deteriorating demographic situation in Balkan countries, since the working age population has decreased significantly over the past few years. According to Fengler, a smaller number of workers are supporting a growing number of pensioners and countries will not be able to invest in further growth at this stage. According to the latest data from the World Bank, the potential economic growth in the Balkans will be 3% in 2018 and therefore Fengler believes that "Balkan economies are doing worse even compared to average markets." In his speech, the representative of the World Bank stressed that it was high time the Balkans met macro-level challenges such as reforms in education, research, technology and businesses.
In turn, Dimitris Kourkoulas, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece acknowledged that the crisis has hit the weakest points in Balkan political systems and faster reforms should therefore be taken, in order for countries to recover. He described the tight fiscal policy during the Greek debt crisis as one of the most important factors due to which the country is regaining its stability and security. Kourkoulas expressed hope that after Greece has struggled with the crisis for six years, the country will be able to announce positive economic growth in the coming 2014.
article by Polina Spartyanova
Bulgarian Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski told participants at the summit that Bulgaria’s credit rating is the highest in the Balkans, but the economy is still suffering from the blows of the five-year recession. The Prime Minister paraphrased Friedrich Nietzsche saying that "the crisis has not killed us, but made us stronger". In turn, in her opening speech, Deputy Prime Minister of Bulgaria in charge of the "Economic Development" sector Daniela Bobeva emphasized that Balkan countries will cope with financial problems more effectively if they work together in this respect. According to the Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister, Balkan countries need to work together on public-private partnership and develop together common policies in order to restore the economic growth in the region. According to Bobeva, this could be a sound basis for the strengthening of investor interest and restoration of the confidence in the Balkans.
Coordinator of the World Bank for Balkan countries Wolfgang Fengler pointed out four major problems related to the slowdown and weak economic growth in the Balkans. The first, and main one, is the deteriorating demographic situation in Balkan countries, since the working age population has decreased significantly over the past few years. According to Fengler, a smaller number of workers are supporting a growing number of pensioners and countries will not be able to invest in further growth at this stage. According to the latest data from the World Bank, the potential economic growth in the Balkans will be 3% in 2018 and therefore Fengler believes that "Balkan economies are doing worse even compared to average markets." In his speech, the representative of the World Bank stressed that it was high time the Balkans met macro-level challenges such as reforms in education, research, technology and businesses.
In turn, Dimitris Kourkoulas, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece acknowledged that the crisis has hit the weakest points in Balkan political systems and faster reforms should therefore be taken, in order for countries to recover. He described the tight fiscal policy during the Greek debt crisis as one of the most important factors due to which the country is regaining its stability and security. Kourkoulas expressed hope that after Greece has struggled with the crisis for six years, the country will be able to announce positive economic growth in the coming 2014.
article by Polina Spartyanova
"The US is in no danger of “becoming bankrupt,” what we are in danger of is “declaring bankruptcy" ..."
- interview with Eric Halsey
Eric Halsey is an American who has been living in Bulgaria for more than two years now. He has degrees in History, Political Science, and Nationalism Studies. Growing up around Washington DC with family working in politics he has always been a keen observer of US and world Politics. He is currently teaching and working on a Bulgarian History Podcast which will begin to be released soon.
1. Why in this current moment USA is in a budget crisis?
E.H. Well to be blunt the US isn't in a budget crisis, what we have now is a political crisis which is manifesting itself as a budget crisis. The budget is fine, our annual budget deficit is declining every year, the economy is growing, there's no economic reason why we should be facing such a crisis at this moment. What we've come to is a moment when a variety of forces have come together to create a perfect storm of political stonewalling. Because of a very successful bout of Gerrymandering after the last census the Republicans have far more seats in the House of Representatives than they should (they got fewer votes than Democrats overall in 2012). Not only this but because of these Gerrymandering efforts, more and more of those House members are in VERY republican districts. Meaning they are far more afraid of a primary challenge on the Right than a Democratic challenger on the left. The result has been unprecedented levels of political extremism in a system which usually is very good at rooting extremism out.
2. In your opinion who should make a compromise?
E.H. Here we come to the problem of the very word compromise. The word assumes that two parties have their positions and should come to some middle ground. However there are several problems in applying that standard to this situation. First the Republicans are by no means united. Time and time again they've shown they are fractured and unsure of their goals. Thus if the Democrats are “compromising” there is a serious question as to who they are in effect compromising with. Additionally, the Republican intransigence on the budget is rooted in their dislike of Obamacare and the very idea of a federal government which provides a range of services to its citizens. The reasons they are blocking a budget have next to nothing to do with the budget. They have known from the beginning that there is a 0% chance that refusing to pass a budget will lead to the defunding of Obamacare. That has been clear to everyone from the start. So the reasons for their actions fall somewhere in the range of political posturing and a kind of revelry in seeing huge swathes of the Federal Government shut down. It's incredible but there are many libertarians who are more than happy to allow the Federal government to operate like this, in spite of the millions of people it's hurting.
3. What’s going to happen if democrats and republicans don’t come to an agreement?
E.H. While there's a small chance a discharge petition, a bit of parliamentary procedure which could circumvent the Speaker of the House John Boehner's refusal to put a clean (absent any defunding of Obamacare) budget up for a vote, could solve the crisis. However, this is unlikely. Absent that there might be an agreement to kick the can down the road by passing a CR or continuing resolution. This would basically prolong the previous budget for a while longer while negotiations continue. But absent either of these things happening the only result of a lack of an agreement will be a continued government shut down.
4. Is it possible for the first economic power in the world to become bankrupt?
E.H. Again there's a bit of an irony in the language here. The US is in no danger of “becoming bankrupt,” what we are in danger of is “declaring bankruptcy.” It seems like an odd distinction but in fact it's an important one. In effect this is because if Congress fails to raise the debt ceiling it would force the US to declare bankruptcy without actually being bankrupt. If that sounds strange or insane, that's because it is.
5. In your opinion what should happen in the government to stabilize the country?
E.H. That's a big question, in my mind there are some fundamental changes which would go a long way towards that goal. They mostly revolve around campaign reforms and changes in the responsibilities of Congress. To the first point I think it's very important for all 50 states to implement non-partisan redistricting. Every ten years the US has a census and the congressional districts are redrawn to reflect changes in population. This is where the gerrymandering I mentioned before comes in. This both perverts the democratic process and creates ever greater levels of political extremism in congress. Next a change in the laws around campaign finance reform is essential. By eliminating the need for nearly constant fundraising, creating a standardized public financing would entirely change the nature of campaigning for political office. It would both allow members of Congress far more time to actually do their jobs and allow them far greater freedom to act according to their own beliefs instead of the beliefs of their donors. Finally I believe the responsibility of Congress to raise the debt limit should be taken away. Currently, there is a discussion around the text of the 14th amendment which states that the “The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned.” Many have interpreted this as meaning the President should have the right to raise the debt limit on his own but if he were to do this surely a Supreme Court challenge would occur and the uncertainty over their decision would in itself harm the value of the US treasury bonds which are so vital to the US and world economy. For this reason it's unlikely the President will take this course of action. Still, it's clear that leaving this responsibility in the hands of Congress is a recipe for only more disasters.
interview by Polina Spartyanova
Bulgarian is the new chair of the Social, Humanitarian Cultural Affairs Committee
article by Polina Spartyanova
Bulgarias's UN Ambassador, Stefan Tafrov, is going to lead the Social, Humanitarian Cultural Affairs Committee ( Third Committee ) of the sixty-seventh session of the General Assembly.
In his speech in front of the Member States, Ambassador Tafrov expressed his satisfaction that for the first time in 20 years Bulgaria will chair a main committee of the General Assembly. To be called to the chairmanship was also praised as a great honor and responsibility by Tafrov.
At the sixty-seventh session of the General Assembly, the Third Committee considered 59 draft resolutions, more than half of which were submitted under the human rights agenda item alone. These included three so-called country-specific resolutions on human rights situations.
This month the Committee will hear and interact with 49 such special rapporteurs, independent experts, and chairs of working groups of the Human Rights Council.
Bulgarias's UN Ambassador, Stefan Tafrov, is going to lead the Social, Humanitarian Cultural Affairs Committee ( Third Committee ) of the sixty-seventh session of the General Assembly.
In his speech in front of the Member States, Ambassador Tafrov expressed his satisfaction that for the first time in 20 years Bulgaria will chair a main committee of the General Assembly. To be called to the chairmanship was also praised as a great honor and responsibility by Tafrov.
At the sixty-seventh session of the General Assembly, the Third Committee considered 59 draft resolutions, more than half of which were submitted under the human rights agenda item alone. These included three so-called country-specific resolutions on human rights situations.
This month the Committee will hear and interact with 49 such special rapporteurs, independent experts, and chairs of working groups of the Human Rights Council.