Bulgaria is planning to invest more than BGN 1 B in the quality and security of its power supplying, a survey of country's Branch Chamber of the Energetics shows.

The professionals claim that is a record high amount of money.

The energy investments in 2006 were set up at a total of BGN 774 M, announced the chamber, which is a member of the Bulgarian Industrial Association,

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Bulgaria has a great potential for development of renewable energy resources and bio fuels, country's Deputy Economy Minister Valentin Ivanov said at a Saturday press conference in seaside Varna city.

The government is currently working on a draft law that will regulate this type of activities, he said. There are already several foreign companies interested in investing in sunlight energy, the added.

Minister Dimitrov took part in a seminar on the European programs. He presented the competitiveness program from which Bulgaria may get EUR 1.2 B in the 2007-2013 period.

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The jobless rate is expected to drop under 9% and employment to reach 59.9% in 2007, according to forecasts set out in the new employment plan of Bulgaria.

The document mapping out the government's employment and social policy priorities for this year, was officially presented Thursday.

Under it, more than 82,000 jobseekers will get subsidized employment, another 31,000 will have access to qualification training.

Priority will be given to low-educated, young and disabled jobless people, as well as to elderly jobseekers.

The active policies on the labour market will cost the government BGN 190 M, including 80% to finance employment programs.

The 2007 employment plan envisions that 33,000 people will work under the state-sponsored "From Social Benefits to Employment" program, and another 12,460 will be allowed to the program "Assistants to Disabled People".

Several new social programs will be launched this year, particularly for maternity support, healthcare re-qualification and employment, tourism training, etc.

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Bulgaria's largest steelmaker Kremikovtzi firmly denied reports it used cancerous lead concentrate imported from the UK.

While official check is underway into the signal circlulated by a local media, Kremikovtzi said the factory uses only Brazil and Ukraine imported materials, with ascertained origin.

Bulgaria's Environment Minister Dzhevdet Chakarov has instituted a check into the Kremikovtzi steel-making plant near Sofia, after media reported that it was releasing poisonous gas emissions.

The plant management has denied the reports and published a list of the ores and concentrates they had used in 2006.

Still, experts from Sofia's regional environment institute are performing a check into Kremikovtzi's emissions and materials

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The World Bank will lend Bulgaria EUR 41 M on the Southeast Trade and Transport Facilitation Project.

Bulgaria's government adopted a resolution on the signing of the loan documents.

The total cost of the project is EUR 54.6 M. Bulgaria will co-finance it with EUR 13.7 M.

The project aims at financing construction works, modernizing border checkpoints and thorough reconstruction of the Kapitan Andreevo and Kalotina border checkpoints.

The system for exchange of information between the border authorities will also be modernized.

Bulgaria will be given a 17-year deadline to pay off the loan.

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