One of the highlights in the press today is the looming conflict between Sofia and Brussels on the issue of the South Stream gas pipeline. We are going to build the gas pipeline despite instructions from the European Commission to halt the project and the threat of sanctions, Trud reports. South Stream should not become the hostage of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, Minister of Economy Dragomir Stoynev is quoted as saying by the newspapers. The Chairman of the Energy Committee in parliament Ramadan Atalay believes that Bulgaria has not violated any rules. South Stream is a breath of fresh air for the Bulgarian companies, Svetoslav Glosov, Chairman of the Chamber of Builders in Bulgaria, says in an interview for Standard.

"All join forces against retail chains", Sega writes. The amendments to the Law on the Protection of Competition submitted by MPs from the ruling parties with a view to limiting unfair trade practices represent a threat to competition in fact. They will bar Bulgarian producers from foreign markets. Big retail chans will opt for foreign suppliers, prices will most probably go up and consumers will end up as the big losers, the newspaper contends.

"What is the optimal structure of the government": 24 Hours carries an analysis written by Ivan Todorov, professor in administrative law. In his view the economy on the whole should be managed from one place and it is the Council of Ministers. Energy and tourism are the backbone of Bulgarian economy, so there should be two separate ministries in charge of them. It is mythology that the integration of ministries like the case with the mega-ministry of economy, energy and tourism is a way to save money, the professor concludes.

"Gerb + the Reformist Bloc, with support from MRF", is the forecast for the future government of the country provided to Trud by political scientist Dimitar Ganev. In the aftermath of European elections the political wind has began blowing to the right. Election results have shown the following: the electoral power of the main ruling parties (BSP and the predominantly Turkish MRF) and of the opposition (Gerb and the Reformist Bloc) are equal. However, the MRF has for quite sometime been aware that it is a loser from its intimacy with BSP, the political scientist concludes.

Once they graduate, 90% of medical doctors emigrate, Monitor writes in a headline.Nine out of every ten doctors leave the country after not more than a year upon graduation. This is according to figures from the Rector of the Public Health Faculty at Sofia Medical University Prof. Tsekomir Vodenicharov. The problem with healthcare staff is going to become rampant in about six years from now, the professor argues.

English: Daniela Konstantinova