[wos] New Bulgarian Case against Microsoft

[Volker Grassmuck]

------- Forwarded message follows -------
Date sent:      	Thu, 17 Jun 2004 13:04:05 +0300
From:           	Veni Markovski 


Bulgarian members of Parliament and Internet Society Bulgaria chairman file 
a case at the Bulgarian Competition Protection Commission in Sofia against 
Microsoft Bulgaria and Microsoft Corp, USA


The members of the Bulgarian Parliament Ivan Ivanov and MP m.d. Stoicho 
Katsarov signed today, June 16th, 2004 a letter to the Competition 
Protection Commission in Sofia with 4 points questioning Microsoft 
practices and business behaviour. Letter is also signed by Veni Markovski, 
chairman of the Internet Society in Bulgaria.

Point one concerns the development of the Bulgarian government e-gateway 
(<http://e-gateway.government.bg/>http://e-gateway.government.bg), which 
requires the users to have Windows and Internet Explorer if they want to 
use the electronic services, provided by the government. This is against 
rulings of art. 34 (2) ot the Bulgarian Law for protection of competition. 
Other articles concerned are art. 2 (1), points 2 and 3, and art. 18, point 2.

The second point regards vulnerabilities in the Microsoft Windows OS. The 
dangers which are going for the users are not known to the users, but to 
the producers of the closed code software, which is against the provisions 
in art. 32 (1) of the Law.

Third point concerns the fact that Windows always goes with preinstalled 
Internet Explorer.

Forth point is with respect to the Distribution of the Windows MediaPlayer 
as part of the MS Windows. Both last points are in connection with art. 34 
(5) of the Bulgarian Law.

The two members of the Bulgarian Parliament from Democrats for Strong 
Bulgaria (DSB) are also co-authors of the draft law for using free and open 
source software in the administration, which is to be reviewd by the 
Parliamentary committee on Transport and Telecommunications on June 17th.

For more information:
In French – MP Ivan Ivanov at +359-89-8662202 (GSM), 
<mailto:ivanov.in at mbox.bol.bg>ivanov.in at mbox.bol.bg
in English – Veni Markovski at +359-88-8516359 (GSM), 
<mailto:veni at veni.com>veni at veni.com (in English)



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