36th EUROPEAN KARATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
May 11th – 13th, 2001 Sofia, Bulgaria
 
GENERAL INFORMATION
 
Championships’ venue
The 36th European Senior's Karate Championships will take place at the Winter Sports Palace in Sofia, from May 11th to May 13th 2001.
 
Registration for the Championships
The Registration for all athletes and officials will take place on Thursday, May 10th 2001 between 12.00 and 16.00 PM at Hotel Hilton - Sofia.
 
Travelling to Bulgaria. Transportation
The Republic of Bulgaria is located in the South-East of Europe on the Balkan Peninsula. Bulgaria borders to the north on Rumania (the frontier line runs along the Danube river and continues on land to the north-east), to the south - on Greece and Turkey, to the west - on Serbia and Macedonia (former Yugoslavia) and to the east - on the Black Sea. Bulgarian and foreign airline companies directly link the capital of Bulgaria - Sofia to all major cities and airports in Europe.
For further details please contact Scorpio Ltd., the official accommodation and travel Agency of the Championships:
phone: (359 2) 93 10 582
fax: (+359 2) 93 11 739
e-mail: travel@scorpio-bg.com
Contact person: Mr. Maslarski.
All guests who choose to purchase airplane tickets offered by the Travel Agency of the Championships Scorpio Ltd. will receive preferential price offers.
For a detailed presentation of Scorpio Ltd. and the services the Agency can extend to the participants prior to the Championships see the enclosed presentation of the Agency.
Transfer: Airport - Hotel - Airport - 9 USD per person
Transfers between the official hotels and the sports center will be free.
Party: 10 USD
 
Accommodation
All hotels registered for the Championships are in the town of Sofia. Rooms in hotels of several categories have been reserved for the Championships` participants and quests. Four types of packages have been offered and each delegation is requested to select for its members the type of packages desired in the relevant hotels. Please complete the enclosed Registration forms and indicate your choice of packages for the members of your delegations.

The official hotels are as follows:
Hotel Ambassador * * * *
Luxury business hotel conventionally situated only 5 km away from the city center, 9 km away from Sofia Airport and less than 2 km away from the Winter Sports Palace. The hotel offers 60 rooms, 8 flats and 4 Deluxe suites. Facilities include restaurant, wine cellar, lobby bar, conference hall, fitness center, sauna, solarium and hydro jet.

Hotel Princess Sofia * * * *
The hotel is situated within walking distance from the city center, near the Central Railway Station, 15 km away from Sofia Airport and 10 km away from the Winter Sports Palace. The hotel offers 600 rooms and 7 suites. Facilities include 6 conference halls, lobby bar, restaurant and luxury casino.

Park Hotel Moskva * * *
Located right next to the park Borissova Gradina, the hotel is away from the city noise, but only 4 km from the Winter Sports Palace and 5km from Sofia Airport. The hotel offers 248 rooms and 19 suites. Facilities include conference halls, restaurant, lobby bar, fitness center, sauna and solarium.

Hotel Rodina * * *
This excellent 104 m high hotel has splendid views of the capital and Mount Vitosha with 21 hotel's floors. The hotel offers 430 rooms and 4 suites, all furnished with refined taste in warm and soothing tones. Facilities include Congress center, Chinese restaurant, Winter garden, Panorama with beautiful view of Sofia, day bar, nigh club, swimming pool, fitness, sauna, solarium and three level underground garage. The hotel is 15 km away from Sofia Airport and 10 km away from Winter Sports Palace.

Hotel Hemus * * *
The hotel is located at about 10 minutes walking distance from the Headquarters Hotel and 7 km from Winter Sports Palace. The hotel offers 125 double and 45 single guest rooms and 8 suites. The facilities include restaurant, bar, coffee & pastry shop, night club, souvenir shop and parking place.

Hotel Serdika * *
Located in the city center of Sofia, next to the Vassil Levski Monument and only 50 m off the St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral. The hotel is 10 km. away from Sofia Airport and 9 km away from Winter Sports Palace. The hotel offers 120 rooms and 7 suites. Facilities include conference hall, restaurant, coffee bar and night club.

Hotel Diana Cat. C
Ordinary Hotel with restaurant at 4 km away from the Winter Sports Palace.

Hotel CSKA Cat. C
Ordinary Hotel with restaurant at 6 km away from the Winter Sports Palace.
 
Please send us your bookings up to 10th of April 2001 together with 50% prepayment. The rest of the other 50% should be received not later then 10th of May 2001 (date of registration). In case of 100% payment of the due amount it should be received not later then 10th of April 2001. All payments for accommodation should be made in US dollars. The desired reservations will be activated upon receiving the payment for them. The organizer will not accept the reservations without deposit.
The deposit must be made by bank transfer (net of bank charges) to the following bank account:
Holder: Scorpio Ltd. Sofia, Bulgaria
Bank: Unionbank AD, 1606 Sofia, Bulgaria,
10-12 Damyan Gruev Street
Account no. (US dollars): 1100507201
Bank code: 19591957
 
ATTENTION: According to WKF rules:
The organizer has no responsibility if a participating country chooses a hotel other than the ones, offered by the organizer. The organizer has no responsibility if the participant send his reservation form and entry form after the deadline.
 
Passports & Visas
Valid passports are required from all foreign citizens entering Bulgaria. Each passport should have a validity of at least six months. Entry visas are required from citizens of some countries. The entry visas can be obtained from any Bulgarian Embassy or Consulate. The Bulgarian National Federation of Karate do has already informed them on this matter. In case visa problems occur for any team, please contact the Bulgarian National Federation of Karate-do.
75 Vasil Levski Blvd.
1040 Sofia, Bulgaria
Phone/fax: (+359 2) 987 9413
Phone: (+359 2) 930 0591
e-mail: bfkarate@bulinfo.net
 
Insurance
The organizer will provide insurance according the rules WKF.
 
Secretariat
All delegations are kindly requested to fill in the attached Registration, Nominative and Competition Entry forms and return them to the Organizing Committee within the set time frames. The Secretariat will be located in a conference hall at the Hilton Hotel (the Headquarters hotel).
Each participating country is requested to provide 2 national flags - marked with Latin letters and an audiocassette with the national anthem.
During registration there is the possibility to accredit the representatives of official press/media.
 

Press accreditation
The Press Center is adjacent to the stands and the seats allocated to journalists. Accredited journalists will have access to working seats, telephone and fax.
The hall for press conferences with prizewinners is close to the Press Center too.
Photographers and TV or video cameramen will have access to their allocated seats only on presenting the special badges given at the accreditation. Journalists will not have access to the competition tatamis. Permission to record with TV cameras will be granted only against the payment of US dollars 75.00, to be settled on spot at the accreditation.
Accreditation of journalists (press, radio and TV ones) will done at the accreditation center.
For more details about media services please contact the Press Department Director - Ms. Magdalena Dimitrova, tel.: 00 359 88 41 60 92.

 
Currency regulations
The National Currency of the Republic of Bulgaria is the Bulgarian lev (BGL)
1 BGL = 1 DM
1 BGL = USD 0,45
1 BGL = EUR 0,51
1 BGL = CHF 0,78
All major credit cards are accepted in the country. Currency exchange is available in all exchange offices.
 
Climate
Marked by four distinct seasons, Bulgaria enjoys a generally favourable climate that is one of the country's best features. Although located at the same latitude as southern New England, Bulgaria's climate is noticeably more temperate. Summers are typically hot and dry, but rarely oppressive, with moderate relative humidity. Winters are cold but not bitterly so. In the south and Black Sea coastal regions, Mediterranean influences temper the harsher continental climate of the interior. The country's half-dozen mountain groups also play a significant part in determining regional variances.
In the capital, Sofia, daytime high temperatures average 28C in July-August; 3C in January, and reflect the ameliorating effects of nearby Mt. Vitosha. Temperatures in May vary from 17 to 23C.
 
Training
Providing training facilities prior to and during the days of the Championships is available. Training facilities are provided free of charge in Winter Sports Palace.
 
Delivery of tickets
Scorpio Ltd. travel agency effects delivery of airplane tickets. The organizers are ready to assist you in ordering airplane tickets. Please address your request or direct your order to:
Scorpio Ltd.
1303 Sofia, Bulgaria
53, Antim I Street
phone: (+359 2) 9310582
fax: (+359 2) 9311739
e-mail: travel@scorpio-bg.com
Contact person: Miss Vanja Nikolova - marketing department.
 
Identification
All officials from the organizing committee and security officers from "Scorpio" will carry identifying cards showing their status.