US Ambassador Merten: Bulgaria-US Strategic Partnership Is Stronger Than Ever

Petya Petrova

US Ambassador Merten during his opening remarks (BTA Photo)

Sofia,

27.07.2023 17:02

(BTA)

The strategic partnership between Bulgaria and the US is stronger than ever, said US Ambassador here Kenneth Merten at an event, organized by the Atlantic Club in Bulgaria and hosted by the Club’s President, Solomon Passy.

The Ambassador noted that continuously expanding ties in different sectors and the 120th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and the US..

Attending were ex-president Rosen Plevneliev (2012-2017), ambassadors, MPs, military, former ministers.

Merten said that the US and Bulgaria have accomplished a lot as partners and that the best is yet to come. The diplomat said that he will try to invite US congressmen to visit Bulgaria.

In each country there is a potential threat for democracy, said Merten. Accordign to him the way to overcome such challenges is not by banning people from speaking out and expressing their opinion. People should be convinced that democracy is something positive because the countries’ economies benefit from the cooperation, he said.

The Ambassador said he had talked with officials from the caretaker government and the incumbent government about the visa-free travel to the US. According to him, it is not a matter of a political decision which countries will be included in the visa-waiver programme and there are criteria which Bulgaria should meet.

Atlantic Club President Passy proposed to the attending MPs to set out the country’s basic law that Bulgaria is a member of NATO. Bulgaria’s relations with the US are not as its relations with Belarus and North Korea. Bulgaria and the US are allies, said Passy.

/NZ/