site.btaUS Under Secretary of State Elizabeth Allen Visits Bulgaria

US Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Elizabeth Allen is expected to visit Bulgaria on Monday, October 30.

In the capital Sofia, Allen will hold a meeting with Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mariya Gabriel to advance both countries' partnership on addressing information manipulation and broader efforts to bolster bilateral ties in light of the 120th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the United States and Bulgaria. While in Sofia, Allen will also launch a nearly USD 900,000 US government-funded programme, in collaboration with the Poynter Institute, aiming to advance media literacy.

To demonstrate support for NATO ally Bulgaria and solidarity with Ukraine, she will travel to the coastal city of Varna to discuss Black Sea security issues with Bulgarian Naval leadership and visit a US-supported centre assisting displaced Ukrainian refugees.

The Under Secretary's trip to Bulgaria is part of her European tour from October 27 to November 3, which also includes Norway and Czechia. The visits are aimed to deepen Transatlantic cooperation on shared priorities, including the support for Ukraine, security in the Arctic and Black Sea regions, and countering foreign malign influence, the US State Department said on October 27.