March 10, 2015 — Sofia, Bulgaria
An AJC senior leadership delegation just concluded a three-day visit to Bulgaria's capital.
The five-member group, led by AJC Executive Director David Harris and including AJC Executive Council members Kim Pimley and Allan Reich, met with top Bulgarian government officials, including President Rosen Plevneliev, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov, Deputy Prime Minister Rumyana Bachvarova, Speaker of the Parliament Tsetska Tsacheva, and Chair of the GERB parliamentary group and former Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov.
Among the principal topics discussed in the meetings were: (i) deepening U.S.-Bulgaria ties, particularly following Secretary of State John Kerry's recent visit to Sofia; (ii) the Middle East; and (iii) security challenges in southeastern Europe.
During the visit, the delegation also had private meetings with the U.S. and Israeli Ambassadors, and the leadership of Shalom, the main umbrella body of Jewish organizations in Bulgaria, with which AJC has maintained a long-standing official partnership.
"First and foremost, we visited Bulgaria to express our strong support, and to express gratitude for its ongoing alignment with the U.S. and the EU," said Harris. "As a country that faces serious challenges, Bulgaria has maintained its principled stance in defense of democratic pluralistic values. Its deep link to Israel, described by Prime Minister Borisov as "fantastic," is just one example of this strong position."
The visit also included a presentation by Harris hosted by Dr. Solomon Passy, who previously served as Foreign Minister, at the prestigious Atlantic Club of Bulgaria. During the program, which was attended by more than 200 diplomats, academics, and politicians, Harris spoke about relations among the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East.
Moreover, the delegation attended a ceremony hosted in front of the Bulgarian Parliament in honor of the 72nd anniversary of the rescue of the Jews of Bulgaria during World War II. The Israeli and U.S. ambassadors, and many other diplomats and government officials, were among the crowd of several hundred attendees.
AJC maintains close relations with Bulgarian officials across the U.S. and Europe. AJC leaders also regularly visit Sofia to further strengthen ties with the country.
