US Ambassador Tones Down Bulgarian 'Eavesdropping' Scandal

Politics » DIPLOMACY | January 6, 2011, Thursday // 14:33
US Ambassador Tones Down Bulgarian 'Eavesdropping' Scandal: US Ambassador Tones Down Bulgarian 'Eavesdropping' Scandal US Ambassador to Sofia, James Warlick, praises Bulgaria for improving infrastructure, making streets safer from criminals, taking steps forward in securing energy stability, and maintaining fiscal discipline. Photo by BGNES

The US Ambassador to Sofia, James Warlick, believes the latest scandal involving tapes of discrediting conversations between key Bulgarian political personalities is a minor event.

In a Thursday interview for the TV channel Nova Televizia, Warlick commented the tapes became a sensation because currently there aren't any major topics for discussion.

Three tapes of conversations between the Director of the Customs Agency, Gen, Vanyo Tanov and his superiors – Finance Minister, Simeon Djankov, and Deputy Finance Minister, Vladislav Goranov, – were released at a news conference Wednesday by the Galeria weekly, a paper believed to be the mouthpiece of Aleksei Petrov, (currently under house arrest) former special agent of the State National Security Agency DANS, who has been investigated on organized crime charges since his arrest in the much advertised "Operation Octopus" in February 2010.

According to the Ambassador, common Bulgarians do not worry so much about this scandal, but about their retirement pensions, health care, education, and reliable energy sources so that electric power reaches their homes.

Warlick qualified the existence of different viewpoints among cabinet members as "healthy," adding the opposite would, actually, be more alarming.

As far as Bulgaria's Schengen entry, the US envoy pointed out the tapes' release could in reality end up being helpful since the joining of Schengen and its postponement over objections of France and Germany have been tied with problems with illegal alcohol, cigarettes and fuels.

Warlick stated there was no connection between Bulgaria's Schengen entry and the lifting of American visa regime, but added Schengen membership could help in the latter.

On other topics, the Ambassador reconfirmed that US authorities have suspended the visa of former Interior Minister and current Member of the Parliament from the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party, Rumen Petkov, over a criminal investigation against him, saying it had been done under full adherence to US laws.

When the news broke in November, Petkov provided official documentation from the Bulgarian Prosecutor's Office, showing he is not being investigated, called Warlick a liar, and asked him to state if he had used illegal drugs.

"We have informed Mr. Petkov why he is no longer within the American legal requirements. There is nothing personal here and such decisions are not made recklessly," the Ambassador stated.

Regarding the December scandal when it was revealed nearly half of current Bulgarian diplomats were agents or collaborators of the former Communist Secret Services, Warlick pointed out this is a decision belonging to the Bulgarian government and should not be commented by American officials.

The envoy did, however, praise Foreign Minister, Nikolay Mladenov, for reforms he has launched at his institution.

To frequent criticism he interferes in Bulgarian internal affairs, the US diplomat assured he always wanted to just voice an opinion that might be helpful in the public discussions, but the decisions are always made by the Bulgarian cabinet.

While recapping 2010, Warlick said Bulgaria had achieved significant success, giving as examples improvement of infrastructure, making Bulgarian streets safer from criminals, taking steps forward in securing energy stability, and maintaining fiscal discipline.

The US Ambassador outlined law enforcement and the energy sector as the major challenges for 2011 and areas where he wishes to help.

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Tags: US Ambassador, James Warlick, energy, Rumen Petkov, Schengen, visa, visa regime, diplomats, Communist Security Services, Boyko Borisov, phone, conversations, Prosecutor's Office, National Security Agency, Galeria, tabloid, Vanyo Tanov, Tsvetan Tsvetanov, Simeon Djankov, Vladislav Goranov, tapped, tapping, Aleksei Petrov, State National Security Agency, DANS, Customs Agency, interior ministry, customs agents, Interior Minister, finance minister, contraband, smuggling, cigarette contraband

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