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Sat, May 26 2012
US official praises Bulgaria’s efforts against organised crime, offers help
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borissov, left, US ambassador in Sofia James Warlick, centre, and David Johnson, US assistant secretary of state for international narcotics and law enforcement affair.
Photo: government.bg
The United States is very pleased with the arrests in Bulgaria in 2010 of people allegedly linked to organised crime and corruption, US assistant secretary of state for international narcotics and law enforcement affairs David Johnson said on June 8 after meeting Prime Minister Boiko Borissov.
Johnson expressed support for the Borissov Government’s proposal to set up special tribunals to try cases of organised crime and corruption.
Borissov and Johnson discussed the fight against organised crime and corruption, as well as judicial reform, along with the amendments to Bulgaria’s Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code.
The US planned additional assistance to Bulgaria’s anti-crime and corruption units and would provide consultants to outline US experience in this field, including mistakes made and lessons learnt, and would help with advice on institutional reform and support for the rule of law, Johnson said.
Borissov said that the US was an essential partner in Bulgaria’s fight against contraband, money laundering and trafficking in human beings.
As quoted by news agency Focus, Borissov said that foreign assessments had shown that Bulgaria’s way was the correct one.
Where necessary, Bulgaria drew on foreign experience, Borissov said. He said that he hoped that police, judges and prosecutors would take into account the recommendations that they would receive, and endorsed the importance not only of arrests, but also of transparent trials and sentences.
Johnson expressed support for the Borissov Government’s proposal to set up special tribunals to try cases of organised crime and corruption.
Borissov and Johnson discussed the fight against organised crime and corruption, as well as judicial reform, along with the amendments to Bulgaria’s Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code.
The US planned additional assistance to Bulgaria’s anti-crime and corruption units and would provide consultants to outline US experience in this field, including mistakes made and lessons learnt, and would help with advice on institutional reform and support for the rule of law, Johnson said.
Borissov said that the US was an essential partner in Bulgaria’s fight against contraband, money laundering and trafficking in human beings.
As quoted by news agency Focus, Borissov said that foreign assessments had shown that Bulgaria’s way was the correct one.
Where necessary, Bulgaria drew on foreign experience, Borissov said. He said that he hoped that police, judges and prosecutors would take into account the recommendations that they would receive, and endorsed the importance not only of arrests, but also of transparent trials and sentences.
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Pete,
you are confused.
Dianne is British, first of all, then the question is, is it wise for Boyko (thanks Ex-pat) to solicit publicly US opinion on our "progress" and is it diplomatic for the US to offer it. My opinion is NO on both counts. We are the EU and not the US.
Our normal internal crime issues are ours and that of Brussels problems, not Washington.
Somebody was eavesdropping your phone conversations in BG 9 years a go? Unless you yourself were mixed up with the wrong crowd, [...]
Read the full comment it was the upstairs neighbor from one of those old-fashioned duplex phone lines....
Nobody care enough in BG to spy on folks. The US is much more of a police state.
Diane is heavy brainwashed. Her tirade reminds me of the articles in Rabotnichesko delo. Yes baby, the Americans are drunk with Coca-Cola and no communism here in USA, for your sorrow. But we will survive somehow under the the great capitalism. When I come here, 9 years ago I feel free for the first time in my life. Nobody was eavesdropping my phone conversations, my house wasn't burglarized like in Sofia. The police is helping me every where in Florida to find directions.
This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained foul, abusive or discriminating language
Well, I LOVE Las Vegas. I am very happy the Mafia built it.
I can only tell you we Americans were apt pupils of our European forebears when it comes to fraud, deceit, trickery, pillaging, theft (the list is long). Europeans were experts in such matters long before the U.S. was even founded. In fact, you can still see some of the evidence by looking into museums across Europe. But I digress....
As far as this article, personally, I feel BG needs to work out their own domestic problems. But, I do [...]
Read the full comment hope whatever changes the people want towards improving their country on their own terms are successful. In the meantime, I am happy to continue enjoying my time here as a foreigner who loves to drink beer in the park without harassment.
If the Bulgarian government specifically requests assistance and comments, then I guess that's a different matter. If citizens don't like it, then they need to take it up with their government representatives to stop asking for our opinion all the time.
BTW Johnson looks in love with Boyko and Warlick is grinning like a proud parent...
"The United States is very pleased with the arrests in Bulgaria in 2010 of people allegedly..."
What "diplomat" thought that this is the appropriate publicity phrase to describe their opinion? Giving "the ugly American" (the US version of Bai Ganio) a new life?
Wow, Dianne is growing a brain?
The US shouldn't comment not because they themselves have more crime than us (double the murder rate of BG, not to mention fraud in which the US is #1), but because it makes them look like they think that they've inherited the world... BG and the US are NOT part of the same structures. We are not a US state and the US is not in the EU.
Very little Bulgarian drugs/crime affect the US directly, and it would be better if they put their comments [...]
Read the full comment on BG, in the BG/US relations context, as opposed to praising BG for generally good behavior. It is patronizing and bad politics...
This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained foul, abusive or discriminating language
Is this the same US where Vegas was built on Mafia money and still is, Where the biggest Unions are run by the mafia, and where people like George Bush, Dick Chainey, Donald Rumsfelt are all financially involved with huge companies reaping massive rewards from contracts in Iraq, Afghanistan and the like. The US can comment of Bulgaria fighting organised crime as it has first hand experience, being run by organised crime itself.