US senator and presidential candidate Barack Obama, who chaired a round of confirmation hearings of ambassador-designates, has told the candidate for Sofia that Bulgaria continues to struggle with organised crime and corruption, and failure to deal with them “could jeopardise the country’s future co-operation with the European Union” and recent progress made by Bulgaria.

In a statement containing his prepared remarks, Obama addressed all the candidate ambassadors, including Nancy McEldowney, nominated to become US ambassador in Bulgaria.

Obama said that after a difficult transition from communism and setbacks in the 1990s, Bulgaria had made impressive economic strides in recent years. As a potential hub for oil and gas distribution, the country could play an important role in Europe's future energy security.

“However, Bulgaria continues to struggle with corruption and the corrosive influence of organised crime. Any failure to address these challenges could jeopardise the country's future co-operation with the European Union and, with it, much of the progress that has occurred in the recent past,” he said.

Obama told McEldowney: “You will need to work aggressively to assure that the democratic backsliding which has happened in some other parts of Eastern Europe does not occur in Bulgaria.

“The country's institutions and judicial system will need your support and assistance in order to help Bulgaria remain on course toward full Euro-Atlantic integration. In recent years, the US has dramatically reduced its financial assistance to Bulgaria, so you'll have to be creative. But your exemplary record as a member of the Foreign Service bodes well for your work on these critical tasks,” Obama said.

Addressing Yousif Boutrous Ghafari, the nominee to be ambassador to Slovenia, Obama said that Slovenia had been on the cutting edge of democratic change in Eastern Europe.

“Since its early success gaining membership in Nato and the European Union, it has been a model for progress in the Balkans. Despite its small size, Slovenia currently leads the nations of the EU while it occupies the EU's presidency. Its citizens are helping to set the agenda for an entire continent. Slovenians are focusing Europe's attention on the unfinished business of bringing peace and prosperity to the Balkans. The people and government of Slovenia will need the help of the United States and other partners as they consolidate their democratic gains, and seek to extend those gains throughout the region.”

Obama said that Ghafari was “an immigrant who has truly lived the American dream”.

“You represent the strength found in our country's diversity. Similar strength should characterise life in the Balkans - in some parts of the region including Slovenia, it already does. I hope your story and your service will resonate with people throughout the former Yugoslavia.”

In his message to Kurt Volker, nominated to be US permanent representative on the Council of Nato, Obama said that Nato was the most powerful and most successful military alliance in the history of the world.

“No organisation has done more to promote peace and security in Europe, or to create the protective shield that has allowed the democracies of the North Atlantic to grow into a free and prosperous community,” Obama said.

“But, as we saw at last week's summit in Bucharest, Nato is not as strong, as capable, or as united as it should be. Afghanistan, Nato's first major mission beyond the borders of Europe, has been overlooked and undermanned by many members of the alliance, including the US.

“Success in Afghanistan is critical to American national security, and to the security of the entire world. And a failure there would not only endanger our nation and global stability - it would cast serious doubt on the ability of NATO's military and political architecture to uphold our security in the 21st century,” Obama said.

He said that some new troop commitments to Afghanistan had been made in Bucharest, “and that is good news”.

But neither the US nor America’s allies had yet done enough to muster the resources that would win the war there and prevent Afghanistan from re-emerging as a safe haven for the Taliban and al-Qaeda, Obama said.

“The Bucharest summit also left out one of three candidates for membership, and failed to provide the young democracies of Georgia and Ukraine with membership action plans.”
Obama told Volker: “You are a professional diplomat of the first order and I have confidence that you will represent the US ably in Brussels.

“However, ensuring that Nato retains its rightful place as the cornerstone of the Euro-Atlantic alliance will require that we do more to enlarge Nato to include worthy European democracies, and focus more resources on the fight against the Taliban and al Qaeda. Doing so will require adroit diplomacy at Nato headquarters, but it will also mean making the case directly to the citizens of Europe that we must all increase our commitment to global security.

“We succeeded in coming together to confront the greatest challenges of the second half of the 20th century. We cannot succeed in confronting the challenges of the 21st unless we do so together,” Obama said.