The significance of the visit by US president George Bush to Bulgaria should not be overestimated, which is not to say that it was of no significance at all.
Checking off the issues one by one, it would be doubtful in the extreme to claim that Bulgaria needed any further assurances from the US of Washington’s support for the campaign to free the Bulgarian nurses in Libya. Again, it would wrong to assert that Bush’s reiteration of this support was superfluous. It seems clear that there is a process going on partly behind the scenes to free the nurses, and much of what is said and done in public by all sides concerned is largely theatre. However, it was unfortunate that Bush chose to use, or did not think clearly before using, the word “compensation” in relation to support for the Libyan children infected with HIV, and their families. It is well known that the use of this term is not acceptable lest it be misconstrued, probably deliberately, as an admission of guilt. Still, it would be churlish not to acknowledge the efforts being made by the US to help the nurses.
On the issue of the continuing requirement that Bulgarians have visas before entering the US, a matter that has been cited by some quarters as evidence of US hypocrisy: that Bulgarians are good enough to contribute troops and training bases, but not good enough for automatic admission to the US, Bush said in effect very little. To say that the system is outmoded and requires reform does not add up to much, although again it must be admitted that there are broader dynamics at work. One such issue, as the US side chooses to point out, is the large number of Bulgarians who overstay their visas or who breach the terms of their visas by working illegally in the US. A wider issue, of course, is the US’s priority of strictly controlling admissions to the country in the light of the 2001 terrorist attacks.
On the missile shield issue, a hard look at what was said by Bush and by President Georgi Purvanov makes it plain that this is a matter between Washington and Moscow, and while entitled to a polite hearing and a polite explanation, Bulgaria has no real voice in the debate. Anyway, the ritual of visits by heads of state or heads of government is to follow pre-determined scripts, not to revise them, especially to meet the needs of bit part players.
Bush’s visit did not bring with it the signing of any major new investment deals. Apart from funding for the assistance of the development of entrepreneurship and business leadership, Bush had no shiny package with him to open and wow the crowds.
Whatever interest the US may have in investing in Bulgaria’s energy sector or in getting a piece of the action related to the Bourgas-Alexandropoulis pipeline, it may be that US investment in this country and the immediate region may remain below its potential for some time. While he dressed it up as a concern among the Bulgarian public, Bush’s mention of corruption was a clear if reasonably subtle signal to this country’s authorities that this continues to be an obstacle to further investment.
In the international media, Bush’s visit to Bulgaria attracted little interest, especially given the parochial attitude of the White House press corps which routinely focuses on domestic political issues with nary a glance at the passing scenery. However, the few brief glimpses international television audiences would have had may be worth something. Bulgaria got a shot at 15 seconds of fame while Bush was in town, and perhaps, to take in a different context Bush’s statement while at the official lunch, it was a pity they were not at the beach.
