Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev, whom United States president George W Bush addressed as “Mr Clean” in 2007, will pay a visit to the White House on June 18 2008.

The news came after Stansihev met US ambassador to Bulgaria John Beyrle on May 16 2008.

Stanishev will arrive in the US on June 14, where he will hold meetings with members of the US congress and business persons. The main topics of discussion will include issues of security, defence, economy and investments, the Government's press service said in a statement.

Stanishev will meet Bush on the last day of his visit.

When Bush was in Bulgaria in June 2007 he told Stanishev: “I hope that you would remain in history as Mr Clean.” Bush praised at that time Stanishev's efforts in fighting crime and corruption and changes in the Government.

A few weeks before Bush' visit, Stanishev replaced Roumen Ovcharov as economy and energy minister. The reason was a row that saw allegations that Ovcharov was blackmailing the head of National Investigative Service, Angel Alexandrov, and Hristo Lachev, head of state-owned tobacco producer Bulgartbak. Nothing was proven.

Stanishev's visit to the US will happen two months after another four ministers have been replaced with no official reason.
 
However, an April 25 report by the US department of justice cited Bulgaria as an example of how international organised criminals corrupt and seek to corrupt public officials. Bulgaria’s name featured as the example of “Threat 7: International organised criminals corrupt and seek to corrupt public officials in the United States and abroad”.