Photo: U.S. Embassy Sofia Facebook

Sofia, June 12 (BTA) - A US Congress delegation visited Sofia
and the coastal city of Varna in the period from July 8 to 11,
the US Embassy in Bulgaria said Monday. The delegation held
meetings with representatives of Bulgaria's caretaker
government, religious communities and civil society. Discussed
were a variety of matters, including regional cooperation, media
 freedom, religious diversity and tolerance, security, as well
as matters related to ethnic minorities.

On the delegation were Senators Ben Cardin, Roger Wicker, John
Cornyn, and Thom Tillis and Representatives Joe Wilson, Lloyd
Doggett, Steve Cohen, Andy Harris, Richard Hudson, Marc Veasey,
Trent Kelly, and Gwen Moore.

In Senator Cardin's words, the delegation came to Sofia to show
support for the Three Seas Initiative as well as to talk with
Bulgaria's leaders and people about common values and
fundamental human rights. He said the delegation met with
religious communities to underscore the US's commitment to
religious tolerance and visited a Roma settlement to learn more
about the difficulties this minority continues to encounter when
 ensuring equal rights.

During their bilateral meeting with President Rumen Radev, the
US guests expressed concern over the unfavourable state of media
 freedom in Bulgaria and were assured that the government will
step up its efforts to protect and strengthen independent
professional journalism, Senator Cardin also said. The
protection of civil and human rights is a key component of every
 democracy and the US expects to hear more about the ways
Bulgaria guarantees the fundamental freedoms and rule of law, he
 noted.

On the sidelines of the Sixth Summit of the Three Seas
Initiative hosted by Sofia on July 8 and 9, the US delegation
held meetings with government officials from Bulgaria and other
European countries where they discussed the significance of the
Initiative for the development, stability and security in the
region. The US guests visited many Bulgarian tourist sights,
including the Rila Monastery, the Boyana Church, and the Varna
Archaeological Museum.

On July 10, US Ambassador to Bulgaria Herro Mustafa and the US
Congress delegation visited the Bulgarian Navy Base in Varna,
where they were welcomed by caretaker Defence Minister Georgi
Panayotov, the Chief of Defence, Admiral Emil Eftimov, and the
Navy Commander, Rear Admiral Kiril Mihaylov. They discussed the
importance of the US-Bulgaria partnership in the region and the
opportunities for strengthening the stable cooperation in
security in the Black Sea.

Senator Wicker said that not long ago, the Black Sea Region
witnessed an alarming increase in tension. In his words, the
delegation's visit in the area is aimed at keeping them in the
loop about the situation and at demonstrating their country's
strong, lasting and bipartite support for Bulgaria and the US'
other NATO allies and partners in the region.

RY/DS

Source: Sofia