[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 131 (Tuesday, July 27, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5107-S5108]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 322--REAFFIRMING THE ALLIANCE BETWEEN THE UNITED 
   STATES AND BULGARIA, CONGRATULATING BULGARIA ON ITS JULY 11, 2021 
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS, AND CALLING FOR CONTINUED PROGRESS IN BULGARIA 
TOWARDS COMBATING CORRUPTION, RESPECTING THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS, AND 
                       PROTECTING MINORITY RIGHTS

  Mr. CARDIN (for himself, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Wicker, and Mr. Tillis) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 322

       Whereas Bulgaria, which is an original signatory of the 
     Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, done at 
     Helsinki August 1, 1975 (commonly known as the ``Helsinki 
     Final Act'')--
       (1) has transitioned from a Cold War-era, Soviet satellite 
     to a multi-party democracy with a market economy; and
       (2) remains an active and constructive participant in the 
     Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE);
       Whereas because of its progress on the institutionalization 
     of democratic systems and economic reforms, Bulgaria joined 
     the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 2004 and the 
     European Union in 2007;
       Whereas Bulgaria is a steadfast ally of the United States 
     in an area of strategic importance to the United States;
       Whereas bilateral security cooperation between the United 
     States and Bulgaria is deep and growing stronger, including 
     through the October 2020 signing of a 10-year defense 
     cooperation roadmap, and regular United States military 
     training conducted in Bulgaria, including at the Novo Selo 
     Training Area;
       Whereas Bulgaria has contributed approximately 21,000 
     troops to various NATO missions;
       Whereas Bulgaria is on track to consistently reach defense 
     spending of at least 2 percent of its gross domestic product 
     by 2024;
       Whereas the international observers representing the OSCE 
     Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the OSCE 
     Parliamentary Assembly, and the Parliamentary Assembly of the 
     Council of Europe concluded that Bulgaria's July 11, 2021 
     parliamentary elections were ``competitive with fundamental 
     freedoms generally respected'';
       Whereas on July 8 and 9, 2021, Bulgaria hosted the annual 
     summit meeting of the Three Seas Initiative, a unique region-
     led undertaking launched in 2015 to create a political 
     platform and investment fund to promote transportation, 
     energy, and digital infrastructure connectivity across its 12 
     member states (Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, 
     Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and 
     Slovenia);
       Whereas Bulgaria's continued progress has been threatened 
     by multiple internal challenges, including corruption, and 
     Bulgaria is consistently among the lowest-ranked European 
     Union member states in Transparency International's 
     Corruption Perceptions Index;
       Whereas Bulgaria was ranked 112th out of 180 countries in 
     the Reporters Without Borders 2021 World Press Freedom Index, 
     which is the lowest position of any European Union country;
       Whereas on March 10, 2021, a Reporters Without Borders 
     expert stated, ``Press freedom has reached an impasse in 
     Bulgaria and independent media are on the brink of 
     disappearing'', citing political interference with public 
     broadcasters, and the abuse of privately-owned media for 
     political purposes, among other concerns;
       Whereas Bulgaria is an attractive, low-cost investment 
     destination with a talented, tech-savvy labor pool, but has 
     problems with endemic corruption, including in large 
     infrastructure projects and in the energy sector;
       Whereas on June 2, 2021, the Department of the Treasury's 
     Office of Foreign Assets Control announced sanctions under 
     the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act 
     (subtitle F of title XII of Public Law 114-328; 22 U.S.C. 
     2656 note) against 3 Bulgarian individuals and 64 associated 
     entities, while the Department of State announced visa bans 
     on 5 former Bulgarian Government officials due to corruption;
       Whereas religious pluralism has long been a positive 
     feature of Bulgarian society, though the Muslim community 
     still encounters obstacles in its quest to reclaim property 
     and build new houses of worship in Sofia;
       Whereas the Romani community faces systemic discrimination 
     in Bulgaria, including discrimination in access to education, 
     rights to residency, and access to voting, and Romani 
     settlements faced particularly harsh restrictions as a result 
     of the COVID-19 pandemic;
       Whereas Bulgaria has withheld its support for neighboring 
     North Macedonia to open accession talks with the European 
     Union; and
       Whereas America's most successful and enduring 
     relationships are built on shared values: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) reaffirms its commitment to the historic partnership 
     between the United States and Bulgaria and to advance 
     democracy, prosperity and security in Bulgaria;
       (2) congratulates the Bulgarian people on the successful 
     conduct of the July 11 parliamentary elections;
       (3) declares its support for the Three Seas Initiative;
       (4) urges Bulgarian authorities to redouble efforts to 
     address corruption, sustain and protect a healthy independent 
     media, and protect the rights of all minority groups in 
     Bulgaria, in line with its commitments to the Organization 
     for Security and Cooperation in Europe;
       (5) encourages Bulgaria to support the aspirations for 
     European Union membership of neighboring North Macedonia;
       (6) supports Bulgaria's efforts to diversify its energy 
     sources to minimize the malign influence of dominant 
     suppliers; and
       (7) affirms its intent to continue to support Bulgaria's 
     efforts in these areas, including through the application of 
     a wide range of supportive measures, such as--
       (A) targeted Global Magnitsky Sanctions, as and when 
     appropriate; and

[[Page S5108]]

       (B) support for independent journalism, including through 
     the recently returned Radio Free Europe Bulgarian Service, 
     which excels in investigative reporting.

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