[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 17]
[House]
[Page 22991]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           WELCOMING PRESIDENT PARVANOV TO THE UNITED STATES

  (Mr. WILSON of South Carolina asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, as we continue to wage a 
war against terrorism, I am inspired when I look at a vibrant young 
democracy that only recently started out on the road to freedom. The 
country of Bulgaria existed under an oppressive Communist regime for 
nearly 50 years, but now it serves as a beacon of hope for people 
throughout the world who seek liberty.
  Today, I am honored to welcome Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov to 
Capitol Hill. He is a man of great accomplishment and a champion of the 
Bulgarian Miracle promoting economic success and enhanced security. He 
has led his country to become a strategically located member of NATO, 
and is now implementing the reforms to join the European Union.
  We appreciate Bulgaria's strong friendship which President Parvanov 
and President Bush recognized yesterday at the White House as the 
warmest ever in the history of our diplomatic relations.
  Bulgarian Ambassador Elena Poptodorova to Washington has worked 
professionally with former U.S. Ambassador Jim Pardew and now 
Ambassador John Beyrle for a mutually beneficial partnership.
  In conclusion, God bless our troops and we will never forget 
September 11.

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