[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 24 (Monday, June 18, 2007)]
[Pages 792-793]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at the American University in Bulgaria in Sofia

June 11, 2007

    The President. Well, listen, thank you all for introducing 
yourselves. I want to thank you very much, Olga, for giving me a chance 
to visit with these students.
    First of all, I'm looking forward to hearing about your stories and 
your dreams. There's no question that education is what's going to help 
change the world; it certainly change your personal lives. But it also 
has the opportunity to change regions in the world. And I am excited 
that all of you have had a chance to go to higher education and that you 
aspire beyond your current education to achieve new things, new dreams--
Michigan State Law School--I mean, Michigan Law School, excuse me, or 
mathematics. I mean, it's uplifting for me to be with you.
    America strongly supports education initiatives at home and abroad. 
I think the best thing we can do is to invite students to come to our 
country. You'll see what America is really like when you come. But you 
don't have to, you know, just come to America to study. You can study 
all over the world, and then go back to your countries and become 
productive citizens and apply what you've learned and help your 
countries grow, because the potential in this part of the world is wide 
open. We kind of have to do a little political work in some places, but 
it's wide open. And we wish you all the very best. I'm honored to be 
with you.

    Stanko, why don't you share some thoughts with us.
    Stanko Stankov. Well, I have to--I mean, I agree with the point 
about education. There are many challenges here in the region, 
especially after Bulgaria now entered European Union. And this period of 
transition, I think, is going to be best dealt with by having a good 
education and having competent people who can stand up to the challenge 
and just face it the proper way.

    The President. So, Stanko, what was your major?

    Mr. Stankov. My major was business administration.

    The President. Oh, that's right. Yeah. And so what are you going to 
do?

    Mr. Stankov. Oh, first I'm going to do some work here in Bulgaria, 
because I need some work experience before I apply to a grad school in 
the United States--that's where I hope to apply. And after I do this 
work for 2 or 3 years, I'm going to go probably to the States and study, 
do my masters there. And after that, well, we'll see.

    The President. And have you found a job?

    Mr. Stankov. Yes, I'm being interviewed still. And tomorrow I have a 
very important interview. [Laughter] My next job interview. [Laughter]

    The President. Well, if the interviewer is listening--[laughter]--
Stanko is looking for a little work. [Laughter] It'll make your mother 
happy when you find a job, won't it?

    Mr. Stankov. Yes, she will be happy.

    The President. That's good. Well, thank you very much, Stanko. Thank 
you all.

[[Page 793]]

Note: The President spoke at 2:57 p.m. at the Eleiff Center for 
Education and Culture. In his remarks, he referred to Olga Borissova, 
director, Centre for European Programmes, American University in 
Bulgaria. Participating in the event were Stanko Stankov, Katya 
Georgieva, Hristina Jordanova, Nita Gojani, and Filjor Broka, recent 
graduates, and Nemanja Gruicic, student, American University in 
Bulgaria; Dilyana Mincheva and Bilyana Hristova, students, University of 
Sofia; and Hawa Ansary and Stanislav Andreev, recent graduates, American 
College of Sofia.