Title: A resolution 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.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution reaffirms the Senate's commitment to the historic partnership between the United States and Bulgaria. It also congratulates the Bulgarian people on the successful conduct of its July 11 parliamentary elections.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 322 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 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.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 27, 2021

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   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.

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