Why did our country get involved right now in the search for Ruza Ignatova, have Bulgarian ministers sent letters to the authors of the "Magnitsky" list, is there a terrorist threat to our country and what will the Americans learn from us in dealing with the fires? The Bulgarian ambassador to the USA, Georgi Panayotov, gave answers to these questions in a special interview with Marina Tsekova.
A crash in technology. This was one of the leading topics in our country. Did this affect your work and were there any Bulgarians who contacted you for help?
The collapse was not felt in the embassy, no Bulgarians have turned to the embassy for assistance. I know there were problems at the airports, but delayed flights have been restored. We have colleagues who will fly out a little later, but the situation is normalizing.
Do you have an explanation for why this happened – technical problem or cyber attack?
I'm not an IT specialist myself, but I guess it's more related to an update that wasn't done correctly enough.
Another topic that is discussed both in Bulgaria and with you. These are forest fires. What are the similarities and differences in the ways the two countries deal with this problem?
First let me say that because of the scale of the USA there are much more fires here and there are currently 61 active wildfires, about 4 million acres of forest have already burned, almost 20,000 firefighters with the appropriate equipment are involved, so on the face of it this is the difference.
However, is there a debate in the US when there are fires about old equipment, do politicians get involved in the subject of the fires?
Politicians get involved in all kinds of topics when it can be criticized or praised. It's the same. The topic is like that, it's always about asking for more funds and resources for equipment and for fire commands. Unlike Bulgaria, however, they are completely voluntary. This is the huge difference with Bulgaria. There was a world symposium of firefighters in the city of Washington, where there were representatives of Bulgarian firefighters, and I can tell you that we are starting cooperation with America in this direction as well.
Who will learn from whom?
The training will be categorically mutual. We have a lot to learn from them – they have more modern technology and technique. But at the same time, the way we deal with problems is also interesting for them and they learn from us too.
Okay, we'll keep an eye on how the collaboration goes in this area. Another topic found serious coverage in the world media – the shooting of Donald Trump. Where were you when this happened and what was your first reaction?
I was at the residence and I was just looking at my phone, what else is a person to do these days, and I just found out about what happened to Trump. It is clear what happened – an attempt on Trump's life, it is clear who the shooter is, there is no evidence that this is something organized, terrorism. There is no evidence that he is related to other people. But the important thing to know is that after this assassination attempt, the behavior of the former president won quite a few minds and hearts here in the US because his behavior was that of a brave man. He put his hand in the air, stood up, that's what America likes, and it increased his chances of getting elected.
Does it make a difference for Bulgaria whether Donald Trump or Joe Biden will become president if he remains the nominee of the Democrats?
This is a very important question. Look, there won't be any significant difference for Bulgaria, but there will be nuances, because these are different people with different approaches and positions.
Which is the better scenario for Bulgaria?
I can't be bothered to say which is the better scenario for Bulgaria. The truth is that Biden belongs to that generation that grew up during the Cold War, he and Donald belong to it, because their age difference is not great. What is characteristic of Biden is that his desire to protect democracy and freedom in the world, for America to be the guardian of democracy, is more clearly expressed. With Trump, there is perhaps more of a business approach.
In Bulgaria, you know, politicians often claim that America interferes in our internal politics. Is that so?
I have no idea what is meant by the American administration interfering in domestic political processes in our country. I do not see such a thing, I do not notice it, but the American government is definitely talking to the Bulgarian government. We communicate with the American government, we talk to each other, we say what our problems, goals, plans are and we work together on them. No one interferes anywhere. I can definitely tell you that.
What do Bulgaria's chances of visa waiver with the USA look like today?
There is one criterion that is enshrined in law here in the US. And it is that the rejection rate of applicants for American visas must be below 3 percent. This criterion has not been met by us. And we are working to make this happen, a campaign is coming up in Bulgaria, which will explain to the candidates how to apply, how to fill out their documents, so that they are not returned to them.
What is the visa refusal rate?
9 percent.
You know that the Romanian government the Romanian government has launched an action to eliminate visas for the US – in order to reduce the visa refusal rate. They encourage people to renew their visas. Should something similar be done in our country?
At some point, Bulgaria should do something like this. I don't know if it will be interesting, but Poland and Croatia were also visa-required countries, but not anymore. One of the steps they have taken is to encourage their citizens and government officials to apply for US visas, get them, and thus reduce the denials. This was done in Poland, it was also done in Croatia
Should it be done here too?
Yes, it should be done
There are a few more topics I want to discuss. Another topic that connected Bulgaria with the USA a few weeks ago is the search for Ruzha Ignatova and the announced reward of 5 million dollars for her capture. Do you have an explanation – why did Ignatova start to be sought in Bulgaria as well?
I can tell you that two months ago there was an i.f. Attorney General Borislav Sarafov and we went together to the FBI Academy in Virginia and there on one wall were 10 little posters of the FBI's most wanted people in the world. Ruzha Ignatova was one of them, only when we were there the prize was $250,000. Then it became $5 million in a few weeks. Why was the search started in Bulgaria – because she committed a great theft and harmed many people.
Why is it now being searched in our country? Are there any indications that she might be in our country?
Not something I can know and not something I would share with you. But logic points to that. Not that it is necessarily in Bulgaria, but the Bulgarian law enforcement authorities should be involved in efforts to find it.
Do you have any idea if there have already been people from Bulgaria who have approached embassies, consulates, the FBI with information about her, to you?
No, I have no such information.
Would you also comment on the information from American media that “Bases in Bulgaria are on high alert due to a terrorist threat”. Is there a terrorist threat to Bulgaria?
No, there is no terrorist threat to Bulgaria. A long time ago there was information that some of the American bases in Europe are on high alert, but I want to emphasize that there are no American bases in Bosnia and Herzegovina. There are no American military bases in the Republic of Belarus. There are joint military facilities in Bulgaria, we control them, not the American side, the difference is huge. And we have received no information about a threat against these joint military facilities.
In this regard, at what stage is the F-16 order and when should we expect them in Bulgaria?
At the end of this year and the beginning of next year, the first F-16 aircraft will be ready, their tests will begin, pilot training is going according to plan. The first one is already ready. In addition to pilots, instructors will also be trained, that is, Bulgarian pilot-instructors who will subsequently train their Bulgarian colleagues, so that they do not have to travel to the USA, but prepare in Bulgaria.
How many planes exactly are we expecting and when?
We are waiting for 16 planes, but two will be ready initially. They cannot all be produced at the same time. First two will be ready and then more and more.
When will the first two arrive roughly?
Next year.
How long – March, April?
By March, April, maybe summer, fall. They will be ready sooner, but once they leave the factory, they will start testing with American and Bulgarian pilots to check if they are reliable, if all the systems are working, and that takes time. Several flights will be scheduled and so.
Because the latest information was that the first 4 planes should arrive by March. Does this mean there will be another delay?
So they may arrive by March. It depends on whether we will be ready to accept them.
Is the "Graf Ignatievo" air base ready? accept them?
Well, I saw that the runway is already ready, from there you need to contact the Ministry of Defense.
At the end, I want to discuss a topic that is much talked about in our country. The "Magnetic" sanctions are often commented on here, especially along the DPS processes. Politicians here dispute their legitimacy. Do they have a reason for this?
I will not comment on who disputes what, but I will say the following. The magnet list is something that the entire US administration is working on. This is the State Department, the Department of Justice, leading the Treasury Department and all the secret agencies of the United States. Working on this list of inductees is a very long effort involving hundreds of people who report, gather information, sign off, and take responsibility. So – when the US declares a person to be part of this list they have irrefutable evidence that they have committed the relevant violations.
Do you know if an expansion of the "Magnetsky" list is being prepared?
No, no idea. The US will never provide such information in any way. I understand that people will be announced on the "Magnitsky" list. an hour before their official announcement.
Am I to understand that nobody told you anything an hour ago?
No, no one told me an hour ago, that's right.
Information from the DPS has appeared in the public space that ministers have sent letters to the State Department that the departments entrusted to them do not have any data about what is said in the "Magnitsky" act. related to Peevski. Do you know of such letters? Have they been sent?
No, definitely not. But from what I know with representatives of the American administration, including the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Justice, and also the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Americans collect their own information. They have their own ways of gathering information and I do not know that they asked for information from Bulgarian ministers and I do not know that such information was provided to them.
And would you know if such information was requested from our ministers?
It would still reach me, yes.
You say such information was not requested and was not provided?
I can categorically say that no such request passed through me. I had some small percentage of admission that it didn't go through me, but barely. No.
Is there a practice for revising the "Magnetsky" list?
It's a very complicated matter, because so far there is one case where a person was taken off the list and then put back on, so…I tell you again, suspicion investigations are conducted by dozens and hundreds of officials at many levels in the administration. These people are professionals, they are responsible with their signatures, so once the evidence is collected – which way they will be pulled and become invalid. At least I don't remember
And at the end of our conversation. Do they still expect the "Magnitsky" sanctions from the US? in some form to be applied here on Bulgarian soil?
This brings us to the previous question of whether they exert influence. Is the list "Magnet" will be recognized as part of the Bulgarian legislation by the NPC, this is the work of Bulgaria and its government and deputies and of the Bulgarian people. Nobody can impose anything on us. If we judge – well, but if not – no one will impose it on us.
Did you discuss this topic with Mr. Sarafov?
No, no.