24 years later: 42nd US President Bill Clinton is on a visit in Sofia again

The 42nd US President, Bill Clinton, is on a visit in Bulgaria and participated in a meeting with students at the National Palace of Culture on May 11. He arrived in Bulgaria at the invitation of the CEO of "Huevefarma" Kiril Domuschiev. Tomorrow, Clinton will host the Clinton Global Initiative in Sofia.

Bill Clinton was the first sitting President of the United States to visit Bulgaria in November 1999 - months after the end of the war in Kosovo. President Petar Stoyanov was waiting for him at the very step of the plane. The first visit of an American President took place 5 years before Bulgaria’s accession to NATO.

"In time, when you remember today, you will say to yourself: 'We were young, but we gave Bulgaria back its freedom, we moved Bulgaria towards prosperity, security and membership in the European Union'." I am sure you will also be able to say: 'When we entered the new millennium, America was with us and together we transformed the world'. Thank you, and God bless you. It is a great honour to be here. We are extremely supportive of the government's course on the political, economic and military reforms that are taking place here. I am also very grateful for the support you have given to us and to the rest of Europe for our actions in Kosovo," said Bill Clinton, President of the United States (1993-2001).

24 years ago, journalist Georgi Kurtev was involved in Clinton's visit as part of Petar Stoyanov's press secretariat. On several occasions, the US president broke strict security protocol, and the visit was pivotal in those years.

"Bulgaria needed this support because for the first time we had a clear vision of where we were going - towards full membership of NATO, the EU and the civilised world. There was an interesting moment with our President playing the guitar and him playing the saxophone. That was strange for the Secret Service because they didn't expect that to happen. That was one of the great ruptures of protocol. The other thing is, there was a very clear rule about when Clinton would talk to journalists," said Georgi Kurtev, a journalist.

So 24 years later, the American President is in Bulgaria again, but now as the host of the Clinton Global Initiative, which he established in 2005 to discuss how the world can tackle pressing global challenges such as climate change, energy and the food crisis. And in a meeting with students, he shared his memories of the 1999 visit.

"I am glad to be back. I remember the visit in 1999. There was a great rally outside the cathedral and there must have been 30-40 thousand people. It was amazing. You've had a tough time, but you're doing great. And the fact that I've been invited back here makes me happy because it means I'm doing the right job," said Bill Clinton, President of the United States (1993-2001).

He also appealed to young people to get involved in politics.

Images by BTA