H. E. Ambassador Richard Miles, Embassy of USA, Sofia

I am pleased to open Coalition 2000's Third Regional Anti-corruption Forum. I saw many of you at the Coalition's second regional forum last February in Bistritza. I am impressed at the attendance here and at the continuity of this program.

The reason we are all here today is, of course, - Coalition 2000 and what they stand for - a civic initiative to fight corruption.

The US Government has supported civil initiatives in many areas of public life in Bulgaria. We and our donor colleagues do offer assistance and provide external expertise - but the real process has to develop from the inside. It is all of your societies that must make this process work. This is even more evident at the regional level - in Macedonia, and in Kosovo. Much of what has made Coalition 2000 the success that it is today it is that it began as an internal, grassroots initiative.

Corruption and crime, two of Bulgaria's most important current problems, feed on each other. Earlier this week the Director of the FBI, Louis Freeh, was in Sofia, and although his primary concern was the joint fight against organized crime, he also discussed with his Bulgarian counterparts how the U.S. can help make Bulgarian police, investigatory, prosecutorial, and judicial bodies could be made more effective in the fight to uproot corruption.

One point Mr. Freeh made was that Bulgaria is definitely not alone in the fight to eliminate crime and corruption. Many countries of Central and Eastern Europe face some of these same fundamental issues and challenges to sovereignty and social stability as you go through your transitions. The problem of corruption is further complicated because transitioning from restricted societies with absolute state control over the economy, to open political democracies and market economies is an enormous task.

The public-private partnership in preventing corruption, introduced by Coalition 2000 is unique in this post-communist context. Formations like Coalition 2000 and governments are only now beginning to look upon one another as allies in policy reform.

It is of primary importance to promote a democratic political and economic culture with trust and respect for government institutions, transparency of administration and a sense of stability and security.

Ideally this comes from a combination of political will from the top and public pressure from the bottom. Bulgaria has made some serious efforts in that respect - both at the level of government and society at large, and I would like to applaud them for that.

At the same time, here we are in a pre-election environment. As anywhere, these times are prone to increased political tension. Nonetheless, I am confident that Bulgaria will prove that reforms taken to date are durable, and that they will be sustained by the soon-to-be elected Government.

Your presence here today is an indicator that you and your countries realize the importance of the fight against corruption. Regional Forums like this one contribute not only to a joint effort in this fight, but they also create further conditions for regional stability and security - something that my government strongly supports.

I hope you will be able to use this Forum also as a venue to further your contacts and maybe even find new solutions to all of these challenges.

The US Government will continue its support for your efforts in the fight against corruption. We are looking at a new phase of anti-corruption support here in Bulgaria. I hope this too will be an example for all of your countries down the road.

Let me wish you a productive session and more opportunities to meet together and discuss common solutions to common problems in the future.