Politics & Government

Halloran Leaves Ethics Manual for Bulgarians

Queens pol. hopes the manual will find its way to Bulgarian PM.

On a trip to the Balkans all of last week, Councilman Dan Halloran, R-Whitestone,  passed a copy of the New York City Council Ethics Manual to a Bulgarian politician to pass on to that country's Prime minister.

Halloran presented the Order, Law and Justice party Chairman Yane Yanev, with the book, which seeks to prevent conflicts of interests and outlines expectations for transparency of government.

Yanev's conservative party, which is not the ruling party, footed the bill for Halloran (and his spokesman Steven Stites) to speak at several venues in the country, and consult on proposed changes to their constitution.

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"I hope you will get it to your prime minister as soon as possible," said Halloran. 
"As a Republican, I understand the struggle you went through to liberate your country," continued Halloran.  

"Bulgaria is riddled with corruption and ranks far below other members of the European Union in civil rights.  Here people have struggled in their first 21 years as a free nation," said Halloran.  "I am here in Sofia to help the next generation of Bulgarian leaders understand how to make their government transparent and their leaders responsive."

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"Bulgaria's ruling party is known to have ties with the mob, and many important government officials in Bulgaria take a cut of any government dealing," Halloran continued.  "The government operates in total secrecy – nothing at all is transparent to the average Bulgarian.  The media is not free and does not criticize the party in power."

Halloran's office said he also crossed paths with the American ambassador to Bulgaria, James Warlick, in a restaurant in Bulgaria's capital, Sophia on Saturday night. He that day criticized Warlick in a speech he gave at a party gathering, for what he called the American ambassador's meddling in support of the ruling GERB party.

"It is for the Bulgarians to decide the future of Bulgaria.  Not me.  Not my ambassador," said Halloran in front of 3,000 listeners at the conservative party event.

GERB's leader, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, was revealed to have connections to mobsters and is linked to over 30 unsolved murders, according to a 2007 report by Congressional Quarterly.  

"The ambassador and I had a friendly conversation," Halloran said.  "I informed him of my concerns toward the ruling party and the huge problems Bulgaria is facing in regards to corruption in the government."

 


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