November 22, 1999 - U.S. President Bill Clinton addressed 30,000 Bulgarians celebrating the end of communism 10 years ago. Speaking in Nevski Square, the site of popular demonstrations against communism as the Berlin Wall fell  in 1989, Clinton thanked Bulgaria for supporting NATO's air war last spring against neighboring Serbia. Clinton's visit recalled the recent 10th anniversary of the fall of communist dictator Todor Zhivkov. Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov, vowed his country would stick with democracy despite the economic problems of adapting to it. "Today, 10 years on, we Eastern Europeans realize that the change has proved more difficult, more painful and slower than we had imagined," he said.

After Clinton spoke, church bells tolled and fireworks lit up the cool autumn skies. In his meetings with Stoyanov and Prime Minister Kostov, Clinton vowed that the United States would stand by Bulgaria as it tries to recover from losing about $100 million in trade when routes through Yugoslavia were severed by the war.

The images are from Reuters, CNN and the Associated Press. Below are several stories filed by various news services about the President's visit.

Clinton bolsters Bulgarian dedication to Democracy (CNN)
Clinton Leaves Door Open for Bulgaria in NATO (Reuters)  

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