S-9 slide 1 Minorities June 2000

S-9 slide 2 Minorities An international conference on investment opportunities in Bulgaria will open in Sofia June 15 –Over five hundred delegates are expected from Europe, the U.S., and Asia Local police and the mayor believe that gypsies (Rom) plan to stage protests at the conference –They will claim abuse of human rights, and economic deprivation

S-9 slide 3 Minorities — cont’d But Interior Ministry sources report that the Rom are disorganized, leaderless and very unlikely to actually demonstrate The European Union is cosponsoring the conference –EU officials advise their Bulgarian counterparts that Rom demonstrations could be “disastrous” to achieving new investment

S-9 slide 4 Minorities — cont’d The Prime Minister’s press office has discovered that one sensationalist newspaper has learned of the rumored demonstration –It plans to air the story in its 8 June edition Both the Finance and Foreign Ministries have expressed strong concern