US embassy cable - 05SOFIA196

UNCLAS SOFIA 000196 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR PA/OBS/BS - SANTULLI, EUR/PPD (LARSON) 
 
E.O. 12958: NA 
TAGS: KPAO, OPRC, OIIP, BU 
SUBJECT: FY-05 TV CO-OP PROPOSALS FROM SOFIA 
 
REF:  04 STATE 271352 
 
1.  PA Sofia proposes to participate in the PA/OBS TV-Co-op 
projects this year, with proposals from Bulgaria's national 
broadcaster Bulgarian National Television (BNT).  The 
Director of BNT's News Division is herself a former 
participant in the TV Co-op program, and is well aware of 
the overall regulations and structure of the program.  She 
is also very eager for a team from BNT to film in the U.S. 
as part of a Co-op project. 
 
2.  BNT news producers and journalists all submitted ideas 
for the TV Co-op.  Following are the top four proposals as 
chosen by post, in priority order: 
 
-- "U.S. Perspectives in Fighting Organized Crime" - 
Experiences of American law enforcement in countering 
organized crime, including international cooperation among 
law enforcement agencies.  To include interviews at the 
federal and local level, with a visit to Philadelphia and 
interviews with Philadelphia Inquirer investigative 
journalist George Anastasia, who visited Bulgaria as a US 
Speaker in 2004.  Reporter:  Ms. Nadezhda Uzunova. 
 
-- "Money-laundering and Counterfeiting" - How the US Secret 
Service, FBI and other law enforcement agencies track down 
and counter the spread of counterfeit currency.  The 
reporter will also look into US government strategies to 
stop money-laundering, and track down terrorist financing. 
As Bulgaria is a major source for counterfeit US currency, 
the reporter will also want to interview officials with 
knowledge of US-Bulgaria cooperation in this area. 
Reporter:  Ms. Nadezhda Uzunova. 
 
-- "Los Americanos" - A study of immigration and integration 
in the U.S., focusing on the experiences of the Hispanic 
community.  The issue is especially relevant to Bulgaria 
given this country's ongoing process of integration and 
inclusion of its large Roma and Turkish minorities.  The 
reporter will interview Hispanic community activists, 
political figures, businesspeople and others to show how the 
Hispanic minority exists and succeeds in the U.S. 
Reporter:  Joana Levieva-Sawyer. 
 
-- "Transplantation and Organ Donors in the U.S." - Bulgaria 
faces a serious problem in lack of organ donors, and lack of 
public awareness of the importance of volunteering for organ 
donor programs.  The reporter would seek to do a story or 
series of stories on how organ donation works in the U.S., 
how accepted the concept is, and highlighting the American 
traditions of voluntarism and charity.  Reporter:  Maria 
Cherneva. 
 
3.  Contact point for this program is IO Shelly Seaver. 
Phone:  359-2-937-5124.  Fax:  359-2-937-5326.  E-mail: 
seaversa@state.gov.