NOMINATION FOR ANASTASIA GEORGIEVA MOSER AS A

UNCLAS SOFIA 001260 SIPDIS SIPDIS EUR/NCE FOR MARK TURNER DEPT FOR ANDREA BOTTNER (G/IWI),EUR/SE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KWMN PREL KPAO PHUM SUBJECT: NOMINATION FOR ANASTASIA GEORGIEVA MOSER AS A WOMAN OF COURAGE REF: SECSTATE 126072 ¶1. (U) Post nominates Anastasia Georgieva Moser for the 2008 Secretary of State's Annual Award for International Woman of SIPDIS Courage (IWOC) for her personal sacrifices to advance the democratic process in Bulgaria. Moser emigrated to the U.S. in 1962 to be reunited her father, Georgi M. Dimitrov, a famous pre-war leader of the agrarian movement and a fierce opponent of the communist takeover of Bulgaria who was exiled from the country after the Second World War. In 1994, she reluctantly gave up her U.S. citizenship to return to Bulgaria during a time of political transition and economic hardship to run for the Parliament. When she returned to Bulgaria, she led the agrarian movement and partnered with traditional democrats in parliamentary elections, wining 18 seats in Parliament (6.8%). Her contribution to Bulgarian politics has been to encourage political collaboration and coalitions, and to promote traditional democratic values such as private property, anti-communism, and repubicanism. As a leading figure in Bulgaria's post-communist transition to democracy, she remains a powerful role model for political leadership. ¶2. (U) Seen as the heir to a tradition of agrarian activism and democratic reform, she is often sought after as a coalition partner for center-right parties, despite her party's waning political influence. In recent years, the Bulgarian Agrarian National Union-People's Union (BANU-PU) has split and now enjoys minimal political support. Nonetheless, Moser retains her personal influence and status, being seen as a honest, principled politician respected by all parties. Currently, she serves as the Deputy Speaker of Parliament on a rotational basis and often plays the role as mediator in political disputes. Throughout her career, she has consistently appealed to the center-right parties to join a common platform. Moser is supportive of the U.S. position on most foreign policy issues and has always been open to contact with the Embassy. ¶3. (U) Her impressive resume includes positions as a Collaborator at the World Bank, Administrator at the Center for Helleni Studies, and Member of the Bulgarian National Cmmittee, USA. She has held key leadership positios as the Secretary General of the BANU-Nikola Petov Party, SIPDIS Co-Chairman of the coalition of the Peple's Union-NZNS party, and Deputy Chair of the omen's section to the European Christian Democraic Union. She has been a member of parliament snce her return in 1994. She holds a BA. and Ph.D in Frenh Philology from Georgetown University. ¶4. (U) Her personal and contact information is asfollows: NAME: Anastasia Georgieve Moser TITL/ASSOCIATION: MP, Vice Chairman DATE OF BIRTH: Jne 30, 1937 COUNTRY OF BIRTH: Bulgaria CITIZENSIP: Bulgarian ADDRESS/TELEPHONE/EMAIL:2 Narodno abranie Sq 1169 Sofia, Bulgaria, tel. ( 359 2) 91 41 49, fax. ( 359 2) 987 55 21, pgns@n14.parliment.bg ¶5. (U) Although, Moser's political party does not hold the same prominent position that it enjoyed in the past, Post believes that her historical contributions merit recognition. Beyrle