"Research shows that the majority of Bulgarians believe that democracy is the right choice for them and their country, but it is something very fragile, even in older democracies like America," US ambassador to Bulgaria John Beyrle said on local bTV's "Tazi Sutrin" (This Morning).

He added that he has always considered democracy a road to be travelled, not a destination, and that this road could look a little uneven, Focus news agency said.

When asked about vote-buying, he replied that it was up to Bulgarian media and to Bulgarian society to decide if this was unacceptable. Even within American democracy there had been cases of vote-buying, but in different century. In a modern democracy there was no place for vote-buying, Beyrle said.

Connections between shady businesses on one side and politics and political parties on the other, should be severed. These connections where still strong in Bulgaria, he said.
As an example he quoted from the proposed budget for 2008 which included tax relief for gambling and losses at tax-free stores at Bulgaria's borders to be carried by the budget.

Bulgaria is known in the US and in Europe as a country of ethnic tolerance. According to Beyrle, Bulgaria had managed to consolidate a tolerant attitude between ethnic groups.

During the first mandate of Sofia's mayor Boiko Borissov they had worked together and did not manage to convince the municipal council of the need for an office for administrative services. "Now there is such an office in Sofia and that is progress," he said.

There was progress in many sections of Bulgarian society, according to Beyrle, but there was also still a lot to do. The fact that there were convictions for money laundering was a small beginning. "A small beginning to improvement, small, but a beginning," Beyrle added.