UNTRUE, BUT WELL CONTRIVED

Bush offered Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev one of his daughters, nobody would have believed it. But the report appeared some time later, caught the attention of The Washington Post and prompted an explanation from the White House: “The president certainly is not spending his time at the NATO summit in search of a match for either of his daughters,” said spokeswoman Sally McDonough.

“Honestly, it sounds too weird for anyone to make up,” The Washington Post commented. All we can say is that it may be untrue, but it is well made up. An unnamed source told 24 Chasa that Bush and Stanishev struck up a conversation during the unofficial meeting of heads of state who took part in the NAT O summit in Bucharest last month. The topic was their workout routines. The US president told the 41-year-old Bulgarian prime minister: “You'll make a great son-in-law!” 24 Chasa was quick to guess that Mr Bush must have had his daughter Barbara in mind, because her twin sister Jenna is getting married this month.

Even if the news were true, where would that lead to? The Washington Post pointed out two reasons why the wedding should be interrupted immediately after the priest says: “If anyone knows of any reason why these two may not be joined in holy matrimony, let them speak now or forever hold their peace.” The first is that the Bulgarian has been living with his girlfriend, journalist Elena Yoncheva, for years. The second is that the ideological gap between Socialist Stanishev and the rightwing Bush family is broader than the Atlantic.

There is yet another reason not to shout “I do!” in church. Would you give your daughter to a man who rides a motorbike wearing a leather jacket with the following inscription on its back: “If you can read this, Elena fell off”?