/ world today news/ European citizens will pay the price of the war, the socialist claims
If Russia stops gas supplies, Bulgaria’s losses could be three billion in just one month. However, the sanctions imposed by the European Union are the only possible solution against the Russian military invasion of Ukraine. This was said by Petar Vitanov, head of the Delegation of the Bulgarian Socialists in the European Parliament, in the program “The Day Begins with Georgi Lyubenov” on BNT.
“After the Ukrainians, the European citizens will be the ones who will pay the price of the war. The choice the European Union had to make was how to respond to Russia’s actions – with politics or with war. Sanctions are the political response that replaces military intervention,” Vitanov said.
According to the socialist, the question now is how to make sanctions work.
“The past sanctions not only did not hinder Russia, but made it stronger economically and it diversified its markets and production, they weakened the European economy. It is important to have an answer, because we cannot let the power of the strong displace the power of the right,” commented Petar Vitanov.
Petar Vitanov also returned to 2009, when there was a gas supply crisis.
“Then, in 16 days, the Bulgarian economy lost 454 million. If we don’t have gas right now, when consumption is over 200 percent higher, it will mean losses of 3 billion in just one month, and the Russians will probably find another market to sell their gas to,” Vitanov calculated, specifying, that the data is from the Ministry of Economy.
According to the MEP, Bulgaria currently has no “plan B” for gas supply. Probably in months we will be able to get liquefied gas, but as of today our country is energy dependent on Russia.
Petar Vitanov recalled that the conflict in Ukraine is the result of more than 20 years of shifting layers in world politics.
“We must not forget that a country wanted to maintain its hegemony and this gave birth to Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Kosovo. However, even this context cannot justify Russia’s current actions,” the MEP added.
According to the socialist, the parties should return to the negotiating table because this is the only way out of the ongoing war.
“Russia currently has the military power, but does not have the political power and legitimacy to convince the world of its rightness. With these actions, the leadership of the Russian Federation erased part of the arguments that could be considered valid before the start of hostilities,” said Vitanov.
According to Petar Vitanov, the international world order that was created after the Second World War will cease to exist.
“We see that the UN Security Council has not been working for a long time. Unfortunately, we are going to a life that we knew 30 years ago,” concluded the representative of the Socialists in the EP.
To contact the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the EP:
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