/ world today news/ The National Assembly rejected the inclusion of the subject of the Transatlantic Partnership for Trade and Investment (TPTI) in the Annual Program of the National Assembly on European Union issues. This was suggested by the former foreign minister and current MP from the BSP Christian Vigenin, and today the topic was raised by the independent MP Velizar Enchev. However, the majority in the room disagreed.
There is one current event that directly affects the Bulgarian Parliament – a letter from the Hungarian Parliament dated March 10, in which Hungarian MPs call on all their European colleagues to hold a debate about the potential environmental, economic and social advantages and disadvantages of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP ). Enchev quoted a large part of the letter of the Hungarian parliament and explained that it was sent to all the parliaments of the countries in the European Union, reports BGNES.
BSP deputy Georgi Bozhinov, as well as “Ataka” leader Volen Siderov, also announced their support for this. The chairman of the committee on foreign policy, Gemma Grozdanova, explained why such an item should not be included in the Annual Program of the National Assembly on EU issues.
This is a huge agreement, in a very large volume, regulations and unification of standards are included, a special tribunal for settlement of disputes, Grozdanova listed. According to her, the TPTI negotiations will not end in 2015 and therefore the item should not be included in the program for this year. She also said that when the agreement is signed, it will be subject to ratification in national parliaments and all issues can be raised then. In addition, the files are closed and accordingly there is no way to debate them.
“These were arguments why TPTI should get involved,” answered Christian Vigenin. According to him, the logic of waiting for signature and ratification is incomprehensible, since the point is precisely to strengthen the national position before signing. TPTI is a priority of the European Commission, currently 17 or 18 committees are dealing with it, and the Bulgarian Parliament owes a more open approach, Vigenin announced.
This issue is second in importance after the events in Ukraine at the moment in Europe, said Velizar Enchev, who was amazed that, according to Grozdanov, TPTI should not be included in the program.
In the end, Vigenin’s proposal was put to a vote, but did not receive the necessary votes to pass. Shortly thereafter, the majority supported the proposed Annual Program of the National Assembly on European Union Affairs in the form proposed by the Commission on European Affairs.
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