/ world today news/ The new Bulgarian government has set as its top priority the entry of our country into Schengen, but so far it is wandering and doing too little in substance. This was commented by the head of the Delegation of Bulgarian Socialists in the European Parliament, Petar Vitanov, to BNR.
“The news from Austria is not optimistic. It is untenable to talk about changing public opinion in the country yet. The new government must make far more substantial efforts,” appeals Petar Vitanov.
The Socialist MEP reminded that less than a year ago, thanks to the efforts of his colleagues, Sweden’s resistance was overcome.
“A series of high-level meetings were held – with Stefan Löwen, president of the PES, with former Prime Minister Marguerite Andersson, with all MEPs from Sweden, we sent a delegation, we did our homework, and in the end the Swedish socialists changed their mind, participated in a stable majority in the Swedish parliament and the result is there,” he recalled.
According to Petar Vitanov, it is time for the representatives of the liberal parties, as well as those of the European People’s Party, to achieve a concrete result.
“Both in Austria and in the Netherlands, their representatives rule. This problem can be solved at the pan-European level, together with the big political families, and that is why I think that the efforts made by the Bulgarian government seem to be extremely insufficient. One thing should be clear – the support of the big and influential powers in Europe is needed, because the issue is not at all related to The Hague or Vienna alone,” he also commented.
Bulgaria and Romania must go together in this process, Petar Vitanov is categorical.
“It’s as if the Bulgarian government is wandering, it doesn’t know what to do. I remember that one year they blamed the previous ones for not having a stable government, they listed the problems with corruption. Today, two months after the formation of a new regular government, neither the issue of migrants nor that of corruption seems to have been resolved. We are waiting for efforts and results in the right direction, so that Bulgaria becomes a member of the Schengen area”, stated Vitanov.
The MEP also launched the thesis that currently regional cooperation can make the countries of the Balkans much more visible.
“Greece, Bulgaria and Romania have common interests and common challenges. Joint efforts in the field of energy, transport, and connectivity will only help our region,” said Vitanov, who was also a participant in the conference “Forward! A strong voice for Europe’ in Romania.
The subject of security in the Black Sea was also discussed there.
“The Black Sea is a strategically important place not only for Russia and Turkey, which are the major regional players, but also for other countries. We have seen that it is important even for the USA, which is located on the other side of the globe, after Congress passed a law to protect interests in the Black Sea. Against this background, it seems paradoxical that we, the Black Sea states, do not have a common strategy. That is why this type of regional cooperation is important. Its goal is not to torpedo the current alliances and unifications, it should build on, give an opportunity to think about the region,” he added.
To contact the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the EP:
#Petar #Vitanov #government #wandering #Schengen #doesnt
