25.08.2017
We have the rare opportunity to try in the following months to turn this pleasant visit by the French President to Bulgaria into mutually beneficial agreements and policies and advocate them together within the EU, said Prime Minister Boyko Borissov after his meeting with the President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron at the “Evksinovgrad” Residence. “For Bulgaria it is extremely important to have the support of the French President for the Eurozone “waiting room”, for Schengen, for industrial cooperation, and for entering the active circles of cooperation with France,” noted Borissov.
According to the Bulgarian Prime Minister, it is important that when there are clear criteria in Europe, such as the Maastricht ones, each member state strives to fulfill them. “In Bulgaria we did our best and we fulfilled each of them. I hope that we will achieve this renewed Schengen and that Bulgaria will take its place within it as a proven reliable border,” added the Prime Minister. Borissov also thanked for the support for the Eurozone “waiting room” and pointed out that our country has “done its homework” so we would not pose any risk to it – the bank system has passed the stress tests, the budget is in surplus, we have one of the lowest foreign debts, a stable fiscal reserve, a currency board, and a huge reserve in the Bulgarian National Bank.
In the field of defence, Prime Minister Borissov pointed out that in shipbuilding and in respect to land machinery there is a real chance to get a lot of work done. The Prime Minister thanked for the support for the European gas hub “Balkan” and the inter-connectors. He also put a focus on the Western Balkans, noting that these states should be given a more concrete European perspective. Borissov expressed his gratitude to the French President also for the support for the signed agreement between Bulgaria and the Republic of Macedonia.
On the issue with the directive on posted workers, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said that it should be dealt with separately from the questions regarding transportation workers, where there are a lot of details to be clarified. According to the Bulgarian Prime Minister, all sides should be heard and this problem should be solved. “I am convinced that with reason, tolerance, understanding, and by withstanding the interests of each country, we will achieve a better, stronger, and more unified EU,” added Borissov.
I will support the desire of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov to have Bulgaria accepted to the Eurozone “waiting room” as a result of the efforts made, said in turn the French President Emmanuel Macron. According to him, this way convergence in economic and financial terms will be achieved. “We should put an end to the division between the East and the West, between the Eurozone and those who are outside it, while at the same time Bulgaria, as a full member of the EU, should fight against social dumping and for a stronger integration in the economic and financial sectors,” added Macron. He pointed out that our country has fulfilled all criteria for Schengen and according to him it should already have become its member. “This zone will be the subject of reform and Bulgaria will take part in the decision-making that concerns this reform, so when it becomes part of the Schengen Area, it will be a member of a new Schengen,” added the French President. He expressed his desire that Bulgaria starts to participate in all initiatives within the EU and the Eurozone in order to have more integration.
