05.11.2019
"The ambitions of the EU to be a global leader should be supported by the necessary resources. This means also ensuring adequate funding for the Cohesion Policy and the Common Agricultural Policy, which is best demonstrated by the results of European investments."
This is what Prime Minister Boyko Borissov stated during the plenary session of the Friends of Cohesion Group Summit in Prague. Leaders from the 17 EU Member States, who are part of the group, gathered in the Czech capital to send a strong message on the importance of the Cohesion Policy, taking into account the approaching last phase of negotiations for the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2021-2027.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov was certain that the Cohesion Policy and the Common Agricultural Policy have proven added value and that their results are visible and tangible for the European citizens.
"It is important for the Cohesion Policy not only sufficient funding, but also a fair distribution of resources to be ensured, so as to overcome inequalities between different regions and the backwardness," noted Prime Minister Borissov. In his words, a specific focus is needed on the development of the poorest, lagging European regions. "Such regions, with a GDP below 50% of the EU average, are not only in Bulgaria, and I think it is of common interest for them to be supported," Prime Minister Borissov told the other leaders in Prague.
Borissov added that the rules for both the Cohesion Policy and the Common Agricultural Policy should not lead to additional administrative and financial burdens on national budgets, which poses a risk for the implementation of the programs and for the investments, especially in less developed regions.
In his statement, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov noted that the leaders from the group should focus their efforts in several directions. "It is important to oppose the split between net recipients and net contributors. The benefits of both policies are for all European citizens, "the Bulgarian Prime Minister said. He also emphasized that a separation between new and old EU priorities should not be allowed. "Traditional policies, science and innovation, migration and security, and the fight against climate change are also important to us. That is why we are pushing for an ambitious EU budget, which will allow us to preserve what we have achieved so far and to meet many challenges," noted Prime Minister Boyko Borissov. According to the Bulgarian Prime Minister, the Friends of Cohesion group should strive not only to rebalance calls for cuts in the EU budget, but also to play an active role in upholding a reliable European budget for the benefit of all European citizens.
At the end of the Prague Summit, the leaders will adopt a Group Statement confirming the countries' shared positions with a view on developing the MFF negotiations and focusing mainly on the importance of the Cohesion Policy.
