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National Assembly
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of the Republic of Bulgaria
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The Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds met the Bulgarian Members of the European Parliament
21/01/2011
Mr. Andrey Kovatchev, Ms. Antonyia Parvanova, Mr. Ivailo Kalfin, Ms. Iliana Iotova, Mr. Kristian Vigenin and Mr. Stanimir Ilchev visited the National Assembly at the invitation of Ms. Monika Panayotova - Chairwoman of the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds. The meeting has been also joined by the President of the National Assembly Ms. Tsetska Tsacheva, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Council for European Affairs Mr. Konstantin Dimitrov and the Head of the Information Office of the European Parliament to the Republic of Bulgaria Ms. Violeta Stanichich.
As Ms. Monika Panayotova has noted in her welcoming address to the Bulgarian Members of the European Parliament, the reason for this working meeting is the need of a strengthened communication and direct contact between the National Assembly and the European Parliament in the context of the enhanced powers following the Lisbon Treaty.
The President of the National Assembly Ms. Tsetska Tsacheva addressed the Members of the European Parliament with the appeal to hold such working meetings on a more regular basis in the spirit of “parliamentary diplomacy” as in her opinion the Members of the European Parliament elected from the Republic of Bulgaria are the people that by the parliamentarism, that is always based on pluralism and democracy, can be the “ambassadors” of the Republic of Bulgaria amongst the representatives of the other Member States in the European Parliament.
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Council for European Affairs at the Council of Ministers Mr. Konstantin Dimitrov pointed out in the discussion that the recovery of the regular dialogue between the Members of the National Assembly and the Bulgarian Members of the European Parliament is a good initiative. He explained that “One of the first issues on which we expect support and cooperation is the one concerning the joining of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Schengen Area. Our ambition is to reach a political decision on the joining of the country to Schengen by the end of 2011 in a dialogue with the other Member States”. In his words, the dialogue is tough but by the common efforts of the Bulgarian representatives at the European Parliament and at full mobilization - that can be achieved. Mr. Dimitrov outlined as priority areas for the Bulgarian government during the Hungarian Presidency of the EU the conclusion of the Danube Strategy, the active participation in the discussions for the future of the Cohesion Policy and the Common Agriculture Policy. Mr. Dimitrov has also paid attention to the forthcoming initiatives in relation to the economic governance, incl. the start of the European Semester.
The Bulgarian Members of the European Parliament presented in details before the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds their scope of activities outlining some priority areas on which cooperation by the National Assembly and the Executive Power is to be sought. All participants gathered around the idea to have the contacts between the National Assembly and the European Parliament intensified in order to achieve the goals that are of a national value and reflect the national interests.
The Head of the Information Office of the European Parliament to the Republic of Bulgaria Ms. Violeta Stanichich closed the discussion by outlining the main activities that are to be organized by the Office. Ms. Stanichich informed that in the second half of 2011 the “Home of Europe” will be opened. This new “European Place” will give not only detailed information on the EU for the citizens but will also host different public events.
Following the meeting, at the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria, in the presence of the Bulgarian Members of the European Parliament from the different political parties, the European Information Corner has been officially opened. This was done by the initiative of the Chairwoman of the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds Ms. Monika Panayotova who mentioned that “This is going to be an area of the European spirit and way of policy-making that I wish to see becoming more and more a part of the Bulgarian parliamentarism”. Ms. Monika Panayotova pointed that there is an agreement with the Members of the European Parliament each six months, in the beginning of each new Presidency of the EU, to have regular meetings in the format National Assembly – European Parliament – Executive Power because in this configuration every participant will have all the points of view on a given issue.
As Ms. Monika Panayotova has noted in her welcoming address to the Bulgarian Members of the European Parliament, the reason for this working meeting is the need of a strengthened communication and direct contact between the National Assembly and the European Parliament in the context of the enhanced powers following the Lisbon Treaty.
The President of the National Assembly Ms. Tsetska Tsacheva addressed the Members of the European Parliament with the appeal to hold such working meetings on a more regular basis in the spirit of “parliamentary diplomacy” as in her opinion the Members of the European Parliament elected from the Republic of Bulgaria are the people that by the parliamentarism, that is always based on pluralism and democracy, can be the “ambassadors” of the Republic of Bulgaria amongst the representatives of the other Member States in the European Parliament.
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Council for European Affairs at the Council of Ministers Mr. Konstantin Dimitrov pointed out in the discussion that the recovery of the regular dialogue between the Members of the National Assembly and the Bulgarian Members of the European Parliament is a good initiative. He explained that “One of the first issues on which we expect support and cooperation is the one concerning the joining of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Schengen Area. Our ambition is to reach a political decision on the joining of the country to Schengen by the end of 2011 in a dialogue with the other Member States”. In his words, the dialogue is tough but by the common efforts of the Bulgarian representatives at the European Parliament and at full mobilization - that can be achieved. Mr. Dimitrov outlined as priority areas for the Bulgarian government during the Hungarian Presidency of the EU the conclusion of the Danube Strategy, the active participation in the discussions for the future of the Cohesion Policy and the Common Agriculture Policy. Mr. Dimitrov has also paid attention to the forthcoming initiatives in relation to the economic governance, incl. the start of the European Semester.
The Bulgarian Members of the European Parliament presented in details before the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds their scope of activities outlining some priority areas on which cooperation by the National Assembly and the Executive Power is to be sought. All participants gathered around the idea to have the contacts between the National Assembly and the European Parliament intensified in order to achieve the goals that are of a national value and reflect the national interests.
The Head of the Information Office of the European Parliament to the Republic of Bulgaria Ms. Violeta Stanichich closed the discussion by outlining the main activities that are to be organized by the Office. Ms. Stanichich informed that in the second half of 2011 the “Home of Europe” will be opened. This new “European Place” will give not only detailed information on the EU for the citizens but will also host different public events.
Following the meeting, at the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria, in the presence of the Bulgarian Members of the European Parliament from the different political parties, the European Information Corner has been officially opened. This was done by the initiative of the Chairwoman of the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds Ms. Monika Panayotova who mentioned that “This is going to be an area of the European spirit and way of policy-making that I wish to see becoming more and more a part of the Bulgarian parliamentarism”. Ms. Monika Panayotova pointed that there is an agreement with the Members of the European Parliament each six months, in the beginning of each new Presidency of the EU, to have regular meetings in the format National Assembly – European Parliament – Executive Power because in this configuration every participant will have all the points of view on a given issue.
