BULGARIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION PARTICIPATED IN THE DEBATES ON THE FUTURE OF EUROPE IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

Bulgarian parliamentary delegation, led by the President of the National Assembly Prof. Ognian Gerdjikov, participated in the debates on the future of Europe in the European Parliament.
In his speech before the European Parliament, Prof. Gerdjikov stressed Bulgaria is satisfied to be considered, along with Rumania, as an inseparable part of the irreversible EU enlargement process by the European Commission and the European Council. Due to the positive assessments, we hope to receive an updated roadmap to conclude the accession negotiations by the end of 2003 and for EU membership in 2007, and committing extended pre-accession programmes and greater financial assistance, said Mr. Gerdjikov. We rely on the support of the European Parliament to find a fast and fair solution regarding the Bulgarian nuclear energy sector through a peer review under the aegis of the Council of Ministers of the EU, he added.
The President of the National Assembly Ognian Gerdjikov met the President of the European Parliament Pat Cox. Mr. Gerdjikov praised highly Cox’s idea to invite members of national parliaments from the applicant countries to participate in the enlargement debate during the November session of European Parliament.
The European Parliament President Cox underlined that the most important thing for Bulgaria is consistency in the positions and actions. He confirmed once again that there can’t be new conditions for Bulgaria’s admission to the EU.
Mr. Gerdjikov met also Mr. Hans-Gert Poettering, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Group of the European People’s Party (EPP) in the European Parliament. The National Movement Simeon the Second (NMSS) is guided by the values of the democratic parties in the European Parliament, stated Gerdjikov, that is why it belongs to the EPP ranks and hopes to become a member very soon. Mr. Poettering replied that time works in favour of the admission of the National Movement Simeon the Second as a EPP member.
Yesterday evening Mr. Geoffrey Van Orden, the EP Rapporteur for Bulgaria and Vice-Chairman of the EP Committee on Foreign Affairs, hosted an official dinner in honour of the National Assembly President and the MPs of NMSS.
Bulgarian parliamentary delegation returns back from Strasbourg on 20 November, Wednesday, at 13.50, Sofia airport.