Andrey Kovachev, MEP from GERB: A new financial crisis would be avoided through a greater Europe

- Mr. Kovachev, is there a new financial crisis under way? To what extent would it affect the economic situation in Bulgaria?
- Last Friday was not the best day for the global capital markets. Over the weekend, I heard a lot of controversial analyses. Some economists believe that Bulgaria could be seriously affected; others are of the opinion that there is no immediate danger for the country.
The leaders of the European Union held a conference last week and consultations at ministerial level are on-going all the time. I believe that European leaders will take adequate decisions that will ensure the stability of the Euro. The single European currency, among others, is an alternative to the US dollar.
For me, the correct answer to the crisis is "more of Europe", more European integration. This is in contrast to the position of some populist politicians, mostly from Northern Europe, who seek to gain influence with requests for more isolation of prosperous countries from problematic ones.

- On September 7, you will participate in a hearing at the European Parliament on the EU migration policy in light of the enlargement of the Schengen area. This is a sensitive issue for Bulgaria and Romania which consider there is a biased attitude towards them ...
- This is so, yes. In Northern Europe, there is a fear of illegal immigration. People are concerned that it could endanger the social benefits of the local population, and lead to an increase in organized crime. This fear is fuelled by the problems that the EU faces on its southern borders, especially after the so-called Arab Spring, which led to immigrant waves that threatened to come out of control.
The aim of the forthcoming hearing at the European Parliament is for a more coordinated common migration policy which would allow both the maintenance of a secured common external border as a shared responsibility of all member states and the conclusion of readmission agreements with the EU's neighbours to the south and east.

Another part of this theme is the expansion of the Schengen area. We, from the European People’s Party, believe that Europe will be safer with Bulgaria and Romania, which have met all the criteria for this membership. Our European borders serve as an example of well protected borders.

- Some people say, Bulgaria is one of those countries that do not create problems for others, and therefore nobody cares about them. Greece has problems and the EU tries to help it. Is this right?
- What you are saying was recently the focus of a publication of the Sueddeutsche Zeitung entitled "To Learn from Bulgaria." The article assessed highly the financial policy of GERB and Minister Simeon Djankov. It stated that "Bulgaria was the opposite case of its neighbour country Greece, which had lied for many years to the EU and because of the huge spending of money had involved the entire Eurozone in a chaos".

Some Bulgarians certainly have a reason ask themselves such questions, but this does not mean that this is true. I am reporter of the Committee on Regional Development at the European Parliament for the new 2014-2020 financial framework. This is a very good budget for Bulgaria, given that we start from a very low standard of living and have a lot to catch up with. Therefore, the European solidarity towards us is highest and, we will get proportionately the largest amount of funding from the EU budget if it is adopted in its current form.

We are not neglected and unnoticed because we do our work conscientiously. Our efforts will be rewarded accordingly. It is also a fact that Bulgaria’s credibility inevitably has grown over the last two years.

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