Decision: Bulgaria desists from ratifying the ACTA agreement until a consensus is reached among EU countries

“Bulgaria will stop all ratification procedures for the ACTA agreement until a common position is reached among EU member-states,” said yesterday Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism, Traicho Traikov.

The Council of Ministers is expected to approve this proposal at its meeting today and assign the coordination of Bulgaria’s position with EU member-states and EU institutions to Traikov and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Nickolay Mladenov. They should participate in the formulation of a common position on the disputed trade agreement.

Traicho Traikov said farther that the heated debates have shown that the Bulgarian society is not ready to adopt mechanisms which create doubts about attacks against the freedom of expression and freedom on the Internet.

"Even hints that such an international instrument can turn into a tool for policing harm Bulgaria, its reputation, civil society and give a bad evaluation of the political system in our country," said the Minister of Economy.

“In line with the Bulgarian political tradition, I do not expect anyone to assume the blame for Bulgaria's accession to ACTA, therefore, I assume the full blame,” added Traikov. "I assume that it was my fault and not of the experts'. I should have read better," said Traikov.

In a self-critical manner, he noted that he had underestimated the questions and had not provoked a sufficiently broad discussion in the Council of Ministers. The Minister of Economy said that Borissov has shown willingness for dialogue by holding meetings with representatives of the protesters and has become the initiator of the subsequent reassessment actions.

“The withdrawal of the Government from the ACTA agreement is a victory for civil society in Bulgaria, for the people who are not afraid to openly defend their rights,” said Bulgarian Socialist Party Leader and President of PES Sergei Stanishev.

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