NEWS

“Bulgaria supports Poland’s idea for creating a European Energy Union and will continue working to ensure diversification and cohesion of the energy infrastructure in Europe,” President Rosen Plevneliev told journalists in Warsaw. The Head of State emphasized that next year our country will have to finish the construction of the inter-connectors which will connect it to its neighboring countries.

 

The issues to be debated at the meetings in the Polish capital also include the topic about the common European price policy, which will give the EU the chance to negotiate as a community the price of gas. 

 

Rosen Plevneliev was adamant that other European countries, including Bulgaria, also approve of Poland’s idea for creating a European Energy Union. “We must accept the helping hand and meet the public expectations for energy diversification so that we will not be dependent on a single pipeline and a single supplier. This is a prerequisite for ensuring more investments and jobs,” the Head of State further said. 

 

In reply to a question regarding the procedure recently launched by the European Commission under the South Stream project, the President voiced his expectation that the Cabinet’s actions will prove that Bulgaria knows how to implement big infrastructure projects in Europe, in line with the European rules. The Head of State called on for ensuring transparency of the South Stream project, which should be implemented “by following the EU rules, not in a fabricated, virtual, non-transparent and vague environment.”

 

“The Bulgarian people have the right to know when their billions are spent because this is money on loan, they should know what the fees are, when the money will be paid off, whether the project is in line with the European legislation, how much it will cost, whether the procedure for choosing a contractor has been followed – these are fundamental questions,” the President emphasized.

 

The Head of State voiced his concern that because of the lack of trust and expertise to implement a project by adhering to the rules,  Bulgaria is facing the danger of suspension of EU funds. “Is it so difficult to implement a big infrastructure project in a worthy, fair and European manner. The government should seriously consider this issue and it is running out of time,” the President further commented.  

 

Later today the Head of State will attend at which Mustafa Dzhemilev, leader of the Crimean Tatars, will be given first Solidarity award.

 

On the second day of his working visit to Warsaw, Rosen Plevneliev will take part in a solemn ceremony marking 25 years since the beginning of the political changes in Poland and the Central and East European countries.

 

The President will also attend a meeting at which issues related to the crisis in Ukraine, energy and European security will be debated.