site.btaMEP Ivaylo Valchev: Bulgaria Can Benefit Greatly From EU's Rearmament Plans

Bulgaria can benefit enormously from the EU's rearmament plans, said MEP Ivaylo Valchev of the European Conservatives and Reformists group said in an interview with BTA.

In March, the European Commission presented a White Paper on European Defence - Readiness for 2030 and the ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030, which will make available over EUR 800 billion.

According to Valchev, the plan appears as a reaction to what the US has been doing in the last month or two, but it is too wishful. For too long, Europe has relied on the peace of mind of having one big ally, the MEP said. Suddenly Europe had to wake up and start making decisions. In his words, the plan explains very well what we all want to happen, but without elaborating exactly how it will happen.

“We can see how some European countries, rather unjustifiably but somewhat successfully, are trying to show the need for such spending by scaring people. It is fair to explain to people why and how, not to scare them into accepting the idea of such spending,” Valchev said.

We should not succumb to the propaganda. We are not talking about a common army at all, but rather about creating a new level of coordination between European countries at the level of armed forces. Of defence industry, Valchev explained that the White Paper talks about attracting strategic partners. These are countries that are outside the European Union, outside NATO. Europe could cooperate on its rearmament with Norway, Canada and even India, the Bulgarian MEP explained.