site.btaBulgarian PM Slams EU for Frequent Change of Rules for Entry in Euro Zone Waiting Room, among Other Isuues

Sofia, June 26 (BTA) - Prime Minister Boyko Borissov Tuesday slammed the EU Economic and Financial Affairs Council for the frequent change of the rules for entry in the euro zone waiting room. Addressing a forum to discuss the establishment of a 'European Wage Alliance" which was held in Sofia, Borissov said that the key criticism against Bulgaria is over its currency board arrangement even though Bulgaria has proven in the past 22 years that "it can work successfully in the conditions of a currency board".

"We have a stable fiscal reserve which we protect, a huge gold reserve which we protect and an exchange rate [of euro to lev] of 1 to 2 with which we have been living for 22 years. What is it you donТt like about it?" said the Bulgarian government leader.

He said that Bulgaria maintains a GDP growth of 4 per cent a keeps its unemployment below 6 per cent. The foreign debt is down to 25 per cent. "Where is the risk from Bulgaria's entry in the euro zone waiting room? Zero! No risk! But there is selfishness," he said.

He said "the EU will break down it keeps the way it works now".

Borissov went on to lash out at the EU member states which are reluctant to support the start of accession talks with Macedonia. He asked "what more is there other than change its name that Macedonia can do to become a candidate for accession talks", and said the argument that European elections are coming up next year, is weak to him.

"What would be a right time?" he asked.

He also argued that the possible suspension of voting rights of Poland and Hungary "will bring no good".

Furthermore, Borissov argued that what he called "excessive increase" of defence spending is unnecessary and that this money should instead be invested in frastructure.

He believes that "the united European family is split into camps" and said he was angry to hear talk about who belongs where.

He said that the Brussels meeting on migration reached no solutions "because the same things get repeated over and over for years", and argued that all measures need to be activated at once in order to achieve the desired result.