site.btaPrime Minister Borissov Meets with European Commissioners

Prime Minister Borissov Meets with European Commissioners


Brussels, January 12 (BTA) - Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko
Borissov was in Brussels on Monday to meet with European
Commission Vice President Kristalina Georgieva, who is
responsible for Budget and Human Resources in the Commission,
and with Regional Policy Commissioner Corina Cretu, the
Bulgarian Government Information Service reported.

Borissov and Georgieva discussed the use of EU aid in Bulgaria
under the new Operational Programmes.

The two also looked at the challenges to European and global
security in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris. They
strongly condemned all forms of terrorism. Borissov and
Georgieva expressed sympathy with the families of the victims of
the Paris attacks and solidarity with the French people.

Meeting with Cretu, Borissov said the European Commission's
outspoken support for Bulgaria is highly appreciated. The Prime
Minister thanked the Commission for recognizing Bulgaria's
vulnerability after the scrapping of the projects for the South
Stream gas pipeline, the Belene nuclear power plant and the
Bourgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline, on the one hand, and due
to the increased migration pressure along the Bulgarian-Turkish
border, on the other hand. "The way you treat us helps us
maintain stability in my country," Borissov said.

Commissioner Cretu said the Commission and Bulgaria need to work
together, and the Commission is willing to provide full support
for the country. Cretu said political stability is particularly
important and it is the duty of the Commission to do everything
within its powers to protect the most vulnerable part of the EU
border which is also the Bulgarian border.

Borissov and Cretu agreed to work out a joint action plan for
2015 concerning the completion of Bulgaria's EU-backed
Operational Programmes of the 2007-2013 period. Tomislav
Donchev, Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister for EU Funds and
Economic Policy, who was also at the meeting, assured Cretu that
Bulgaria is ready to open some schemes in the 2014-2020
Operational Programmes even before they are approved and to
finance them with money from the national budget.

Borissov and Cretu further considered the state of the South
Stream gas pipeline project and an idea to build a gas hub near
the Bulgarian seaport of Varna. The Prime Minister updated the
Regional Policy Commissioner on the steps taken by the Bulgarian
government to encourage further prospecting for oil and gas in
the Black Sea. He said that besides being a transit country for
natural gas, Bulgaria has much potential and ambition to become
a producer and exporter of gas and other energy resources.

The two looked at the construction of Bulgaria's gas
interconnectors with Serbia, Greece and Romania. The meeting was
also attended by Energy Minister Temenouzhka Petkova.

The Prime Minister invited Commissioner Cretu to visit Bulgaria
in May so that the two can unveil the Maritsa Motorway and tour
the sites of the Strouma and Hemus motorways and of the Mount
Shipka tunnel, among other major infrastructure projects.