site.btaMinister Pavlova Reports on First Three Months of Bulgarian EU Presidency

Sofia, April 11 (BTA) - Minister for the Bulgarian Presidency of the EU Council Liliyana Pavlova Wednesday presented to journalists the achievements made during the first three months of the Bulgarian EU Presidency. Among the achievements she mentioned how the Bulgarian EU Presidency has proposed a new approach and philosophy on the topic of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS).

One of the forthcoming priority topics, which four EU Council presidencies have worked on, is precisely the reform of the CEAS in the form of a package of seven regulations, Pavlova explained. She expressed the hope that by the end of the Bulgarian EU Presidency the EU leaders will manage to reach a consensus and a compromise on how to reform this system so that it can be both fair and solidary.

Pavlova mentioned as another priority topic the new multiannual financial framework. In her words, they expect the draft on May 2 and are planning a series of meetings focused on the cohesion policy, the Common Agricultural Policy and the Digital Agenda. She also talked about the Digital Single Market and described as a challenge the adoption of a package of directives related to personal data protection and cyber security. According to her, a point of intersection should be sought between personal data protection and the opportunity for the business to operate online.

Pavlova also put an emphasis on the Energy Package as well as the Mobility Package, which she described as very important in view of the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Sofia on May 17. In her words, one of the summit's goals is to achieve a political agreement and adopt a declaration in which the EU leaders state that the integration of the Western Balkans is linked to connectivity. "We cannot give false promises for quick accession to these countries but we should give them perspective," Pavlova said.

The Minister went on to say that the work done in the first three months of the Bulgarian EU Presidency has received very high marks. To this date, over 1,000 meetings have been held in Sofia, Brussels and Strasbourg. Hundred out of the planned 320 events in Sofia have already taken place, and three of the meetings of the Parliamentary Dimension have been conducted. Pavlova also listed directives and regulations the negotiations on which have been concluded since January.

The Minister also said that many young people visit the Facebook and Twitter pages of the Bulgarian EU Presidency. "We have over 50 broadcasting hours, over 50,000 live streaming views, more than 17,000 followers on social networks, and the first video of the presidency has generated over 1,500,000 views," Pavlova said.