site.btaPresident Radev, EU Commissioner Oettinger Urge for Efficient Cohesion Policy

Sofia, October 27 (BTA) - Meeting in Sofia on Friday, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and European Commissioner for Budget and Human Resources Guenther Oettinger concurred that the economies of EU countries will converge efficiently only through an efficient cohesion policy, joint investments and long-term budgeting.

President Radev said: "The Cohesion Policy is vital to Eastern Europe and Bulgaria if we want to see a stable, secure and strong Europe on the global stage. Investments in convergence and development of poorer regions stabilize the whole EU and bring considerable economic benefits as well for the countries which are net donors in the EU."

During the meeting the Bulgarian President urged that the future EU budget
provides for programmes which will promote human resources development and research and development in EU's less developed regions.

As future holder of the EU Presidency, Bulgaria is aware of the importance of the fair and efficient distribution of EU funds and the formulation of the future EU multiannual financial framework, added Radev.

EU Commissioner Oettinger said that EU presidency is a unique chance for Bulgaria beyond the formal agenda and meetings to present rich culture, tourism, industry, and agriculture. The Commissioner added that the beginning of 2018 will be a key moment in the negotiations on how EU funds will be spent most efficiently with the greatest value added.

Meeting with Commissioner Oettinger on the heels of a visit to Sarajevo, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said that the EU perspective for the Western Balkans is important and the topic will top the agenda of the Bulgarian EU Presidency.

"Bulgaria will make every effort to help our friends and neighbours on their road to the EU," added Borissov, He underscored the role of the Cohesion Policy in achieving
economic and social convergence between the EU members and the applicant countries.

Borissov acquainted Commissioner Oettinger with the priorities of the 2018 draft budget and namely on education. For his part Oettinger said that education was the best investment for the country.

The meeting was attended by the Bulgarian EU Commissioner for Digital Economy Mariya Gabriel.

Deputy Prime Minister for Judicial Reform and Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva and EU Commissioner Oettinger discussed the upcoming Bulgarian EU Presidency and its agenda, including the debate on the future of Europe, post-Brexit budget challenges and negotiations on the next EU budget.

The two sides concurred that a balance should be struck between new priorities such as the Defence Fund, the Digital Agenda and flexibility facilities for crisis and migration response and EU's traditional instruments and policies.

Oettinger underscored that financing of new priorities such as migration and defence should not come at the expense of the Cohesion Policy. The interlocutors underscored the need for a more efficient Cohesion Policy with more tangible results for the citizens and genuine convergence.

Of the Western Balkans, Zaharieva said that the EU can help the region not just politically but through practical measures which will stimulate this 22-million market.

At a discussion entitled "The Future of the European Budget: Trends and Challenges" at the National Assembly Oettinger said that the EU should support Bulgaria and the other new Member States through smart cohesion policy. The forum was organized by the parliamentary Budget and Finance Committee and the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds.

Participating in the discussion were MPs from the two parliamentary committees, MEPs, members of the Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee, and representatives of employers' organizations, trade unions, and NGOs.

The European Commissioner underscored that two programmes are decisive for Bulgaria: the Rural Development Programme, which guarantees a strong agricultural sector in the country, and the programme for building infrastructure. In his words, good balance is needed in the spending of resources, and the expenditures for rural development and cohesion should not be reduced in the name of the other priority spheres.

Earlier on Friday, Oettinger participated in a Q&A session with members of the public on "A Budget for the Future of Europe" at the St Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia. There he said that in the future a higher percentage of Bulgaria's GDP should be invested in science. At present, 2 per cent of EU's GDP goes into research and the goal is to increase this percentage to 3 per cent.

Oettinger also said that Bulgaria invests around 1 per cent of its GDP in the EU budget, and for each euro it pays to Brussels this country receives 5 to 6 euro in the form of projects and infrastructure.