site.btaPM Borissov Presents Bulgarian EU Presidency's Priorities to Supreme Political Consultative Board

Sofia, October 6 (BTA) - Prime Minister Boyko Borissov Friday presented the draft programme and priorities of the Bulgarian Presidency of the EU Council to the Supreme Political Consultative Board (SPCB), the Council of Ministers' press service said.

This was the first meeting of the SPCB, which is a high-level consultative council with the Prime Minister set up for the Bulgarian EU Presidency. Attending the meeting were five of its six members: former president Rosen Plevneliev (2012-2017), former prime minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (2001-2005), the former prime minister of the Federal Province of Lower Austria, Dr. Erwin Proll (1992- April 2017), former European Parliament president Hans-Gert Poettering (2007-2009), and French diplomat Jean-David Levitte. Former European Council president Herman Van Rompuy (2010-2014) could not attend the meeting in Sofia.

Borissov thanked the SPCB members for their commitment to the Bulgarian EU Presidency. In his words, their authority as politicians with international recognition will be of key significance for Bulgaria's efforts to strengthen European values and the unity and solidarity in the EU. "There is no better place than the EU either to the east or the west, and we will work for its success," the PM underscored.

In Borissov's words, Bulgaria will seek balance and promote the achievement of wide consensus on the topics of priority for the EU, and will work for higher competitiveness and stability through cohesion and the creation of conditions for unity and solidarity. "Our ambition is to manage to achieve the priorities set in the European Commission's programme for a stronger and more unified and democratic union," he said.

Levitte said that Bulgaria is a very good example for the observation of European values and it will show this during its EU Presidency. He praised PM Borissov as a recognised and respected leader who unites EU leaders, as well as Bulgaria's capacity in connection with EU's relations with the Western Balkans, Turkey, and Russia. He and the other SPCB members expressed their readiness to support the Bulgarian EU Presidency's efforts towards the implementation of Europe's priorities and to become its ambassadors.

Also attending the meeting were Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva, the Minister for the Bulgarian Presidency of the EU Council in 2018, Liliyana Pavlova, and the Chief of Cabinet of the Prime Minister, Roumyana Buchvarova.