site.btaPM Borissov: "We Must Not Allow Europe at Two or More Speeds, or Loss of Cohesion Policy"

Sofia, July 14 (BTA) - Prime Minister Boyko Borissov addressed Parliament Friday during Question Time answering a question on the White Paper on the future of Europe. "We must not allow a Europe at two or more speeds, or loss of the cohesion [policy]," said he. During the ensuing debate, the Socialists asked the government to prepare until the end of September an impact assessment for all five scenarios in the White Paper put forward by Jean-Claude Junker.

Borissov said: "If we want to be in first-speed Europe, we need to head for the euro zone waiting room, tackle corruption, the reforms, the cohesion policy and connectivity among the regions. If we don't want to be in first-speed Europe, the rest owe us nothing."

He said that Bulgaria is having a debate on how to push through its priorities, achieve unity in the Union and capitalize on its presidency of the EU Council.

He also said that holding the Presidency has nothing to do with usurping the power in the EU: it is about achieving synchronization among the 27 member states.

"Many countries, especially the stronger ones which frown at those refusing to take in migrants while accepting billions of euro in EU funding, seek to scrap cohesion," said also Borissov. He went on to say that cohesion is vital for Bulgaria and it was thanks to Bulgaria's efforts that it was included in the Rome Declaration. The Prime Minister said that the credit for this goes to President Rumen Radev.

"Brexit will be a tough process," said Borissov adding that the UK wants to keep the knowledgeable and skillful Bulgarians. He singled out the Bulgarian medical professionals. "We spent hefty amounts for the education of these doctors and nurses only to lose them to the UK which gets them for free," he added. He said the political forces should try to reach an agreement on whether this situation is right.

After the debate, Parliament adopted GERB's proposal to ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister to update the parliamentary foreign policy committee on a regular basis about the Europe-wide debate on the White Paper.

A majority of MPs including GERB and the United Patriots voted down two other draft resolutions on the matter tabled by the Socialists and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms.