site.btaBulgaria Begins Preparations for 2018 EU Presidency

Bulgaria Begins Preparations for 2018 EU Presidency

Sofia, January 12 (BTA) - Deputy Prime Minister Meglena Kuneva
on Monday told a meeting of the EU Affairs Council that Bulgaria
has begun preparations for its 2018 EU Presidency.

Kuneva likened the preparations to a military operation which
will include language, negotiations and career planning courses
for the administration, and budget and infrastructure planning.

Kuneva said that the EU Presidency is expected to cost some 60
million euro and that funds will be set aside between 2016 and
2018. In 2015, the government plans to raise funds from the
operational programmes and the business and enlist the help of
volunteers. The Deputy Prime Minister said that Bulgaria will
try to be sparing with resources but at the same time wants to
be visible. Former foreign minister Solomon Passy suggested that
meetings be held on the Internet to save money in travel and
accommodation fare.

The Bulgarian EU Presidency is expected to coincide with the
busiest lawmaking agenda as the terms of the European Commission
and the European Parliament will expire in 2019.

The agenda of the Bulgarian EU Presidency will be topped by EU's
budget in 2020-2027, a review of the Strategy 2020, the digital
economy and negotiations with EU candidate members, as Bulgaria
is interested in building a region of stability, prosperity and
security, said Kuneva.