site.bta PM Borissov, German Chancellor Merkel Discuss South Stream

PM Borissov, German Chancellor Merkel Discuss South Stream

Berlin, December 15 (BTA Special Correspondent Nikolay
Zheliazkov ) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel held talks with
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov at the Federal
Chancellery in Berlin on Monday. Speaking at a joint news
conference after the talks, she wished the Bulgarian government
and PM Borissov the biggest success possible.

Borissov arrived on an official two-day visit to Germany on
Sunday.

"Bulgaria finds itself in a hard economic situation, therefore
it is important for us to cooperate very closely. Our impression
 is that the new government wants to approach the things which
need improvement, such as the fight against corruption and
organized crime, with great determination," Merkel said.

She said her talks with the Bulgarian Prime Minister focused on
the issues related to energy supply. In her words, they agreed
that Germany will assist Bulgaria in every sphere where
possible. Regarding the South Stream gas pipeline projects, all
legal questions should be clarified and the positions should be
determined in the talks with Russia, Merkel said.

In her words, the German economy has a very good experience with
 Russia as a reliable partner. Merkel quoted Prime Minister
Borissov as having said that Bulgaria wants to be a reliable
partner based on the law. Regardless of the political
differences in the relations with Russia in the last months,
reliable relations are to be maintained - there is significant
agreement on this between Bulgaria and Germany, Merkel told the
news conference. In her words, in the next months the two
countries will cooperate very actively when it comes to
investment projects, spending of EU resources, and structural
funds. The German Chancellor said that she and Prime Minister
Borissov have always had a very close and trust-filled
cooperation.

It is important for Bulgaria to be a reliable partner on the
basis of valid legislation, Merkel observed. In spite of the
diverse assessments, economic relations should be highly
reliable, she added. The EU has not rejected South Stream; none
of the countries of the Community has terminated the project,
she also said adding that sincere talks should be carried out
with the Russian side on the future development of the situation
 on the basis of the effective law.

Prime Minister Borissov said that German experts will come to
Bulgaria to consult the Bulgarian ministers on the reforms in
the judiciary, the energy sector, the absorption of the EU funds
 and the monitoring of the financial system. "We agreed to
maintain normal relations with the Russian side and comply with
the legal order and instructions from Brussels," said he. "I am
very grateful to the Chancellor that she undertook a commitment
- along with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker
and the EU jurists - for fast  settlement of the legal issues,
related to South Stream, so that the direction of development of
 the project would be clear," Borissov added.   
    
The Prime Minister voiced hope for support for the faster
absorption of the EU funds, lost by Bulgaria. Merkel would not
undertake such a commitment but promised to think on whether
Bulgaria could avail itself of the possibility for one-year
extension of the term for the absorption of these funds.     

Regarding the developments, related to the South Stream project,
 Prime Minister Borissov pointed out that the past few months
were marked with the election of the new European Commission and
 the new European Parliament.  So, in the past 4-5 months, the
Commission did not work at full speed. He voiced hope that
already this Thursday the European Council would clarify issues,
 awaiting an answer for several months now. Borissov said.
Merkel and he were unanimous that the governments of Bulgaria
and Russia should continue their contacts and activities within
South Stream, to avoid the risk for Bulgaria of becoming a
defaulting party within the contract. He explained that the
latter document does not point out Brussels as a party, nor was
the Energy effective upon the signing of the agreements in 2006.
 
    
The Prime Minister said that at the European Council due later
this week will present the idea about the establishment of a gas
 distribution centre in Bulgaria. The proposal is within the
spirit of a common EU energy union: the gas will be owned by the
 EU and would be distributed in any direction through the
interconnectors, which would avoid any dependence. 

"It is difficult for me to explain to the Bulgarian people why
the gas running via Turkey and Greece is good and the one via
the Black Sea is not good. Why North Stream is good, while South
 Stream is not. We are under pressure but, hopefully, the issue
will be resolved already on Thursday and Friday. Bulgaria keeps
on paying and is sued for the Bourgas-Alexandroupolis project,
the Belene N-plant, the extension of the life of units 5 and 6
of the Kozloduy N-plant and now - for South Stream as well,"
Borissov said. In his opinion, Bulgaria could be described as
the most predictable ally of Europe and should receive support
for Schengen and for the other issues discussed, he noted.     
  

Germany will decide whether it supports Bulgaria for Schengen,
after the European Commission presents its report within the
Cooperation and Verification Mechanism in January, Merkel said
at the joint news conference. The German Chancellor noted that
at the next discussion of the enlargement of the Schengen Area,
Germany will note again the considerable progress marked by
Bulgaria.

Bulgaria is spending enormous resources in relation to the
refugee wave from Syria, the Prime Minister pointed out. "We
keep 1,300 policemen per day at the border with Turkey. We are
spending a lot of money and yet the Bulgarians are highly
tolerant to these people that we support," he noted. Therefore,
Bulgaria is fully prepared for Schengen, said Borissov voicing
hope that they will convince the partners of the European
Council about this by March next year.

Sunday evening Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov met with
members of the Bulgarian community in Berlin, the Government
Information Service said.

Borissov familiarized his audience with the legacy of the Plamen
  Oresharski Government, the problems with Corpbank and the 
country's serious financial problems. "Oresharski, [former 
finance minister Peter] Chobanov and [Bulgarian National Bank 
Governor Ivan] Iskrov are the persons who provoked and admitted
 Corpbank's failure," the PM argued.

He explained to the Bulgarians in Germany that a gas transit 
agreement had been  signed for the South Stream pipeline, but 
Bulgaria will not profit from the project. Borissov recalled 
that after the new Bulgarian Government got familiar with 
everything that has been agreed, it emerged that indirect 
revenues would be greater than the transit fees.

The head of
government is accompanied on the  visit by Deputy Prime
Ministers Meglena Kuneva, Tomislav Donchev  and Ivailo Kalfin,
GERB Floor Leader Tsvetan Tsvetanov and  Reformist Bloc Co-floor
 Leader Radan Kanev.