site.btaSofia Urged to Start Preparing Well in Advance about Its EU Presidency in 2018

Sofia Urged to Start Preparing Well in Advance about Its EU Presidency in 2018


Sofia, November 13 (BTA) - To have a successful Presidency of
the EU in the second half of 2018, Bulgaria needs to start
preparing at least two years in advance or even now, according
to the French Ambassador in Sofia, Xavier Lapeyre de Cabanes. He
was among the guests at a conference on the challenges and
opportunities for the Bulgarian Presidency of the European
Council.

Other participants in the forum were Sarah Riley, Deputy Head of
Mission at British Embassy in Sofia and Bulgarian former chief
negotiator with the EU, Vladimir Kissyov, who is now President
of the Managing Board of the European Institute.

Ambassador de Cabanes said that it is never too early to start
preparing for holding the Presidency and that the problems
Bulgaria will have will likely the same as those his country
had. He also said that having competent staff is of key
importance and that Bulgaria needs to figure out in advance what
people it will need.

The French diplomat also said that the EU Presidency will be a
tool for external communication with the other member states,
and for internal communication - with the Bulgarian people.

He believes that there should be just one state institution and
one government minister in charge of the preparations for the EU
Presidency and the coordination of the work of all departments.

He said that he is concerned by the structure of the new
government which has too many ministers in charge of European
matters.

Sara Riley said that the Presidency is a major diplomat and
organizational effort for a member state. She underscored the
importance of having adequate interdepartmental structures to
manage the work of the Presidency.

***

Commenting the remark by Ambassador de Cabanes about the
structure of the new government, the Deputy Prime Minister for
EU Funds and Economic Policy, Tomislav Donchev, said Friday the
fact that several ministers and deputy PMs have the word
"European" in their portfolio means that the Government gives
excessive priority to European policies. "This is not
necessarily bad," he said when reporters asked him about the
Ambassador's comment.