site.btaMEP Candidates, Students Discuss EP Elections, EU Agenda

MEP candidates and students discussed the upcoming elections for members of the European Parliament (EP) from Bulgaria on June 9 and the future agenda of the European Union (EU). The public discussion on "European Dialogue: Ideas for a Better Europe" was organized by the National Student Confederation together with the European Youth Movement and the Union of European Federalists. The debate, which took place at the National Student House on Thursday, was on the occasion of Europe Day - May 9.

One of the main problems is that young people, especially those between 17-25 years old, are not motivated to vote in the European elections, said MEP Andrey Kovatchev (EPP / GERB), who will seek reelection. In his words, this is not a party task, but a common one – more legitimacy for the EP and an understanding that together in Europe is better than each country separately. There are many attempts at disinformation about how harmful the EU is, Kovatchev noted.

MEP Ilhan Kyuchyuk (Renew Europe/MRF) commented that European issues are not external, they can only be internal and gave an example with the issue of Schengen and the Mobility Package. "This myth - that European affairs are external to us - we must shatter it: quite the opposite - they relate very directly," he said. MEP candidate Stefan Tafrov from Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria commented that in its next term the EP, the most federalist institution because it is directly elected, is called to be the place where the important discussion on the future of European security, which is on the agenda after the Russian aggression in Ukraine, will take place. "It is extremely important for us Europeans to develop our own defence capabilities. This will be a major topic in the work of MEPs in the next five years," he said.

MEP candidate Borislav Sandov (Green Movement) said that the biggest challenge is related to the climate crisis. On the issue of EU enlargement, Sandov believes that the big question to be discussed is whether to separate Albania from North Macedonia. According to him, given the results of Wednesday's elections in North Macedonia and China's active involvement in Serbia, this integration of the Balkans will probably not happen the way we imagine it. Sandov also commented that Moldova should get a better chance for integration, as well as Ukraine.