site.btaVazrazhdane MEP Volgin Says European Parliament Has No Independent Policy, Vision For Future

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola was elected with a large majority, and she is one of the faces of the 'old', one of the faces of this European Union, which has no independent policy, no independent vision for the future, Vazrazhdane (Europe of Sovereign Nations) MEP Petar Volgin said in an interview with BTA after the first constituent session of the newly elected European Parliament, which was held on Tuesday in Strasbourg, France.

"Roberta Metsola, [European Commission President] Ursula von der Leyen and [EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy] Kaya Kallas are faces of people who cannot bring the European Union to something better. They can only hold on to the current situation, which is bad and will get worse", he argued.

Volgin said he was not surprised by the re-election of Roberta Metsola as president of the European Parliament.

He was one of the people who did not stand up when the Anthem of Europe was played. 

"Because there is no European anthem. Only a country can have an anthem, such as Bulgaria or every other country. The European Union is not a country, although there are probably people who would like it to be a supranational institution that tells everyone else what to do. Ode to Joy is a magnificent tune, but it is by no means an anthem. Standing up seems comical and meaningless to me," Volgin said.

"This is scepticism about the path the European Union has taken. It [the EU] is something very different from Europe. The idea of a united Europe is wonderful. This idea wants to show that individual nations can work together. With respect for each other's traditions, culture and history. They can do things together and not become voiceless pawns in the current geopolitical game. I am afraid that, at the moment, the European Union is that - a voiceless pawn. It is in the hands of the puppeteers on the other side of the ocean," the MEP added.

"As Vazrazhdane MEPs, part and one of the founders of the Europe of Sovereign Nations, the newest group in the European Parliament, we very much want to raise the issue of the fact that in Bulgaria the referendum for the preservation of the Bulgarian lev until 2043 was not allowed. This is very important, because the fundamental principle of democracy has been suspended. We shall now see whether the European Parliament, which is the only institution directly elected by the citizens, will support our request for the referendum to take place. It must happen, because it has been organized in accordance with all the requirements of the law. The Bulgarian government then broke the law, which is a direct blow to democracy in Bulgaria," he said.

On July 7, 2023, the National Assembly rejected a proposal by nationalist Vazrazhdane party to hold a national referendum against the euro changeover. The decision was appealed by the parliamentary groups of Vazrazhdane and There Is Such a People, as well as by an independent MP. At the end of July, 2023, the Constitutional Court admitted the request of the 49 MPs for consideration on the merits. On February 8, 2024, the Constitutional Court adopted a decision dismissing conclusively the referendum initiative.