site.btaMEP Ilhan Kyuchyuk: "Whether We Have Caretaker or Regular Government, Let Us Put Bulgaria's Ideas on the Table in Brussels and Strasbourg"

In a BTA interview on the sidelines of the European Parliament's plenary session in Strasbourg on Wednesday, Bulgarian MEP Ilhan Kyuchyuk (Movement for Rights and Freedoms [MRF]/Renew Europe) listed the enlargement policy, economy, energy, competitiveness, and security as important topics for the 10th European Parliament (EP), which opened on July 16. "Whether we have a caretaker government or a regular government, let us put Bulgaria's ideas on the table in Brussels and in Strasbourg", Kyuchyuk appealed.

The EP has a new configuration with a strong presence of the far-right, but Kyuchyuk believes that balance and compromises will be found via the centre, which "makes the conversation between the right and the left possible".  

The MEP said that Bulgaria's national priority is the Western Balkan countries to be part of the EU and to make sure that their connection goes through Sofia.  

Responding to a question about the situation in the MRF, Kyuchyuk pointed out that the party is a stabilizing factor in the Bulgarian political landscape, in the Balkans and the Eropean Union. In his words, the leaders of European and world liberals have given their support to Dr. Ahmed Dogan as the bearer of the Bulgarian ethnic model. They associate him with the security, coexistence and prosperity of Bulgaria. MRF goes through crisis and it is deep but the party will manage, Kyuchyuk stressed.

The full transcript of the interview follows:

You are in your third mandate in the European Parliament, which old issues would you continue working on? What new topics would you pursue?

All topics are important for Bulgaria and I can highlight some of them. Schengen is one of the topics we must work on and this is not just a position of Ilhan Kyuchyuk or of the MRF delegation. We have won concrete achievements in the form of a resolution in the European Parliament, and we must strengthen this position. The Bulgarian delegation must not move a millimetre from this. In enlargement policy, it has always been believed that Bulgaria's place is at the centre of the enlargement policy. It was an important time when Bulgarian diplomacy set the agenda on how to resolve the inter-ethnic conflicts in the Balkans. We have lost that authority, we need to regain it. There are very important issues related to the rule of law, I will be active on them as well. And I can list many more topics that are part of the agenda of the European institutions. They are part of the agenda of the Bulgarian citizens.

Which areas do you think will be especially important for this Parliament? Please list at least 3 points on which this Parliament must work.

Economy. Energy. I am telling you straight away, the competitiveness of the European economy plays a key role. I would add enlargement policy. We cannot keep so many countries out when they have already knocked on the European door. Last but not least, of course, security, I would even say security, security, security.

How will this Parliament work? It is radically different from the previous one. The right-wing parties have gained strength. There was loss of seats among the Liberals, the Greens, How will the balance, the compromises, the solutions be found?

Via the centre. It builds the consensus, it makes possible the conversation of the right and the left and we saw yesterday, when the centre is active and seeks to unite with the left and the right, the normal European process returns to the way decisions are made. That is how Roberta Metsola was elected. That is probably also how Ursula von der Leyen will be elected.

Another question, the Republic of North Macedonia. This is a subject that you have been working on for a long time. How will this topic develop, what will happen in the Balkans, what will happen with the enlargement of the European Union in this Parliament?

To a large extent, it depends on the processes in North Macedonia. One thing is clear, the French proposal, which is essentially a European document, is a success for both diplomacies. That is how I have always presented it and how I will continue to present it, as a success. But it must be implemented publicly, politically, with commitments. It is the basis for good relations between Bulgaria and North Macedonia. Of course, together with the Treaty signed in 2017, there is no other way. This is the message to Skopje.

However, the message to us, to the representatives of Bulgaria, and the big question that actually stands is whether we can afford to isolate and let the Western Balkans be treated as an area outside the European Union. We cannot. 'It is in Bulgaria's interest'. No way. On the contrary. Our national priority must be to have the countries of the Western Balkans as part of the European Union and make sure their connection with the European Union goes through Sofia: not through Vienna, not through Budapest. Sofia is the place.

How do you think the current situation in Bulgaria will affect your work, the work of Bulgaria in the European Parliament? The point is that we are obviously heading towards the seventh election, or at least it is highly probable, and there are important decisions to be taken in Parliament, in the Commission, a Commissioners will be elected. What do you think?

Politics is a marathon, it is not a sprint and there is no a personal success in it. MEPs can succeed in doing something for Bulgaria if they act individually. I can say that even if all 17 MEPs work together, success will not be significant if there is no official support from Sofia, if we do not work in coordination, if we do not put our interests before the European institutions, don’t initiate a debate, don’t look for our place in this very changing European Union. We are not making proposals. The whole Bulgarian society, which has been marginalized and turned anti-European, loses from this. No, it is not anti-European per se. The choice to be part of the European Union was made by Bulgarian citizens and dozens of politicians, hundreds of diplomats have worked for it, but today it must be protected and developed and the best way to do it is by showing that the European Union is a union of opportunities. It does not take anything from us, it gives to us.

And that is why my big appeal here, whether we have a caretaker government or a regular government: let us put Bulgaria's ideas on the table in Brussels and in Strasbourg. Let us make sure that we do not lose opportunities when the Green Deal is being redesigned. There are huge opportunities for industrialization. Do we need them? Do we have the capacity in Bulgaria? Yes, we undoubtedly do. At a time when countries are looking for a clear profile, even when the first talks are already taking place about who will be the Commissioner, for which sector, Bulgaria is silent. Why? Don’t we have people, ideas, history, heritage? On the contrary, we have all these things. We have all that. The thing is that our actions are too slow and too late, and don’t take into account the realities that are happening.

And a question about the MRF. How the situation in MRF affects Bulgaria? How does it affect your work in the European Parliament?

The MRF is a stabilizing factor, in the Bulgarian political landscape and in the Balkans and the European Union. It is for a reason that the leaders of European and world liberals have given their strong support to Dr Ahmed Dogan as the bearer of the Bulgarian ethnic model. They associate him with the security, coexistence and prosperity of Bulgaria. This is an indisputable fact. Yes , MRF goes through crisis and it is deep but we will manage. MRF will be strong, monolithic and united with values, if MRF loses its values it will not be the stabilizing and significant factor in Bulgarian politics – and we are seeing he beginning of this. Modernity is the future of the MRF, not post-totalitarian models of governance.