site.btaPrime Minister Zhelyazkov: Bulgaria Should Develop Its Defence Industry to Become Net Exporter

Bulgaria should develop its defence industry as not only being part of the common European defence market, but also becoming a net exporter, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov told Bulgarian journalists in Brussels, where he arrived for a European Council meeting on defence and the EU budget.

He noted that European leaders will discuss important and sensitive issues. The common defence policy, the continuation of the war in Ukraine, the search for solutions for a lasting and sustainable peace, and aid to Ukraine will be discussed, the Prime Minister said.

The countries that rely on the cohesion policy back keeping in place the common agricultural policy and the cohesion and internal security funds policy. “We will insist on maintaining the current model of shared responsibility in the management and flexibility of these instruments,” Zhelyazkov added. “We will make use of all possible financial instruments, but we need to structure better coordination between the different enterprises - public and private - in the Bulgarian defence industry,” he said.

“Bulgaria is drawing up its plan, things were adopted at a closed meeting, which I cannot talk about at the moment,” Zhelyazkov said on the expectation that EU countries will present proposals for investments in defence. “We are ready especially with issues related to the development of the defence industry and capabilities, in the context of the common European policy and the common European defence market,” Zhelyazkov added.

Of the adoption of the euro, Zhelyazkov said he expects a positive report on Bulgaria's readiness in May-June. “We know who will not support the euro - these are Vazrazhdane, MECh, Velichie. All the others I hope, as they have expressed their pro-European orientation so far, will show it with the budget vote and all the actions that guarantee the sustainability of public finances and regular governance, he said.

Of his talks with European Parliament President Roberta Mezzola about the attack on the European Commission office in Sofia during a protest against the euro Zhelyazkov said that Bulgaria had given guarantees that in Bulgaria the rule of law would guarantee the right attitude towards the European institutions and the necessary sanctions against the perpetrators. The support for the euro will be where people recognize Bulgaria's European future as the only rational, meaningful and correct direction for the country's development as a sovereign and prosperous state, the Prime Minister said.