Europe Must Progress towards Federalization, Present Unified Front, MEP Ilia Lazarov

In a BTA interview on the sidelines of the European Parliament's plenary session in Strasbourg on Wednesday, MEP Ilia Lazarov (GERB-UDF/EPP) said that Europe must progress towards federalization. He noted that federalization should be pursued in areas such as foreign policy, security services, and defence, adding that in today's globalized world, Europe needs to present a unified front.

The MEP identified terrorism as "the major challenge, beyond existing conflicts". "The 21st century will be fraught with terrorism-related issues," he said, adding that "it is crucial to understand that no single European country, not even powerhouses like France or Germany, can adequately handle" such issues alone. "We need the collective capacity of the entire European Union," Lazarov noted.

In his words, Europe must be prepared to guarantee its own security within the next decade.

Asked to comment on growing Euroscepticism, Lazarov said that it need not be quelled, but its repercussions should be lucidly illustrated. He noted that the UK's ongoing challenges, in stark contrast to former prime minister Boris Johnson's assertions of prosperity, provide a compelling example. The MEP said that the country grapples with numerous commercial and economic issues, illustrating the potential pitfalls of such a stance.

Europe thrives on solidarity and support, which should be the foundation of its strength, Lazarov noted.

Responding to a question on the environment in which the European Parliament is beginning its work following the re-election of its President, Roberta Metsola, Lazarov described the atmosphere as "quite favorable". He said that the topic of Ukraine was discussed earlier in the day by an MEP of the far-right Patriots for Europe Group, who "despite his reservations, unequivocally condemned the aggression in Ukraine". The Bulgarian MEP noted that this "serious discussion indicates a shared understanding among even the most extreme elements that a resolution to the European conflict involves some form of justice for Ukraine," adding that this Parliament shows a unified direction.

Following is the full text of the interview with Ilia Lazarov:

Given the completion of the European Parliament's first assembly and the election of its president, could you provide your perspective on the environment in which the European legislative body is beginning its work?

The atmosphere is quite favorable, with Roberta Metzola being elected by an overwhelming majority, surpassing even Martin Schulz's election. While I can't provide the exact number, she secured nearly two-thirds of the votes. We're witnessing the synchronized efforts of traditional classical parties. Upon exiting, I caught the end of Bardella's speech, the young French leader of their far right. His focus was Ukraine and aid for Ukraine. Despite his reservations, he unequivocally condemned the aggression in Ukraine. His only point of contention was whether Ukraine should be permitted to strike deep into Russian territory. This serious discussion indicates a shared understanding among even the most extreme elements that a resolution to the European conflict involves some form of justice for Ukraine. This Parliament demonstrates a unified direction, creating a pleasant and positive atmosphere. I hesitate to draw comparisons with the Bulgarian Parliament, as it doesn't reflect favorably on us. I hope our national Parliament will evolve to resemble the European Parliament. That's the crux of the matter regarding Parliament.

If you had to identify your priorities now, what would be your first initiatives as an MEP?

Personally, I am committed to the campaign I undertook, a commitment that stands regardless of my potential MEP status. I firmly believe that Europe must progress towards federalisation, not in trivial matters such as oil bottles or plastic bottle caps, but in significant areas like foreign policy, security services, and defence. The reason is simple: in today's globalised world, Europe needs to present a unified front. Currently, we are witnessing a discordance between countries, such as Hungary, which negatively impacts our standing in the world market and foreign policy. This is equally true when speaking of security. The major challenge, beyond existing conflicts, is terrorism. The 21st century will be fraught with terrorism-related issues. The only effective countermeasure is anticipatory information. Once a bomb detonates, it's too late; the purpose of security services is to provide advance warning. The incident in Israel could have been prevented with such information. It's crucial to understand that no single European country, not even powerhouses like France or Germany, can adequately handle this issue alone. We need the collective capacity of the entire European Union. The same applies to defence. With the potential of Donald Trump, an isolationist, winning the U.S. presidency and possibly reducing NATO commitments, Europe must be prepared to guarantee its own security within the next decade. Despite Brexit, Europe still has nuclear allies in France and Britain. These are issues we must gradually address, starting immediately. This is a task that my colleagues and I from the GERB-UDF group are advocating. We propose that the Subcommittee on Security and Defence should be elevated to a full committee to begin addressing these concerns.

One final question: with a rising wave of Euroscepticism and as it gains momentum, how can we overcome it?

Euroscepticism need not be quelled, but its repercussions should be lucidly illustrated. The UK's ongoing challenges, in stark contrast to Boris Johnson's assertions of prosperity, provide a compelling example. The country grapples with numerous commercial and economic issues, illustrating the potential pitfalls of such a stance. Should anyone else wish to follow this path, they may become a similar cautionary tale. Europe thrives on solidarity and support, which should be the foundation of its strength. Consider Bulgaria's position, akin to Albania and Macedonia, had it not joined NATO in '97. Our progress is largely due to the efforts of Petar Stoyanov and the support from Bill Clinton, Jacques Chirac, and Romano Prodi, former Italian Prime Minister and Commission President. Compare our current standing to that of Albania and Macedonia. Without our early alliance, Romania would be advancing within NATO and the European Union, while Bulgaria would be lagging behind with Albania and Macedonia.