Oresharski, Georgieva discuss negotiations on EU budget
Plamen Oresharski, Prime Minister in the Bulgarian Socialist Party government, and European Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva held talks on June 9, with issues discussed including negotiations on the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).
Georgieva discussed with Oresharski the current priorities of the EU institutions, and there were discussions on those particularly affecting Bulgaria – the fight against the economic crisis, negotiations on the MFF and the Co-operation and Verification Mechanism put in place in 2007 when Bulgaria joined the EU with the aim of bringing the country up the bloc’s standards in justice and home affairs.
Oresharski said that at the meeting, also attended by Foreign Minister Kristian Vigenin and Justice Minister Zinaida Zlatanova, “we received good advice from the Commissioner,” including with more detailed questions about refocusing efforts on programmes and EU resources that are at risk of being lost because of inefficient utilization.
Earlier, Zlatanova, who is also a deputy prime minister, told Bulgarian National Radio that Bulgaria was lagging behind in preparation of the priorities for the 2014 to 2020 MFF because, she alleged, the previous government had not done its job.
There were no strategic documents regarding health, education, e-government and improvement of the business climate, she said.
Reacting, Tomislav Donchev, who was EU funds minister in the Borissov centre-right government, said that Zlatanova should take time out to read the available documentation at the Cabinet office.
This would take a lot of time because of the huge volume, Donchev said. “I would mention only the national plan for the development of Bulgaria 2020 and the project for agreement with the European Commission”.
Also on June 9, the former deputy finance minister in the Borissov government, Vladislav Goranov, said that the supposed gap of a billion leva in the budget that the new government claimed to have found was a miscalculation, intended to decrease the “great expectations” of the new government and its election campaign promises.
(Photo: government.bg)
