Pavlova: First three months of Bulgarian EU presidency successful, big challenges yet to come
The first three months of Bulgaria’s Presidency of the Council of the EU have been successful, while the big challenges will be in the second three months with debates that will not be easy, the minister in charge of the EU Presidency said on April 11.
Liliyana Pavlova, speaking in a television interview, said that the first three months had been successful and “dynamic” because the dynamics of the processes taking place in Europe called for very complex debates, dialogue and meetings.
These required diplomacy and compromises, Pavlova said.
“We have held more than 100 meetings in Sofia and more than 670 meetings of auxiliary bodies of the Council,” she said.
All dossiers which Bulgaria had taken over in its capacity as holder of the rotating EU Presidency had been worked on, on a wide range of topics.
“We completed the dossiers connected to the topic of the environment and the climate, the topic of waste, the topic of energy efficiency, issues related to heavy-duty vehicle emissions, financial regulation, funding of political parties, parcel delivery, medical products and medicines. Also, the posting of workers. This has been a great achievement by the team,” Pavlova said.
Speaking of the meeting of the leaders of the EU and Turkey held in Varna, Pavlova said that it had been extremely important to Bulgaria that the meeting went ahead and re-opened the dialogue “because the dialogue had been very difficult” with insults and accusations being exchanged between some countries and Turkey.
Pavlova said that there was a request for a further high-level meeting between the EU and Turkey, but for this to happen, there was work to do at a technical level, at the level of diplomatic missions and “above all at expert level”. These tasks were being carried out because Turkey was an important partner in the economy and in security, she said.
The most important outcome of the EU-Turkey meeting in Varna was the agreement to continue the implementation of the declaration on migration and security in the region, Pavlova said.
(Photo of Pavlova with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker: EC Audiovisual Service)
