FMA BULLETIN - 64 19 VISIT UNDER EU PRESIDENCY BULGARIAN VISIT FOR THE EUROPEAN PRESIDENCY This trip was for the former members combined with imposing communist politics until’ now. of the EP led by our Brigitte (not architecture make up the grand I mustn’t forget between all the Macron or Bardot) but Langenhagen. Parliament Buildings, with spacious debates and culture Bulgaria is The group consisted of 19 former extra wide corridors. All the buildings famous for its cooking and wines. members from the UK, France, are hung with interesting paintings We were spoilt throughout. Germany, Bulgaria, Netherlands, of high quality from different The final day we visited the Military Spain, Czech Republic, Finland, periods and are well worth a visit Academy, founded in 1912. and Poland from 5 different in themselves. We should not The surrounding park with political parties. forget that the EP has a very fine magnificent trees a hallmark of It was a particularly moving visit international collection of art too, Tsar Ferdinand as in Exinograd and for me. I first went to Bulgaria well worth a visit. Varna. He loved nature. Prince campaigning for the first free Enlivened debate ensued the Ferdinand of Coburg came to the elections after the Berlin Wall came Bulgarian Foreign and European throne in 1886 following Prince down, then as an official observer Affairs committees, with the Chairs Alexander of Battenberg, with the in my role as Vice-President of the Ms Dzhema Grozdanova and influence of his mother, the daughter Bulgarian Delegation in the EP. I Mr Kristian Vigenin, as well as with of the last King of France he ruled was guided by Stefan Tavrov, future the Bulgarian Vice-President Ms Iliana Bulgaria for over 30 years. Foreign Secretary and Ambassador Iotova (former MEP). Back to modern times our former to London, Rome, Paris and UN; he is Mentioned were Dublin Agreement very distinguished Finnish Member, still involved in European Politics. 2007 needing reform, lack of clarity Henrik Lax delivered a tour d ’horizon I subsequently wrote and took of the Budget, concern on Human a la Julian Amery. He reminded us through all the Bulgarian Reports Rights, too much bureaucracy and of the importance of the European for accession while I was on the red tape, main crisis not economic Elections next year. Will UK citizens Foreign Affairs committee under the but moral values. Possibly these are have a vote? The pressure Europe Chairmanship of Otto von Habsburg. not new problems. continues to face with major flows We had meetings with Ms Monika There followed a little light relief of refugees and migrants that have Panayotova Deputy Minister for and cultural experience with a visit come to stay. Economic progress EP relations and FMA member. to the ancient city of Plovdiv in to enable the EU to sustain its Extremely probing questions were Southern Bulgaria; conquered by legitimacy, confirm its values and asked and the themes that wove Thracians, Macedonians, Romans defend democracy. The Single their way through from the start and many others. Market, the Crown Jewel of the EU, were the preoccupation with the Plovdiv has a state opera house will suffer a serious blow, if Britain as West Balkan Enlargement, plus of and company run by Luciano Di the consequence of BREXIT, leaves course all the old chestnuts. Martino an inspiring Italian who had the customs union. A mixture of late 19th century been for several years in Germany. Thank you again to Brigitte, He organised a stunning recital Elisabetta and her team, and with Mr Mark Fowler, Ms Svetlana our Bulgarian hosts, especially to Ivanova and Ms Evgenia Ralcheva, Mr Hristo Kraevski, Permanent they sang arias from La Boheme Representative of the National and La Traviata, accompanied by Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria Ralitza Boteva on the piano, in a to the European Parliament, for the sensitively restored period house. faultless organisation. Bulgaria is renowned too for its world class singers and musicians. Baroness Patricia Rawlings Tsveta Karayancheva, President of the This brought big smiles from all EPP-ED, United Kingdom National Assembly of the Republic of the rather exhausted former MEPs (1989-1994) Bulgaria that had been listening to serious [email protected] 20 FMA BULLETIN - 64 BULGARIA STILL AT A CROSSROAD Entering the nostalgic world that is human rights. Press Index. Sofia, with its 19th century buildings We had an interesting time at the As investors can find cheap labour, and garden restaurants, I could Rakovski Military Academy, where but not skilled workers, foreign not believe that 10 years after EU our foreign policy speaker, Henrik investment has begun to decline, accession, which was the last time Lax (Finland), addressed the audience as it has in Romania too. Skilled the FMA group paid a visit, this with the demand to keep solidarity workers have apparently already left country seems still to be under the of all EU Member States to the the country, with 67 000 of them, or influence of the old political rulers. sanctions against Russia. 1% of the population, heading for With a per capita GDP of € 8064 Unfortunately, there were no Germany alone. - Germany’s, by comparison, is questions from the audience of male The dissatisfaction of Bulgarians € 41936 - it still has one of and female officers. with their parties and politicians the highest poverty rates in What does Bulgaria expect from - corruption proceedings - can be the EU: 21.8%. the EU - in addition to sources reflected in the fact that 33% of Because our visit related to the of funding? them voted in favour of founding a Council Presidency, it was more of an While 16% of the population are in new party. effort, amid the hustle and bustle, to favour of leaving the EU (according That being so, the European get to speak to important politicians. to the Financial Times), many Commission should carefully consider At the Foreign Affairs, Europe and democrats who identify with the any further EU enlargement that EU Funds Committee, Members’ western world are hoping for political would include the West Balkans. The statements made it difficult to get change through more contact with Bulgarians also take a very critical answers to our raft of questions. the West (Erasmus programme). view of Serbian accession. Ex-MEP Monika Panayotova, now EU subsidies (Cohesion Fund) are also The proposal to admit Bulgaria Minister for the Council Presidency, being improperly used, however, as into the Euro Zone is even more was receptive to questions and can be seen from funding allocations controversial because of its willing to provide solid answers and made to pro-government print media preparedness for the euro. Without gave a well-put-together speech and broadcasters in order to ‘build a sustainable convergence, going on the Presidency’s objectives media environment’. beyond meeting the nominal and priorities. In addition, according to journalists, criteria, there should be no further Bulgaria’s Vice-President Illiana the big newspapers, bought by consideration of admission; and that Jotova - we owed our meeting oligarchs, report only good news includes joining the Banking Union with her to our Secretary-General’s about their proprietors, especially beforehand, which would act as a organising skills - was also receptive during election campaigns. Bulgaria supervisory body - something that to our questions and stressed her has slipped to 111th place on the the Bulgarian Government rejects. commitment to democracy and Reporters without Borders World On an excursion to Plovdiv, with its Roman amphitheatre, there was speculation as to whether cultural links are not more important than involvement in every single EU undertaking. Ursula Braun-Moser EPP-ED, Germany (1984-1994) A moment of the meeting with Iliana Iotova, Vice-President of the Republic of Bulgaria [email protected] FMA BULLETIN - 64 21 WHEN LESS CAN BE MORE Despite many successes over the impossible that circumstances may amendment, supported by Altiero years, the EU faces exceptional arise in which the UK Parliament Spinelli, to include subsidiarity in the difficulties: in some parts democracy will insist that the Article 50 letter Draft Treaty on European Union. seems attacked; refugees and is withdrawn. It was later included in the Single economic migrants cause tension As one of the first elected MEPs in European Act, but despite efforts about immigration; the Eurozone 1979, I reflect nearly as much on the over the years it has proved difficult could be unstable; Putin’s Russia future of the Union as on the massive to apply. One reason for this lies poses a threat; and the Trump wound which Britain seems about with the EP. presidency is unpredictable. to inflict on itself and its partners. Parliament normally goes along Yet opinion surveys indicate the EU Politicians and Commission alike with the decisions of its specialist is in fair shape. Late in 2017, opinion should pay very close attention to the committees, quite naturally full polls showing EU membership is patches of growing dissatisfaction of members deeply concerned a “good thing” attained 90% in with the EU in various States. These with the issues covered by those Ireland. Even Czechia, Greece and trivial ‘infections’ can grow, as the committees. The rest of us, always the UK showed over 55% positive UK found to its cost. As with the busy, normally shrug our shoulders views. But wait a moment! Did ageing of the human body, over the and vote obediently to support our not the UK in 2016 vote narrowly years there can be an accumulation experts’ recommendations. But this for BREXIT? Are not Far-Right, of small errors which eventually has a cost. Eurosceptic parties gaining ground in proves fatal.