We can respond to the serious challenges the world is facing, related to climate change, political crises and terrorism only if the democratic states pool efforts to this effect. This is what President Rosen Plevneliev said at the traditional reception given for the heads of the diplomatic missions accredited in Bulgaria. The Head of State emphasized that as part of the democratic world, our country promotes the rule of law and the international legal order and is against aggression and adopting a strong-arm approach in international relations.
“The terror act committed against the French satirical weekly magazine “Charlie Ebdo” proved that hatred knows no limits and therefore the fight against terrorism is a common cause and freedom and tolerance – our credo,” President Plevneliev said in his statement. The Head of State called on for an even closer cooperation in counteracting climate changes and reaching a binding agreement on fighting climate changes at the International Conference on Climate Change to be held in Paris.
“We are working to ensure a stronger and more integrated European Union, which is the only chance for each single member state to be a factor on the global arena,” Rosen Plevneliev said and added that Bulgaria is an indispensable part of the efforts of the democratic world to secure peace and human development.
The EU’s most important priority should be to develop a functioning and integrated internal market for electricity and natural gas, Rosen Plevneliev emphasized and called on for completing the construction of interconnectors between the individual states, for liberalizing and diversifying the markets and suppliers. “We should connect the networks in the region – highways and railways, electricity networks and telecommunications. “Our “weapon” is integration and the rule of law,” the Bulgarian Head of State said.
The President thanked Italy and Greece for their efforts during their EU presidency in 2014 and wished success to Latvia, which has assumed the EU presidency. “Europe needs more competitiveness, growth and jobs. We can achieve all this only if we complete the Single market in all its forms and if we relax the too strict regulations,” the President said.
The Head of State recalled that in the past 2014 united Europe’s external borders were placed under an unprecedented migration pressure, provoked by the crises in the Middle East and North Africa and called on for adopting a common approach to overcoming this challenge.
“Bulgaria is an insurmountable factor in Southeast Europe and is working to effect a positive change in the Balkans, to ensure connectivity, a free movement of people, goods and services, a business and cultural exchange, friendship and good-neighborly relations,” President Plevneliev further said.
In the statement he made before the representatives of the diplomatic missions, the Head of State emphasized that the Bulgarian political elite demonstrates a new approach – holding a constructive dialogue and seeking consensus. “I expect that the politicians will prove that Bulgarian democracy is mature for principled and functioning coalitions and that we have the political will to launch comprehensive reforms. 2015 should be the year of team work and reforms in Bulgaria,” the President said.
Rosen Plevneliev emphasized that he would continue to seek consensus and continuity on the national priorities and recalled that the adopted National program “Bulgaria 2020” and also the Partnership Agreement with the European Commission up to 2020 are the result of a public and political consensus. “Continuing the reform in the Bulgarian law administration is a strategic priority,” the President said and emphasized the voiced will for change that Parliament demonstrated by adopting the Strategy on continuing the reform of the judiciary.
The Head of State was adamant that in 2015 the Bulgarian institutions will step up reforms in sectors important for the public and highlighted the judiciary, healthcare, energy, education, state administration and pension sectors, and also the water sector and the security sector.
“The Bulgarian banking system is stable and enjoys a high liquidity rate,” the President said and added that our country will join the EU Single Supervisory Mechanism as a first step to joining the European Bank Union. “Bulgaria’s entry in Schengen is a strategic priority for our country,” the Head of State further said.
The President thanked the two caretaker governments for the work they did whereby they “calmed down the nation at a difficult moment and set the correct direction to bottom out of the crisis.” The Head of State said that the public trust in parliament and government is being restored and called on for pooling efforts to overcome the consequences from the political instability in the past two years.
“In 2014 the world witnessed a lot of armed conflicts and clashes, acts of terrorism and deaths of innocent people. Therefore the international community is united more than ever before in its resolution to find a peaceful solution to these conflicts and to efficiently counteract terrorism,” the Doyen of the Diplomatic Corps in Bulgaria, Dr. Ahmed Al Madbuh – extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of Palestine said.
Ahmed Al Madbuh emphasized that despite the replacement of a couple of governments in Bulgaria in the past two years, Bulgaria still holds onto its democratic values and holds a dialogue with the civil society. The ambassador wished the Bulgarian people a bright future, prosperity and success.