NEWS

President Rumen Radev: Without Additional Measures, the Decision to Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the EU Risks Rendering Some Member States Poorer and Uncompetitive

Considering the decision passed in December to lower greenhouse gas emissions by up to 55% by 2030, the lack of additional measures to protect countries like Bulgaria means that the richer countries will become even richer while the poorer ones will be even poorer and uncompetitive, said Head of State Rumen Radev before journalists in Brussels during the Special Meeting of the European Council.

The President emphasised that the idea of a climate neutral economy must become a reality, but it bears its risks. Significant investments are required to head towards implementing the emissions decision, and such investments should be secured by those “pushing us in that direction”, as Bulgaria does not have the resources to achieve this, the President further stated. He added that resignedly following what has already been accepted means that very soon we would give up our basic capacities, as maintaining them would become untenable. This would lead to a series of serious problems and would seriously affect the most vulnerable social groups. “We are obliged to defend, as much as possible in the given situation, our interest, and to convince our European partners that if anybody requires, and it is already required, it is stipulated on paper, if we are required to achieve this as a national goal, they must offer considerable support to us, otherwise we will be facing huge problems,” the Head of State declared.

President Radev also pointed out that with the changes set out, Bulgaria risks losing its autonomy as 50% of the energy mix of the country comes from coal, which makes us dependant on resources, technologies and people. “If this disappears, we will have to exchange it for something else. And the only way of changing will lead to us losing autonomy,” the President said, and emphasised that we do not have nationwide solutions on energy development, neither do we have a strategy with a 2030-2050 horizon. “Therefore, we want the Recovery and Sustainability Plan to include projects that could quickly contribute to the construction of necessary capacities that will be modern, covering the green requirements and guaranteeing the efficacy, effectiveness and most of all autonomy of our energy, which we really need,” the President commented.