„I do hope that the Bulgarian politicians, I include myself in this category, will not miss the historical chance and will not fall into disgrace by refusing to reach for the hand the citizens have extended for change.” This is what President Rosen Plevneliev said when launching the European Commission Citizen Dialogue initiative, which will be held today in the Central Military Club in Sofia. The Head of State and Vivian Redding, deputy chief of the EC opened the debate which is part of the dialogues of the EC with the Europeans in the European year of the citizens and ahead of the forthcoming elections for European Parliament in 2014.
President Rosen Plevneliev defined the civil energy in Bulgaria as extremely strong and active. In his words, the main responsibility of the politicians and the European institutions is to lend an ear to the citizens, their agenda and their ideas. „The citizens are the most legitimate ones. They are those that demand and expect. We have a people that has revived, that took to the streets and said:. „We want our country restored to the people, we know what we want“, the Head of State said. He once again recalled the citizens´fundamental demands for „ a true European democracy, for institutions facing the people, not facing the strong of the day and for justice.“ „The truth proved to be more important than bread and justice more important than circuses,“ the President commented.
„Democracy is based on three basic principles – neither more nor less. These are market, not oligarchic democracy, independent media, not a media monopoly, and a system for law administration that administers justice for the innocent, not for the strong of the day“, the president further recalled before the participants in the forum. Rosen Plevneliev proposed that debates be held on the topics of market economy, media environment and law administration system with the participation of representatives of the government, of the political forces and the civil society, as well as the participation of representatives of the European Commission.
Participants in the dialogue raised issues related to the quality of Bulgaria´s EU membership, the interaction between the Bulgarian institutions and Brussels, between the citizens and the European institutions, as well as their concrete problems. In the discussion emphasis was laid on the reforms in the judiciary and the efficiency of the Mechanism for cooperation and assessment of the EC with Bulgaria. „Bulgaria´s problems have not been created in Brussels and if we are honest, we will pinpoint them. Bulgarian corruption has not been imported from Brussels and our income and pensions are what we alone produce,“ the President further emphasized making a summary of the discussion which continued for more than two hours. „We should admit the mistakes we have made, learn from them and understand that those states are strong in which there are strong institutions, not strong people,¨ the Head of State called on the participants.
More than 90 percent of the citizens that participated in the debates either directly or through the social networks declared their intention to participate in the European Parliament elections to be held in the Spring of 2014. A mere seven percent will not exercise their right to vote as European citizens. Approximately 70 percent of the voters voiced their support for the idea to have the president of the European Commission elected directly by the Europeans and 24.4 percent voted against it.
According to the Head of State, the activity of the Bulgarian citizens confirms the results from the statistical surveys, according to which the Bulgarians are among those which show a most positive attitude to the EU. „Today´s debate once again showed that the Bulgarians are the most pro-European nation and Bulgaria´s choice to be an EU member state has been consciously made by all citizens. “We care for the European Union which is our home,” President Plevneliev summarized.