“It is in the interest of all EU member-states that Great Britain remains part of the European project. Everyone will lose of it leaves the Union.” This is what President Rosen Plevneliev said, who held talks today with David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This is the first official visit of a British prime minister to Bulgaria after 1999. At the meeting David Cameron highlighted the good results Bulgaria has achieved in the sphere of fiscal discipline and economic growth and the country’s strong will for conducting reforms.
At the meeting both the Head of State and the British prime minister called on for holding an open and constructive dialogue within the EU, at which the proposals made by the United Kingdom for conducting reforms should be discussed. “Great Britain is willing to be part of a reformed EU, which is efficient and competitive,” David Cameron said.
The two shared the opinion that the measures taken and the initiatives launched within the Euro zone should not bring about a fragmentation of the single European market. In the Head of State’s words, the completion of the single market and the inclusion of services, the digital and energy sectors in it will contribute to promoting growth, creating jobs and improving the competitiveness of the European economy in the rapidly-globalizing world.
Rosen Plevneliev was adamant that the EU should not allow growing disparities between the level of development of the individual regions. In this respect, he called on for preserving the budget for Cohesion policy.
“We should not allow the restriction of one of the fundamental rights of the EU citizens, such as free movement and the opportunity to work within the EU,” the Head of State further said. In the President’s opinion, this will clash with the basic principles united Europe is built on and will pose a real danger of consequent growing disparities between the individual member states.
The fight against international terrorism and coping with the migration flow toward the EU were also highlighted at the meeting. The Head of State once again called on the EU member states to address the root causes of the conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa and not to wait for a given crisis to arise and then start seeking a solution. “Overcoming the crisis requires not only that the EU member states take joint actions, but also cooperation among the countries from the region of conflict,” the President said. Rosen Plevneliev and David Cameron voiced their support for the agreement reached between the EU and Turkey on curbing the migration pressure toward Europe and highlighted the necessity to draw a distinction between the economic migrants and the refugees.
“Bulgaria is a good example of effective control on the external EU borders,” Prime Minister Cameron said. The Head of State emphasized that our country will continue to protect the external EU borders in compliance with European rules and to register the migrants entering Bulgarian territory.
“Bulgaria also fulfills the commitments assumed in Wales – a new program for modernization of the Bulgarian army has been adopted. In 2016 our country will increase the defense budget to 1.35 percent of the GDP and gradually the funds will increase to reach 2 percent of the GDP in the next years,” President Plevneliev further said. The British Prime Minister added that all NATO member states should adhere to the commitments assumed in Wales.
At the meeting the Head of State issued a formal invitation to Her Majesty Queen of the United Kingdom Elizabeth II to visit Bulgaria.
After the meeting President Rosen Plevneliev and British Prime Minister David Cameron will see the Sofia Tech Park innovation exhibition, which is part of the initiative of the British Prime Minister “Great innovation exchange” to enhance Europe’s competitiveness.
