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Sat, Feb 11 2012
Bulgaria ‘back on the right track’ – Herman van Rompuy
Herman van Rompuy, President-designate of the European Council, in Sofia on December 14 2009 with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borissov.
Photo: Anelia Nikolova
Bulgaria is back on the right track, European Council President-designate Herman van Rompuy said during a brief visit to Sofia on December 14 2009.
Van Rompuy, who held talks with Prime Minister Boiko Borissov and separately with President Georgi Purvanov, said that he understood the difficult economic situation in which Bulgaria found itself, and the Government’s enormous efforts to cope with the crisis, build a positive image for itself and to work towards joining the euro zone.
Bulgaria shared the EU’s challenges in economic recovery, fighting climate change and achieving energy security, Van Rompuy said.
Economic development would be his priority, according to Van Rompuy, designated by EU leaders to take up the full-time European Council Presidency created by the Lisbon Treaty.
He said that it was important for EU issues to be resolved through dialogue, including informal discussions, and he wanted to build close personal relations with his colleagues to facilitate this.
It was important for EU member states of longer standing to understand the challenges facing newer members, he said.
Van Rompuy said that forecasts were that GDP growth in the EU would be less than one per cent annually, a rate insufficient to increase jobs growth.
He hoped to become a "new friend" of Bulgaria, Van Rompuy said.
At their meeting, Purvanov told Van Rompuy that Bulgaria continued to support the efforts of Western Balkans countries to join the EU, according to a media statement by Purvanov's office.
The Thessaloniki agenda was one of the EU’s best documents, but needed updating, a process in which Bulgaria could prove helpful given its contacts and expertise in the region, Purvanov said.
The two discussed energy shortfalls in South Eastern Europe, with Purvanov saying that Bulgaria sought to overcome this problem by supporting the maximum number of projects to increase energy resources available to Bulgaria and theEU.
Purvanov reaffirmed Bulgaria’s interest in the building of the Nabucco and South Stream natural gas pipelines and in the completion of Bulgaria’s Belene nuclear power station project, Purvanov’s office said.
Van Rompuy, who held talks with Prime Minister Boiko Borissov and separately with President Georgi Purvanov, said that he understood the difficult economic situation in which Bulgaria found itself, and the Government’s enormous efforts to cope with the crisis, build a positive image for itself and to work towards joining the euro zone.
Bulgaria shared the EU’s challenges in economic recovery, fighting climate change and achieving energy security, Van Rompuy said.
Economic development would be his priority, according to Van Rompuy, designated by EU leaders to take up the full-time European Council Presidency created by the Lisbon Treaty.
He said that it was important for EU issues to be resolved through dialogue, including informal discussions, and he wanted to build close personal relations with his colleagues to facilitate this.
It was important for EU member states of longer standing to understand the challenges facing newer members, he said.
Van Rompuy said that forecasts were that GDP growth in the EU would be less than one per cent annually, a rate insufficient to increase jobs growth.
He hoped to become a "new friend" of Bulgaria, Van Rompuy said.
At their meeting, Purvanov told Van Rompuy that Bulgaria continued to support the efforts of Western Balkans countries to join the EU, according to a media statement by Purvanov's office.
The Thessaloniki agenda was one of the EU’s best documents, but needed updating, a process in which Bulgaria could prove helpful given its contacts and expertise in the region, Purvanov said.
The two discussed energy shortfalls in South Eastern Europe, with Purvanov saying that Bulgaria sought to overcome this problem by supporting the maximum number of projects to increase energy resources available to Bulgaria and theEU.
Purvanov reaffirmed Bulgaria’s interest in the building of the Nabucco and South Stream natural gas pipelines and in the completion of Bulgaria’s Belene nuclear power station project, Purvanov’s office said.
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In the three years before the economic crisis bit, Bulgarian and Romanian purchasing power had climbed slowly – but still well below the European Union average.
European Council President-designate Van Rompuy to visit Bulgaria
Prime Minister Boiko Borissov tells journalists in Brussels that Herman van Rompuy, European Council President-designate, will pay a brief working visit to Sofia on December 14 2009.
Lisbon Treaty means EU will be better prepared for today’s world – Zheleva
Bulgaria’s Foreign Minister and European Commissioner-designate says that Lisbon Treaty is a ‘symbol of unity and clear evidence that where member states pool their efforts, goals are achievable’.
Mixed reactions to Van Rompuy, Ashton taking EU top jobs
Welcomed by the UK government, France and Germany, as well as the US, the naming of Belgium’s Herman van Rompuy as European Council President and Catherine Ashton as foreign policy chief has caused misgivings in some circles, including Turkey which believes that Van Rompuy will oppose Turkish membership of the bloc.
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Though, i do agree with Valeri and the idea tha Bulgaria is not "all that bad", i have to say that i find the entire argument somewhat ironic. I think it demonstrates a fundamental differance between Bulgarians (and others), and people from more advanced economies. Why compare bulgaria to 1989? Unless the entire government falls, along with 90% of the countire's trading parters, the chances of 1989 happening again do not exist. Yet, we are willing to compare ourselfs to that just to make us feel "better".
That would be the same as people in the [...]
Read the full comment USA claiming: "though the recession is horrible and has left us unemployed - at least it's not the great depression". As we all know Americans are pissed as hell regarding the whole ordeal! They expect more for themselfs. It's the same across the Eurozone, no german/french/brition is saying "we are doing fine! At least we ain't... ".
All i'm saying is i know Bulgaria can do wayyyyyyy better than its doing now, and if we DO actually compare: Bulgaria is on the right track, but lagging wayyyyy behind.
wow, that was long... lol
Much better than 1999 as well.
Cosmos, the UK was hit much harder by the financial crises, relatively speaking.
Other countries, Greece, Island and the Baltics are in much worse shape, again, relatively speaking.
Things are pretty bad but who caused all that?
Still better than pre 1989. I do not see any food shortages anymore.
falling property prices - world wide.
falling foreign invest - world wide
rated number on the corruption index for Europe - better than before.
record loan defaults - world wide.
Wage freeze for Govt. workers for 2010 - world wide.
No locally generated capital - world wide.
Very Poor infrastructure - by far the best BG infrastructure in my life time.
Non performing science department - the same as always.
[...]
Read the full comment
poor human rights record over 200 violations so far and counting - better human rights record than at any time in my life time.
dis-functional government - Balkan wide phenomena, although this is probably the best government we've ever had.
high levels of bureaucratic systems - again, moving in the right direction, albeit slowly.
low wages for professional employees such as police officers - higher than the country can actually afford.
cronyism enviornment - less than before although again - Balkan trait.
Bad International reputation - UK news sensationalism.
non protection of foreign investors - better than Island.
non protection of workers rights - slow reform, but on right track.
did I leave anything out..?? - how much money did you lose in the bubble?
"Back on track to where"!!???
+ falling property prices
+ falling foreign invest
+ rated number on the corruption index for Europe
+ record loan defaults
+ Wage freeze for Govt. workers for 2010
+ No locally generated capital
+ Very Poor infrastructure
+ Non performing science department
+ poor human rights record over 200 violations so far and counting
[...]
Read the full comment + dis-functional government
+ high levels of bureaucratic systems
+ low wages for professional employees such as police officers
+ cronyism enviornment
+ Bad International reputation
+ non protection of foreign investors
+ non protection of workers rights
did I leave anything out..??