Vigenin: Europe needs funds for overcoming social differences, less for weapons

“What we, the Group of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, want from the EU Multiannual Financial Framework is in the interest of Bulgaria. The European Commission proposal met mainly with disapproval. This budget is unacceptable for us. The funds for agriculture and cohesion policy are significantly lower. Changes are still to be discussed, because it will enter into force from 2028.” This was stated by the head of the Delegation of Bulgarian Socialists in the European Parliament and member of the BSP Executive Bureau Kristian Vigenin on BNT. He noted that the funds for defence and security are being increased between three and five times, which in his view is a direct result of the dominance of the right in the European Commission: “Europe is becoming more right-wing, and the new budget shows it clearly, less money for people, more for arming and guarding borders.” According to Vigenin, the planned new scheme of spending the funds through national and regional plans carries the risk of weaker scrutiny by the EP and of European policy being parcelled out.

“We cannot be satisfied, since the funds for agriculture and for cohesion policy are significantly lower, the policy of convergence that should help reduce the differences and inequalities both between member states and between the regions within them. We socialists are not particularly happy that so much money is being set aside for arming. We have a different understanding of defence and security. To a greater extent we need to guarantee internal peace, to overcome inequalities and the internal tensions that arise. We want to see more funds for healthcare, and I personally will fight for that, for us to have healthy people and health systems that respond quickly to unforeseen events,” the MEP commented. Vigenin stressed that the socialists managed to win a separate European Social Fund, because otherwise social policy would have sunk into the general competitiveness framework.

Recovery plan funds and the protests in Varna

On the topic of the funds Bulgaria has absorbed under the Recovery and Resilience Plan, Kristian Vigenin said that because of the political instability the country has fallen behind in this process: “When there is a functioning government, we clearly find a way for a huge part of the Recovery and Resilience Plan funds, which we thought were lost for good, to enter the Bulgarian economy. But they are given conditionally and in return for reforms. Now we have the chance to catch up.” Vigenin called for the governing parties and the opposition to act as one on the changes in the judicial system. “If we can unite and act as one in defence of the national interest on the Republic of North Macedonia, we should be able to do it on a question as substantial as this, for Bulgaria to have an effective, transparent, impartial and independent judicial system that citizens and business trust.”

On the protests against the arrest of the mayor of Varna Blagomir Kotsev, Kristian Vigenin commented that PP-DB also made many mistakes during their time in government. “You cannot always be against and on the contrary. You cannot always expect someone to extend a hand to you. BSP is not at the protests, unlike in 2020, because corrupt practices cannot be covered up with political protests. Political pressure should not be put on the prosecution and the court. But the actions of the prosecution and the court also left a bitter aftertaste, which gave rise to these protests. There is no black and white here,” the MEP stressed in conclusion.