19/07/10
An interview by Lili Granitska for Dnevnik Newspaper
How did you find out that you are becoming Chairperson of the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds?
- My candidacy was discussed in a meeting of the Executive Commission of GERB. My colleagues informed me after the meeting of the decision. It was a surprise for me, but I aware of the exceptional responsibility, which I undertake, heading this commission.
Did you have a meeting with the Prime Minister Boyko Borissov?
- I am in contact with him, because I am responsible for the work of the youth organisation of GERB and the international relations of the party. In this sense it was not needed to have a meeting in advance.
So the prime minister didn’t ask you, for example “Monika, what would you say to become head of the European fund commission”?
- Yes, he asked me after that. All in all the decision was of the whole commission, because the Prime Minister Borissov was in the parliament before that at a meeting of a commission. So that is a mutual decision.
Since when do you have interest in management of European funds, because so far you were not a member of this commission and do you keep your spot in the Foreign Policy and Defence Committee?
- I am keeping my spot in the Foreign Policy and Defence Committee. During the first defining of the composition of the commissions the leadership of GERB, had decided that I need to be in that commission. I haven’t separated myself from the European thematic, because the foreign policy of the country is connected with the foreign policy of the EU.
Separately I have worked on projects connected with the EU. Before I became a member of GERB I was in a non-government organisation the “Economic Policy Institute”. We used to work with projects with the countries from Southeastern Europe with a highlight on membership of countries from the Western Balkans. Parallel with that I graduated an MA on management of projects with a MA thesis on the topic of “The culture factor during management of international projects”.
Have you worked on European projects, connected directly with Bulgaria?
- The Economic Policy Institute has a realized project on the operative programme “Administrative capacity”, as well as a number of projects, connected with our European integration. That is why I am saying that I haven’t strayed from this thematic I just wasn’t in this commission until this moment.
Which will be the first things you will do in the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds?
- In the moment I am in a period of adaptation, I am familiarizing myself with the priorities of the past chairperson. The report of the European Commission for the progress of Bulgaria is forthcoming, as well as the report of the parliamentary commission regarding European funding for their assimilation during the first six months of 2010.
The first challenge, which is up ahead is connected when the Lisbon Treaty takes effect and the role of the national parliaments. Then they will have a key role in the forming of the jurisdiction of the EU. When a normative act comes it will pass through us and the resource commissions in the national parliaments.
In the frame of eight weeks we will have to give a standpoint, in case we have regards in a specific normative act. If one third of the countries members of the European Union don’t pass the bill, it will go back to the European Commission. Only when there is an agreement the bill will go to the European Parliament. From this viewpoint as a capacity and the on time reaction this is a challenge before us a national parliament. The other challenge is connected with the control of the European funds. It is of great importance to accelerate the payment of the operative programs. With the creation of the position of a minister of the European funds a considerable progress can be seen regarding the payments and the negotiation on projects.
For July 2009 when we took the governance of the country, the payments were 0.67% and now they are 4.6%. On negotiations we are at 43% of our budget resources, when last year at this point we were at 10%. There is progress, but our aims are higher – the payments to reach between 10% and 18%, and the negotiated resources – up to 50% until the end of the year. It is a matter of time for the things to happen.
Could you say what you understand by considerable progress in the assimilation of funds, because visibly it is not felt?
- For July 2009 the payments were 0.67% now they are 4.6%. This is a clear increase.
Yes with one ostensible payment on the initiative “JEREMIE” of 200 million euro, but which has not reached the final receivers. In the same time payment to business in the “Competitiveness” programme is insignificant.
- There is a great progress regarding communication and information. A system called ISMM, which follows the spent resources was created and now works. There is no way for the things to happen straight away with a magic wand. For “JEREMIE” as far as I know, if the government hadn’t reacted, we would have risked to lose the 200 million euro.
Now we have kept the opportunity for them to reach the final receivers. We have lost over a year during the starting of the operative programs. When I was in the non-government sector we waited everyday for them to be started. So we lost a lot of time from the beginning, because there wasn’t the needed administrative capacity and the political will.
You said that the institute, for which you have worked, has done a project on “Administrative Capacity”, which was one successful program in the past government. Now four months there haven’t been any payments, is this normal?
- I haven’t directly followed “Administrative Capacity” during the past months, but Minister Donchev states, that its indexes are good. When the Committee on European Affairs and the Oversight of the European Funds finishes the report for the first half of the year, the progress and the flaws will be marked. The report will be objective.
What do you expect from the report of the European Commission for Bulgaria?
- I am an optimist, because the communication with Brussels has been improved. We are doing everything in full transparency. We are trying to avoid the so called effect of surprise, which happened before. One of the priorities of GERB during the European elections was improving the image of the country. We have made significant steps in this direction.
This can be seen in the correspondence of Minister Donchev with the European Commission. The Bulgarian European Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva is accepted really well. It is a pleasure, when I go to Brussels and in informal conversations they associate Bulgaria with the Bulgarian European Commissioner. They say “Mrs. Georgieva – a wonderful proposal from the side of Bulgaria”.
In such moments it is a pleasure, that I am from Bulgaria and that the work of our country is being valued. Now forthcoming is the voting for the European diplomatic service. Mrs. Georgieva is one of the deputies of Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
We all know that, but according to me it is not connected directly with the work of the commission, which you are heading.
- How is it, not connected? The commission is on European questions and the work of the European Commission, the report of the European Commission and everything, which is happening in Brussels, is directly connected with our work.
You want to say that Mrs. Kristalina Georgieva can influence on the report of the European Commission for Bulgaria?
- Don’t impose things, which I have not said.
Why are you highlighting on this employment?
- I am saying that communication has significantly improved and the image of our country is becoming better. In order to be positive marks in the report it is necessary to have a positive image. I am saying the things real, as they are. I feel them this way going to Brussels. I have traveled before and I know what the attitude towards Bulgaria was.
Can we say then, that in the report of Brussels that is forthcoming for Bulgaria, there will be no surprises for the Bulgarian government?
- The direct contacts, the constant connection with Brussels means that in every stage the commission has a view over what is happening.
I am trying to find out if you are expecting an entirely positive report from Brussels?
- There is no way for it to be entirely positive, because we don’t live in ideal conditions. You know what we discovered as inheritance. We are also in a crisis. The report will be objective and the right steps will be remarked, which have been made in specific sectors, for example for what has always been a priority of the government of GERB – the fight against corruption, internal order and security. This is what I think will happen. What will turn out we will see at the final.
On which questions do you expect critics?
- There is no way for me to say at this point, I can only guess, that regarding jurisdiction there will be remarks. There can never be anything 100% ideal, but tries and steps are made in order for things to improve. These moments need to be remarked.
An interview by Lili Granitska for Dnevnik Newspaper
How did you find out that you are becoming Chairperson of the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds?
- My candidacy was discussed in a meeting of the Executive Commission of GERB. My colleagues informed me after the meeting of the decision. It was a surprise for me, but I aware of the exceptional responsibility, which I undertake, heading this commission.
Did you have a meeting with the Prime Minister Boyko Borissov?
- I am in contact with him, because I am responsible for the work of the youth organisation of GERB and the international relations of the party. In this sense it was not needed to have a meeting in advance.
So the prime minister didn’t ask you, for example “Monika, what would you say to become head of the European fund commission”?
- Yes, he asked me after that. All in all the decision was of the whole commission, because the Prime Minister Borissov was in the parliament before that at a meeting of a commission. So that is a mutual decision.
Since when do you have interest in management of European funds, because so far you were not a member of this commission and do you keep your spot in the Foreign Policy and Defence Committee?
- I am keeping my spot in the Foreign Policy and Defence Committee. During the first defining of the composition of the commissions the leadership of GERB, had decided that I need to be in that commission. I haven’t separated myself from the European thematic, because the foreign policy of the country is connected with the foreign policy of the EU.
Separately I have worked on projects connected with the EU. Before I became a member of GERB I was in a non-government organisation the “Economic Policy Institute”. We used to work with projects with the countries from Southeastern Europe with a highlight on membership of countries from the Western Balkans. Parallel with that I graduated an MA on management of projects with a MA thesis on the topic of “The culture factor during management of international projects”.
Have you worked on European projects, connected directly with Bulgaria?
- The Economic Policy Institute has a realized project on the operative programme “Administrative capacity”, as well as a number of projects, connected with our European integration. That is why I am saying that I haven’t strayed from this thematic I just wasn’t in this commission until this moment.
Which will be the first things you will do in the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds?
- In the moment I am in a period of adaptation, I am familiarizing myself with the priorities of the past chairperson. The report of the European Commission for the progress of Bulgaria is forthcoming, as well as the report of the parliamentary commission regarding European funding for their assimilation during the first six months of 2010.
The first challenge, which is up ahead is connected when the Lisbon Treaty takes effect and the role of the national parliaments. Then they will have a key role in the forming of the jurisdiction of the EU. When a normative act comes it will pass through us and the resource commissions in the national parliaments.
In the frame of eight weeks we will have to give a standpoint, in case we have regards in a specific normative act. If one third of the countries members of the European Union don’t pass the bill, it will go back to the European Commission. Only when there is an agreement the bill will go to the European Parliament. From this viewpoint as a capacity and the on time reaction this is a challenge before us a national parliament. The other challenge is connected with the control of the European funds. It is of great importance to accelerate the payment of the operative programs. With the creation of the position of a minister of the European funds a considerable progress can be seen regarding the payments and the negotiation on projects.
For July 2009 when we took the governance of the country, the payments were 0.67% and now they are 4.6%. On negotiations we are at 43% of our budget resources, when last year at this point we were at 10%. There is progress, but our aims are higher – the payments to reach between 10% and 18%, and the negotiated resources – up to 50% until the end of the year. It is a matter of time for the things to happen.
Could you say what you understand by considerable progress in the assimilation of funds, because visibly it is not felt?
- For July 2009 the payments were 0.67% now they are 4.6%. This is a clear increase.
Yes with one ostensible payment on the initiative “JEREMIE” of 200 million euro, but which has not reached the final receivers. In the same time payment to business in the “Competitiveness” programme is insignificant.
- There is a great progress regarding communication and information. A system called ISMM, which follows the spent resources was created and now works. There is no way for the things to happen straight away with a magic wand. For “JEREMIE” as far as I know, if the government hadn’t reacted, we would have risked to lose the 200 million euro.
Now we have kept the opportunity for them to reach the final receivers. We have lost over a year during the starting of the operative programs. When I was in the non-government sector we waited everyday for them to be started. So we lost a lot of time from the beginning, because there wasn’t the needed administrative capacity and the political will.
You said that the institute, for which you have worked, has done a project on “Administrative Capacity”, which was one successful program in the past government. Now four months there haven’t been any payments, is this normal?
- I haven’t directly followed “Administrative Capacity” during the past months, but Minister Donchev states, that its indexes are good. When the Committee on European Affairs and the Oversight of the European Funds finishes the report for the first half of the year, the progress and the flaws will be marked. The report will be objective.
What do you expect from the report of the European Commission for Bulgaria?
- I am an optimist, because the communication with Brussels has been improved. We are doing everything in full transparency. We are trying to avoid the so called effect of surprise, which happened before. One of the priorities of GERB during the European elections was improving the image of the country. We have made significant steps in this direction.
This can be seen in the correspondence of Minister Donchev with the European Commission. The Bulgarian European Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva is accepted really well. It is a pleasure, when I go to Brussels and in informal conversations they associate Bulgaria with the Bulgarian European Commissioner. They say “Mrs. Georgieva – a wonderful proposal from the side of Bulgaria”.
In such moments it is a pleasure, that I am from Bulgaria and that the work of our country is being valued. Now forthcoming is the voting for the European diplomatic service. Mrs. Georgieva is one of the deputies of Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
We all know that, but according to me it is not connected directly with the work of the commission, which you are heading.
- How is it, not connected? The commission is on European questions and the work of the European Commission, the report of the European Commission and everything, which is happening in Brussels, is directly connected with our work.
You want to say that Mrs. Kristalina Georgieva can influence on the report of the European Commission for Bulgaria?
- Don’t impose things, which I have not said.
Why are you highlighting on this employment?
- I am saying that communication has significantly improved and the image of our country is becoming better. In order to be positive marks in the report it is necessary to have a positive image. I am saying the things real, as they are. I feel them this way going to Brussels. I have traveled before and I know what the attitude towards Bulgaria was.
Can we say then, that in the report of Brussels that is forthcoming for Bulgaria, there will be no surprises for the Bulgarian government?
- The direct contacts, the constant connection with Brussels means that in every stage the commission has a view over what is happening.
I am trying to find out if you are expecting an entirely positive report from Brussels?
- There is no way for it to be entirely positive, because we don’t live in ideal conditions. You know what we discovered as inheritance. We are also in a crisis. The report will be objective and the right steps will be remarked, which have been made in specific sectors, for example for what has always been a priority of the government of GERB – the fight against corruption, internal order and security. This is what I think will happen. What will turn out we will see at the final.
On which questions do you expect critics?
- There is no way for me to say at this point, I can only guess, that regarding jurisdiction there will be remarks. There can never be anything 100% ideal, but tries and steps are made in order for things to improve. These moments need to be remarked.
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