The priorities in the European policy of the Bulgarian parliament

27/09/10

According to Monika Panayotova one of the guidelines of the Bulgarian European policy is targeted towards adopting the National Parliament to the requirements of the Lisbon Treaty.

The Bulgarian Parliament sets its priorities in its European policy based on the strategy “Europe 2020”. This is the fundamental document of the European Union, in which the views are set for the future of the member countries, the main objectives of the common European policy and the ways by which they will be achieved. In an interview for Radio Bulgaria the Chairperson of the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds in the National Assembly Monika Panayotova said, that the Bulgarian European policy is realised in two directions:

“One is connected with the adaptation of the National Bulgarian Parliament to the requirements of the Lisbon Treaty – she pointed. After its adaptation on /the 1st of December 2009/ our role as a national parliament is very important. In reality the acts of the EU will come from the EC directly in the national and they can in the frame of 8 weeks issue a standpoint, if they have remarks on them. After this has been cleared, these acts will go to the EP. This is why our role here is very important, to have the needed capacity, to meet these expectations. The question is also connected with the important bilateral parliamentary cooperation between members of national parliaments in the EU, in order for the particular standpoint of the national parliament to have support on a particular bill on European level.

The other line is connected with the priorities of Bulgaria in the context of the European strategy – energy, regional development and agriculture. In these areas is expected steady, intelligent and inclusive growth. It will be realised mandatory after consultations with representatives of non-government, employer and syndicate organisations. In the committee for European questions in the National Assembly, there is a specially created commission for this public debate. The work, which is ahead of us, is to start discussions for the new operative programs of the EU for the period 2014-2020”.

What is new in these programs?

“In the previous planning of operative programs in Bulgaria, a disadvantage was that they had tried to cover all portfolios. In this approach the results are not so tangible, because the financial support is used on almost all directions – from infrastructure to ecology, from administrative capacity to human resources and etc. According to me the correct way is to evaluate clearly which will be the priorities for the use of the European resources. If this will be infrastructure, education, competitiveness of the business environment or other, but they need to be fixed, so that the resources can be concentrated in these targets. The other important moments is when money is used in the current operative programs, as well as the following on the next from the new operative period, to have an integrated approach and synergy effect between them. Not to view separately every operative programme, but to that they complement each other. This is one of the proposals of the committee to the executive organs here. In this connection till the end of January the upcoming year we need to prepare a year report of the absorbed European funds in Bulgaria”.

It is known that in terms of absorption of European money our country has a delay of three years. The percent of invested money in specific projects is very small, but the opportunities are great. Since the beginning of this year the process was accelerated with easing the procedures, with control on the spent resources and things have gone in a good direction, also pointed Panayotova. With what can the parliament engage with its legislative work in this direction?

“This, which we have set as a priority in the National Assembly is the creation of a Law for the European Funds – she underlined. – In the moment there is an ordered research for how this sphere is regulated in the different member countries, so that we can borrow the good practices. The target is to have separate secondary acts, and a complete law to increase the control, to ease the procedures and the process as a whole.

From 2011 in 28 regions of the country information centers will start. There the beneficiaries, mainly the municipalities, will have direct access to information for the European funds and the ways to candidate for them. The online system also gives a chance for better information and transparency. The correct steps are made, but for their effect, we will have to wait”.

Source: BNR

MGERB took part in the first meeting of the Council of the EDS on the topic of: “Human rights and democracy – popularization of European values

27/09/10

From the 21st of September to the 26th of September in Chisinau, Moldova the first Council of the EDS for 2010 was held. There was participation of over 25 member organisations from different countries, and the host of the event was the youth organisation of the Christian Democratic Peoples Party (PPCD) – “New Generation”.

MGERB was represented by Kalin Zahariev, Deputy International Secretary of MGERB and Co-Chair of the permanent work group for higher education of the EDS.

The opening of the event was a discussion with the participation of Natalia Corobca, representative of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation for Moldova. Given the foundations activities in Europe and in the world the topic was connected with the popularization the values of the EU.

The current political situation in Moldova, with a highlight on the Soviet past and the European future of Moldova was represented by Mr. Iurie Roşca, Chairman of the Christian Democratic People’s Party.

Two leading political analysts – Igor Boţan and Dr. Viorel Ciobotaru presented the process of the democratization in Moldova, the consolidation of the democratic processes and the government strategy in these directions. From the side of the two analysts the situation in Moldova was described as a “stable instability”, lack of political parties and instead a presence of “geopolitical parties”, targeted to the Russian Federation and the European Union. The topic about the separatist territory of Transnistria was discussed. According to the words of the two, the unrecognized as a separate subject area is supported by Russia, which supports targeted separatist territories in the former Soviet republics.

The youths met with Mr. Vitalie Grosu, representative of the Center for Information and Documentation of NATO in Moldova. The main topic was for the Euro-Atlantic perspectives for Moldova.

There were held several meeting in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, where the participants had a discussion with a representative of the cabinet of the minister. During the discussion a clear signal was given for the foreign policy of Moldova – towards the EU and NATO, and in the Ministry of Justice, where the participants had the opportunity to talk with the Deputy Minister regarding the key role of jurisdiction regarding human rights and the future of the joining of Moldova to the EU.

One of the most important meetings was with the Minister of Education, towards who were directed many questions, regarding the education system of Moldova, the Bologna Process, the number and financing of higher education facilities, the mobility of the students, exchange programs, accreditation of the higher education facilities and disciplines, and others.

During the work session the participants were divided in the three permanent work groups of the EU – Higher education, Policies of Europe and Human Rights.

In the frame of the working sessions were presented, discussed and amended proposals and resolutions in the competencies of the different groups. There were organised discussions with representatives of non-government organisations in the sphere of human rights. The main direction of the discussions were for the role of the NGO’s in the defence of human rights, increasing the initiatives of young people, especially in regions such as Transnistria. The legal frame for the human rights in Moldova was discussed. A representative of “Amnesty International” took part, presenting the activities of the organisation, as well as the problems with his work in Moldova.

The youth of GERB offered flowers to the monument of the victims of the communist regime

09/09/10

For the 9th of September, the day for honoring the victims of the communist regime, from the name of the parliamentary group of GERB the Youth of GERB Sofia, headed by Monika Panayotova – Chairwoman of MGERB and Chairperson of the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds in the 41st National Assembly and Dobroslav Dimitrov – Chairperson of the Foreign Policy and Defence Committee in the 41st National Assembly offered flowers to the monument of the victims of the communist regime.

“On this day we can make a balance, what we must do, so that we don’t let in the future a “repetition” of history. All of us need to acknowledge the fact that we can think, feel and express this which we think freely.” – stated Monika Panayotova. According to her all of us as citizens need to evaluate the fact that at the moment Bulgaria has a government, which is close to the quivers of the citizens, listens to their opinion and works in cooperation with them. As an opposite example she gave today’s statement by the parliamentary group of the Bulgarian Socialist Party in the parliament, with which the party showed itself as unreformed, not sharing the democratic values and most importantly – not believing in the thought, that “History is useful not because we read the past in it, but because we read in it the furure”.

Monika Panayotova: There is stated delay on the realisation of the projects on the instrument “Schengen”

01/09/09

There is no number in the report of the parliamentary commission for the European funds, which shows a potential losses for Bulgaria on the program “ISPA”, stated in the broadcast “12+3” Monika Panayotova, Chairperson of the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds, in connection with publications in a newspaper from today, that the country can lose 543 million euro on the program. According to Panayotova the report states a consideration, that there is a threat to lose resources on the program, if the rates are not speeded up. “There is principle agreement from the side of the European Commission for prolongation of the deadline for finishing the projects on the pre-accession programme “ISPA”, which is until the end of 2011, and regarding specifically “Danube Bridge 2” – 2012”, she said.

The tendencies which we have been monitoring during the last months regarding the operative programs are the speeding up of payments, as well as of negotiating, said Panayotova. “We have a rate of 7 times more assimilated funds on the operative programs, which makes over 1 billion levs and over 5 billion levs negotiated, as in the last two months, which have not been monitored in the report, because it is for the first six months, this stable trend continues and we have over 53 million euro paid and over 56 million euro negotiated”, she stated. According to her for July and August the percentage of assimilation is 7.66. “Compared to what was achieved in the previous years, … 7 times rate of increase … From here on, the assimilation is not the only important, but the quality of the projects, which are prepared, so that they can have the most possible multiplying effect for the economy of our country. And the proposal of our commission is the so called “synergy approach” between the operative programs, so that a more integrated way can be achieved, so that both can add to each other in the condition of a crisis and in the conditions of the realisation of reforms. So that the rate, with which at the moment, after the changes, the things are developing is really positive, but it should not rather calm us, but to be a motivator for an even greater acceleration”, thinks the chairperson of the commission. According to her Bulgaria has around 8 billion euro on the operative programs.

The report covers 21 instruments, which are financed with resources from the European Union, she added. “Outside of the operative programs we monitor the instrument “Schengen”. Looking forward to the accession of Bulgaria to the Schengen space the commission directly monitors this instrument. The good thing that the government did is to lengthen the deadline for negotiation to 31st March – quoting by memory – but the important is that we managed to contract all of the financial resource, which was on that financial instrument. There is stated delay on the realisation of the projects, the program ends on the 31st of December, i.e. there needs to be acceleration, so that the projects can be realised, which are in the frame of the process of the accession of Bulgaria”, pointed Panayotova.

Are there risky programs, on which we lose money, what normative and institutional changes were made with the announcement of the portfolio of the Minister for European funds management, Tomislav Donchev, which are the achievable criteria for payments and negotiations of resources on the operative programs, what is accepted by the business as an obstacle for its inclusion as part of the programs, where is the difference between Bulgaria and the other countries members of the EU regarding the operative programs and on which programs Bulgaria is behind, as well as how much are the paid funds on the Rural region development programme you can hear on the sound file with the interview with Monika Panayotova.

Source: Bulgarian National Radio

Monika Panayotova: We have a rate of 7 times more assimilated funds on the operative programs

01/09/10

Monika Panayotova, Chairperson of the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds in the parliament, stated before the Bulgarian National Radio, that the middle report for the assimilation of the euro funds does not include data for potential losses for Bulgaria on the programme ISPA. She explained, that there has been stated consideration, that there is a threat to have losses of resources on the program, if there is no increase in the rate.“There is principle agreement from the side of the European Commission for prolongation of the deadline for finishing the projects on the pre-accession programme “ISPA”, which is until the end of 2011, and regarding specifically “Danube Bridge 2” – 2012”, said Panayotova.

The Member of Parliament announced about tendencies for acceleration of payments, as well as negotiation on the operative programs, which are: “We have a rate of 7 times more assimilated funds on the operative programs, which makes over 1 billion levs and over 5 billion levs negotiated, as in the last two months, which have not been monitored in the report, because it is for the first six months” she said. According to her for July and August the percentage of assimilation is 7.66.According to Panayotova Bulgaria has around 8 billion euro on the operative programs. “From here on, the assimilation is not the only important, but the quality of the projects, which are prepared, so that they can have the most possible multiplying effect for the economy of our country”. The commission proposed the so called “synergy approach” between the operative programs, so that a more integrated way can be achieved.

The report covers 21 instruments, which are financed with resources from the European Commission. The Commission directly monitors the instrument “Schengen”. “The important is that we managed to contract all of the financial resource, which was on that instrument”, said the MEP. “There is stated delay on the realisation of the projects, the program ends on the 31st of December, i.e. there needs to be acceleration, so that the projects can be realised, which are in the frame of the process of the accession of Bulgaria”, pointed Panayotova.

Source: “Europe” Gateway

European policy priorities of the Bulgarian Parliament

27/09/2011

According to Monika Panayotova one of the guidelines of the Bulgarian European policy is aimed at adapting the national parliament to the requirements of the Lisbon Treaty.

Bulgarian Parliament set priorities in its European policy based on "Europe 2020" strategy. This is the fundamental document of the European Union, which in there are set out views about the future of member states, the main objectives of the common European policy and how they will be achieved. In an interview for Radio Bulgaria the Chairwoman of the Commission on European Affairs and oversight of the EU funds in the National Assembly Monika Panayotova said that Bulgarian European policy has two main directions:

“One is related to the adaptation of the Bulgarian national parliament to the requirements of the Lisbon Treaty – she said - After its adoption / on 1st December 2009 /, our role as national parliament is now very important. In fact the acts of the EU will come from the European Commission directly to the national parliaments and they may, within eight weeks to issue an opinion if they have comments on them. After this procedure is passed, these acts will go to the European Parliament. That’s why our role is very important here to have the necessary capacity to meet these expectations. The question is also associated with the important bilateral parliamentary cooperation between members of different national parliaments in the EU in order to support the opinion of the National Assembly given on a specific bill at European level.

The other line is connected with the priorities of Bulgaria in the context of the european strategy - energy, regional development and agriculture. In these areas sustainable, intelligent and inclusive growth is expected. It will be implemented after compulsory consultations with representatives of NGOs, employers and trade unions. The Committee on European Affairs in the National Assembly created a special committee for this public debate. The work that stands ahead us is to start talks on new EU Operational Programmes for the period 2014 - 2020".

What is new in these programs?

“In the previous period of planning the operational programs in Bulgaria, the disadvantage was that they tried to cover all portfolios. Under this approach, the results are not so tangible, because financial support is used in almost all directions - from infrastructure to environmental protection, the administrative capacity of human resources, etc. According to me the right way is to judge clearly what will be our priorities in the use of EU funds. Whether it will be infrastructure, education, competitive business environment or other, but must be fixed so that the means to be concentrated on those objectives. Another point is when you use money in the current operational programs, as well as coming from the new operational period, to have an integrated approach and synergy between them. That is not to be viewed separately in each operational program but they should complement each other. This is one of the committee's recommendations to our executive authorities in the country. In this connection by the end of January next year, we shall prepare an annual report on the utilization of EU funds in Bulgaria."


It is known that in terms of absorption of EU money our country has delayed by three years. The percentage of the invested money to specific projects is very small, but the opportunities are great. Since the beginning of this year, the process was accelerated by the ease of the procedures, with control over spending and things are going in good direction, also said Panayotova. What can engage in parliament through its legislative work in this regard?

What we set as a priority in the National Assembly, is the creation of Law on the European funds - she stressed. – Now a research is ordered about how this area is regulated in different member states, so we could borrow best practices. The goal is not to have separate secondary legislation but a complete act that will increase control, simplify procedures and process as a whole.

Since 2011 in 28 districts of the country will run data centers. There beneficiaries (mainly municipalities) will have direct access to information on European funds and how to apply for them. The online system also provides the chance for greater information and transparency. That is, to make the right steps, but their impact will have to wait.