19/01/2011At the invitation of Monika Panayotova, Chairwoman of the Committee on European Affairs and oversight of EU funds in the National Assembly, during a joint meeting of the Committee on European Affairs and control of EU funds and the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence HE Ms Judith Lang, Ambassador of Hungary in Bulgaria presented the priorities of the new Hungarian EU presidency in the company of colleagues from Trio - HE Marc Michielsen, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium and HE Rafael Mendivil Peydro, Ambassador of Spain in Bulgaria.
The new Presidency will focus on four priority areas:
• Promoting the growth, employment, social inclusion. During the Hungarian presidency there should be launched the European semester and created a microeconomic mechanism for oversight.
• A stronger Europe - the motto of the new presidency. Efforts will be focused in three areas - a common energy policy, review of the common agricultural policy and discussions on the future of cohesion policy. Hungary declares its readiness of shaping common policies and water sector, which includes the EU strategy for the Danube region.
• "EU - closer to citizens” by the implementation of the Stockholm program, the Charter of Human Rights, incorporated in the Treaty of Lisbon and of course, the enlargement of the Schengen area. HE Judith Lang expressed her confidence that Bulgaria's entry into Schengen would take place as soon as possible and after meeting all the criteria. HE Rafael Mendivil Peydro, Ambassador of Spain in Bulgaria also demonstrated the positive attitude of his country on this issue, stressing that in Spain the issue of Schengen membership of Bulgaria and Romania was never political, but only technically. In this regard, the President of KEVKEF, Ms. Monica Panayotova expressed confidence that by the end of March 2011 Bulgaria will have fulfilled the technical criteria for membership in the Schengen zone; the focus would remain on the political challenges. Ms. Panayotova emphasized that for Bulgaria entering into the Schengen would not only eliminate physical boundaries but it is a huge commitment to maintaining security at the external EU borders.
• EU enlargement and strengthening the global role of the Union. HE Lang expressed her hope that during the Hungarian Presidency negotiations with Croatia would be finalized and there would be working on negotiations with Turkey. Focus on the integration of Western Balkan countries would be maintained. Ambitions of the Hungarian Presidency in this area are a continuation of what was done under the Belgian presidency in the region. As HE Marc Michielsen, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium in Bulgaria noted, Montenegro had received the status of country candidate for membership. Such status was also given to Serbia. HE Judith Lang expressed confidence that during this semester the first results of the negotiations with Iceland would be seen. But besides accelerating the process of integration, in order to strengthen its global role the EU should reconsider its relations with neighboring countries, said Hungarian Ambassador. The Chairwoman of KEVKEF Monika Panayotova added that this would ensure the security of the Union, but only through solidarity and cohesion among member states.
The new Presidency will focus on four priority areas:
• Promoting the growth, employment, social inclusion. During the Hungarian presidency there should be launched the European semester and created a microeconomic mechanism for oversight.
• A stronger Europe - the motto of the new presidency. Efforts will be focused in three areas - a common energy policy, review of the common agricultural policy and discussions on the future of cohesion policy. Hungary declares its readiness of shaping common policies and water sector, which includes the EU strategy for the Danube region.
• "EU - closer to citizens” by the implementation of the Stockholm program, the Charter of Human Rights, incorporated in the Treaty of Lisbon and of course, the enlargement of the Schengen area. HE Judith Lang expressed her confidence that Bulgaria's entry into Schengen would take place as soon as possible and after meeting all the criteria. HE Rafael Mendivil Peydro, Ambassador of Spain in Bulgaria also demonstrated the positive attitude of his country on this issue, stressing that in Spain the issue of Schengen membership of Bulgaria and Romania was never political, but only technically. In this regard, the President of KEVKEF, Ms. Monica Panayotova expressed confidence that by the end of March 2011 Bulgaria will have fulfilled the technical criteria for membership in the Schengen zone; the focus would remain on the political challenges. Ms. Panayotova emphasized that for Bulgaria entering into the Schengen would not only eliminate physical boundaries but it is a huge commitment to maintaining security at the external EU borders.
• EU enlargement and strengthening the global role of the Union. HE Lang expressed her hope that during the Hungarian Presidency negotiations with Croatia would be finalized and there would be working on negotiations with Turkey. Focus on the integration of Western Balkan countries would be maintained. Ambitions of the Hungarian Presidency in this area are a continuation of what was done under the Belgian presidency in the region. As HE Marc Michielsen, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium in Bulgaria noted, Montenegro had received the status of country candidate for membership. Such status was also given to Serbia. HE Judith Lang expressed confidence that during this semester the first results of the negotiations with Iceland would be seen. But besides accelerating the process of integration, in order to strengthen its global role the EU should reconsider its relations with neighboring countries, said Hungarian Ambassador. The Chairwoman of KEVKEF Monika Panayotova added that this would ensure the security of the Union, but only through solidarity and cohesion among member states.
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