The new government of Prime Minister Boiko Borissov defined itself in its manifesto as a government of Bulgaria’s European Development and declared as its basic priority the regaining of confidence of European partners and the unfreezing of the suspended European financing. This is expected to be the major thesis during the meetings of Premier Borissov and the members of his cabinet with the leaders of the European Commission. The Prime Minister will inform on the first steps of the new government in the spheres Brussels had previously extended criticism to – justice and internal affairs, budget, administration, energy, regional development and environmental protection. It is no secret that a group of EU countries insist on a more serious control and sanctions on Bulgaria die to the continuing problems in the sphere of justice and internal affairs, despite the fact that the latest report from Brussels covers a period of the rule of the previous government. During the talks with EC President Jose Barroso and the Head of the European Parliament Busek Premier Borissov would present his serious arguments. The series of measures against high-level corruption are now a fact. According to Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov, who will also accompany the Premier to Brussels, the prosecution office ahs promised to issue charges against several former ministers within days. By the end of September we expect and EC report on the management of European funds in Bulgaria. It would clarify whether over EUR 500 million from pre-accession programmes would be unfrozen. On the eve of the Premier’s visit European Commission on Agriculture Mrs. Marian Fisher Boel said before the Minister of Agriculture Miroslav Naidenov that Bulgaria has met all necessary conditions so that the funds on the blocked payments on three measures of the SAPARD pre-accession programme for Bulgaria are released. EC spokesman Michael Mann specified that EUR 19 million are now being restored for projects already presented in the European Commission. Projects and filed applications for another EUR 90.6 / of which over 80% are related to the previously suspended measures/ should be presented for EC payments by the end of the year in order to gain EU co-financing. According to Foreign Minister Rumyana Jeleva the new government has given an important political signal for keeping to European standards. In case Europe wants us again to become the poorest and most corrupt country and prefer to resume the rule of the triple coalition - they would be welcome not to resume these payments. Such a warning came also on the part of Premier Borissov in his typical open way of speaking a week before his first visit to Brussels. It is important that a resuming of European financing is of special importance for Bulgaria. Now Prime Minister Borissov would have the possibility to present to official Brussels the measures his cabinet has taken for fighting corruption and coping with the heritage of the former government. The meetings and the tone of the talks of Premier Borissov with the EC President Barroso and the meetings of accompanying ministers with European Commissioners and heads of general directorates can be a source of substantial support for the first actions of the new Bulgarian cabinet and his ambitious Prime Minister.

Written by: Mario Parushev
English version: Iva Letnikova