President Rossen Plevneliev expects 2015 to be the year of reforms and action rather than political calculations. Bulgaria’s head of state Plevneliev and Vice President Margarita Popova held a joint press conference on the occasion of their third anniversary of assuming office.

Rossen Plevneliev said that this was a period of various international and domestic crises:

"This has been the most severe global economic and financial crisis of the last eighty years, the worst crisis in the EU since its inception. Populism and nationalism in Europe have intensified; fundamental values of the Union were put under question. In Bulgaria we go through a combination of crisis, we saw a wave of protests in the country and the world; a terrorist attack on home soil; unprecedented migratory pressure; the lowest ever level of trust in state institutions; severe opposition and revanchist attitude between political leaders."

The head of state is encouraged by the behavior of political forces after the early elections as they wished to seek dialogue and consensus through general agreements. He hopes that this approach will not be put aside.

"It is high time that we showed that Bulgarian democracy is ripe for principled and working coalitions, the president said. Seeking a compromise is neither a weakness, nor an act of political unscrupulousness."

The Corporate Commercial Bank model must be degraded, the president is adamant. He called on all competent institutions to do their job and to clarify the circumstances that led to the bankruptcy of the bank. President Plevneliev once again warned that Bulgaria allocates the few resources available incorrectly because of many unreformed sectors. "Today Bulgaria for the first time in the years of the transition has its long-term plan and clear-cut priorities approved by a consensus," the head of state added.

"We have a chance to move forward important reforms for society, such as the reforms in the judiciary, healthcare, energy, education and administration, the pension system, the security sector and others."

The head of state said that 2013 was the year of civil power and 2014 of extraordinary instability as he voiced his hope that 2015 would be a year of reform.

Rossen Plevneliev still failed to be convincing that he acts as a president of all Bulgarians because not only the CCB case but the state governance itself require the same approach and evaluation on his part. He commented only on the two caretaker governments appointed by him. It was logical that he should assess also the properly elected governments in Bulgaria. A different approach was demonstrated in the absence of any comment on the government composed of the political power from whose ranks Plevneliev emerged, even for the government in which he participated. It is reasonable to ask why no reforms took place between 2009 and 2013 when the political party that nominated Plevneliev for the presidential post, GERB, was in power, and that 2015 would be a year of reform.

In his speech, the president tried to take a reasonable stance on the energy sector. His more balanced view is probably a manifestation of common sense, perhaps a result of his recent meetings held in this country. He strongly opposed the Russia-launched policy of the Great Powers which have their primordial interests and decide the fate of small countries. "As president, I work for a stronger and more integrated European Union, which is the only chance for any of the Member States to be a factor on the global stage," the head of state said.

English Rossitsa Petcova