HomeNewsNews of European unionMinister Kristian Vigenin participated in the ‘Debate on the Future of Europe’
Minister Kristian Vigenin participated in the ‘Debate on the Future of Europe’
21.07.2013
Minister Kristian Vigenin participated in an informal meeting of foreign ministers of European Union member states on the “Debate on the Future of Europe”, held in Palma de Mallorca. The event was hosted by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain José Manuel García-Margallo and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany Guido Westerwelle.
The focus of the discussions at the meeting, organized by the “Future of Europe” Reflection Group was on issues such as European integration and the strengthening of reforms in the Union to ensure growth and jobs in the EU and to restore public confidence in the common European Project.
“The most topical issues on the European agenda are closely related to economic and social problems faced both by Bulgaria and other EU Member States. Only together can we lay the foundations for sustainable economic growth and employment to ensure a better future for our citizens,” Minister Vigenin told his colleagues.
“In order to restore their confidence, we need to take decisive action and send a strong positive signal that we can respond to the legitimate expectations,” the Bulgarian Foreign Ministersaid. Otherwise, we risk increasing Euroscepticism undermining faith in the success of European integration, he said.
Kristian Vigenin said that strengthening the Economic and Monetary Union was essential to resolve the current crisis of confidence. “Sound public finances, competitiveness and employment growth in the EU should be encouraged and developed together,” he said. The expansion and development of the EMU should go along with greater democratic legitimacy, and the European Parliament, elected by the citizens of the Member States through a direct vote, thus should be part of the process of decision making.
"Bulgaria supports measures to create growth and employment. The top priority for the EU should be tackling youth unemployment, because it is a structural problem for all European countries,” Kristian Vigeninsaid.
Participants in the “Debate on the Future of Europe" discussed how to improve the institutional capacity of the EU, as well as supporting the view that the Union should take decisive steps to strengthen its role on the global stage. The host of the second part of the meeting was Crown Prince Felipe of Spain.