Bulgaria Might 'Lose EU' Due to Lack of Progress, Says President

During Plevneliev's speech, MPs from ultra-nationalist party Ataka held sheets and posters openly demanding that he lift his immunity and resign, Photo by BGNES

Non-adherence to the law might lead Bulgaria to losing its voice within the EU, President Rosen Plevneliev said on Friday.

Speaking in Parliament, he reminded that a roadmap had already been approved by Brussels listing a set of conditions on which a member state could be deprived of its voting rights regarding EU decisions or, even worse, could be expelled from the union.

Plevneliev said the move, which was announced by the European Commission on Tuesday, March 11, was a "very strong warning signal for a country like ours, in which the Mechanism for Cooperation and Control [actually named "Mechanism for Cooperation and Verification"] has been in force for seven years now and results yield no satisfaction".

He made it clear that a reforms are necessary in energy regulation and intelligence services, appeals seen by some experts as part of the infight between the President and the government's supporters that started after early parliamentary elections last summer. 

After officially announcing that European elections will take place on May 25, Bulgaria's head of state reiterated his proposal that a referendum on voting rights be held on the same day.

He also spoke in favour of a new media law, work on which could kick off after the elections upon a proposal by the leaders of parties in government.

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