Bulgarian Minister: EU Failed in its Industrial, Energy, Social Policy

Bulgarian Economy and Energy Minister Dragomir Stoynev has declared the industrial, energy and social policy of the European Union "a total failure."

Speaking Friday in Sofia at a conference entitled "Social Alternative for Europe", he said the collapse had happened after approximately two terms in office of the rightwing European People's Party (EPP).

"We have the answer, what we need to do is make a decision to change this European Commission and European Parliament," Stoynev declared, as cited by dnevnik.bg.

Commenting on the EU policy against climate change, he argued that he authorities were proposing new environmental targets by 2030 which totally disagreed with the prospects of European industry.

"We all know that harmful emissions must be reduced but, after all, Europe is alone, the US and China do not back this policy," Bulgaria's Energy Minister added.

He claimed that there was no way of boosting competitiveness when France's annual harmful emissions equaled China's harmful emissions for 18 days.

Stoynev recommended reconsidering emission targets, stressing that there was no global contract in place on reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

Bulgaria's Energy Minister insisted that cutting C02 emissions had stemmed economic growth.

As regards renewable energy, Stoynev noted that the EU had been encouraging renewable energy production for 8 years only to start calling for a revision of the policy.

He claimed that there was also a problem on a local level.

Stoynev suggested that the current government was trying to fix the problem created by the GERB government in 2012 in the sphere of renewable energy.

He declared that the...