„The real challenge facing Europe is not the speed of integration, but the unity of the legal order.“ This was stated by the Bulgarian MEP from the Progressive Alliance Group in the European Parliament, Christian Vigenin, during the public discussion he organized: „The European Union at Two Speeds? The Challenges Facing Bulgaria“. The event was organized at the initiative of the PP ABV – Alternative for Bulgarian Revival, part of the coalition „BSP – UNITED LEFT“, with the assistance of the „Center for European and International Studies“ Foundation (CEMI).
In his speech, the MEP emphasized that the European Union has never been simply a union of interests, but a union based on law. “The strength of Europe stems from the fact that small and large countries sit at the same table under the same rules. It is not military power, not the size of the economy, but the law that guarantees equality“, Vigenin emphasized.
According to him, the danger facing Europe is not in the different speed of integration, but in the risk of fragmentation. "If we start building Europe through permanent exceptions, temporary coalitions and different standards, we risk gradually undermining precisely what makes the Union unique - predictability, legal certainty and mutual trust. Europe can and must be flexible, but it cannot be fragmented," he said.
Vigenin also emphasized the social dimension of the European project. "Europe has survived decades and a series of crises because citizens know that they belong to something more than a market. For millions of Europeans, Europe means the protection of work, social rights, human dignity," the MEP stressed. He warned that today there is a risk not so much of institutional division as of social distancing within the union itself. "Europe cannot be strong outside while it is divided inside. Europe's real strength is its ability to reduce differences, not institutionalize them. Social cohesion is not an expense - it is a strategic investment in the stability of the continent.“
With regard to competitiveness, Vigenin noted that it is gradually becoming the new strategic direction of the EU. “The European answer cannot be a Europe that develops only for a part of its members. The true competitiveness of the union stems from its scale, from a functioning single market, from interconnected economies and from investments that reach all regions“, he noted. “In a world of continental economies, no European country can permanently be a global player. European strength comes precisely from our ability to act together“, added Vigenin.
In geopolitical terms, the MEP stressed that the economy, security and foreign policy are now inseparable. “The European Union is increasingly called upon to act as a geopolitical factor. But Europe can be such a factor only if it preserves its internal cohesion. Unity is not a weakness of Europe, but its strategic resource. The more uncertain the world becomes, the more important European unity becomes“, he pointed out.
In conclusion, the MEP noted that Europe is once again at a crossroads. “The choice is not between a slow and a fast Europe, the choice is between a Europe that is fragmenting under the pressure of global changes and a Europe that turns its unity into a strategic advantage. If competitiveness is the new direction today, then unity must remain its compass“, said Vigenin.
He called on the different generations and political forces in Bulgaria to work together to develop a clear national position on the future of the European Union. “The time has come to try to develop a national position together on these important issues – where is the European Union heading and what should it be“, concluded Christian Vigenin.
In the discussion, the participants raised questions about foreign policy, the role of Bulgaria in decision-making processes and the need for our country to formulate a clear and active position on specific initiatives, and not just be an observer. Among them were the chairman of the Bulgarian Socialist Party Krum Zarkov; Plamena Zayachka from ABV; the chairman of ABV Rumen Petkov; the MEP Tsvetelina Penkova; the chairman of the Youth Union in the Bulgarian Socialist Party and MP Gabriel Valkov; Assoc. Prof. Nataliya Kiselova, chairman of the parliamentary group “BSP-UNITED LEFT”; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hristo Hristev, head of the department “International Law and International Relations“ at the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski“; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Svetla Boneva, head of the faculty “International Economics and Politics“ at the University of National and World Economy; Georgi Pirinski, Chairman of the "Solidarity Society" Foundation; Lyubomir Kyuchukov, Director of the "Institute of Economics and International Relations" Foundation (IIMO); Milena Angelova - Secretary General of the Association of Industrial Capital in Bulgaria (AIKB) and member of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC); Prof. Alexander Tomov - Chairman of the "Bulgarian Social Democracy-Euroleft" party - part of the "BSP - UNITED LEFT" coalition; politician and expert Zinaida Zlatanova; Rector of the Higher School of Telecommunications and Posts Prof. Miglena Temelkova; former Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Policy Ivan Krastev; sociologist Parvan Simeonov; the politician and diplomat Dr. Meglena Plugchieva.
To contact the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the EP: https://www.socialistsanddemocrats.eu