“Today the EU is looking for its new raison d'etre – should we remain a loose union or move towards a federation that makes faster and more effective decisions? This is a key question for the strategic autonomy of the Union“, said MEP Ilhan Küçük during his participation in the event Liberals Shaping the Future: 20 Years of Bulgaria and Romania’s EU Accession Treaty, which is organized on the occasion of 20 years since the signing of the treaty for the accession of our country to the EU.
He noted that Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha contributed to the formation of a culture of coalition government in Bulgaria, which has created trust between political parties – an important prerequisite for stability and strategic orientation towards the EU. In the context of the difficulties facing the Western Balkan countries, this stands out as a strong difference related to the lack of long-term vision and political will in the region.
Kuçük pointed out that Bulgaria has achieved significant progress in democratization and institution-building, inspiring several generations in their pursuit of a free and just Europe. “At the beginning of the accession process, Bulgarian society had a better understanding of the EU and its mechanisms than today. This is a signal that a new effort is needed for closeness between citizens and European institutions.“, said the MEP.
“The future of the EU cannot be stagnant. Internal reforms are needed, but also real steps towards enlargement“, said Ilhan Küçük. The MEP stressed that if the current European Commission does not give a clear signal for the accession of new countries, a historic chance to continue the vision of the Union's founders for a continent of stability and prosperity will be missed.
In conclusion, he expressed optimism for the future of the EU and called on Bulgaria to actively formulate and defend its role in the European project, speaking openly to its citizens.