“Obviously, we need to invest more in our defense, in the context of common global threats. Expanding our industrial capacity is a chance to create more jobs. I personally hope that the announced investment intentions, together with “Rheinmetall“, will lead to additional interest from other large investors in Bulgaria in this area.“ This was stated to Euronews Bulgaria by the Bulgarian MEP from the Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament and member of the Defense Committee Christian Vigenin. He pointed out that he would also like to see investments in more high-tech industries.
Kristian Vigenin assured that increased taxes would not finance defense spending: “This must be said. At this stage, taxes in Bulgaria will not be changed. You know the BSP's position on income tax - that we are more in favor of progressive taxation, but this is a topic on which the discussion is beginning.“
The MEP believes that Europe should start thinking for itself and provide guarantees for its security. “We must make it so that we can produce everything we need in the European Union, in Europe. And when the hundreds of billions from the European Union and European countries stop going to the American industry, then perhaps the American administration will realize that things are not as clear-cut and simple as they seem to them“, he commented. However, he clarified that this partnership should still remain, because there are common values and this matters in the modern world. “However, it is necessary for the European Union to be more aware of its own interest and to try to think more in the future about how to defend our European interest, because it does not always coincide with the American one, often it does not“, emphasized Vigenin.
He recommended that when talking about defense and weapons, we should also talk about the broader view of security. “It is no coincidence that it was a positive decision by NATO - 1.5% of GDP, within the 5% of GDP for defense, to be directed to infrastructure development, and not specifically to the purchase and maintenance of weapons. "For us, the socialists in the European Parliament, the development of infrastructure - road and digital - is important, it has a bearing on security and defense. The same applies to funds for healthcare, for building infrastructure in the healthcare sector," the MEP summarized. In conclusion, Vigenin called: “Let's not create unnecessary fears - what we are doing is not to be ready for war, but to make war impossible.“
For contact with the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the EP: https://www.socialistsanddemocrats.eu/