For the first time we have a prime minister who says one thing in an election campaign and does the same thing, said MEP Ilhan Küçük, a member of the "Renew Europe" group in the studio of "The Day Begins with Georgi Lyubenov".
Ilhan Küçük, MEP: ""Excessive deficit is not the practice of the European Commission. When the EU sees a problem, it can sound the alarm. Austria and Belgium, as well as countries like Italy and France, have been warned. We have been victims of this duality of European policies for many years and it is high time that horizontal instruments valid for every country were developed."
About Rumen Radev's behavior as Prime Minister, Küçük said.
Ilhan Küçük, MEP: For the first time, we have a Prime Minister who says one thing in an election campaign, does the same thing when he becomes Prime Minister, and has the self-confidence to express it in the forums or formats in which we are members."
Regarding the sanctions on Russia and aid for Ukraine, Küçük said.
Ilhan Küçük, MEP: "There is no unified position on this issue in European politics either. The EU's position will not change, because this means not respecting the right of each country to determine its borders and the unions in which it is a member."
The MEP commented on Bulgaria's position on the 21st package of sanctions against Russia.
Ilhan Küçük, MEP: "We are currently shaping the process, not the result. The preparation of sanctions is a process in which the member states take into account their national specificities at different levels. Bulgaria's position was stated. Slovakia also has national specificities. Germany and Italy also have obstructions on the first package of sanctions. We will see the result in July."
Küçük commented on Bulgaria's development.
Ilhan Küçük, MEP: "I do not think that Bulgaria will break away from the European consensus. Bulgaria needs to build a consensus on a future security architecture, including for the military-industrial complex. The SAFE initiative is a great opportunity for Bulgaria, and a second call for SAFE+ is coming. The most important question is how we will use the EU's technological development so that what we produce can be of high added value. Bulgaria needs to shape its clear positioning in the long-term financial framework. These are not just numbers - this is the EU budget, i.e. what is the vision of Europe."
Regarding EU policy, Küçük commented.
Ilhan Küçük, MEP: "For a long time, the general economic policy has been subjected to severe criticism, as have the cohesion funds. Bulgaria should not oppose the new priorities, but include them in a synergistic effect, in order to have funds for industry, competitiveness, building the new security architecture and a more active foreign policy, but also to protect cohesion. We still need European solidarity to reach every corner of the country."
On the case of the burned Bulgarian diplomatic cars in Skopje and the relations between Bulgaria and the RSM, Küçük commented.
Ilhan Küçük, MEP: "Each country assesses which unions it wants to join. Joining the EU means building a consensus in its own country. North Macedonia must decide where it wants to be – whether in the EU or outside it. It is undoubtedly the strategic interest of both the Republic of North Macedonia and Bulgaria for the enlargement policy to happen. But it cannot happen at any cost – there are minimum standards that must be met. The French proposal must be respected. Dialogue is through understanding, not through building bridges and walls."