I have been in the USA for several days on the occasion of the invitation to participate in the inauguration ceremony of Trump as the next American president. The ceremony is accompanied by meetings in various formats before and after the ceremony itself, which provide an opportunity to discuss important topics with other guests, including senators, congressmen, future members of Trump's cabinet, as well as state governors.
We talked with many of them about how they see the future of America in the next 4 years and relations with Europe. Trump's entry into the White House should catalyze a European defense effort, and the key to it will be unity in the EU.
This was published on his Facebook page by the co-chair of the PP Kiril Petkov. Here are some more of his words:
I also discussed important topics that directly affect Bulgaria. For example, yesterday, someone from the new administration shared that they have the attitude to tighten the implementation of "Magnitsky" instead of loosening it. This measure, which costs nothing to American taxpayers, could be far more effective if there is a stricter implementation of the existing sanctions. More effective limitation of the harmful influence of corruption is a topic of common interest.
Another topic was the increase in the funds that Bulgaria can collect from the transmission of Russian gas through the bill that we submitted to parliament last Friday. Bulgaria can generate additional revenues of several billion per year and use them for hospitals, schools, higher pensions, without burdening Bulgarian taxpayers. At the same time, American supplies of liquefied gas would be more competitive on the European market, which also coincides with Trump's energy policy. The new American administration will help reduce Gazprom's supplies to Europe.
In conversations with American partners, I also heard high praise for Bulgaria as one of the countries that has already achieved the goal of 2% of GDP investments in its own defense capabilities. This was achieved with the efforts of both regular governments, in which "We Continue the Change" participates, because it is important for us that Bulgaria has a well-armed army. “A country that does not feed its own army feeds another”.
The first signals show that the new administration will be practical on other topics of common interest.