site.btaKristian Vigenin in Paris: EU Must Focus on Economic Sustainability, Energy Independence, Defence Cooperation

The European Union must focus on three things after the war in Ukraine: the sustainability and autonomy of the European economy, energy independence, and cooperation in the field of security and defence at a drastically higher level, said on Saturday Deputy Parliament Chair Kristian Vigenin at a parliamentary conference in Paris, quoted in a statement by the BSP press centre.

Representatives of the European affairs committees of the member states' parliaments met in the French capital to discuss the European Recovery Plan, climate change and energy transition, and the results of the French Presidency of the Council of the EU.

Among the priority topics for Bulgaria are economic growth and competitiveness, public health, migration, EU enlargement and the rule of law, Vigenin stressed and called for a mechanism to review and evaluate the implementation of reforms proposed by the Conference on the Future of Europe in May.

Vigenin said that after all the measures introduced to support Ukraine, the EU will give a strong political signal if it responds positively to the applications of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova to receive a status of EU candidate countries.

The MPs from the 27 EU member states backed a declaration calling Russia's war against Ukraine unacceptable and in violation of general principles of international law on sovereignty and territorial integrity.