Zhelyazkov on EU Competitiveness, the Caretaker Government, and the "Petrohan" Case

Outgoing Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov commented on current topics from the internal and European agenda in the corridors of the informal meeting of his EU colleagues in the Belgian castle of Alden Biesen.

EU Competitiveness

The Prime Minister pointed out that the big question that worries every European is the cost of living. At the moment, the cost of living in Europe is high because Europe has lost its competitiveness compared to the US and China, and the best and most satisfying solution for all EU countries is being sought, he noted. Competitiveness is currently most affected by the price of energy. It is very high, compared to the price of the main competitors in the world, added Zhelyazkov. According to him, the EU is looking for a solution in better connectivity of European energy networks and with changes in the rules for emissions trading.

The caretaker government in Bulgaria

In response to a question about the future caretaker government, the outgoing prime minister said that the president was facing a difficult choice because of the limited contingent of potential candidates for caretaker prime minister. According to the characteristics given in advance, he (the candidate - ed. note) must meet at least two conditions - to be able to organize fair and transparent elections, which must be guaranteed by being equally distant from all political players; to have the necessary administrative experience, Zhelyazkov noted. Andrey Gyurov is an educated, erudite colleague whom I have known from three parliaments in which he was chairman of the parliamentary group of "We Continue the Change", noted the outgoing prime minister.

Challenges lie ahead for the caretaker cabinet. Our government will do everything possible not only to ensure a smooth handover, but also to leave resolved the greater part of the problems in this complex environment, in which there is no budget and there is a very high degree of political tension, said Zhelyazkov.

Peace Council

On questions related to the Peace Council, founded by US President Donald Trump, Zhelyazkov stated that everything had been clarified with the government's position and the publication of the decision. All political decisions are forthcoming from the next regular government and from the next National Assembly, he added, when asked if he would give advice to the caretaker cabinet on this issue.

MIA and the "Petrohan" case

The public perception of this case has a rich palette of strong emotions that affect every Bulgarian - there is anger, outrage, fear, concern, there are questions that concern society, families, school and all young and old people, summarized the outgoing prime minister. This is a great national drama, because it affects everyone, without being able to answer complex socio-psychological questions, without being able to put aside the current events, the election campaign, the political debate, not to politicize this topic, to know that the victims and their loved ones have the right to preserve honor, dignity and even for those who are no longer among us, the presumption of innocence applies, he added.

The important thing is to gather evidence for all relevant facts and then make the legal qualifications, to find out who is guilty and what the punishment should be. Very quickly, society wants to get an answer to these questions and to see justice done. We must allow the institutions to work calmly, because constant pressure can lead to mistakes being made in order to give quick answers. We have no right to politically impose impressions, suggestions, claims. This is not fair, if you will, to the understanding that we are a rule of law, continued Zhelyazkov.

He said that he could not answer the question whether any of the victims had been connected to DANS. Purely politically, it is not right to be interested in the investigation and its progress, Zhelyazkov added. What the politicians could do, they did - you see claims, suggestions and speculations several times a day. All this is for the purpose of the political shootout in the election campaign. This can neither help to establish the objective truth, nor make the expertise happen faster, he commented.

In a week, there will be another Minister of Internal Affairs. I think that those who make up the law enforcement and law enforcement agencies should not be influenced by the fact that one is a minister one week, another is another week, and they have contradictions in political terms. Not one of the hypotheses can be ignored, the hypotheses should not be imposed only because the political opponent must be hurt. I think that if the MIA is left to work calmly, expertly, it will do its job, said Zhelyazkov.