Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Nikolai DENKOV and EP President Roberta METSOLA hold a press point. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

statement

Strasbourg

press point

plenary session

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

president's agenda

This is Europe Debate (T)

DENKOV, Nikolaï (BG)

Press point by Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Nikolai DENKOV, Bulgarian Prime Minister

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Now, it is my pleasure to welcome the Prime Minister of Bulgaria, Nicolay DENKOV to Strasbourg and the European Parliament. Dear Prime Minister, Let me start by reiterating the European Parliament's disappointment with the decision to delay Bulgaria's and Romania's accession to the Schengen area last year. We stand fully on your side on this. There is no justifiable reason not to admit Bulgaria as you have not fulfilled all the conditions since already, it bears repeating, 11 years.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, As I also conveyed in our meeting, I sincerely hope that the Spanish Presidency will make every possible effort to reach agreement between all Member states of this winter and other pressing issue for Bulgarians. As your entry into the Eurozone and the adoption of the euro as your currency. We see and encourage the efforts that your government is making in meeting all of your conditions for this.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, For me, it is clear that the joining the eurozone is the best possible decision for your country, your businesses, your industries and all Bulgarians in terms of financial stability and in terms of opportunities. That is why it was so important for the agreement on a government rotation to have been reached in Bulgaria. That is what allows for a long term stability and outlook.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, We And also finally, talked about Ukraine, and I would like to thank Bulgaria for its support to Ukraine. we also discussed the situation in the Middle East and Minister Denkov and I, together with the rest of the European Union leaders who share the same views. The two state solution is not an easy target today, but that is what the international community should and must aim at. Prime Minister, thanks. The floor is yours.

SOUNDBITE (English), Nikolay DENKOV, Bulgarian Prime Minister, Thank you very much, dear President, dear Roberta. First of all, I would like to thank you for the invitation to be here to present the positions of Bulgaria on the hot topics, to contribute to the debate This is Europe, and to express again our full commitment that the Cabinet, the people in our teams, to be fully integrated in the European structures.

SOUNDBITE (English), Nikolay DENKOV, Bulgarian Prime Minister, And from this point, I also want to thank you very much for your continuous, very strong support for Schengen, for the Eurozone, and for the participation in the other structures of Europe. We need this support and we will continue to work because it is important both for Bulgaria as a country, because this is part of our full development as the modern country with high technology economy, with well-developed institutions, rule of law, and all the other fine adjustments of the structure of a country that makes it successful.

SOUNDBITE (English), Nikolay DENKOV, Bulgarian Prime Minister, But also we want to be useful to the development of Europe. So our full integration doesn't mean that we only want to take from Europe. We want to be as useful as possible to support the development of Europe as a union and family of countries that work together for their own success. So that's why I'm here and in the hope to be able to do this.

Q&amp;A, Question regarding on Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen free-travel area.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, -

Q&amp;A, Question regarding on the political consequences if Bulgaria receives a negative decision on the accession to the Schengen free-travel area.

SOUNDBITE (English), Nikolay DENKOV, Bulgarian Prime Minister, -

Q&amp;A, Questions regarding on Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen area and changes in the Treaties that would strenghten the role of the European Parliament in the EU's decision-making process.

Q&amp;A, Question regarding on the domestic politics of Bulgaria.