"Bulgaria will make changes to the Recovery and Sustainability Plan," Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said after meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels. The Prime Minister stressed that the main task is to eliminate corruption, because it is one of the big obstacles to the successful implementation of the document. The recovery and sustainability plan would guarantee our country funds equal to nearly 10% of GDP, but in order for the funds to be fully absorbed, corruption schemes must be stopped. And these practices must be destroyed not only in terms of EU funds, but in terms of the whole economy. The Prime Minister stressed that even if the revision of the document takes two or three weeks, it is more important that the work on it is done accurately to ensure that the funds are used in the best targeted way.
In response to a journalistic question, the Prime Minister once again stressed that the moratorium on electricity and heat prices is a temporary measure that will allow the government to make a full analysis of the system. Petkov was adamant that there would be no electricity regime.
Another highlight of the Bulgarian Prime Minister's talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was the COVID pandemic. The Prime Minister stressed that the main task for our country is to urgently accelerate the level of vaccination. The Prime Minister was informed that the new wave of infection is expected within a month. The new government will launch a powerful information campaign. The goal is to create an authority that people can trust. Thus, the main source of information about the disease should be specialists, not fake news spread by various sites. The establishment of working groups with the participation of various medical specialists is forthcoming. Their main task will be to explain the effect of vaccines on people suffering from specific and chronic diseases.
Regarding the Republic of Northern Macedonia, Prime Minister Kiril Petkov stressed that it is important to reverse the rhetoric on the topic, emphasizing the positives, not just the negatives. The Prime Minister emphasized good neighborliness and dialogue, along with the protection of our national interest. Petkov pointed out the need and advantages of a common cultural calendar, development of joint business projects and infrastructural connectivity. Through the establishment of working groups the main parameters in these directions will be outlined and analyzed. The Prime Minister said that as soon as the new Prime Minister of the Republic of Northern Macedonia takes office, he will request a meeting to clarify the working groups.
