site.btaMEP Valchev: Bulgaria Must Be Recognised as Directly Affected by Russia-Ukraine Conflict to Receive EU Cohesion Funds

Bulgaria must be recognized as directly affected by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine in order to receive funds under the European Union's cohesion mechanisms, Bulgarian MEP Ivaylo Valchev (There Is Such a People/European Conservatives and Reformists Group) said at a briefing for the Bulgarian media in Strasbourg on Wednesday. According to him, the funds are earmarked for countries close to the conflict, and Bulgaria should be recognized as one of them.

"Our goal is to get recognition that Bulgaria is such a country, because the fact that the Black Sea separates us from Russia does not make our situation any less dangerous. Bulgaria is one of the main producers of ammunition, which means that we must invest in our security," Valchev said in response to a question about EU funding mechanisms for countries affected by the conflict in Ukraine.

He emphasized that Bulgaria has already proven itself to be a reliable partner and investor in the common security of the EU.

"If Bulgaria is an investor that has proven itself to be reliable, it should be able to enjoy all the benefits. We need to invest in security, and that costs money, requires resources, infrastructure, and people, and Bulgaria should be given this opportunity by the EU," added the MEP.