site.btaCC Chair Vassilev: Peace Board Decision Puts Bulgaria in EU Corner

Assen Vassilev, chair of the Continue the Change (CC) party, told journalists on Thursday that the decision to join the Board of Peace puts Bulgaria alongside Hungary in the "corner" of the European Union. Earlier in the day in Davos, Switzerland, outgoing Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov announced that Bulgaria had joined the Board of Peace under the patronage of the United States, as quoted by the cabinet's press office.

Vassilev commented that the CC has always maintained that Bulgaria must be strong within a strong Europe. "However, today the Bulgarian government took a step that weakened both Bulgaria and Europe, pushing us into the corner alongside the poorest country in the European Union - Hungary. If this means being at the heart of Europe for Boyko Borissov, he is clearly mistaken", said Vassilev.

"When Bulgaria is pushed into the corner next to Hungary, it means that we have broken off dialogue with our European partners", he said. Vassilev noted that this position has been taken by a caretaker government, which has no credibility to make such major foreign policy moves. 

He added that it would be better if such an important decision were at least discussed publicly rather than being taken secretly and then announced on the Council of Ministers' website after the decision had already been made, before being thrown into the National Assembly for subsequent ratification.

"The reason we have not been accepted into the Schengen area or the eurozone for 15 years is precisely because of this opportunistic behaviour of sitting on both sides of the fence, ultimately falling flat on our faces and bowing down to the stronger party in an attempt to curry favour with everyone", said the CC chair.

"There is no way they will respect us if we do not respect ourselves, if we do not take clear positions, and if we do not defend them", said Vassilev. He added that Bulgaria must make it clear that it is part of Europe, and together with its European partners it would determine EU decisions.

He commented that attempts to play against the Union mean that the country will be made irrelevant. "It is much stronger if our well-formulated and well-thought-out position defending Bulgarian interests also becomes European, as was the case with our position on North Macedonia", Vassilev noted.