site.btaBulgaria Must Be Active Factor in EU, Deputy PM Zafirov Says

Bulgaria must be an active factor in the European Union, and the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) must be the leading force behind left-wing policies, Deputy Prime Minister and BSP chairperson Atanas Zafirov wrote on Facebook Thursday. Zafirov, along with MEP and BSP International Secretary Tsvetelina Penkova, held a series of meetings in Brussels.

“At the 18th European Platform for Roma Inclusion, I presented our national priorities for ensuring equal access to education, healthcare, and employment. I recalled that social inclusion lies at the heart of the European project and once again stressed the importance of cohesion funds for Bulgaria and the region in this process,” he said.

Zafirov conferred with Commissioner for Human Rights of Council of Europe Michael O'Flaherty, their discussion focusing on democratic values and Bulgaria’s role in upholding them. Zafirov raised the issue of protecting the rights of Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia.

In a meeting with Party of European Socialists Secretary General Giacomo Filibeck, Zafirov discussed the upcoming PES Congress in Amsterdam this October and BSP’s participation. “The BSP is a stable partner with a strong voice in the left family. Bulgaria can be a bridge between different regions of the EU,” Zafirov said.

Zafirov also met with representatives of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation to discuss the importance of social justice and the future of the left. “The rights of working people and decent incomes must be a top priority for socialists,” the BSP chairperson said. “Through active dialogue and long-term and strong partnerships, we are securing BSP’s strategic role in shaping European social policy - one that puts people first,” Zafirov noted.