site.btaEurope Must Firmly Defend its Positions on the World Stage - MEP Stanislav Stoyanov

Stanislav Stoyanov, MEP of the Europe of Sovereign Nations/Vazrazhdane group, Wednesday said in an interview with BTA that Europe must begin to defend its positions with conviction, consistency, and a firm hand on the world stage.

He believes that the European Union (EU) has strayed from its roots and embarked on a path of overt federalization, moving towards becoming a "United States of Europe" which is very different from the original idea of the EU's founders. Stoyanov commented that there is a need for a serious debate on the direction in which the Union will develop, and a new EU treaty is needed to put the Union on a better footing. According to him, this treaty should return the EU to its roots: the free movement of goods, services, and capital. He added that federalization and transformation into a superstate must stop, and countries must retain their sovereignty. "A strong Europe is built on strong nation states," said the MEP.

Stoyanov commented that some people want to remove the right of veto, presenting it as a universal solution to all of Europe's problems but this will only make the current problems worse. "I would not be surprised if mechanisms were devised to circumvent the system - legal loopholes or transitional provisions - to help this happen," said the MEP.

"The interests of countries must be protected," Stoyanov noted. He argued that a mechanism must be put in place to stop anything that contradicts national interests. According to the MEP, Bulgaria joined the EU under these conditions and with these promises. He believes that either the EU will be put on a sound footing, begin to solve problems, and bring benefits, or it will simply cease to exist at some point.

Stoyanov said that if there are common sense and a genuine desire for dialogue, things can improve quickly but unfortunately, there is no such desire. He noted that there are attempts to bypass the European Parliament where possible and gave the example of the Mercosur agreement as signed without being voted on in the European Parliament.

According to Stoyanov, the European Union must find an option that satisfies everyone and brings benefits without harming the Member States.

The SAFE (Security Action for Europe) instrument

On January 15, the European Commission approved Bulgaria's national defence plan under the SAFE instrument.

Stoyanov commented that this instrument allows the purchase of weapons manufactured in Europe. However, it does not provide investment in the defence industry, only low-interest loans for the purchase of weapons.

"It should be noted that the funds provided by this instrument are a loan - a low-interest loan with a 10-year maturity period - but a loan, nonetheless. More importantly, however, the EU understands security and its improvement only in terms of armament and rearmament. This completely excludes other instruments, such as diplomacy and dialogue. This is very sad and worrying. For me, this approach is extremely incomplete and poses many dangers," Stoyanov added.