site.btaEU Is Living Organism That Must Adapt to Contemporary Realities, MEP Ilhan Kyuchyuk Says

The European Union (EU) is a living organism that must change and adapt to contemporary realities, Bulgarian Member of the European Parliament Ilhan Kyuchyuk of the Renew Europe group told BTA.

“The EU must resolve one fundamental question: whether it wants to remain a geopolitical dwarf, which would mean that decisions continue to be made under the current model, with each state determining its own foreign policy, or whether it should move toward greater federalization, which would imply a more unified foreign policy. This debate has not only been pushed into a corner, but there is also no serious willingness to address this essential question about the future of the EU,” Kyuchyuk commented.

“It is clear that the time has come for the EU to decide whether all 27 member states want to move at the same speed. We are observing trends that show it is simply not possible for all 27 countries to move forward together,” the MEP said.

“What has been discussed informally over the past decade, the creation of concentric circles within the European Union, is no longer merely a necessary idea, but rather an existing reality in the EU. Bulgaria had a major opportunity to be part of this first circle through its membership in Schengen and the eurozone. From here on, however, the big question is whether formal membership alone will be sufficient to keep us, over the long term, at the centre of decision-making,” Kyuchyuk said.

“On January 15, the European Commission approved Bulgaria’s national defence plan under the SAFE instrument. This tool places a very strong emphasis on the EU’s priorities, namely the development of strategic autonomy, which goes through building its own capabilities,” the MEP explained. According to him, however, this instrument alone will not be sufficient unless the necessary reforms are carried out.