Kristian Vigenin chaired a coordination meeting of the Council for European Affairs
23 November 2013 News
Minister of Foreign Affairs Kristian Vigenin chaired a coordination meeting of the Council for European Affairs, devoted to the preparation of the forthcoming Bulgarian Presidency of the EU Council.
The meeting was attended also by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Todor Churov and Deputy Ministers and experts from institutions, involved in the work of the Council for European Affairs. They held an informal discussion on the main aspects of the preparation for the future Bulgarian Presidency of the Council.
All participants agreed on the idea that the major focus in the preparation process should be placed on the capacity building, the provision of the necessary budget and the logistical security. It was implied that the Council Presidency is a serious challenge to each Member State, and even to a greater extent to the new EU countries, but it also provides a very good opportunity for improving the country's image and promoting tourism and business.
Minister Kristian Vigenin particularly emphasized that the preparation of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council should be based on dialogue and cooperation at all levels, namely: in relation to the European institutions and the Member States and between institutions in Bulgaria through the involvement of the entire administration and most of all - inclusion of the Bulgarian citizens in the process and increasing the levels of European optimism in the society. Especially useful would be to include in the preparation process also representatives of the business, the scientific and academic centers and the NGO sector.
Among the topics of discussion was also the issue of the partnership between the administration and the Bulgarian Members of the European Parliament and the opportunities provided by this cooperation for defending the interests of our country in the EU.
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