Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev met Wednesday with Frano Matu?i?, Rapporteur of the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

Plevneliev, as cited by the President's press office, declared that the establishment of a fair judicial system, media freedom, and the adoption of adequate election laws were the focus of attention of Bulgaria's civil society and the citizens would demand efficient solutions regardless of the inclusion of these topics in the PACE monitoring.

Plevneliev emphasized that Bulgaria expected to wrap up the post-monitoring dialogue with PACE soon.

"We are not hiding our problems but we insist on an objective estimate of the efforts our country has already made. I believe that good communication is the foundation for achieving results, but I cannot accept Bulgaria turning into the regular scapegoat for domestic problems of other European countries," Plevneliev declared.

Bulgaria's head of state assured that the President's Office would continue to back the efforts of civil society for greater transparency in the work of public institutions and the adoption of high-quality election legislation.

As regards his motives for holding a referendum on the introduction of majority voting, compulsory voting, and the opportunity for remote voting alongside the European Parliament elections in May, he suggested that these issues were being discussed by citizens and he expected Parliament to take a stance on his proposal soon.

He thanked Matu?i? for the good cooperation between Bulgaria and the Council of Europe, adding that the relations with the CoE, alongside the process of EU integration, had acted as an engine for reforms aimed at the establishment of democratic institutions and civil society over the past 20 years.

Matu?i? told Plevneliev that the Monitoring Committee of PACE evaluated both the Bulgaria's achievements and the political will for completing the reform process.

He expressed his appreciation of Bulgaria's contribution for supporting and encouraging the EU integration of the Balkan countries.

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