CHIEF EU NEGOTIATOR:2002 IS DECISIVE FOR BULGARIA’S EU NEGOTIATIONS

Views on BG | November 29, 2001, Thursday // 00:00

Standart Daily

Mrs. Kouneva, the annual report of the European Commission on Bulgaria is a document that inspires hope in us. What can it change for real and what is the result of our efforts towards EU accession?

- To us it was a success that in September we managed to present our last three positions which have not been submitted so far, as well as furnish additional information on every chapter where it was requested. This is not an exercise in technicalities, but an attempt to demonstrate that on the state level there is a clear vision as to how to develop regional policy, energy sector, how to cope with budget and financial problems.

You said that we are prepared to open all chapters by the end of this year. However, you are doubtful that in the EU they will be ready, aren't you?

- The very phrasing "we are opening chapters" sometimes shifts the accents and changes meaning. We have presented our stand on these 29 "parts" of the future agreement, but, as in any agreement, this process takes two parties. In our particular case the parties are 15. Every member state takes part in it. Thus the common stand takes shape and on this basis we can start negotiations on individual chapters. Each change of deadlines asks for extra efforts and puts the EU under additional pressure. The negotiations are conducted with 12 countries. In our concrete case Bulgaria originally declared its intention to "activate" 26 chapters till end-year. Under Belgian chairmanship, i.e. till the end of the year, we'll be seeking to open three more, which means, though, that the Commission will have to assess whether Bulgaria is ready to negotiate them and then, naturally, another requirement must be born in mind, namely - the administrative capacity of the Commission. Fortunately, the main counter-argument set forth so far against the opening of these two "economic" chapters - lack of functioning market economy - was finally refuted in the Annual Report.

Is there a chance that Bulgaria concludes negotiations by the end of 2003?

- I hope so. Everything depends on us only. 2002 will be the decisive year for these negotiations.

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