Bulgaria exports European Union funds to the Middle East in the form of grain whose production has been subsidized through EU projects, according to Borislav Gutsanov, Co-Chairman of the Board of Finance, Economics and Energy to the National Council of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP).

Gutsanov’s opinion refers to yet another queue of trucks waiting to enter the Black Sea port of Varna.

"A picture like that is no surprise to Varna. These kilometers-long queues recur in the space of every few months; Bulgaria actually exports produce grown through European subsidies. I do not know whether the EU is aware of this fact and whether they realize that the money they are allocating to this production go to a dozen major tenants of farmland, and do not reach small businesses," Gutsanov said.

This mechanism not only doesn't help the country's economy; it is doing harm, he added.

"I would even say that this is a betrayal of Bulgaria’s national interests and the state’s economy as well as a betrayal of the European mechanism," Gutsanov opined.

According to Gutsanov, Bulgaria should stop exporting primary products, and switch to exports of products with added value.

"From the grain we can produce flour, whose added value is twice as high; this means twice as much money. If we direct this grain to livestock breeders, the added value will be even higher, as we’ll produce meat, milk, cheese, butter as well. There will be jobs," Gutsanov explained.

High added value can be achieved in plant growing as well, according to Gutsanov.

"The producers of fruits and vegetables now have difficulties to market their produce. They dump it in protest. For example, these products or half of them can be directed to hotels and restaurants with clear regulations on prices and quality, of course. In neighboring countries, for example, a mechanism exists that makes it mandatory to supply food needed for the children in the kindergartens on the territory of a municipality from manufacturers located within a radius of 50 km. So, on the one hand, you can be sure what food children are eating, and on the other - there are jobs," Borislav Gutsanov said.

Gutsanov also opined that such policies must make part of the new programme for state governance, which the BSP would propose.

The economy and particularly its revival is one of the main priorites, on which the party is working.

"There is no way for a state to develop without economy. We’ll propose a clearly defined plan for each of Bulgaria’s 28 regions.”

"Two million Bulgarians have left the state because there is no work and economy here, which is a kind of state-sponsored genocide, and we must quickly do something to prevent the departure of another two million,” Gutsanov opined.

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