Co-Author: Milena Hristova

Interview with His Excellency Mr Geoffrey Keating - Irish Ambassador to Bulgaria

You have been the Irish ambassador to Bulgaria since 2005, have you noticed any large changes in the country during your time here? Are there any strong similarities between Ireland and Bulgaria?

Any country with an economy that has grown by five or six per cent a year over several years is a country that is undergoing rapid change. This is most obvious in the new buildings that have sprung up across the country. Over the past four years Bulgaria has successfully prepared for its accession to the European Union and now is fully integrated in its decision-making structures. People tend to focus on the problematic aspects of Bulgaria's membership of the Union and fail to remember what an achievement accession represents.

There are many similarities between Bulgaria and Ireland which is perhaps surprising given our lack of contact in the past. We are both small open economies at the periphery of Europe. We have historical memories of foreign domination and cultural and religious suppression. We are close to the land and we have strong folk traditions, expressed most obviously in music and dance. With the rise of nationalism in the 19th century, we saw the emergence of national independence movements. These led ultimately, with a number of twists and turns in both cases, to the establishment of sovereign, independent states. In both cases these new states had disputed borders, and this was to lead to much conflict and loss of life. Today we are both partners in the European Union and, thank God, at peace with our neighbours within a continent at peace.

Of course, I think it worth looking at our differences as well and these have helped to shape us in different ways. Bulgaria has five neighbours, we have one. Bulgaria occupies a strategically important space at the cross-roads of major trade routes, while we are an island off the European mainland. Our historical experience in the 20th century was very different and we were on opposite ends of the ideological divide.

Have you noticed a decrease in Irish investment interest in Bulgaria over the last few months, especially in the property sphere?

Yes, there has been a fall off of Irish investment in Bulgaria which reflects both the problems the Irish economy is experiencing as well as the global financial crisis.

What do you think of the Western European media coverage on Bulgaria regarding the global financial crisis? Has Bulgaria or Ireland been affected more by the crisis?

My impression is that initially the Western European media tended to lump all the countries of central and eastern Europe together without distinguishing between them. Now, I think, there is a better understanding that Bulgaria has not been as badly affected as some other countries.

Without any question, the crisis has had a more severe impact in Ireland, coinciding as it did with the collapse of the domestic property market. Our banking sector is facing severe challenges and the Government is also tackling a fiscal crisis. While I remain optimistic about the Irish economy in the medium term, this year and the next will be tough for us.

Ireland is often referred to as the Celtic Tiger, due to its strong economic growth after joining the EU, can Bulgaria learn something from Ireland in this regard?

The Bulgarian economy shares many of the characteristics of the Irish economy that led to rapid growth. A key factor is the ability to attract foreign investment which brings not only jobs but also introduces new management skills and new technology. Bulgaria enjoys a certain cost competitiveness that we no longer do. Basic education is good and our experience was that a good educational system was key for improving our skills base and attracting foreign investors. Our partners in Europe also helped us with structural and cohesion funding and this contributed to the transformation of our economy. Bulgaria too should be in a position to attract high levels of funding, once it sorts out the administrative difficulties it is experiencing. Another important element in our success that Bulgaria also enjoys is access to the vast and prosperous European market.

Why did the Irish reject the Lisbon Treaty in the referendum last year? Do you expect the result to be different in the vote this autumn?

The analysis which we conducted after the last referendum showed that many people voted against the Treaty, or failed to vote, because they did not understand it. This seems entirely logical to me. The challenge facing us is to make sure that people have all the information they need to make an informed decision on the Treaty.

It also emerged that many people had concerns about issues which were not related to the Treaty but were exploited by the anti-Treaty campaign. These included fears about European social policy, in particular about abortion, about threats to our military neutrality and about harmonization of taxes. At the moment we are discussing with our partners the type of guarantees we might introduce to reassure the Irish people on these issues.

A further concern was that under the Lisbon Treaty, the size of the Commission would be reduced and there would be periods when Member States would not have a Commissioner. The feeling was, I think, that, particularly for small Member States, the loss a Commissioner would reduce our voice in Europe. Last December the European Council addressed this issue by agreeing that, if the Lisbon Treaty is introduced, each Member State will be able to nominate a Commissioner.

Opinion polls in Ireland currently show a shift in favour of the Lisbon Treaty but I think it is impossible at this stage to predict the outcome of a second referendum. I do believe, however, that there is a growing realization in Ireland that our prosperity and economic stability depend on our engagement with Europe.

Could the Lisbon Treaty put EU enlargement back on track and will it ‘deepen' integration? Has the experience of Bulgaria and Romania's accession to the EU in 2007 made a number of countries wary of further expansion?

The Lisbon Treaty was designed to make decision-making in Europe easier and to provide the structures for a larger Union.

I think the problems that Bulgaria and Romania are experiencing in implementing aspects of the acquis communautaire show how hard the process is and the importance of adequate preparation for membership. This does not, however, in my view diminish in any way the political arguments in favour of further enlargement.

Do you support the EU accession attempts of Bulgaria's neighbors, including Turkey, Serbia and Macedonia?

Our position has always been straightforward on this: we support the accession of those countries that meet the membership criteria. We see a particular political imperative to ensure the European prospects for the countries of the Western Balkans and see this as vital for the stability of the region.

The President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, visited Bulgaria at the end of March. Was the outcome of her visit positive?

The visit of President McAleese had a very great symbolic value as this was the first time that an Irish Head of State visited Bulgaria. It marked the transformation in relations that has taken place between our two countries, and indeed across Europe, and it was an occasion to celebrate this transformation. It was a very happy and friendly visit and was handled superbly by the Bulgarian authorities.

Her visit helped to raise awareness of Ireland in Bulgaria. For many in her delegation, it was their first time to visit Bulgaria so it helped them to get a better sense of the country. She was also accompanied by a business delegation and I know that we will see the benefits of their work for many years.

Who will you be supporting in the June 6 2010 World Cup qualifier between Bulgaria and Ireland in Sofia? What do you think the result will be?

What a question! I will, of course, be supporting Ireland but I will be happy if the better team on the night wins.

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