President Rosen Plevneliev warned that the elections for European Parliament in May will be conducted under conditions of a growing populism, radical nationalism and disillusionment with the political elites. “Parties advancing populist theses and ideas are attracting a growing number of supporters and call into question fundamental European values. Therefore the results from the vote will be of key importance for the development of the European Union,” the Head of State said in the speech he delivered at the traditional annual reception for the heads of the diplomatic missions accredited to Bulgaria, which was held in the National Historical Museum.  

The Head of State recalled that 2013 was a year of mass protests and “political clashes we have not observed for a long time.” “Unfortunately we have witnessed a low public trust in the politicians and institutions, and 2013 will go down in history as the year of the civil society in Bulgaria,” Rosen Plevneliev said. “I supported the fair demands of the people. Unfortunately the dynamic political situation left the reforms off the agenda of the institutions. I am convinced that if we pool efforts, we will overcome this deficiency,” the Head of State said and called on for “resuming a lot of delayed reforms” – those in the administrative, pension, healthcare, education, water and security sectors.

Bulgaria supports the major points in the program of the Greek EU presidency,  the aim of which is to overcome the consequences of the economic and financial crisis and to meet the challenges posed by the stronger migration pressure, the President further added. Rosen Plevneliev also voiced his gratitude to a lot of European states and the European Commission for the financial assistance they provided to help Bulgaria curb the difficult situation involving the influx of refugees to our country.

For the seven years since it joined the EU, Bulgaria has grown in maturity and has already become part of a more integrated European context, Kaare Janson, doyen of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Denmark to Bulgaria said.  Ambassador Janson highlighted Bulgaria’s contribution to the European integration of the Western Balkan countries and to the European policy in the energy sector and migration sphere.

“For seven years Bulgaria advanced from being a child to an EU member state that makes decisions and currently makes its contribution to strengthening the EU,” Kaare Janson said at the traditional reception given by the Head of State.