Meeting of Heads of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs Held in Sofia

A meeting of the heads of the Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the European Union (COSAC) is held in Sofia on 22^nd of January.

The forum was opened by Bulgarian National Assembly Chairperson Tsveta Karayancheva.

Expressing the fundamental values of the EU, equality and freedom, COSAC is also a guarantor of the participation of the citizens of the Union in the democratic control over the European institutions regarding the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, she said.

European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans said that the EU must respond to global challenges and solve the problem of the unfulfilled promise of convergence.

Migration is one of the most serious problems we will have to deal with. I do not agree with the allegations that the resettlement mechanism has failed. There are still at least 3000 people in Italy and Greece to be moved elsewhere. Many Member States have taken their share of the burden of the migrant crisis, so it is not right to talk about failure. It is detrimental to pretend that resettlement is the most important thing to do with regard to migration. This is a small element of a much larger strategy, but is a key element in the event of a crisis. I would not want to see that the Member States will not be able to rely on the solidarity of the rest of the Union in the event of a new wave of migration, he said.

Chair of the European Affairs Committee in the Bulgarian Parliament Kristian Vigenin highlighted the role of the parliamentary dimension in the rotating presidency:

We are aware of the responsibility and importance of the parliamentary dimension of the Bulgarian Presidency when, at times of overwhelming crises and challenges, national parliaments and their representatives, as directly elected by European citizens, have a key role to play in ensuring greater accountability and legitimacy in the actions of the Union. Our joint efforts and results will be proof to EU citizens that the EU is adaptable, confident and accountable. The contribution of the Bulgarian Parliament to the programme of the Bulgarian presidency was made in this spirit, Vigenin said.

Vice President Iliana Yotova stressed that the Bulgarian Presidency is at the end of a very important mandate of the European institutions and the success of all the Member States will depend on its successs as a whole. And the successful end of Brexit is the criterion for the return of Europe as leader of the international scene.