THE FUTURE OF EU DEMOCRACY: the EU budget for 2012–2027 and the rule of law – towards democracy or towards abandoning the values of the Union?

On 28 November 2018, a conference entitled "THE FUTURE OF EU DEMOCRACY: the EU budget for 2012-2027 and the rule of law – towards democracy or towards abandoning the values of the Union?" was held at Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski". The event was organised by the Institute for the State and the Law of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the Institute for Public Policy, the Institute for Economics and International Relations, the Union of Economists in Bulgaria and the Bulgarian Association of International Law.

At the opening of the conference, Vice President Iliana Iotova placed emphasis on the circumstances in which the Multiannual Financial Framework for the period 2021–2027 is being shaped – the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU and the forthcoming European elections. The Vice President pointed out that there is neither a concrete vision for the future of Europe, which must also be defined through the Multiannual Financial Framework and its priorities, nor a clear political message in the next EU budget.

Iliana Iotova gave a brief overview of the priorities in the next seven-year budget presented by the European Commission and raised the question of whether they meet the expectations of European citizens. "There are risks of a displacement of priorities and a violation of the fundamental principles that formed the political community called the EU," the Vice President stressed. During the conference, Iliana Iotova expressed her concern that Europe is moving towards the legitimisation of double standards. "If this happens, there is no way European citizens can be convinced that they are a full part of the Union."

The Vice President supported the views expressed that Bulgaria missed its chance during its Presidency of the Council of the EU to raise the question of lifting the monitoring of Bulgaria and Romania. "The reports of the European Commission under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism are a manifestation of a double standard towards the Member States," Iliana Iotova said categorically.

In her address, Prof. Irena Ilieva, PhD, Director of the ISL, noted that the conference is a continuation of the round table on the problems of convergence, which was organised by the ISL, the Union of Economists in Bulgaria and the Association of International Law on 20 December 2017. The idea of the three organisations was to discuss the reform of cohesion policy and to work out concrete proposals to assist the Bulgarian government during the period of its Presidency of the Council of the EU.

Prof. Ilieva, PhD, presented the main new draft provisions in the proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down common provisions for the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund Plus, the Cohesion Fund and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, as well as financial rules for those and for the Asylum and Migration Fund, the Internal Security Fund and the Border Management and Visa Instrument, published for discussion by the European Commission on 29 May 2018.

Prof. Ilieva, PhD, indicated key draft provisions in respect of which an initiative may be taken to improve the texts in the interest of Bulgaria before the adoption of the new multiannual financial framework of the EU.

The other speakers also set out their positions on the issues raised in an exhaustive and systematic manner – Ivaylo Kalfin of the Foundation "Institute for Economics and International Relations", former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs; Dencho Georgiev, PhD, Deputy Chairman of the BAIL; and Prof. Tatyana Hubenova, PhD, Chair of the UEB.

In his address, Ivaylo Kalfin pointed out that with every budget (national, municipal, household) it is necessary to create instruments with which policies are implemented, and not the other way round. "First we must talk about priorities and policies, and then see in what way and to what extent they can be supported by the relevant budgetary instrument," Mr Kalfin noted, adding that "A revolution is made with policies, not through a budget. This does not mean that there should be no changes in a budget; on the contrary, there must be continuous changes, improvement, adaptation to the current situation, better effectiveness, better spending, and so on."

During the conference a number of questions were raised, and opinions on them were expressed in the lively discussion that followed.