Assoc. Prof. Hristo Hristev: EP is not about numbers, but about being prepared and knowing how the EU institutions work

The European Parliament is the only body in the EU directly elected by its citizens. 6 138 050 Bulgarian voters have the right to elect 17 political representatives of Bulgaria in the new European Parliament for the next five years. Today's elections take place against the backdrop of the consequences of the crises that the community on the old continent has experienced and continues to experience - the Covid-19 pandemic, the energy and inflation crises, the war in Ukraine and the wave of asylum seekers who have found refuge in the homes of ordinary European citizens.

On the other hand, in a situation of political instability in Bulgaria, a country on the verge of joining the eurozone, there are increasingly heated debates about the place of national interests in Europe's common political agenda. Why is it still important today to exercise our right to vote for the European Parliament?

Radio Bulgaria's Vesela Krasteva and Assoc. Prof. Hristo Hristev, professor at the Faculty of Law, St. Kliment Ohridski University, try to find the answer to this question.

"The European Parliament is one of the fundamental institutions of the European Union. Together with the Council of the EU, it is responsible for adopting the EU's common legislative framework, says Assoc. Prof. Hristo Hristev. Looking at the last legislative term from 2019 to 2024, we can see the adoption of many important laws that have shaped the development of both the Community and its individual Member States. These laws affect crucial aspects of our lives, especially in the digital environment. For example, they ensure that the rights of all individuals residing in the European Union are protected when using various online services. In our current phase of European integration, a substantial part of the regulation of various aspects of economic life is made at EU level.

In our current phase of European integration, much of the regulation of various aspects of economic life is decided at EU level, as the market is also a common one across the European Union. From this point of view, it is important to participate in the European Parliament elections and to support candidates who are well prepared and know what they are running for. This will ensure that the interests of Bulgarian citizens, who are also citizens of the European Union, are adequately represented."

Unfortunately, during the election campaign, only a few of the 418 Bulgarian candidates managed to send clear and understandable messages and explanations about the functionality and possibilities of their desired elective position, admits Assoc. Prof. Hristev.

"Unfortunately, we are witnessing a clear populist approach by a significant number of candidates who are developing all sorts of ideas, including using, I would say, completely false statements, obviously trying to manipulate a section of Bulgarian citizens in order to get their support. A typical example in this respect are the usual formulas about the European Union not allowing the production of Bulgarian tomatoes and that there is a certain quota for tomato growing. Absolutely false statements that do not correspond to the objective reality. It's unfortunate that much of the campaign lacked an objective, rational approach and instead resorted to a primitive form of national politics, relying heavily on populist rhetoric and attempts to exploit people's fears".

Are 17 Bulgarian MEPs too many or too few in the 720-member European Parliament? Can their voice make a difference?

"The European Parliament is a very precise and well-organised law-making organisation, where, in my opinion, the decisive factor is not only how many MEPs a country has, but also the ability of these people - Assoc. Prof. Hristev.

If these representatives are well prepared, if they are familiar with how the European Parliament works, if they have a clear idea that this is not a circus arena, a theatrical playground or, unfortunately, a place for general and populist speeches, which, for example, our Parliament has largely become, then there is a possibility of achieving certain objectives, of finding an adequate implementation of specific interests related to specific problems that we have at the local level.

By the way, our number of MEPs is comparable to the number of MEPs in countries such as Austria, Sweden and Finland. You will not seriously hear anyone in those countries say - well, we have few MEPs and we cannot have adequate representation in the European Parliament. It is not just a question of numbers. It is a question of preparedness and a general understanding of how the EU institutional system works.

The biography and public record of the candidates so far should be an important guide for voters, says Assoc Prof Hristev. And when asked whether Bulgaria's national interest is threatened by the European Union, the legal expert replies:

"It seems to me that all those who try to create a negative narrative about the effects and benefits of Bulgaria's membership in the European Union are either downright stupid or ill-intentioned. There are many different indicators which, in a national analysis, clearly show that Bulgaria's accession to the Community has been extremely positive for the country.

This is the main reason why the country has been in an upward economic cycle for almost twenty years, why the gross domestic product has increased several times, and why an increasing proportion of Bulgarian citizens have a socio-economic level that brings them closer, perhaps not to the rich European countries, but to a significant part of the other Member States of the European Union. Secondly, accession to the European Union is an exceptional factor for the normal development of the legal system and the regulation of social relations in Bulgaria.

It is a question of a clear awareness of the context in which we find ourselves and what our interests are, as citizens and as a society, so that we do not allow the siren song to lead us to the rocks where the ship of Bulgarian development will be broken".

Photos: BTA, BGNES, europarl.europa.eu

Translated and posted by Elizabeth Radkova