2023-05-31 21:00:59
The name of the President of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen was mentioned during a meeting of the Bulgarian political coalition “Let’s keep the change going” organized on Friday May 26, concerning a possible accession of Bulgaria to the Schengen area and to the euro zone.
A recording on the sly that sows mayhem. The name of Ursula Von der Leyen found itself involved in a political affair in Bulgaria, on the sidelines of a meeting organized on May 26 in the presence of former Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, and his party “Let’s continue the change ”, announced the European news and debate site EURACTIV Bulgaria.
This partisan meeting was supposed to allow “Let’s continue the change” (PP, center) to deploy its strategy following its defeat in the legislative elections against the opposing party “Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria” (Gerb, center right ). One of the participants, in this case the centrist MP Radostin Vassilev, recorded the words of former Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, without his knowledge.
The latter would indeed have revealed to his peers the content of his exchange with Ursula von der Leyen organized on Sunday 21 May, less than a week before the meeting. The European Commission has also confirmed the holding of this interview, “about Bulgaria’s agenda, dealing in particular with entry into the euro zone and the Schengen area”, according to the body.
“You have to figure out how to get around the rules”
In this audio recording, taken and revealed to the press by Radostin Vassilev, former Prime Minister Kiril Petkov boasted of having had guarantees from Ursula Von der Leyen.
“I asked him: what are our chances of being accepted [dans l’espace Schengen et dans la zone euro]. She replied: “For Schengen, you have great chances. For the Eurozone, you have to figure out how to get around the rules. In other words, how do you comply with the rules”. And I said to him: “Can we have an estimate of inflation with the effect of the war in Ukraine‘, and she said to me: ‘Listen to me, we will try to help you,’” the former Bulgarian prime minister said.
Ursula Von der Leyen would have concluded the exchange by taking her precautions. “Don’t quote me, we’ll try to help you,” she added, according to Kiril Petkov.
Underlying agreements
The other striking element heard in this recording, which lasts a total of more than five hours, remains the mention by the leaders of the PP of a purge within the staff close to President Rumen Radev, from the Gerb. This declaration by former Prime Minister Kiril Petkov had the effect of a bombshell since “Let’s continue the change” (PP) and “Citizens for the European development of Bulgaria” (Gerb) seemed to be forging alliances with a view to final appointment of the members of the government.
Disgusted by the political management of his party, MP Radostin Vassilev announced that he was leaving the PP. Several of his former colleagues criticized him for having recorded this conversation, and for having leaked it to the local press, in response to the disappointment of not having been chosen to become Minister of Sports, and in a desire to dive the country in chaos.
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