Latest posts
Sir Graham Watson: The Commission has been too gentle with Borissov’s government
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Interview I took from Sir Graham Watson, President of the liberal ALDE party, 7 May 2013, Brussels. The European Parliament Civil Liberties LIBE committee will vote today (7 May) to decide what follow up the European Parliament and the EU in general...
Top Bulgarian envoy: Skopje’s stance on neighbours is alarming
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I am publishing without any interference the insightful interview my colleague Veselin Jelev took from Bulgaria’s Ambassador to the EU Dimitar Tzantchev I kept the original title chosen by dpa. Georgi By Veselin Jelev, dpa, copyright dpa Insigh...
“A Maoist, Communists and totalitarian secret police agents lead Europe”
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This is the title of Bulgarian daily “24 chasa” yesterday (25 April). I thought this was a decent newspaper, but I was wrong. The article was included in the daily press review of the European Commission (see photo). I know how the Bulgar...
Commissioner Fuele, do you like Fleetwood Mac?
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In an earlier draft had a more hard-hitting title “Do you sponsor little lies”, but I’m happy that my blog gets attention even without using such gimmicks. I take the view that in the Balkans in the EU, we should trust each other an...
Commissioner Fuele, are you a Fleetwood Mac fan?
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In an earlier draft had a more hard-hitting title “Do you sponsor little lies”, but I’m happy that my blog gets attention even without using such gimmicks. I take the view that in the Balkans in the EU, we should trust each other an...
Skopje counted 1.450.000 ‘Macedonians’ in Bulgaria and Greece
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This is not Wikileaks, it’s actually better. A document in the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Macedonia says that according to estimates by Skopje, 750.000 Macedonians live on the territory of Bulgaria and 700.000 other on the te...
Barroso booed at Prague Castle
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In case you have missed it watch this video, it was made last Wednesday and released by Euronews. http://www.euronews.com/nocomment/2013/0… My title is probably not very precise. I imagine that protestors booed the very fact that the EU...
EU outlaws croissants in institutions
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Croissants will be no longer on offer in the cafeteria or restaurants of EU institutions, a Council source told this website. EU institutions have apparently surrendered to pressure groups who claim that the crescent-shaped pastry offends Turkey, a c...
No more free lunches at EU summits
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The Council will no longer offer free food to journalists during EU summits. This is also the end of the free croissants, soft drinks and sandwiches, available at every corner of the press centre on such occasions. The decision is part of a belt-tigh...
A friend’s letter about the Bulgarian revolution
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I received minutes ago this email from Prof. Krastyo Petkov, a distinguished Bulgarian intellectual whom despite the age difference I consider as a friend. I thought I should share it immediately. The crossroads of the Bulgarian revolution Pro...
What I couldn’t tell the Macedonian TV
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Today a Macedonian TV journalist invited me to comment on Skype the “substantial announcement” made by the European Commission today (15 February) regarding the deteriorating political situation in Macedonia. This is a precise quote of wh...
Open letter to Nigel Farage by the members of the Bulgarian community in the UK
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February 07, 2013 Dear Mr Farage, We, the Bulgarian Community in the United Kingdom wish to address several issues regarding your stance on Bulgarian and Romanian citizens entering the United Kingdom and especially the upcoming cessation of transitio...
Borissov runs his election campaign with EU funds
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Several media and the Association of European Journalists-Bulgaria point out to the fact that the Bulgarian government distributes in a non-transparent way to selected media €14 million of EU funds aimed at advertising its operational programs.
We will miss you, Mr. Klaus!
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The Czechs will vote to elect a new president on Sunday and Vaclav Klaus will step down, as he cannot run for a third term. His departure will probably be a relief for the ‘politically correct’ European establishment who saw him as a eurosceptic...
The EU as a Facebook Group
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I am one of those who wish the EU would reform. I suggest Herman Van Rompuy opens a Facebook Group called “European Union” and accepts as ‘Members’ the EU heads of state and government only, who would update him automatically when they change...
EU-Ukraine Association agreement, leaked document
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I’m uploading the leaked EU-Ukraine association agreement, which the EU is not prepared to sign, at least until Kyiv complies with a number of conditions such as putting an end to ‘selective justice’ (an euphemism for the Tymoshen...
Why is Van Rompuy so secretive about its budget proposal?
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I should congratulate Van Rompuy’s office for their very informative page “EU multiannual financial framework (MFF) negotiations.” It really helps me doing my job as a journalist covering an area of which I’m not very familiar – EU long-ter...
EU leaders ‘were very close’ to budget deal
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EU leaders have been very close to an agreement for the budget 2014-2020 on the basis of the latest proposal by Council President Herman Van Rompuy, Presidency sources told EurActiv. None of the “big countries” has made obstacles, but several “...
Merkel and Schulz play good cop-bad cop to Cameron
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I spoke to various people in EU institutions recently and got the impression that the European Parliament’s position on the 2014-2020 budget has the full backing of Angela Merkel. Not in substance, because the Parliament wants an ambitious budget,...
Ukraine has messages for the EU
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Ukraine wants to convey to the message that it has “passed the test” with the parliamentary elections held on 28 October, and expects to be able to go further with its EU relations, by holding a EU-Ukraine summit and signing its Associatio...
