Idea of EU "failure" greatly exaggerated: Bulgarian politicians

The idea of failure of the European Union (EU) was greatly exaggerated, but the leaders of its member states should rebuild citizens' trust, Bulgarian politicians said here on Tuesday.

"The idea of failure of the EU is greatly exaggerated and heavily politicized," Krum Zarkov, a member of the newly elected Bulgarian Parliament, said during a roundtable discussion.

Today, however, people felt that Europe was not moving forward or at least not at the pace they wanted, Zarkov said.

"Europe is not a failure, but Europe is in danger, Europe suffers," he said.

Andrey Kovatchev, a member of the European Parliament, said in turn that the EU needed to rebuild the trust of citizens who currently disagreed with some of the EU's policies.

Meanwhile, Kovatchev said the EU would be what the member states allow it to be. "If the member states want an ineffective EU, it will be ineffective. If they want a strong and effective EU, it will be strong and effective," he said.

For this reason, it was extremely hypocritical to blame Brussels or Strasbourg because "the EU is all of us," Kovatchev said.

"Sometimes I hear leaders who, when they return to their capitals, say: Brussels is imposing this, or Brussels is imposing that, and dictating us to do something," Kovatchev said.

But this leader in Brussels has just voted for this, Kovatchev said.

"Our legitimate representatives in Brussels vote on these decisions," he added. Endit