Bulgarian winner party's youngest MP to EuroFora: For a stable Government +best Gas Pipe/Ship choice

Election Winner Bulgarian Party GERB's youngest woman MP, Monika Panayotova, President of its Youth section and a landmark "student" of CoE's "Political Schools", applauded in Strasbourg's 2009 "Summer University", expressed to "EuroFora" her hope for a "stable" new government, while competing Pipelines and/or Ship Energy Transport choices are the 1st challenge of EU interest.

Sofia Mayor, Boyko Borisov's GERM ("Citizens for European Development") brillantly won against a Socialo-Turkish bloc, accused of corruption and for EU's decision to block EU funds, which had negotiated Turkey's controversial and costly Nabucco pipeline, that big EU Countries as France and Germany do not like, while Russia proposes a cheaper South-Stream pipeline directly to Bulgaria, EU member, in addition to prospects for EU-led Ship transports by Sea and River (See infra).

He is now able to form a new government, with the support of some from 3 smaller center-right parties : The failing "Blue Conservatives", the tiny rightist  , or the bigger, nationalist "Ataka" party, which succeeded to elect the most MPs among the 3 possible parters.

But a surprising Time-race apparently threatens to counter 2009 Electoral results on the crucial Energy choices :

  The winner of the 2009 Election, GERB's Borisov, asked to urgently "freeze" all decisions on "public spending over expensive infrastructures", given the difficult situation of Bulgaria's Economy, until a new government can redress the situation and study the best choice. But, on the contrary, the out-going Socialo-Turkish bloc reportedly threatens to "go to Ankara (Turkey), with the (out-going) PM Stanishev, on Monday, (13 of July), to sign an deal on the controversial "Nabucco" pipeline". I.e. ignoring Borisov's call, despite the fact that he's certain to gather a Majority of MPs in the Bulgarian Parliament, convened for only one day later : July 14th... 

- "36 out of 45 candidates from our School's 400 students succeeded to be elected as MPs", said to "EuroFora" the founder and Director of CoE's Political School in Sofia, Dmitri Stanichev, a former Journalist (of "Readers Digest" at New York). Another young lady from the experienced, white-haired Stanichev's former "students", is EU Commissioner Kuneva, who has just been elected MEP.

 Experienced CoE's Secretary General, Terry Davis, speaking earlier to 650 "students" from 16 Countries, said that "CoE's Schools obviously cannot appoint you as political leaders, but they can teach you how to become one : By winning the Trust of the People".  

Monika Panayotova, after studying International Relations, including in France, worked as an NGO leader, but she resigned to be politically engaged into Boyko Borisov's GERB new party, where she became President of its Youth section, before being elected to Sofia's Parliament.  Speaking a perfect French as well as English, her only regret is that she missed EU Parliament for a thin difference, but hopes to actively participate in the Bulgarian delegation to CoE's Parliamentary Assembly, whose next session is at the end of September.

 Fond of Global, European and Youth policies, she's aware of the current need to redress Bulgaria's Economy : - F.ex. by introducing new, digital technology-based "E-administration we can develop Young Bulgarian People's capacities, have a more transparent, accessible and efficient Administration, as well as make economies by sparing public funds, she observed. Combining a beautiful youth with a serious political motivation, she looks able to gain a lot from experiences to come.

But the main topical question raised on Bulgaria's future contribution to Europe is symbolically present at Monika's Photo by "Eurofora", at the chair connecting CoE Ministerial Committee's room to its Parliamentary Assembly's hemicycle, aside a huge poster for CoE's 60 Years, picturing a Tree withs deep roots :

 - Will the new-commer winner party GERB succeed to keep "People's Trust", (according to CoE SG's word : See supra), and develop the country closer to Europe's real interests ? Only then, can it expect popular vote to stay and grow like a deep-rooted tree...

Speaking to "EuroFora" at the CoE in Strasbourg,  the youngest Bulgarian new MP expressed the wish that GERB forms a "stable" Government, but without being obliged to make too many concessions to various directions, prefering one or two good solid partners :

- "Bulgaria's Parliament has 240 MPs, and GERB won 116 MPs", while the out-going Socialo-Turkish bloc "fell down to only 40 and 38 MPs" respectively, Panayotova confirmed to "EuroFora".

Among GERB's possible partners, the "Blue" Conservatives were reduced to "15 MPs", the rightist "Law and order" RZS party got just 9 MPs, but the larger, "Ataka party won 21 MPs",

I.e. the so-called "Blue Conservatives" got only a bit more than what GERB needs, and the rightist "Law and order" RZS party has not enough to be sure.

European Media already observed that with 39% of votes for GERB, added to some 7% for "Blue" Conservatives, this arrives to "only 46%", needing a bigger ally in order to get a stable, large Majority well over 50%. Moreover, according to latest Press reports, the "Blue conservatives would not agree to a coalition with GERMSo, 2009 Elections' mathematics obviously point at the "Ataka" party, which won some 10% of votes and 21 MPs, being the only one which can largely cover GERB's needs for a "stable" majority.

On June 2009 EU Elections, "Ataka" won 12% of the vote, after campaigning on a crystal-clear "No to Turkey's entry into the EU !".  That's similar to the unexpected large wins by the "Free" party in the Netherlands and the "Indep" party in the UK, which succeeded to become the 2nd-bigger parties in their countries. But also to the mainstream Franco-German EPP leaders, Sarkozy and Merkel's who won after clearly confirming their well-known opposal to Turkey's controversial EU bid.

GERB's Leader, Borisov, has been critical of Socialists' bloc with the Turkish lobby's Party, and is reportedly known for critical remarks vis-a-vis Turkish lobby's attempts to influence EU Member Bulgaria's policies.  - "I am convinced that Turkey will not meet the (EU) membership criteria for at least 20-30 more years !", Borisov reportedly stated recently

(See : http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=104403 )

So, normally, Bulgarian people should expect to have with Borisov less dependency from Turkish influence from the East and Asia, but a more European-oriented policy looking Westwards.

If GERB makes a coalition with the 2nd strongest winning party, Ataka (up to 21 MPs), it will be close to  its June 2009 EU Electoral campain on a clear : - "No to Turkey's entry into the EU !"

(Comp. fex. http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=105072 )

This might even bring GERB closer to the Franco-German "heart" of Europe, given the well-known stance of French President Sarkozy and German chancellor Merkel for a strong and developed Europe, and, therefore, against Turkey's controversial EU bid.

The fact that GERB ("Citizens for European Development") succeeded to win against an out-going coalition between Socialists and a Turkish minority party, which was so strongly criticized for "Corruption" that EU suspended badly needed funds to Sofia, may have important consequences for Europe :

Because the New Bulgarian Government will have to make soon a Strategic choice, according to Press Reports, between 2 differend Gas Pipelines' projects :   

- The new and cheaper "Souh Stream", comming from Russia directly to EU Member Bulgaria, by crossing the Black Sea. And the more expensive old "Nabucco" controversial pipeline, which has to cross a long and hazardous way through Non-EU Member Turkey, Georgia, etc. before arriving at EU land, with uncertain yet supplies.

Another, eventually complementary choice, would be to explore projects of EU-led Ship transports of Energy directly into the EU, through the Black Sea and Danube River, thanks to new EU TransEuropean Networks for "Sea and River Highways" funding. EU Parliament has recently voted in Strasbourg a Resolution calling for the creation of LNG terminals to liquefy, store and/or vaporize back to natural Gas brought by Ships via European Sea-River Networks.

Experienced Strasbourg observers noted that, if GERB really wants to be for a "European Development" of the country, faithful to the name of the party which attracted Voters, it should focus on the more Direct possible European access to Energy sources, reducing risks to depend on 3rd Non-European countries, as Turkey, etc..

GERB also has the ambition to bring Bulgaria in the "Euro"-zone, i.e. away from Anglosaxon networks notoriously pushing for Turkey's controversial Nabucco project, and closer to the Franco-German axis, which is not convinced at all, and prefers other, more european transport means.

At any case, one of the worst weaknesses of the controversial "Nabucco" old Turkish project, notoriously is that it's .. too expensive, mainly because of its excessive dimension, (too long even according to USA data, which explain that, for liquefied Gas LNG, Ship transports cost less than Pipelines longer than 2.200 km, while Nabucco is more than 3.300 km long !).

That's why GERB's leader, Boiko Borisov, has just launched an urgent call to "freeze" all Public decisions about "spending on expensive infrastructures", in order to redress Bulgaria's difficult financial situation, and give Time to the new elected Government to chose the best possibility.

But the out-going Socialo-Turkish bloc, curiously refuses to "stop" !

Its out-going Minister on Energy reportedly claimed today that he is "curious what Boyko Borisov wants us to stop", threatening to "go to Ankara (Turkey), on Monday, (13 of July), together with the (out-going) PM Stanishev, to sign an agreement on the "Nabucco" gas pipe", ignoring the new Prime Minister-elect's call..

On the contrary, GERB wants for the new Bulgarian Government, due to be formed at the end of July, to be free to seriously examine the situation and make the best choices between various Energy routes, urgently redress the grave Financial problems and corruption notoriously left by the out-going Socialo-Turkish bloc, in order to re-launch EU funding, attract Foreign Investors, and strike an austerity--deal with IMF to get urgently needed loans.

I.e. the International Monetary Fund, which is currently chaired by a .. Frenchman, chosen by French President Sarkozy, one of the core-EU leaders (as German chancellor Merkel) who do not believe at all that they should spend money for Turkey's controversial "Nabucco", that they find too costly, not necessary, risky and uncertain.

Particularly when oil prices continue to fall downwards, arriving to less than 60 $ and heading towards only some 50 $ a baril..

In this context, it's natural for a new Bulgarian Government, free from any Turkish lobby's influence, to start examining also the prospects for Ship Energy Tranport, by Sea and River, thanks to its Black Sea and Danube river ports (linked to Rhine river, through EU's Franco-German core, up to UK-Scandinavian North Sea), thanks to new technologies of liquefied gas, probably in cooperation with neighbouring EU Member States Romania and/or Greece, (which adds also a Mediterranean outlet) : Solutions which do not need expensive, too long and risky pipelines depending on 3rd Non-EU countries.

South-Stream Euro-Russian pipeline project, coming directly from the producer to EU territory (Bulgaria), by a shorter and cheaper trajectory, might fit the overall schema, if correct choices are made, particularly on interconnections to the rest of the EU.

 

Comparatively, Turkey's controversial Nabucco pipeline, obviously looks too long, too expensive, too risky (crossing earthquake-prone areas, full of armed conflicts with Kurds, etc., threatened to be blocked by a transit country with the heaviest foreign Debt, etc), and uncertain :

Without sufficient supplies from central Asian former-USSR countries who prefer deals with Russia, China or directly the EU, (fex. by Georgia, Ukrania or Russia-Romano/Bulgarian Ship transport links via the Black Sea and Danube River, which became possible after Romania's and Bulgaria's 2007 entry into the EU).

The fact that it's controlled also by a 3rd Non-EU foreign State, which is not a producer but a mere intermediary asking for money, a 15% percentage, etc., and already exploiting the transit to blackmail the EU on political issues, as recent threats by Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan in Brussels proved, raises obvious unanswered questions.