In the election night, during the MRF press conference you as the list leader received only one question. It was about Turkey’s membership in the EU. You explained your view regarding this question. Now we would like to ask you something else: Should Bulgaria help Turkey in its pre-accession preparation and if yes, in what way? And who should be involved?
At that time, I answered that Turkey will complete negotiations when it fulfils all political and economic terms set by the EU. It is in Bulgaria’s interests that Turkey should join the EU insofar as it is a large market very close to us. Right now, three countries, non-EU members, surround us and trade is difficult. After Turkey’s accession, Bulgaria will no longer be an outside EU border; Turkey will take over the immigrant wave and other positive effects will follow. So far, through the Ministry of Regional Development Bulgaria has implemented joint projects with all neighboring countries, Turkey included, for strengthening border regions. Moreover, one of the goals of European structure funds is to encourage territorial cooperation among countries with common borders. Therefore, it is a matter of government decisions how intensively and in what way we must interact with Turkey regarding the European Union.
Do you have contacts and will you work in the future with MRF list members who did not enter the EP? What will be your relations with them until 2009 and what do you expect of them? Do they have any political future in the MRF?
Yes, I maintain contacts with some of them and I believe that they have potential to cooperate with in certain areas of the EP work. Many of them hold promises of development as politicians.
Who are your associates in the EP? Every MEP has a team; will your team be changed? How do you appoint your associates?
Since the beginning of this year, I have been working with three associates – two jurists and an economist.
What will you be working on in 2009?
This is still in the future. I will be considering my future plans in due time.