Rossen Zhelyazkov and Antonio Tajani discussed the upcoming steps in the Mobility Package I

“Controversial legislative initiatives adopted at the last moment of the work of the European Parliament mean that Europe can not show unity in resolving important issues.” This was announced by the Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Rosen Zhelyazkov after his meeting with European Parliament President Antonio Tajani in Strasbourg. He said that this emergency meeting was organized with the support of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, given the recent end of the mandate of the European Parliament. The Minister recalled that only one of the Mobility Package I reports was received last week in the EP Transport and Tourism Committee.

Rosen Zhelyazkov pointed out that the three options were discussed during the talks - the submission of the report adopted by the Committee in Plenary; submitting the entire package to the Plenary, although most of the reports were not accepted and the package was withdrawn until a new Parliament was elected.

In front of Tajani, Minister Zhelyazkov has put forward specific arguments in favor of the third option - delaying the submission of the document in Plenary. "We expect negative consequences for the future of the European Union if the document is put under pressure in a vote in the last days of the Parliament. This is a bad signal that will increase Euroscepticism and divide Europe," said Minister Zhelyazkov. He pointed out that the Bulgarian side is for common rules in the international freight transport, but not those which are disproportionate, discriminatory and imposed at all costs. EP President Tajani has accepted these considerations and has said he will discuss them with the presidents of the political groups in the European Parliament.

Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov also said that he would meet with Udo Bulman, the Chairman of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament later that day. In this connection, he thanked MEP Sergei Stanishev, who helped organize the meeting. “This is part of a series of initiatives that all, regardless of political differences, go in one direction to protect the national interest. It is important to note that these problems are not just the Bulgarian ones but also of all the peripheral countries in the EU”, he added.