NATIONAL MEETING WITH THE MEDIA – “OPEN GOVERNANCE”

Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski, and the leaders of the two parties which officially support his government, Sergei Stanishev, Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and Lyutvi Mestan, Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), held a meeting with representatives of Bulgarian media. The meeting was called “Open Governance” and took place on Monday, 10th March in the National Palace of Culture in Sofia. Over 200 journalists were invited to attend, amongst which media owners, chief editors and accredited reporters.

In his opening speech, Prime Minister Oresharski said that the most acute deficit of Bulgaria’s public and economic development was compliance with the rule of law. Uniform rules for all, effective competition in the economy, adequate protection of consumers and many other public and social deficits were just a part from the manifestation of the shortcomings in the application of the rule of law.

BSP leader Sergei Stanishev said that his expectations were for further improvements in the area of social policy and provision of social benefits and allowances - increased child benefits, energy benefits, Christmas and Easter benefits for pensioners.

He remarked that BSP expected the Government to move from a policy of crisis-fighting, stabilization and urgent measures, aimed at solving the most acute problems towards a more systematic and overall implementation of the Council of Ministers’ programme.

Stanishev stressed that the most important priority was related to development of the economy which would result in jobs creation and economic growth and added that without them it would be difficult to conduct effective social policy.

Lyutvi Mestan, the leader of the MRF, promised that media freedom would be placed on the agenda of the Parliament. He noted that together with Stanishev they would be the parliamentary mediators and as such would change the direction of mediation. Mestan added that the government expects legislative initiative from the media and promised partnership.

He also spoke about radical changes in the sector of agriculture and that fundamental mistakes were made in the allocation of the fixed subsidies at the time Bulgaria was joining EU.