Bulgaria savors EU embrace despite critics
Boyko Borissov
Prime Minister Boyko Borissov  a former bodyguard to the Soviet-era Communist dictator   welcomed fellow conservatives who run the three main Brussels political institutions to Sofia  pledging to help ease tensions between east and west inside the EU and between the Union and its Russian and Turkish neighbors.
Though the presidency of the EU offers little direct power  it offers Borissov a platform which  he  used to renew Bulgarian demands to be allowed to join Schengen and the euroâs âwaiting roomâ  the ERM-2 exchange rate mechanism. Worries over organized crime and Bulgariaâs relative poverty have stood in its way.
European Council President Donald Tusk speaks next to Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borissov  European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Bulgarian President Rumen Radev (R-L) during an event marking the start of Bulgaria's six-month presidency of EU ministerial councils in Sofia  Bulgaria  January 11  2018. Krum Stoev/EU2018BG/Handout via REUTERS
That will not in itself overcome resistance from wary member states.  Borissov âs finance minister said frustration had grown to such an extent that he was ready to call their bluff and apply for the next step toward the euro zone in order to force them to publicly explain their objections.
Warm words from the visitors from Brussels did not drown out opposition at home to the government.  Borissov  dismissed out of hand accusations of shrinking media freedom and  his  minister in charge of the EU presidency denounced a website run by critical journalists covering the issue as âhate speechâ and âfake newsâ.
Prime Minister Boyko Borissov  a former bodyguard to the Soviet-era Communist dictator   welcomed fellow conservatives who run the three main Brussels political institutions to Sofia  pledging to help ease tensions between east and west inside the EU and between the Union and its Russian and Turkish neighbors.
Though the presidency of the EU offers little direct power  it offers Borissov a platform which  he  used to renew Bulgarian demands to be allowed to join Schengen and the euroâs âwaiting roomâ  the ERM-2 exchange rate mechanism. Worries over organized crime and Bulgariaâs relative poverty have stood in its way.
European Council President Donald Tusk speaks next to  [TGT] European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Bulgarian President Rumen Radev (R-L) during an event marking the start of Bulgaria's six-month presidency of EU ministerial councils in Sofia  Bulgaria  January 11  2018. Krum Stoev/EU2018BG/Handout via REUTERS
That will not in itself overcome resistance from wary member states.   [TGT]  âs finance minister said frustration had grown to such an extent that  [TGT]  was ready to call their bluff and apply for the next step toward the euro zone in order to force them to publicly explain their objections.
Warm words from the visitors from Brussels did not drown out opposition at home to the government.   [TGT] dismissed out of hand accusations of shrinking media freedom and  his  minister in charge of the EU presidency denounced a website run by critical journalists covering the issue as âhate speechâ and âfake newsâ.