From our point of view in its entirety, the Recovery and Resilience Plan has been finalised, the two big issues remain – in the area of the rule of law and on the topic of energy, said Atanas Pekanov, caretaker Deputy Prime Minister in charge of European Funds Management.
„Money should come only when real reforms are made to ensure that the money of all European taxpayers goes to the right place,“ Pekanov said, explaining for judicial reform that „it must be promised that the steps will take place in the coming years. He explained they need to be made because the funding depends on it.
Since there is no regular cabinet, the caretaker government will have to set what should happen in the area of the rule of law.
„I would be very happy if the parties represented in parliament had united around a vision, proposals for what they are ready to accept in the next functioning parliament. We will set these reforms and we will have to seek a consensus that the next parliament will accept them,“ he said.
The closure of specialised prosecutors’ offices and courts is not yet on the agenda, according to parliamentary debates.
„What the European institutions expect from us is to strengthen the accountability of the Prosecutor General, as well as to provide effective measures to fight corruption,“ Atanas Pekanov said.
There are many different opinions, but they need to unite in the coming weeks, he said, explaining that they have upgraded the plan in the area of accountability of the chief prosecutor.
The other big issue is in the energy sector, Atanas Pekanov said. Our energy is probably the most intensive in Europe and for many years nothing has been done on this topic, it is neglected, he said and stressed that it is important to be careful, to provide people in the coal areas with an alternative and security that they will have the support of the state.
