It is early for evaluations of the work done by Meglena Plugchieva, opinion of the Director of the European Institute

It is very important that we admit that problems exist with EU funds absorption, the Director of the European Institute Juliana Nikolova commented in an interview for Express.bg. We should say that we acknowledge them, that there are such, not because the European Commission saw them but because we are the ones to solve them. There should be also some strategy for avoiding further problems with EU funds management, Nikolova adds.

Juliana Nikolova commented the measures for better EU funds governance announced by the new Deputy Prime Minister Meglena Plugchieva: "I fully agree with the ideas for greater transparency, accountability and responsibility. I can sign under these measures but we have to give at least 30 days to Minister Plugchieva to see what she is going to do in practice. The news is that on 16 June there will be something like 100 days of the new minister. The intentions are clear and certainly good but it is too early for any assessments."

Express.bg also asked Mrs Nikolova about her opinion on the Law on Conflict of Interests which Miglena Tacheva boasted that was drawn up only in 3 days. The Director of the European Institute answered: "This is a sign in the right direction but the quickly drafted law cannot be one of good quality. This is a good signal, such law should exist but not if it is prepared in 3 days. The Law on Conflict of Interests should be carefully examined because otherwise it can give the opposite result. We do not need laws to be reported. The practice of drafting laws only in view of reporting them to the EC led to the present situation!".

"The problems in the Ministry of Interior, as well as the justice and home affairs safeguard clause, are different from the EU funds problem. It is more important what the Progress Report about Bulgaria says in respect of the monitoring and cooperation mechanism which is expected in the beginning of July. What we have achieved in the field of the judicial system reform, low and high level corruption, the fight against organized crime. These are different and much harder issues to solve."

Juliana Nikolova commented the opinion expressed by Franco Frattini that the EC shall not impose safeguard clause on Bulgaria: "If Frattini said that the safeguard clause shall not be enforced, this is a good sign, and this confirms my thesis that such clause shall not be enforced on our country now. However, if you read Western newspapers, you can see that all of them claim that such clause shall be imposed on us. The partial suspension of funds under PHARE and ISPA is sufficient as a penalty. This money (about 600 million euros, editor's note) are less than our surplus since the beginning of this year. The money is not the problem - the problem is the shattered trust in the capability of the Bulgarian state to govern and be in charge of public funds no matter if they are Bulgarian or European.

The safeguard clause shall not affect in any way the state institutions or officials, it shall have impact on the people and businessmen. They shall not impose it because it has not been enforced so far and also because there are some signals coming from Minister Tacheva, and I hope soon from Minister Mikov as well, that Bulgaria recognizes its problems and is willing to cope with them. They shall wait us - there is a year ahead of us for enforcing this clause. It is too innovative for Brussels officials to make up a mechanism for its enforcement. Therefore, I consider that this shall not happen now and there is still one year more during which the government shall be monitored."