Public Lecture on The Rotation Chairmanship of EU Council in 2018 - National Engagement with European Dimension

The Rotation Chairmanship of EU Council in 2018 – National Engagement with European Dimension was the topic of the public lecture delivered at the Ceremonial Hall by H.E. Xavier Lapeyre De Cabanes, Ambassador of the French Republic to Bulgaria, Andrey Novakov, Member of the European Parliament and Pavel Ivanov, Executive Director of the Institute of Public Administration (IPA). The initiative was part of the Open Semester for students from the specility Public Administration and the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Council of Ministers administration, IPA and universities having the speciality Public Administration.

Assoc. Prof. Valkov is opening the public lecture. On the right next to him: H.E. Xavier Lapeyre De Cabanes, Pavel Ivanov and Andrey Novakov

The guest-lecturers were presented by Assoc. Prof. Alexander Valkov, Head of the Public Administration Department who emphasized on the relation of the event with the celebration of Europe Day - 9 May.  

Attendees in the Ceremonial Hall

H.E. Xavier Lapeyre De Cabanes commented on the experience of France which had been the Chairman of EU Council 12 times. The chairmanship has an important role for the political priorities, it will give to Bulgaria the opportunity to include in the EU agenda clear positions with key importance for the country and the EU, outlined the Ambassador. He examined the similarities and differences since the last chairmanship of France in 2008, the pledge for our country as “an advertising shop-window”, the role of the rotation chairmanship for applying the so called “community method in search of unions and cooperation”, etc. H.E. Xavier Lapeyre De Cabanes reminded that the Bulgarian chairmanship would coincide with the end of the European Parliament electoral term because the next European elections would be held in May 2018.

The French Ambassador

H.E. Xavier Lapeyre De Cabanes explicitly said that the effective preparation should begin two years earlier and specified that in 2008 France had been implemented nearly 500 meetings at all levels in the framework of its chairmanship. He emphasized the necessity of a team of competent and well-prepared professionals, the clear definition of responsibilities, the implementation of initiatives for better identification of the country. “The chairmanship could give you the opportunity to show your capability for reacting in serious crisis situation”, outlined the Ambassador and pointed out that in 2008 France had had to manage with three crises.

Questions by the attendees in the Ceremonial Hall

“Bulgaria will have 180 days during its chairmanship. Probably we will have more than 1700 working meeting on European policies. There will be about 50 debates at the European Parliament related to our chairmanship as well as more than 600 public events in the EU and all over the world. In addition, I would like to mention that our chairmanship will implement 200 cultural events”, outlined in his lecture Andrey Novakov, the youngest member of European Parliament. You, the well-prepared young people have a special place as ambassadors of our country, said to students in the Ceremonial Hall Novakov. Each victory is set as a prerequisite and when the plane takes off it has a flying plan, confirmed metaphorically the importance of preparation and success Andrey Novakov. Appealing the young people he reminded that they exceed their coevals in Europe in many aspects and they should show it.

Andrey Novakov

Pavel Ivanov spoke about the preparation of Bulgarian state administration for the Bulgarian rotation chairmanship in 2018.

Assoc. Prof. Alexander Valkov awarded Certificates of Appreciation to H.E. Xavier Lapeyre De Cabanes, Andrey Novakov and Pavel Ivanov on behalf of the Rector of UNWE Prof. D.Sc.(Econ.) Statty Stattev (in the picture below).   

Assoc. Prof. Valkov is awarding the Certificate to the French Ambassador.

The meeting was organized in two panels and there was a discussion on the main topics.

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