What Atidzhe spoke about.

—

BG Written Statement

The International Day of Elimination of Violence Against Women and the State of play on the ratification of the Istanbul Convention (continuation of debate)

It is undeniable that gender-based violence remains a terrifying reality for too many citizens in the EU. Despite the high targets set by the Commission, there are still no satisfactory concrete results. Many of the women subjected to violence are silent because they believe that the abusers will change. In fact, statistics show that 33% of women in the EU have experienced physical and/or sexual v…

13

Mar

2024

BG Speech

Watch

European Semester for economic policy coordination 2024 – European Semester for economic policy coordination: employment and social priorities for 2024 (joint debate – European Semester)

Mr President, today, when Russia's war against Ukraine has deepened existing inequalities, leading to an energy, food, economic and social crisis; today, when wage growth is lagging behind the high inflation rate, with reduced purchasing power hitting low-income earners the most; today, when gender inequalities in the labour market are affecting the gender employment and pay gap; today, when youth…

27

Feb

2024

BG Speech

Watch

Rising inequalities in the world (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, we are living in difficult times when the fundamental values of the democratic world – peace, rights, freedoms, equality – are being put to the test. We are witnessing two bloody wars with a number of negative consequences. It is clear that the trends of the future in both the world and Europe are yet to be determined. Can we talk about equality while gender…

7

Feb

2024

BG Speech

Watch

Empowering farmers and rural communities - a dialogue towards sustainable and fairly rewarded EU agriculture (debate)

Member of the Commission. - Madam President, the turbulent protests by farmers across Europe are telling. They want to be heard and need support. Complex administrative requirements, limited funding, high inflation, surging crises and unfair competition pose even greater challenges to farmers on a daily basis. To be clear, the agriculture sector is in crisis, requirements are increasing and fundin…

6

Feb

2024

BG Speech

Watch

Quality traineeships in the EU (debate)

Mr President, internships focused on specific skills guarantee a successful career start. Initiatives in education and skills development, quality traineeships and lifelong learning programmes are essential to ensure equal opportunities and access to labour markets. They allow young people to start their professional lives with confidence. Quality traineeships are a key tool for integrating young …

17

Jan

2024

BG Speech

Watch

Addressing urgent skills shortages and finding the right talents to boost job creation (European Year of Skills) (debate)

Madam President, today this is another debate on a social topic, and this is important because guaranteeing a decent life and solving the problems of Europeans goes through solving precisely the social problems. A successful and "green" digital transition requires developed skills, qualifications, retraining. This means providing opportunities for all Europeans to build on and develop their knowle…

17

Jan

2024

BG Speech

Watch

Improving the socio-economic situation of farmers and rural areas, ensuring fair incomes, food security as well as a just transition (debate)

Madam President, for months, our farmers have been warning that they are in crisis. For months, they have also warned about complicated rules and heavy bureaucracy. If they are not heard, we risk putting Europe and its citizens in food insecurity, even in crisis. The green transition can happen with realistic measures and tolerable demands on European farmers. A new start, a new vision in the Unio…

17

Jan

2024

BG Speech

Watch

Quality jobs in a competitive future-oriented social market economy (topical debate)

Mr President, in a changing geopolitical world, a more competitive Europe also requires the creation of quality jobs. To do this, we need to join forces between legislators, workers, employers, and the organisations that represent them. Together, we need to focus on more opportunities for labour market development that require investment. Quality jobs are the equivalent of stability and opportunit…

13

Dec

2023

BG Speech

Watch

EU strategy to assist young people facing the housing and cost of living crisis (topical debate)

Mr President, 2022 was the European Year of Youth. The European Union has shown that it has a vision and is working for the future that young people want, but that is not enough. Now is the time for concrete action. The housing and cost-of-living crisis faced by young people requires a swift and clear response. Young people need the support of the Union to cope with the financial difficulties they…

12

Dec

2023

BG Speech

Watch

Parliament’s call for the right to disconnect - three years on (debate)

Mr President, against the backdrop of the Union's high ambitions in the green and digital transitions and three years after the European Parliament's call, the Commission has not yet put forward a proposal on the right to disconnect, because negotiations with the social partners have been fruitless. We live in dynamic times that require new approaches, updating and modernising labour markets. Digi…

18

Oct

2023

BG Speech

Watch

Mental health at work (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, just a week after we celebrated International Mental Health Day, today I would like to reiterate its importance for the overall health, development and well-being of workers. Nearly 40% of Europeans suffer from mental disorders every year. Affected workers are suffering, and mental illness is also an economic burden for employers. We live in times of economic uncerta…

3

Oct

2023

BG Speech

Watch

Classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures (debate)

Mr President, Vice-President of the Commission, colleagues, this debate for me, as a Bulgarian MEP, has the smell of a Bulgarian rose. Rose oil is an emblem of our country, a livelihood and a life for thousands of hardworking producers. The revised regulation will designate products of plant origin as a mixture and their labelling will depend on a chemical substance included in them, regardless of…

13

Jun

2023

BG Speech

Watch

Ensuring food security and the long-term resilience of EU agriculture (debate)

Madam President, in life we may only have to look for a doctor, a lawyer or a priest once, but three times a day we need a farmer. Sustainable and environmentally friendly food production will be a challenge for farmers in the coming years, and food affordability will be a social challenge for consumers. Ensuring food security in a context of rising production costs, greening the CAP and new requi…

10

May

2023

BG Speech

Watch

Ukrainian cereals on the European market (debate)

Madam President, five countries, one of them Bulgaria, have been left alone for months. The situation of Ukrainian grain on the European market shows that more needs to be done. The plight of Eastern European producers requires, I emphasise, common European solutions and urgent solutions, preserving our solidarity with Ukraine. Today we are talking about the grain sector, but the sectors of milk, …

10

May

2023

BG Speech

Watch

The role of farmers as enablers of the green transition and a resilient agricultural sector (continuation of debate)

Mr President, farmers have expressed their willingness to be part of the green transition, but the Commission's recent legislative proposals, limited funding, high inflation, superimposed crises are making farmers increasingly pessimistic. The dangerous trend of anti-European sentiment among the agricultural community is growing. The question is existential: ‘To be or not to be’? Will we have a su…

9

May

2023

BG Speech

Watch

Start of the European Year of skills (debate)

Madam President, more than three quarters of businesses in the European Union have difficulty finding workers with the necessary skills. Undoubtedly, in order to ensure Europe’s success in achieving the green objectives of the green and digital transitions, account must be taken, on the one hand, of the needs of businesses and, on the other, of the individual’s career preferences. The world is cha…

19

Jan

2023

BG Speech

Watch

Revision of the European Works Councils Directive (debate)

Mr President, European Works Councils are a key element of the European social model and reflect the importance attached to worker representation and social dialogue. They serve as a tool for strengthening workers’ rights, information and consultation on transnational issues. Undoubtedly, these tips are of great importance for companies. Enhancing employee participation represents a step forward t…

13

Dec

2022

BG Speech

Watch

A need for a dedicated budget to turn the Child Guarantee into reality - an urgency in times of energy and food crisis (debate)

Mr President, the sharp rise in energy and food prices is having a particularly severe impact on vulnerable families with children, confronting them with particular deprivations and difficulties in accessing basic services. The European Union must help children who are disadvantaged and in need of support. And the children's guarantee is an extremely useful tool for this. Today, more than ever, we…

12

Dec

2022

BG Speech

Watch

A long-term vision for the EU's rural areas (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, Europe undoubtedly needs this vision. Take a look at these pictures from Ireland. The result of long-term investments is visible, as well as the lack of them. I am proud to note that the good examples are from rural municipalities with mayors from the Movement for Rights and Freedoms. Rural areas continue to face many problems and challenges. They must become attract…

19

Oct

2022

BG Speech

Watch

Global food security as follow-up to the G20 Agriculture Ministers meeting (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, the G20 summit focuses on food security and its global challenges. The war in Ukraine has clearly shown us that the European Union needs a holistic approach to ensuring food security and, in the long term, food sovereignty. To ensure that food is affordable and available, we need to accelerate the transformation towards sustainable agriculture and production systems tha…

6

Oct

2022

BG Speech

Watch

The urgent need for an EU strategy on fertilisers to ensure food security in Europe (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, European agriculture is facing another crisis. Russia’s attack on Ukraine is now increasingly affecting the daily needs of European citizens. Europe is hardest hit by reduced fertiliser production as a result of rising gas prices and fertiliser prices are at record levels. Reduced use of fertilizers can reduce the yields of some crops by half. Lower yields and higher fo…

4

Oct

2022

BG Speech

Watch

Situation of Roma people living in settlements in the EU (debate)

Dear Madam President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, modernisation and development are part of our daily lives, and we are talking again today about the detrimental effects of discrimination and the importance of rights and freedoms. Our commitment to social protection and job opportunities for all starts with the most vulnerable groups. The largest ethnic minority in Europe, the Roma, contin…

5

Jul

2022

BG Speech

Watch

EU action plan for the social economy (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, honourable Members, the report on the EU action plan for the social economy is a roadmap and includes social growth, stimulation, social inclusion, innovation and entrepreneurship for the benefit of all. By supporting the social economy, we support the reduction of inequalities, the strengthening of a sense of community, the reduction of depopulation, and the strengthen…

7

Jun

2022

BG Speech

Watch

Revision of the EU Emissions Trading System - Social Climate Fund - Carbon border adjustment mechanism - Revision of the EU Emissions Trading System for aviation - Notification under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) (joint debate – Fit for 55 (part 1))

Mr President, Vice-President of the Commission, Minister, today is an important day for the future of the European Union. Fit for 55 is an unprecedented legislative package to protect the environment and promote the green economy. I will support the proposals on green transition and social justice. The Social Climate Fund will provide support to vulnerable households, transport users and micro-ent…

2

May

2022

BG Speech

Watch

EU action plan for organic agriculture (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, I would like to begin by thanking the rapporteur, Mrs Schmidbauer. Renew Europe welcomes the organic production plan. The benefits of organic farming are numerous and they are both for humans and nature. The fact is that countries have different starting points, as well as different climatic and geographical features. This also implies the need for a targeted approac…