EU 2020 Strategy is our compass

ESCU Regional Conference in Bulgaria welcomes
high-level government representatives /
Dr. Worms: An end to violent action against freedom fighters!

Report by Ulrich Winz (Berlin)

Varna. The Bulgarian senior citizens’ association, SGERB, organised the ESCU’s South East Regional Conference in mid-May – the first to be hosted by a former Eastern Bloc country. Support was also provided by the European People’s Party (EPP) and the Hanns Seidel Foundation.  The 100 or so guests – predominantly from the host country – who assembled at the Grand Hotel Varna included Board members, who also held a Board meeting at the event.

Deputy Prime Minister: Senior citizens take responsibility

At a reception, the Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister, Tsvetan Tsvetanov, emphasised the responsibility of the older generation in shaping the future. They would fulfil this both indirectly through their activities in employment and retirement and directly by passing on their experiences – in the political arena as well – to the next generation. His announcement that on that very day the youth organisation of the ruling GERB party, of which he is the Deputy Leader, had obtained full membership of the EPP’s youth organisation was received with applause.

The senior citizens’ union, which is led by former ambassador, Prof. Nikolay Andreev, and is affiliated to GERB, has been fully integrated into the ESCU since its establishment in 2008; Prof. Andreev was elected Vice President at the Congress in Bad Honnef in 2010.

Dr. Worms: Strategy is our business

The main issue discussed in the SS. Constantine and Helena spa district at Varna was the “EU 2020 Strategy”. Conference host, Vladimir Urutchev MEP, explained the strategy for participants.

Its message was that following its adoption this strategy for intelligent and stable growth - which would be mandatory for all EU countries – would serve as an excellent compass for a society based on freedom and social justice. The number of people at risk of and affected by poverty in Europe is to be reduced by 20 million (!). Research and development, energy efficiency, new jobs – for immigrants as well – and lifelong learning would be accorded significantly greater value.

ESCU President, Dr. Worms, called on all member organisations and member parties to follow the example of their hosts and adopt the aims of the strategy as their own.

Protect human rights!

With reference to the “uprising of young people in Africa” for democracy and human rights, Dr. Worms called on the ruling classes throughout the world to permit the self-fulfilment of the individual within their sphere of control. A press release from the conference stated: “Those who are defending themselves against suppression and misuse of power have our sympathy and solidarity.” The call went out for “an immediate halt to all reprisals against opponents in Syria, Libya and Belarus”.

The declaration adopted in Varna also supported democracy and human rights and commended cooperation between the generations.

The repudiation of the Schengen Agreement (which provides for internal travel free of border controls) would not solve any problems but is likely to produce new ones, stated Worms. He called again for regulations in immigration throughout Europe and claimed that measures taken in parallel in migrants’ homelands to deter them from fleeing to an uncertain outcome are just as important. Tsvetanov announced that his government was willing to take refugees stranded in Malta. He also mentioned that Bulgaria was interested in joining the Schengen Agreement area.

A new home for abandoned children

With five cabinet members and elected members of the governing party, the conference attracted a high-ranking audience. The Deputy Minister for Employment and Social Affairs, Valentina Simeonova, impressed participants with her review of the first 18 months of the GERB government. In the face of a great deal of resistance, she had given homes in families to disabled children who had been abandoned in orphanages. Her particular concerns include socially disadvantaged people, firstborns, twins and students. She has tracked down fraudulent private service providers and thus made savings of 3 million leva in the budget. Next to benefit from the minister’s political ambitions will be disabled adults and people in extreme old age.

Heinz K. Becker MEP (Austria) assured her of his assistance in implementing her initiatives.

Economic Affairs and Tourism Minister, Traycho Traykov, spoke about the EU’s criticism of the widespread corruption which is being prosecuted by the judiciary but is still practised to its detriment among the population. In response to a question, he spoke about the high level of investment in tourism infrastructure. The country’s 250 peaks over 2000 m, 2000 km of piste and 600 thermal springs come highly recommended to attract winter visitors as well. Included in the sizeable amount of expenditure invested is a 30 km section of motorway near Sofia that was recently approved by Prime Minister and GERB Party Leader, Boyko Borisov.

Politicians and academics come together

Before commencing her presentation, Prof. Lehr from Germany congratulated the organisers on bringing together politicians and academics (although admittedly in part this amounted to one person). It was a good starting point for the further work of the government, said the former German minister. The fact that we are reaching older ages is generally well-known but work still needs to be done on how we do that here as in Germany. The fall in the birth rate has also affected Bulgaria, and the proportion of the population aged 80 and over has also increased. Anyone involved in shaping the future needs to take account of demographic trends, the change in the party political landscape and the changes in family structures, she stressed.

At a meeting with the SGERB Board, Dr. Worms encouraged the party to expand the network of organisations of the senior citizens’ union throughout Bulgaria. This would give more older citizens the opportunity to collaborate.

The conference was rounded off with a visit to Evksinograd palace and parkland which lies not far from Varna. Once the summer residence of Bulgarian kings and party general secretaries, a government residency and summer seat of the president has now been established on the listed estate on the Black Sea. The palace dates from the 19th century and is open to visitors.

Forthcoming events

The second ESCU Summer Academy will take place on 24-26 July in Vienna, followed by the West Regional Conference – originally planned for 2010 – which will be held on 15-16 September at the seat of the Flemish Government in Brussels. Senior citizens from the Benelux countries are invited as well as those from the western federal states of Germany. The original topic for discussion of “Healthy Ageing” will be supplemented by the “EU’s 2020 Strategy”, which was covered in Varna.

Text: U. Winz