It's like communism in the European Parliament - everyone is ecstatic? Peter Volgin in front of FACTS

The new European Parliament has started its work. At the moment, the management positions are being elected, the various committees are being formed. Work begins… But how? The new Bulgarian MEP Petar Volgin, who is part of the “Vazrazhdane“ group, spoke to FAKTI.

- Mr. Volgin, Roberta Mezzola was re-elected President of the European Parliament. It was expected, but what was the situation in the plenary hall during the vote…
- What was the situation in the plenary hall during the vote? The same as we saw at the party congress shortly before 1989. I remember as a child how everyone stood up, clapped and enthusiastically chanted: “Eternal friendship, CPSU-BKP…“ For your younger readers, let me say that the CPSU was then the Communist Party in the Soviet Union, and the BKP was the Bulgarian Communist Party. With such shouts, the indivisible friendship between the two countries was demonstrated. Now, with the vote for Metzola, it was the same - everyone got on their feet in communist ecstasy. That is, not all, but the representatives of the status quo in the European Parliament - the European People's Party, the Socialists, “Renew Europe” etc., and they were glad of it. I don't see anything joyful in this.

- Talking about communism in the European Parliament is strange, but that's how the conversation started, as they say…
- This is the most interesting thing that we can talk about communism. And I'll tell you why. Today (last year-yesterday) another anti-Russian resolution was adopted in the European Parliament, which is in support of Zelensky's government. It was accepted by a very large majority. So it's the same. We are talking about a semblance of democracy, but in the end it becomes what those in power want. The opposition has no say. What kind of democracy is this, for someone to impose something on you?

- What does the resolution that was adopted for Ukraine include?
- General things like constantly talking about how much we are “for“ Ukraine. It is interesting that there is a lot of criticism of Viktor Orbán, who recently held several meetings at a very high level. But only his meeting with Vladimir Putin is criticized. Why? If we follow this line, we should also criticize him for all the other meetings - for the meeting with Zelensky, for the meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, for his meeting with Donald Trump. You know, Viktor Orbán is the only one of the very few European leaders who is trying to work towards achieving peace in Ukraine. Unfortunately, all other European leaders are working in exactly the opposite direction. And this resolution that was passed also works in that direction, because the things it calls for will intensify the war.

Through it, more and more military aid is requested for Zelensky, more and more money for Ukraine.

By the way, it is demanded that each country of the European Union allocate 0.25% of its Gross Domestic Product annually to give this money as aid to Kiev. You know very well, as well as your readers, what is done with such money – are stolen. They steal them in Ukraine, they steal them in Russia. As you well know - they steal them in Bulgaria too. So if we actually start giving away 0.25% of our Gross Domestic Product, that means a lot of that money will be stolen. Nothing good can be expected from all these calls that are coming regarding the military conflict in Ukraine.

- Were you one of the people who did not stand up in the plenary hall when the anthem of Europe was played?
- Yes, because there is no anthem of Europe. A separate country can have an anthem, an independent nation-state can have an anthem. An organization can come up with something for an anthem, but you can just as well come up with a song by the very current Taylor Swift. Does this mean that when we hear a Taylor Swift song we will have to stand up.

- “Ode to joy“ by Friedrich Schiller has been adopted for years as the anthem of the European Union. This is, after all, a tradition in Europe, because really there is symbolism in this work?
- If indeed the European Union in its current form was a union of independent countries, and it is, to my great regret, nothing like that, then let's talk about joy. The European Union in its current form is simply a pawn in the hands of its transatlantic masters. In the EU, we do not have independent countries that work in a joyful spirit, the countries are not involved in protecting their interests. In the EU, there are some dead countries that are given orders from Washington through Brussels and so on. Where do you see reason for joy, for singing that joy. I don't see her.

- MEPs from “Revival“ you became part of and are among the creators of the Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN), the newest group in the European Parliament. Tell us more about the group, about the goals… What do you want to change?
- This was an important moment in the work of the new parliament, because for the first time in the history of the European Parliament, a Bulgarian party has a leading role in the creation of a new group at all. You know that until this moment, all the Bulgarian MPs who were elected to the European Parliament after 2007 went to already existing groups. They go into their square and that's it. Never before has any Bulgarian party - be it older or newer - tried to do something new. We said this even during the election campaign, even before the election campaign we promised that this would happen, and it really happened. Of course, with the help of other parties.

With the help of “Alternative for Germany”, with the help of other parties from Hungary, from Slovakia, from France, etc.

You know that there is a requirement that MPs from seven countries participate in the creation of a group. The main goals that we set for ourselves, the main ideas behind which we stand, is to revive precisely this independent Europe, this Europe which is made up of countries that work together but at the same time are independent and each of them takes care for its own national interest, and then for the interests of the whole community. We don't believe that there can be some kind of someone from above who pushes you and tells you “…. now you will do this, now you will do that“. We believe that Europe must preserve its traditions, must preserve its culture, preserve its history, its religion. And only then can we believe that something good can happen in the future. At the moment, all countries are being merged into the common EU, and this is not the EU of sovereign countries.

- How many MPs are in your group?
- We are 25 deputies. But it's true, every beginning is difficult.