LIX COSAC Plenary meeting in Sofia, 17-19 June 2018

The EP delegation was chaired by the First Vice-President of the European Parliament, Mrs Mairead McGUINNESS and AFCO Chair, Mrs Danuta HÜBNER. REGI Chair, Mrs Iskra MIHAYLOVA was also a member of the delegation. The Directorate for Relations with National Parliaments of DG PRES prepared this meeting and provided support and advice to our Members.

Vice-President Mrs McGuinness addressed the COSAC plenary meeting during the welcoming session together with the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Mr Rumen Radev. AFCO Chair, Mrs Danuta Hübner, and REGI Chair, Mrs Iskra Mihaylova, were respectively keynote speakers during the sessions on EU Interparliamentary cooperation and the future of the Cohesion Policy. Vivid debates took place at the discussions on the integration and connectivity of the Western Balkans, as well as the European Pillar of Social Rights.

The meeting, which was the final interparliamentary event of the Bulgarian National Assembly during the Bulgarian Presidency, was attended by the highest institutional representatives of the Republic of Bulgaria, including Prime Minister Borissov, two deputy Prime Ministers and several members of the government. It allowed delegations from the Parliaments of the EU Member States, candidate and observer countries, representatives of the European Commission and academics to meet each other, debate on various issues, and exchange ideas, sometimes quite tensely. At the side of the meeting, the Bulgarian Presidency completed its term with their warm hospitality.

Photo credits: The National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria