Political Platform of THE GREENS (ZELENITE) for the elections for European Parliament 2009
THE GREENS –
THE CAUSE FOR THE NATURE AND THE PEOPLE
IN EUROPE
Thanks to our membership in the European Union we can freely travel, study and work in neighboring Europe and enjoy the opportunity of full realization in Europe. The European Parliament plays a crucial part in this realization by drafting the regulations by which the Union functions. In addition, the European Parliament works for a cleaner environment, safer chemical products, better services and work places. The Parliament is an adamant advocate for human rights including the rights of consumers and equality of opportunity. The regulations that the European Parliament develops concern not only the European Union in its generality but pertain individually to each and every member state including our own Bulgaria. In June 2009 Europe will choose its new representatives. Coming from altogether twenty-seven states, the members of the European parliament represent a wide spectrum of national political parties, regions, interests and perspectives. Europe, having joined hands with Bulgaria, will face a number of economic, social and ecological challenges:
- Ending the destruction of nature and guaranteeing the necessary environment for a healthy lifestyle;
- Reducing and managing the harmful effects of climate change;
- Promoting sustainable development in Europe through integrated management and the creation of “green” working places;
- Safeguarding and protecting the equality of civil, political and social rights within the European Union;
- Fully integrating Bulgaria in Europe, including but not limited to, through a transparent and effective utilization of the European Union funds.
To let people stay in Bulgaria!
Bulgaria has entered its second year as a member of the European Union but we still have not convincingly affirmed our place as a member. We do not use our membership in the Union in order to help European directives and funds contribute to improving the life of Bulgarian citizens and protecting our rights to have clean environment and to save our nature. This is why the top priority of THE GREENS in Europe is the preservation of nature and the protection of people.
With the entry of the Lisbon Treaty the legislative power of the members of Parliament (MPs) will be significantly increased. This, in effect, will place the European Parliament in a position of equal power with the other major legislator of the European Union – the Council of Ministers of the member states. An additional reason as to why as citizens of the European Union you should be interested in and informed about the European Parliament is that you will have the right to make proposals for European laws.
We, THE GREENS, kindly request that you support our candidates for members of the European Parliament.
The Green Bulgarian Euro-representatives in the European Parliament will work for:
- Preserving wild nature and biodiversity in Europe.
- Reducing deforestation and organizing joint initiatives with other European stakeholders for the protection and sustainable utilization of forests in Europe.
- Preventing the progressive pollution of the air, soil and water and advocating for the effective imposition of heavy sanctions on the polluting companies through the introduction of new, stricter and more thorough directives.
- Developing ecology- friendly agriculture and encouraging the production of bio-products. Supporting the Bulgarian farmers, who produce clean and healthy food.
- Eliminating all forms of discrimination and intolerance.
- Securing a good quality of life for citizens and their adequate protection from social isolation.
- Defending the effective protection of public health and working for the provision of competent and accessible public health.
- Advocating for access to quality education and opportunities for continuing education.
- Securing European investments for energy efficiency and the production of nature-friendly and safe energy from renewable energy sources. Guaranteeing energy independence for separate households and communities.
To let people stay in Bulgaria!
- Creating new „green“ working places based on the development of green technologies, sustainable tourism and forestry management and ecology friendly agriculture.
- Limiting the creation of genetically modified forms of life and the proliferation of their use (e.g. through their release in nature, use in agriculture and for food purposes).
- Supportting small and medium businesses in the use of new, environmentally friendly technologies through ensuring access to credits for environmentally friendly activities.
- Supporting the sustainable development of tourism.
- Advocating for the creation of cleaner and more sustainable city, local and international transportation systems.
- Developing sustainable strategies for the management of garbage as well as for the recycling and re-use of resources. This will be the so-called ‘Zero Garbage” Strategy.
- Developing trans-boundary collaboration – regional, trans-regional and trans-national.
- Supporting the lawful, transparent and effective utilization of EU funds under a working system of public supervision.
- Encouraging the development of science, new technologies and interdisciplinary research.
- Preserving and enriching the European cultural diversity.
- Preventing the formation of monopolies in the media and contributing to the development of public media.
- Guaranteeing the right to freedom of speech.
- Protecting the right to privacy in one’s personal life and preventing the misuse of personal information.
- Continuing the broadening and democratization of the European Union without the lowering of European standards.
- Working for a political vision and practical reality of a European Union that promotes the values of peace, democracy, human rights and sustainable development everywhere in the world.
To let people stay in Bulgaria!
The Green representatives in European Parliament will defend the national interests of Bulgaria by working for:
- Entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty and the solidification of the European Union as a strong federal community, which is simultaneously economically stable and ecologically oriented.
- Eliminating the existing inequalities between agricultural producers in the ‘old’ and ‘new’ accession states.
- Agreeing upon post-Kyoto mechanisms and outlining of further rigorous targets for reduction of the negative impacts of climate change. Support for more binding commitments for the EU during the meeting in Copenhagen 2009.
- Initiating a procedure in the EP for a ban on the construction of new nuclear power plants and diverting the investments towards the increasing of energy efficiency and development of clean and environmentally friendly technologies.
- Eliminating subsidies for nuclear power plants and for projects implementing the Euroatom Treaty.
- Eliminating the existing inequalities between agricultural producers in the ‘old’ and ‘new’ accession states.
- Developing and adopting common European policy and strategy for reducing dependence on Russian energy resources. Limiting the exclusively bilateral nature of the relationships between European member states and Russia with respect to energy.
- Developing assistance policies for traditional agricultural businesses with small and medium-size producers.
- Pressuring for the adoption of new, stricter measures for preventing the loss of biodiversity in the European Union.
- Monitoring the activities of the European Commission for guaranteeing the preservation of protected zones from Nature 2000 in Bulgaria with a special emphasis on endangered territories such as Strandzha, Irakli, Kamchiya, Kaliakra, Shabla, Perelik, Sytka, Rila, Pirin, Vitosha, West Stara Planina, the Central Balkan Range etc.
- Attracting finances from the European Funds for achieving a sustainable transport system integrated within the EU transport system. Priority will be given to railway, intermodal and public transport with a strict adherence to the environmental standards.
Let’s help Bulgarians remain in Bulgaria!
- Improvement of European directives in the following targeted areas: environmental protection and conservation of cultural heritage, waste management of the mining industry, public health, vocational education and jobs for the youth, access to information, transparency in the use of European funds, road traffic safety, protection of air, soil, forests and water, waste management, recycling, labour safety, overcoming of the totalitarian past and other priority spheres of Bulgarian public life.We, THE GREENS have been putting pressure on Bulgarian institutions through petitions, positions and parliament questions with the help of Members of the European Parliament. We will be much more efficient in our action through our Green MEPs.
We will be critical of the European Commission as well as of the Bulgarian institutions whenever they violate European directives, fake effective implementation or otherwise hinder the European development of the country.
THE GREENS through their representatives in the European Parliament will introduce and support in European Parliament each and every petition, discussion question, statement and legislative proposal, which do not contradict their principles and support the goals set above.
Members of European Parliament from THE GREENS will be the voice of Bulgarian citizens in the European Parliament.
To let people stay in Bulgaria!