“There are still tools to influence the decision on the Mobility Package, but yesterday’s vote was very unpleasant. These are three business trip dossiers – starting to pay much more for business trips, Western rates. The second is cabotage – with the break of drivers, and the third is the return of empty trucks. This would have a detrimental effect on Bulgarian carriers and carriers in the periphery countries. ” This was stated by Petar Vitanov, Chairman of the Delegation of the Bulgarian Socialists in the EP, to Nova Television.
According to him, there are few options left to the EP, and another vote is yet to be decided on whether these files go to interinstitutional negotiations with the European Council and the European Parliament to seek compromise texts. Vitanov stressed that after yesterday’s vote he was not much optimistic.
“I hope that with the new Commissioner, a representative of Romania who fully shares the view of Bulgaria, there are forms in which to find any compromise texts. This is not just about the economy of Bulgaria and the transport sector of the periphery countries. This is fundamental. problem because we are taking protectionist measures to guarantee the business of French and German carriers, we are taking measures that are in absolute contradiction with the free movement of people, capital, goods, and services. EU is crappy.” said Vitanov.
He expressed the opinion that the Mobility Package has a serious political dimension – at the beginning of the discussion half of the countries supported Bulgaria and now there are six. According to him, through various political mechanisms, some countries have given up their support.
Petar Vitanov pointed out that EU socialists are pushing for an impact assessment – what would happen if these measures were adopted in terms of climate, harmful emissions, labor emigration, and loss of labor. “I hope, however, that there is some reason to prevail and to find some compromise because 7 countries will be extremely damaging. For family businesses, the main blow is that they will lose their jobs because they will not be competitive with their European counterparts. They will not be able to receive cabotage orders and endure price – they will go bankrupt.” Vitanov concluded.