European Year for Development Inaugurated for Bulgaria

The European Year for Development was inaugurated for Bulgaria by Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov during a conference in Sofia on Thursday.

The EU has proclaimed 2015 a special year for development. It is the first ever European Year to deal with the EU's external action and Europe's role in the world.

Mitov said the European Year for Development is a necessary and timely initiative for the EU countries and particularly for Bulgaria. According to him, it is important to realize that the EU development policy is both an expression of solidarity with the developing countries and an investment in the stability and prosperity of the EU itself.

In a videotaped message to the conference, European Commission Vice President for Budget and Human Resources Kristalina Georgieva said that Europe is an economic powerhouse and even after seven years of crisis it still produces 20 per cent of the world's gross domestic product. The EU contributes half of the world's development funding and humanitarian aid. "We do it because our citizens want us to do it," Georgieva remarked.

Despite the difficulties in the last few years, Europe offers much better living conditions than the conditions available to hundreds of millions of people in countries affected by poverty, hunger, conflicts and disasters, she said. "When the people have no food, shelter and hope, when they have no jobs, when they see their children die of hunger, this creates conditions for extremist sentiment, and therefore fighting against poverty is fighting for peace and stability, for prosperity in the world," Georgieva said.