Sweden Symbolically Hands over EU Presidency to Spain in Sofia

Right to left: Spanish Ambassador Fuentes, Sweden Ambassador Beijer, Chair of the Bulgarian Atlantic Club Passy, and Bulgaria's Foreign Minister and new EU Commissioner, Rumiana Jeleva. Photo by BGNES

Sweden symbolically “handed over” the chairing of the EU Presidency to Spain in Sofia on Friday during a joint lecture of the two countries’ Ambassadors to Bulgaria.

The event in which Swedish Ambassador Paul Beijer spoke about the outgoing EU Presidency and Spanish Ambassador Jorje Fuentes – about the period in the first six months of 2010, was opened by Bulgarian Foreign Minister, Rumiana Jeleva, who later the same day was named EU Commissioner in charge of international cooperation.

The joint lecture of the two Ambassadors was entitled “The Lisbon Treaty and the New European Priorities after 2009 and 2010”; it was organized by the Atlantic Club of Bulgaria.

Spanish Ambassador Fuentes said Spain’s goals for its six-month Presidency in 2010 had to do with guaranteeing the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty, the fight against the economic crisis, and dealing with social problems such unemployment and illegal immigration.

His Excellency said Spain hoped to manage to open and potentially close 3-4 new champers in Turkey’s negotiation for EU accession.

The Spanish Presidency of 2010 will be the first one after the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, which will also work together with the first EU President and High Representative on Foreign Policy.

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