The European Parliament has been discussing the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic for the world order. A draft resolution to be voted on by MEPs states that the pandemic is a turning point on the international stage.
"The spread of the new disease multiplies the dangers and leads to a change in the world order," the resolution says.
The retention of particularly important information on the disease, as well as China's attempts to use "virus diplomacy" against the EU in an effort to build a global image of a well-wisher, is yet to be discussed.
In the face of the second wave of coronavirus, two-thirds of the European citizens are calling upon more Brussels’ competence and a budget with sufficient resources to tackle the crisis.
Last week the European Parliament published the full results of this year’s third sociological survey on the views of the European citizens concerning the coronavirus crisis and the European Union. Although 50% of the Europeans experience "uncertainty" as a key emotional state due to the negative economic impact of the pandemic, this poll shows that more people have a positive opinion of the EU than in the spring. In Bulgaria, the share of respondents who feel insecurity is below the EU average of 38%, while 42% of them representing a share well above the EU average, express hope of improving the situation.
It is of the utmost importance for EU citizens that European funds be allocated only to those Member States that have a functioning judicial system and a strong respect for common European democratic values. More than three-quarters of the respondents (77%) agree that the EU should only provide funds to Member States if their governments apply the rule of law and democratic principles. Bulgarian respondents reflect the same opinion and even exceed it by one percentage point – 78%. The main priority of spending according to European citizens must be public health (54%), followed by economic recovery and new business opportunities (42%), climate change and environmental protection (37%), as well as employment and social affairs (35%). The priority topics for the Bulgarian respondents are public health (53%), education and culture (49%), economic recovery and new business opportunities (48%), employment and social affairs (37%.)
