We have the right and the chance to vote for members of the European Parliament this Sunday. However, it is difficult to navigate in the platforms (where existing) parties registered in participation. Thus, with the Bulgarian Startup Association (BESCO), we went to explore which has an opinion on the subjects which concern the development of innovative ecosystems across Europe and in Bulgaria too.
For Besco, it was an opportunity to put the ecosystem subjects on the agenda of politicians. For us, this is an opportunity to observe to what extent candidates for members of the European Parliament are aware of the problems and concerns within the innovative European ecosystem. Besco tried to organize meetings with most of the games, and we have prepared questions that we have sent to each game. The only answers in our mailbox come from “Pat Na Mladite”, from the Digital Economy Commissioner and the company Maria Gabriel (Gerb), and the assistant of Eva Maydell de Gerb (no direct answers to the questions asked). The other declarations below were made during meetings face to face with Besco. Note that the answers are not always simple, so we have chosen the most relevant statements in written and verbal interviews.
I hope this summary will help you make your decision on May 26.
Democratic Bulgaria
Democratic Bulgaria, a coalition of DA, Bulgaria! (Yes, Bulgaria), Demokrati Za Silna Bulgaria (Democrats for a strong Bulgaria) and the Bulgarian Green Party, aims to position itself as the party in the technological sector. Indeed, during a public meeting, we had the chance to meet some of the candidates (not the Spitzenkandidat Radan Kanev) who seem well prepared with regard to digitization, startups, patent law, financial instruments. Even if it is not in the list, the coalition has experts in the technological field and also founders of startups. We met Stefan Tafrov, Emil Georgiev and Alina Dobreva. MEP candidates said they support the Juncker plan, but think it is difficult to be implemented in Bulgaria. In general, they support the mobilization of private and public capital for the support of innovative companies. However, they consider it a priority to avoid fiscal harmonization, which, in their opinion, will be a drawback for the Bulgarian economy. The development of the digital single market is an important subject for candidates. One of the subjects that broke out in conversations was an implementation of the only European patent. They also expressed their desire to work for the unification of rules with crowdfunding across Europe. According to Tafrov, there is also too much bureaucracy in the EU, which is a burden for the innovative European company.
The absence of a rule of law is also a subject for the coalition and they see electronic discourse and a system for monitoring political practices as a solution.
Pat na mladite
Pat Na Mladite was the first part that Besco met and the first to submit official declarations. Our partners met Rumen Cholakov, Nikola Apostolov, Tsvetelina Panchalieva and Kristina Velkova. Rumen Cholakov is a lawyer, Kristina Velkova is co -founder of a startup, Nikola Apostolov is a consultant in digital transformation, and they seem to understand the problems of innovative ecosystems. Apostolov supports the idea of the Junker plan because and unlike the subsees, it focuses on more effective instruments such as venture capital and debt, and this encourages SMEs to take more risks, develop new commercial models and innovative technologies and disrupt existing markets.
Apostolov thinks that if Europe wants to compete with the United States and China in terms of innovation, there should be a unification of innovative ecosystems and also the creation of digital single markets. “This is why we need a coordinated European policy to ensure that Europe has the ingredients necessary to produce the next technology champions: financing, research, talent, integrated market and good administrative environment,” he wrote.
We also asked about 5G. Apostolov sees the reason why Europe is lagging behind in this area in market fragmentation. According to him, the fifth generation network has great potential for European innovation. He also thinks that the EU should adjust its competition policy in the industry in order to authorize more rings if necessary. However, he expresses concerns about the largest equipment supplier – the Chinese Huawei and the security of European networks.
Wreath
Spitzenkandidat here is the commissioner of the digital economy and the company Maria Gabriel, who sent us long and detailed answers on Friday evening. Part of the list is also MP Eva Maydell, who has established himself as a defender of entrepreneurship and digitization. The two supported the allied for startups initiative Europe <3 startups!
They expressed their desire to establish a working group which would represent the founders of startups in conversations with various administrators of the European Commission.
Gabriel and Maydell see startups as a key factor in the development of digitization in Europe and are aware of the need to create an environment that helps each startup in Europe to be able to act on a global scale and have better potential to become a “unicorn”. Maydell is also one of the initiators of the European startup manifesto and the European scale manifesto.
Gabriel says that it supports the Juncker plan which has already given great results and thinks that the two main factors for the subsequent development of the European start -up ecosystem are funding and interconnection. Innovation should be financially stimulated by various financing vehicles, but also financial instruments that mobilize private capital and the construction of a well -connected network of digital innovation poles across Europe. With regard to education and fill the deficit in digital skills, the commissioner believes that the Member States should first work at the national level, but coordination in the EU is also necessary.
Asked about the potential and threats of 5G, Gabriel underlines the role of the network for the subsequent development of the digital economy in Europe. In addition, it considers Europe as a world leader in 5G. Gabriel stresses that EU companies direct worldwide in terms of combined income from 5G equipment sales. The Chinese company Huawei is not mentioned and it does not express any concern for security. For Gabriel, it is also important that the Member States finalize the spectrum assignments required over time, in order to activate the launch of 5G services throughout the EU by the end of 2020. (
Vmro
Besco also met Angel Dzhambazki, the Spitzenkandidat of the Nationalist Party VMRO, and another candidate for deputy Carlos Contrera and have transcribed their answers. From what we read, we would say that the party uses a well -known superficial rhetoric concerning innovation subjects. Dzhambazki and Contrera said they support the Juncker plan but are skeptical about its implementation. They agree that innovative companies should rather be supported by investment in equity and financial instruments, instead of subsidies. Education is also a subject for VMRO and candidates think that financing for education should be based on performance and quality, not on the quantity of students. At the same time, the party is rather interested in educating the least educated groups. Generally, candidates have expressed opinion that to prosper the innovation economy must reduce administrative expenses and few regulations. “At European level, the regulatory framework must be modified. It is full of regulations that are not necessary, “said Dzhambazki without giving more information.
An interesting and specific statement of this declaration is linked to military investments. According to Spitzenkandidat, Bulgaria must invest money in military technology through start-ups and create new jobs. As in Israel, the Ministry of Defense should work with start-ups. In addition, European countries should intensify trade with military technology within the EU.
Volt
Volt is a pan -European party which presents itself simultaneously in the European elections in several countries and Bulgaria is one of them. Besco met the candidate Zlatimira Tsolova.
Volt promises to work to ensure that public institutions in EU member states are reforming and use the latest technologies and increase the range of “single contact points” via digital platforms. Here are several other points that we have selected from the four -page test that followed the conversation. The party wants:
-Prioritizer the development of the digital single market, allowing businesses and start-ups to use the 500 million consumers and savings. There must be housing for emerging online forms of online organizations, as well as the potential for alternative commercial models such as cooperatives and mutuals.
– Create a really effective European open data platform. Improve the conviviality of data available on the EU open data portal, concerning areas such as mobility, smart cities, production and tourism to encourage data focused on data. And also develop a European “AI-DEMANDE” platform. The development of AI will require major investments to increase the technological and industrial capacity of the EU, both private and public sectors.
– In addition, VOLT sees the stimulation of VC, providential investments and SME investments in innovation in tax incentive mechanisms.
– Regarding education, Volt pleaded for digital technology, but also the education of general skills from kindergarten.
Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP)
The person who responded by the BSP is Georgi Pirinski, who is a current member of the European Parliament and also joined the Europe initiative <3 Startups. He told Besco that he supported the same legislative reform initiatives as they do. However, no other communication followed - neither with our partners, not with us, despite several reminders of us.
Dvizhenie Za Prava I SVOBODI (DPS)
We have all looked for them, but we never received an answer.
Volya
Although he is quite proactive and expressing his desire to participate in this material by subjecting answers, the petrol party with low budget and the entrepreneur of Veselin Mareshki drugs, claimed that they had no questions. We sent them the questions twice.