Round Table
Corruption without Boundaries: The Links between Corruption and Organized crime in the European Union, 16 November 2010
Opening remarks, Mr. Anastas Anastasov, Deputy of the National Assembly
Today’s round table focusing on the links between corruption and organized crime is of great significance because of the topic of the discussion and its format. The Internal Security and Public Order Committee is pleased to co-host the event which provides continuity in the dialogue between institutions and civil society.
It is beyond doubt that combat against corruption and organized crime is among the priorities of the executive and judicial branches as well as the legislature represented by the 41 National Assembly. National security, citizens’ protection and the dialogue with our European partners are dependant of the effectiveness of this combat. This is why all Bulgarian institutions are bound to complete the necessary reforms and achieve the initially set goals. The solution to identified problems requires an expert consensus on the type and levels of threats as well as assessment of the effectiveness of undertaken measures.
I would like to emphasize that this report was presented at three forums on corruption and organized crime in Brussels. It was presented not only before the European Commission and representatives of the Foreign Ministries of member states but also at a hearing of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) of the European Parliament.
In my opinion the carrying out of such an analysis has not only a practical value added to European institutions and Bulgarian law-enforcement bodies. The fact that it was coordinated and managed by a Bulgarian expert team from the Center for the Study of Democracy gives us self-confidence that we should demonstrate more often as a member state of the EU.
It is a positive sign that the Ministry of the Interior and numerous law-enforcement bodies have a reliable partner in the person of the Bulgarian Parliament. In this connection I would like to wish productive work to the participants in today’s event and express the readiness of the National Security and Public Order Committee to support events and exchange of expertise that serve the interest of the Bulgarian society.
