Bulgaria supports the European future of the Western Balkans
11 May 2021 News
“I would like to say quite clearly that Bulgaria supports the European future of the Western Balkans. This support of ours found expression during the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU when the European perspective of the region was a key priority”, said Ambassador Dimitar Tsanchev, the Bulgarian Permanent Representative of the European Union, who represents Bulgaria at today’s regular meeting of the “General Affairs” Council.
“This support was displayed in our responsible conduct as a stabilizing factor in the region during the wars accompanying the breakup of former Yugoslavia. Bulgaria needs the least to be persuaded why the Western Balkans must one day become part of the EU. Unfortunately we face a problem. Yet, this is not a bipartite problem as some of you obviously think. It concerns the principles upon which the EU is founded and functions,” also said Ambassador Tsanchev.
According to his words, for the first time in the history of the enlargement, we face a situation when a candidate country insists on an equal footing with the Member States to determine by itself the conditions under which to enter the negotiations for its accession to the EU. “For the first time we have a candidate which declares its willingness to become a member of the EU but without giving up its state-building ideology from the communist era. For the first time we have a candidate which declares that it doesn’t consider itself obliged to fulfill the agreements it has signed with an EU member state,” indicated the Bulgarian Permanent Representative of the European Union.
In his speech Ambassador Tsanchev emphasized that such a behavour couldn’t be tolerated as it was an open challenge to the foundations of the EU. “If we permit it, then tomorrow another member state may decide wrongly that it is allowed to behave in the same way. The best which everyone in this hall who support the European future of the Western Balkans can do is to explain to this candidate country that the fundamental principles of the EU must be respected and that no exception will be made in this regards,” also said Dimitar Tsanchev.
The European Ministers discussed various aspects regarding how to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and the vaccination campaign in the Union. The messages highlighted the need to ensure the preparedness for the Member States, including through new vaccine contracts signed by the EC for the period 2022-2023. The Member States expressed their support for a swift agreement to be reached regarding the Digital Green Certificate Regulation as an opportunity to facilitating the free movement within the EU. An appeal was made for increased international solidarity by means of sharing vaccines with third countries.
The “General Affairs” Council prepared the meeting of the forthcoming extraordinary meeting of the European Council in the period 24-25 May 2021. The European leaders will discuss the fight against the climate changes, the counteraction to the COVID-19 pandemic, the relations with Russia, and the implementation of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement with Britain.
The Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU provided information regarding the work of the Conference on the Future of Europe. The official opening ceremony of the conference took place in Strasbourg on 9 May, Europe Day. This new discussion forum provides an opportunity to hear the voices of the European institutions and the Member States, as well as of the European citizens.