Deputy Minister Ivanka Tasheva: Black Sea Security Must Be a Strategic Priority for the EU
13 October 2026 News
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivanka Tasheva attended the regular meeting of the European Union’s General Affairs Council, held today in Luxembourg. The main item on the agenda was preparations for the European Council meeting on 15–16 October 2026. The ministers also discussed a revised proposal for the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028–2034, issues relating to the rule of law in Hungary, and other matters.
Black Sea security must be a strategic priority for the European Union, Deputy Minister Tasheva stressed during the discussion on preparations for the European Council meeting. She briefed the ministers on the latest attacks against merchant vessels in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea, which took place in the early hours of 13 October this year. Ms Tasheva strongly condemned the strikes and expressed serious concern over the deteriorating security environment in the region. She emphasised the need for active diplomatic efforts to immediately restore freedom and safety of navigation, which are vital for grain exports and global food security.
Regarding Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine, Ivanka Tasheva highlighted the need to support diplomatic efforts to achieve peace and for the European Union to assume a more active role in the future peace process, in close coordination with the United States and Ukraine.
The competitiveness of the European economy and high energy and fuel prices were also among the main points raised by the Bulgarian Deputy Minister. She highlighted the need for the European Council to send a clear political signal on the importance of a coordinated European response to high energy prices. Possible measures could include retaining free allowances under the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) for as long as possible, or reviewing or postponing until at least 2030 the introduction of the new emissions trading system for buildings and road transport (ETS2), given the anticipated serious economic and social consequences for citizens and businesses, as well as the adverse impact on European competitiveness.
On the issue of migration, in the context of preparations for the forthcoming European Council meeting, Deputy Minister Ivanka Tasheva emphasised the need to strengthen the EU’s preventive approach and further enhance the capacity of frontline Member States by providing the necessary equipment, resources and funding.
In the context of the situation in the Middle East, the Bulgarian representative stressed that connectivity should remain high on the agenda for cooperation with the Gulf Cooperation Council. It should be viewed not only as an economic issue but also as a matter of European strategic resilience and economic security.
Deputy Minister Tasheva stressed the need to maintain funding levels for cohesion policy and the Common Agricultural Policy in the EU budget for 2028–2034. She expressed regret that the Irish Presidency’s proposal offered no tangible improvement regarding the highly regressive nature of the proposed new EU own resources, which would place a disproportionately heavy financial burden on Member States such as Bulgaria. Bulgaria will continue to participate constructively in discussions on the EU budget to strike the right balance between its various components, safeguarding the interests of both the Union and its Member States.