site.btaForeign Minister Georgiev Discusses EU Enlargement Process with French Counterpart

At a meeting with his French counterpart in Paris on Tuesday, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev stressed the importance of the EU enlargement process retaining the principle of own merits and the strict implementation of the membership criteria and the established conditions. Georgiev and Jean-Noel Barrot held talks at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Georgiev's Ministry reported.

"EU enlargement is an effective instrument for ensuring stability, security and prosperity in our neighbourhood and, in this sense, it is strategically important for Bulgaria and the whole European Union," Minister Georgiev noted. 

The Bulgarian Foreign Minister also thanked France for the key role it played during its Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2022 in developing the European Consensus, which enabled the adoption of the negotiating framework for the Republic of North Macedonia. 

"Bulgaria counts on France and all EU Member States to adhere to these principles with regard to the candidate countries of the Union," the Bulgarian Foreign Minister added. 

Georgiev expressed gratitude for France's consistent support for Bulgaria's accession to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the euro area. 

"The relations between Bulgaria and France are based on mutual trust and understanding. France is one of our most important partners and strategic allies with whom we have an active dialogue and cooperation at all levels in areas of common interest, both bilaterally and within the EU and NATO," Georgiev further said. 

He expressed the hope that the new roadmap of the 2008 Bulgarian-French Strategic Partnership will be signed soon. "The finalisation of this strategically important document for our partnership will further strengthen bilateral relations, filling them with new content in many areas of cooperation," Minister Georgiev said. He invited his counterpart to visit Bulgaria for the document's signing.

The two foreign ministers discussed the positive dynamics of trade and economic relations between Bulgaria and France and agreed that there is potential for a more visible presence of French companies and investors in Bulgaria and for greater cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence, cyber security, data centres, especially given France's leading role in this field. Joint activities in the field of military-technical cooperation and energy were also highlighted as particularly important elements of bilateral cooperation. 

The sides also discussed important topics on the European and international agenda, such as continued European support for Ukraine, EU enlargement and the situation in the Middle East.

The Bulgarian Foreign Minister is in Paris on Tuesday and Wednesday to attend the annual OECD 2025 Ministerial Council Meeting. The forum is held under the theme "Leading the Way Towards Resilient, Inclusive, and Sustainable Prosperity Through Rules-Based Trade, Investment and Innovation,” and will provide an opportunity to present Bulgaria's progress in the process of joining the organisation.