site.btaBulgarian Ambassador in Belgrade: It Is Not Appropriate for Serbia to Set Deadline for Opening Cluster 3 in EU Accession Talks

Interviewed by BTA's correspondent in Belgrade, Bulgaria's Ambassador Petko Doykov said it was not appropriate for Serbia to set a deadline for opening Cluster 3 in the negotiations with the EU. The Bulgarian diplomat emphasized that Serbia must adhere to the principle of merit-based progress in fulfilling the criteria for full EU membership.

Serbia has been an EU candidate country since 2012, but in recent months, it has not opened any new clusters in the accession negotiations. In early December 2024, eight EU Member States, including Bulgaria, blocked the opening of Cluster 3 for Belgrade. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic responded by accusing the EU of "punishing" Serbia for not being "obedient enough." Cluster 3, which focuses on Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth, encompasses eight negotiating chapters.

In addition to Serbia's EU integration, Ambassador Doykov also discussed the work of the Bulgarian diplomatic mission and the key priorities in Bulgarian-Serbian relations during his more than four-year tenure in Belgrade.

Serbia's EU integration hinges on reforms and delivery on commitments

A key element of Bulgaria's position is that Serbia's progress on the long and challenging path to full EU membership should be based on its own merits in meeting established criteria and fulfilling its commitments, Bulgarian Ambassador Petko Doykov told BTA's correspondent in Belgrade.

"In this sense, I do not consider it appropriate to set a deadline for opening Cluster 3 in the negotiations with Serbia," Doykov added. He was questioned if the cluster could realistically be opened by the end of July, as recently suggested by Ana Brnabic, Speaker of the Serbian National Assembly.

Ambassador Doykov also noted that, beyond meeting the specific requirements of this cluster, the overall pace of Serbia's accession process depends on progress in key areas such as the rule of law, normalization of relations with Kosovo, and alignment with EU decisions and positions on matters of Common Foreign and Security Policy.

"At the same time, from our point of view, much still needs to be done on Serbia's part to ensure the effective implementation of the constitutionally guaranteed rights of the Bulgarian national minority," said the Bulgarian diplomat. "This also includes adherence to good neighbourly relations and addressing cross-border environmental challenges."

"We have repeatedly expressed our readiness to hold an open and constructive dialogue with our Serbian counterparts on all issues where we see insufficient progress, and to work towards solutions, especially when it comes to the rights of the Bulgarian minority in areas including education and media access," Doykov added.

"Last but not least, we view with concern the escalating internal political confrontation, including rising tensions between protesters and law enforcement, which risks further delaying reforms," the Bulgarian Ambassador noted. He stressed that "Bulgaria consistently supports EU enlargement through the accession of countries from the Western Balkans region."

The focus in bilateral relations is on Bulgarians in Serbia

Asked by BTA about the key priorities in the relations between Bulgaria and Serbia, Ambassador Doykov said that the focus is on "maintaining an active political dialogue, developing practical cooperation in areas of mutual interest, countering anti-Bulgarian rhetoric in Serbia's public space, and our proactive policy to support and preserve the Bulgarian national minority in Serbia."

In the past four years, Bulgaria has provided funding for a number of projects in Serbia under the Bulgarian government's Official Development Assistance programme. In coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sofia, the Embassy ensured maximum visibility of the projects' results in Serbian society, Doykov said. During that period, the Bulgarian mission in Belgrade has served as the contact embassy for NATO in Serbia.

The development of transport connections marked significant progress in bilateral relations in the past four years, including the modernization of the Nis-Tsaribrod railway, with a Bulgarian company as the contractor, as well as the construction and commissioning of the natural gas interconnector, the diplomat said. According to official data, two-way trade increased between 2020 and 2023, reaching about EUR 2 billion in 2024.

A significant achievement in 2024 was the completion of the Zvonce-Babusnica road in Southeastern Serbia, an agreement for which was reached within the top-level political dialogue. "The construction of the final stretch of this road became possible in part due to the numerous meetings and discussions I held with representatives of the Serbian presidential administration and the authorities in Babusnica," Ambassador Doykov said.

Support and projects for the Bulgarian minority in Serbia

Asked by BTA's correspondent about initiatives related to the Bulgarian national minority in Serbia, Ambassador Doykov said that "the situation of Bulgarians in the country is one of the Embassy's priorities."

"During the COVID pandemic, representatives of our minority were exempt from the border crossing restrictions, and in 2022, thanks to my personal efforts, the practice of medical check-ups at the Military Medical Academy in Sofia, which had existed before, was reinstated," the Ambassador said.

In more than four years, an exchange of visits took place between folk dance ensembles and theatre troupes, there were trips and children's camps in Bulgaria, Doykov added.

The Bulgarian diplomat specifically highlighted efforts for the successful operation of Sunday schools in Tsaribrod, Belgrade, Pancevo, Ivanovo and Omoljica, funded through a national programme titled "Native Language and Culture Abroad" of the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science.

Ambassador Doykov said that in 2024, he held a series of meetings with representatives of Bulgarian organizations and official Serbian institutions to expedite the publication of Bulgarian language textbooks for students from the Bulgarian national minority, aiming to provide quality education in their mother tongue.

"I have tried to stand by the Bulgarians in Serbia during difficult times and to defend their interests. On November 8, 2023, after 23 copies of the book Elegy for the Kraishte by the former Consul General in Nis, Edvin Sugarev, were confiscated and a criminal case was opened against Ivan Nikolov, Chairman of the Cultural Information Centre (CIC) in Bosilegrad, Edvin Sugarev and three other Bulgarian citizens were barred from entering Serbia. I was present at the event in CIC - Bosilegrad, where Sugarev's book was presented despite those circumstances," Ambassador Doykov said.

The Bulgarian diplomat recalled another case from 2024 and 2025 when he supported representatives of the Bulgarian minority in Serbia. "At that time, efforts were made to ensure the continued operation of the bilingual portal FAR and media coverage in the interest of the Bulgarian national community in Serbia," the diplomat said.

"In conclusion, I can say that challenges in high-level Bulgarian-Serbian relations do exist and will continue to exist, but our job as diplomats is to find solutions, not just to point out problems," Ambassador Doykov said.