site.btaForeign Minister Georgiev: Bulgaria Opposes Proposal to Remove Unanimity Requirement for EU Foreign Policy Decisions

Bulgaria consistently opposes proposals to remove the requirement for unanimity in decision-making within the framework of the European Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev said in response to a question from MP Zlatan Zlatanov from Vazrazhdane, published on the parliament’s website.

By making decisions unanimously, the EU clearly demonstrates its ability to act decisively in response to the numerous geopolitical challenges of recent years while taking into account the national sensitivities of member states, the minister notes. According to him, this inclusive approach ensures the long-term nature and effectiveness of the decisions. Decisions made by qualified majority generally do not reflect the same level of political commitment, Georgiev adds in his response.

 “We believe that in the current complex geopolitical situation, it is extremely important for the EU to maintain its unity, taking into account the interests of all member states, while applying an inclusive approach that ensures a high level of political support from the member states and democratic legitimacy of EU decisions,” The Foreign Minister also notes.

EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos proposed a week ago that only the decisions regarding the start and end of negotiations with candidate countries for accession be adopted unanimously. According to Kos, the EU Council should consider the proposal to limit unanimous voting and allow the conduct of technical negotiations and the implementation of technical measures without necessarily requiring agreement from all 27 EU countries.