site.btaOutgoing Deputy Foreign Minister Takes Part in EU General Affairs Council Meeting

Outgoing Deputy Foreign Minister Elena Shekerletova took part in the first regular meeting for the year of the General Affairs Council of the European Union (EU), held in Brussels, the Foreign Ministry said in a press release on Monday.

At the start of the meeting, the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU presented its priorities, aimed at building a more autonomous EU by reducing strategic dependencies and strengthening the EU’s capacity to act effectively on the international stage. The main priorities highlighted included Ukraine, the new Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), competitiveness and economic growth, security and defence, migration, and enlargement.

Shekerletova expressed Bulgaria’s support for the outlined priorities, stressing the importance of adopting the new Multiannual Financial Framework, within which the Common Agricultural Policy and Cohesion Policy should be preserved. She also emphasized the need for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine to remain among the leading priorities on the EU agenda. In this context, Bulgaria once again underlined the vital role of the Black Sea region and the need for comprehensive support to address both the direct and indirect consequences of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, as well as the timely implementation of the EU’s New Strategic Approach for the Black Sea. On enlargement, Shekerletova welcomed the Cypriot Presidency’s commitment to upholding the leading role of the merit-based principle and the established methodology of the EU enlargement process.

During the meeting, the Council also held its first discussion of the Democracy Package, including communications on the European Democracy Shield and the EU Civil Society Strategy. In her statement, Shekerletova highlighted the added value of the European Democracy Shield as a framework for better coordination between national policies and European initiatives, as well as for encouraging the exchange of good practices and the development of joint analyses and guidelines.

The Council also reviewed the rule of law reports on Denmark, Estonia, Spain, and Greece.

Later in the day, Shekerletova also represented Bulgaria at the EU-Montenegro Intergovernmental Conference, during which chapter 32 on financial Control of Montenegro’s EU accession negotiations was provisionally closed.