PM Radev and European Council President Costa Discuss EU Budget, Defence, Connectivity, and Enlargement

Prime Minister Rumen Radev and European Council President António Costa discussed key issues on the European agenda in Sofia – the multiannual financial framework, security and defence, technological sovereignty, connectivity and the enlargement of the European Union.

Radev described the meeting as very productive and stressed the need for European countries to seek common solutions to the many crises facing the Union.

“As you know, Europe is facing many different crises today, and this requires all of us, the member states, to remain committed, to have the strong will and to seek workable and rational solutions to overcome these crises. During today’s discussion, we addressed issues related to the multiannual financial framework, the enlargement of the European Union, ensuring Europe’s security in these changing times, European technological sovereignty and the rapid spread of artificial intelligence into all areas of public and economic life. When we talk about the multiannual financial framework, we have to recognise that this is a major test for the Union, because we have high ambitions to achieve many objectives, but resources are nevertheless limited. And we fully understand and support the Union’s vision of having a strong focus on competitiveness and the security of the European Union, particularly in an increasingly unpredictable world. But, of course, this must not come at the expense of funding important policies such as enlargement, cohesion and economic policy, which in fact guarantee the unity of the Union and are extremely important instruments for having a united and prosperous Union that can face all these challenges together.”

The Prime Minister stressed the need for all member states to have equal access to European instruments for technological and industrial development. He proposed introducing the concept of “industrial cohesion”.

“This is actually what I proposed to Mr Costa – that we should also think about a new term, ‘industrial cohesion’. Rather than talking only about cohesion, as we have done so far – the traditional cohesion through social programmes and infrastructure – this would be a form of cohesion that enables all member states to participate in principle, and to participate on an equal footing, in Europe’s technological and industrial development.”

European defence was also discussed. Radev stressed that strengthening security requires joint scientific, technological and industrial efforts.

“When we talked about defence, we must stress that all the challenges we face in the security sphere require us to pool our efforts – scientific, technological and industrial.”

Other topics included European connectivity – transport, energy and digital. Radev pointed to Bulgaria’s strategic position along future transport and energy corridors.

European Council President António Costa, for his part, said that 2026 was a very important year for both Bulgaria and Europe.

“2026 is a milestone year for the European Union – you adopted and introduced the euro one year after becoming a full member of Schengen. 2026 is also decisive because by the end of the year we need to have approved our long-term budget for the period up to 2034. This is fundamental to ensuring continued investment for those who are building Europe’s prosperity.”

Costa stressed that cohesion policy was extremely important for Europe’s prosperity.

Photos: BTA

“The next budget will have an entirely new architecture. It has been designed for, and intended for, the world we live in today, very different from the current budget, which was agreed back in 2020. The new reality requires a new approach to our common budget, with a new structure and allocation of resources.”

Before arriving in Bulgaria, António Costa met with Romanian President Nicușor Dan in Bucharest. Following his visit to Sofia, Costa will travel to Athens, where he will meet with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.