Politicians Discuss Western Balkans’ EU Integration with Commissioner Marta Kos

European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, met today, April 17, in Sofia with Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, President Rumen Radev, and took part—together with Vice President Iliana Iotova—in the forum "The EU Meets the Balkans."

The talks focused on the measures the European Commission has taken to speed up the enlargement process for the Western Balkans, Moldova and Ukraine

Following his meeting with Commissioner Kos, Prime Minister Zhelyazkov emphasised that the European future of the Western Balkans is a guarantee for prosperity and security, and also a bulwark againstthe influence of forces that aim at instability on the Old Continent. He stated that integration is not just a bureaucratic assessment, but a strategic choice.

Rosen Zhelyazkov – Prime Minister of Bulgaria:
"Bulgaria’s position is clear and consistent. We support the European path of each country in the Western Balkans, guided by the principles of individual approach and the progress achieved. Today, as Europe faces new challenges—military conflicts, hybrid threats, migration pressure, and energy insecurity—the integration of the Western Balkans is not merely an opportunity, but a responsibility of particular importance to Bulgaria and its government. Their accession will make the EU stronger, more resilient, and closer to its citizens."

Marta Kos – European Commissioner for Enlargement:
"Enlargement is a strategic goal for our Commission, and I thank Bulgaria for its consistent support of this vision, which includes all Western Balkan countries, as well as Ukraine and Moldova—and even Iceland, which has expressed interest in resuming negotiations. We need to overcome the fatigue on this issue, which is why the Commission is seeking to facilitate and accelerate the negotiations process."

Earlier in the day, in an interview for BNT’s morning programme, Commissioner Kos highlighted the need to revise the rules for EU membership, which are more than 30 years old.

"Around 1,000 people in Brussels are working specifically on each member state—and especially on Ukraine. We're moving two to three times faster now. With accelerated enlargement, a candidate country can be integrated into systems like SEPA and roaming even before full membership. Ukraine can be included in the European defense strategy. We must think outside the box and find new ideas on how to proceed to keep Europe united."

At the "EU Meets the Balkans" forum, Marta Kos also stressed the fact that we are in a phase where geopolitical competition is undermining efforts to consolidate democracy and threatens to turn the EU into a battleground of competing interests.

Vice President Iliana Iotova commented specifically on the Republic of north Macedonia, reiterating that Bulgaria does not put additional conditions to its membership negotiations and there are no unresolved bilateral issues blocking the process.

Iliana Yotova – Vice President of Bulgaria:
"This claim is part of the narrative coming from some in North Macedonia and, unfortunately, echoed by certain European politicians, suggesting that the process is blocked by both sides. What Bulgaria insists on is the respect of European criteria—the same criteria every other candidate country has followed, often at great cost and through difficult compromises. The negotiation framework agreed upon in 2022, based on the French proposal, does not include Bulgarian demands, but European membership standards."

President Rumen Radev emphasized to Commissioner Kos that for the enlargement process to be sustainable and irreversible, it must be based on the real fulfillment of the Copenhagen criteria, and that the principle of own merit must remain central to the evaluation of candidate countries.

Throughout her meetings in Sofia, Commissioner Kos also highlighted the benefits Bulgaria stands to gain from joining the eurozone.