As a full member of the eurozone, Bulgaria will participate in the decisions and policies of the European Central Bank and the financial institutions of the monetary union, said Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikolay Pavlov at a discussion dedicated to the priorities of the Cypriot presidency of the Council of the European Union, which began on January 1, 2026.
In his words, in this way we will guarantee our financial stability and prosperity and contribute to the pan-European financial project, BNT pointed out.
The beginning of the Cypriot presidency coincides with an important stage for our country - Bulgaria's transition to the single European currency. This is our strategic choice, which strengthens our country's place at the heart of a united and strong Europe, commented Pavlov.
In the conditions of the changed global political environment, strengthening cooperation and introducing measures in the field of defense and security at the EU level are emerging as common goals. We support the priorities of the Cyprus Presidency in the field of security and defense. We welcome the vision of the Presidency for creating a strong European defense industry, which is an essential factor in ensuring strategic needs and is essential for security in Europe, said Pavlov.
We share the need for more efforts to increase defense spending, as well as to increase investments in the European defense industry, said the Deputy Minister.
Russian aggression against Ukraine should remain among the main priorities. Support for finding a diplomatic solution by preserving the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine is of priority importance. It is of fundamental importance to maintain maximum unity in the EU and the EU's participation in negotiations on issues that concern us, commented Pavlov.
Recognizing the stabilizing and transformative role of the EU enlargement policy, we welcome the commitment of the Cypriot Presidency to uphold the leading role of the principle of own merits and the established methodology of the Union enlargement process, said Pavlov. Regarding the Republic of North Macedonia, our position remains clear and consistent. Bulgaria is committed to the European Consensus of July 2022 and has no additional conditions, except for the strict implementation of all its aspects, said Nikolay Pavlov.