Bulgaria Links Defense Modernization with Economic Stimulus
Bulgaria is moving forward with plans to modernize its armed forces
The draft report on North Macedonia’s EU accession progress passed through the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs on June 24, following a postponed vote earlier this month. The decision was adopted with 40 votes in favor, 19 against, and 10 abstentions, according to BTA.
During the session, the committee blocked an oral amendment proposed by the European People’s Party (EPP) that sought to introduce the term “modern” before the phrase “Macedonian language and identity.” Though the proposal was denied procedurally at committee level, representatives from the EPP, along with Socialists, Liberals, and Greens, announced plans to reintroduce the same amendment in writing during the upcoming plenary session in Strasbourg, scheduled for July.
Committee Chair David McAllister emphasized the importance of ensuring that all parties are heard in the drafting of such reports. He also addressed recent criticism directed at the rapporteur, Austrian MEP Thomas Weitz, rejecting the idea that meeting with government officials from the concerned country constitutes wrongdoing. McAllister reminded his colleagues that a previous attempt to adopt a report on North Macedonia failed two years ago and expressed hope that the current draft would succeed in the plenary vote.
The delay in voting, originally scheduled earlier in June, stemmed from concerns over the rapporteur's impartiality. Allegations had surfaced that Weitz held multiple consultations with North Macedonian officials prior to finalizing the document. All 17 Bulgarian MEPs backed the motion to postpone the vote, citing the need for more balanced language and stronger protection of Bulgarian interests, particularly regarding the rights of Bulgarians in North Macedonia.
Bulgarian MEPs used the additional time to lobby for changes to the text that reflect Bulgaria’s national position. They underscored the need to ensure that any language surrounding identity and historical interpretation remains neutral and inclusive of Bulgarian concerns.
After the committee vote, Bulgarian MEP Radan Kanev from “We Continue the Change–Democratic Bulgaria” criticized the members who blocked the amendment. In a Facebook post, Kanev pointed directly at representatives from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s party, accusing them of obstructing the consensus around Bulgaria’s stance within the EU.
According to Kanev, while the EPP plans to reintroduce the amendment during the plenary vote, the current version of the report does not compel Bulgaria to alter its negotiating position. Still, he used the opportunity to highlight what he described as Orban’s role as a lone and open opponent of Bulgaria’s national interest in Europe.
Kanev further condemned the continued support that some Bulgarian politicians—particularly nationalists and figures from GERB and the presidency—extend to Orban, portraying it as misplaced admiration for someone whose party is actively working against a unified Bulgarian position in EU institutions.
The European Parliament has adopted the report on North Macedonia, authored by Austrian MEP Thomas Waitz, without any mention of the “Macedonian language and identity”
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