Bulgaria’s President Rumen Radev urged Hungary to persuade North Macedonia to adopt constitutional changes as a prerequisite for EU membership. Speaking after a meeting with Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok, Radev emphasized that Bulgaria continues to lead efforts on EU enlargement in the Western Balkans, supporting neighboring countries while insisting that progress must be judged on its own merits.

Radev highlighted the close historical and cultural ties between Bulgaria and Hungary, describing their partnership as exemplary. He noted that Hungary is among Bulgaria’s largest foreign investors and that bilateral trade is steadily increasing. The Bulgarian president also pointed to shared EU positions on connectivity as a key driver for economic growth, and praised Hungary’s cooperation on energy projects, including new interconnectors and gas supply diversification.

The Bulgarian leader expressed gratitude for Hungary’s backing of Bulgaria’s Schengen accession and for its recognition of the memory of Bulgarian soldiers from World War II. He also noted the inclusion of Bulgarian gardening traditions in Hungary’s register of intangible cultural heritage, underscoring the active role of the Bulgarian community there.

On broader regional matters, Radev spoke about Bulgaria’s rational, diplomacy-driven stance on the conflict in Ukraine, referencing the forthcoming meeting in Budapest between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. He framed Bulgaria’s position as one advocating peace and stability through negotiation and dialogue.