Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Bulgaria on Saturday, despite the complicated internal political situation in Germany in regard to the forming of the new governing coalition. Her purpose was to get personally informed on the intentions of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of EU. Any concerns that some unfavorable development of the situation in Germany could have had its eventual negative impact on the support, voiced by Mrs. Merkel to Bulgaria’s Presidency are now ungrounded, as the German social democrats decided to uphold the negotiations for a broad ruling coalition on Sunday.

French Minister for European Affairs Nathalie Loiseau also expressed her support for the Bulgarian Presidency at a Friday-held visit to Sofia. While Paris was hosting the talks between Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron, in Sofia Minister Loiseau pointed out that the Bulgarian priorities for a safer, more stable and solidity Union echoed France’s proposals for a sovereign, united and democratic Europe.

What might be the practical meaning of the support for the Bulgarian Council of EU Presidency, declared by the two great powers?

Obviously both guests were not affected by the latest media publications, exposing shocking high-level corruption, endless poverty, breaches of environmental regulations etc. Germany and France still recognize the acting government in Sofia as a legitimate partner.

Both parties’ statements displayed clear support for the Presidency’s major priorities – those had been resumed at different level and on different occasions in December last year. According to its declarations, the government will work mostly for the opening of more jobs; for growth and competitiveness; for an EU which will protect all of its citizens; for an energy union with a climate policy aimed at the future and for a union of freedom, security and justice.

At the same time Mrs. Merkel welcomed not only the major priorities, but also the additional initiative of PM Borissov for a meeting of the EC with Turkey’s President Recep Erdogan with the purpose of bilateral relations’ normalization. When she expressed her gratitude for the efforts of Bulgaria with regard to the securing of the EU’s external borders, Mrs. Merkel prompted that the Bulgarian government might rely on German support for a stricter policy towards migration. PM Borissov had been pleading for that for a long time, not always facing enough understanding and support. The Presidency’s intentions to accelerate the integration of the Western Balkans will face German solidarity as well. The EU plans for funding of the construction of highways, railways and harbors across the Balkans were said by Borissov to be valuable contribution to connectivity, tourism development and movement of cargos and goods in the region.

The Paris view that the priorities of the Bulgarian Presidency echoed on its proposals most likely suggested support for each effort of the Council of EU Presidency to add new dynamics to the European project. There are bilateral stances coinciding in this direction, especially in terms of labor market’s reforms, European defense and military industry policies, as well as in view to the European asylum policy.

English version: Zhivko Stanchev