Bulgaria has officially reconfirmed its unwavering support for Kosovo’s European integration track, explicitly stating that Prishtina can look to Sofia as a key partner on its journey toward joining both the European Union and the Council of Europe (CoE).
The high-level diplomatic commitments were finalized during a bilateral meeting between Bulgaria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Velislava Petrova, and Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Glauk Konjufca. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) ministerial summit currently being hosted in Sofia.
A Roadmap for Post-Election Cooperation
According to an official press release from the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry, Sofia aims to share its institutional experience and legislative “lessons” learned during its own accession processes to help expedite Prishtina’s integration efforts.
The next phase of this strategic partnership is expected to involve direct leadership from both nations’ executive branches:
- Prime Ministerial Summit: Minister Petrova noted that a formal visit between the Prime Ministers of Bulgaria and Kosovo is being planned.
- Timeline: This critical bilateral summit is slated to take place immediately after the new regular government is officially constituted in Prishtina.
Deepening Bilateral Ties
Both foreign ministers highly praised the excellent political dialogue between Bulgaria and Kosovo, expressing a mutual readiness to expand bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors of economic and geopolitical interest.
“Kosovo can fundamentally rely on Sofia for advancing its EU integration process as well as its bids for membership in vital Euro-Atlantic structures like the Council of Europe,” Petrova emphasized in the statement.
The Bulgarian side underscored that the upcoming prime ministerial meeting will provide a powerful new momentum to practical, cross-border projects and further cement the diplomatic alliance between the two Balkan nations.
