Bulgaria hopes Kosovo will be obstacle to no EU state for Sofia summit

The 28 member states of the European Union have agreed to the text of the declaration that will be adopted 17 May at the EU-Western Balkans summit in Sofia, Bulgarian EU Presidency Minister Llyiana Pavlova has said in Brussels.

Pavlova was speaking after attending the Enlargement Day conference organised by the European Committee of the Regions.

The Western Balkans summit in May has been a project pilot for Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borisov, whose country holds the EU Council's rotary Presidency in the first part of 2018, but has not gone smoothly. Weeks ago there was a threat to boycott by five states opposing Kosovo's treatment as an independent state, reports “sofoglobe”.

Mariano Rajoy, prime minister of Spain, one of the countries that does not recognise Kosovo's independence, will take part in the dinner of EU leaders in Sofia on the evening of May 16th, but it is still unclear whether he will attend the summit one day later, according to a report by Brussels from Bulgarian public television.

“Unit of 28 states is important in this process”, Pavlova said.

“I believe that ultimately unity will prevail, on behalf of unity, regardless of the differences we have, for example for the recognition of Kosovo. We have more goals to achieve, so I strongly hope that we will find a compromise option so that everyone can participate, each in its format, of course”, she said, transmits Koha.net.

She stressed that the goal of the meeting is to confirm the political will for the invisibility of the enlargement process.

The declaration is expected to affirm the European prospects of Western Balkan countries.

Participants are expected to adopt related statements about connection, security and the fight against organised crime, and in favour of rule of law. Bulgaria hopes to have specific memorandums on some of these topics.

The European Commission and the EU Council Presidency were among those who, during the Conference on Enlargement Day organised by the European Committee of Regions ( The CoR stressed that the success of the next phase of EU enlargement will largely depend on cities and regions, Koha.net broadcasts.

Karl-Heinz Lambert, president of the CoR, said: “EU membership in the future is a tangible reality for the Western Balkans, but political commitment is required from each level of governance”.

“The EU should help establish a Local Administrationist to help sub-nationalist levels work together with their EU friends”, he added.

Pavlova presented progress on EU priorities for the Western Balkans and said: the enlargement process represents a strategic investment in peace, democracy, prosperity, security and stability in Europe”.

“Bulgaria recognises the high value of being part of the EU, which has contributed greatly to the country's development and economic growth, respectively, to the well-being of our citizens”, she added.

I am pleased that the Bulgarian Presidency has achieved one of our main goals and that the European perspective of the Western Balkans is now high in the EU agenda, because the Western Balkans is a region of high potential, economies in the region are growing rapidly, and deepening relations between the EU and the countries in the region is mutual interest”, Pavlova said.