Bulgaria rejects push to end unanimity rule in EU foreign policy

ISTANBUL

Bulgaria opposes efforts to remove the unanimity requirement in the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev said in a written response to parliament.

Replying to a question from MP Zlatan Zlatanov of the Vazrazhdane party, Georgiev said Sofia has consistently defended the current system, arguing that unanimity allows the EU to act decisively on geopolitical challenges while respecting the national sensitivities of all member states, BTA news reported on Wednesday.

“By making decisions unanimously, the EU clearly demonstrates its ability to act decisively in response to the numerous geopolitical challenges of recent years while taking into account the national sensitivities of member states,” Georgiev said.

He added that decisions adopted by qualified majority voting (QVM),“generally do not reflect the same level of political commitment,” stressing that the inclusive approach ensures the long-term effectiveness and legitimacy of EU actions.

QVM is a method that enables decisions to pass without full consensus, provided 55% of member states representing at least 65% of the EU population approve.

“In the current complex geopolitical situation, it is extremely important for the EU to maintain its unity, taking into account the interests of all member states,” he said, noting that strong political backing and democratic legitimacy remain essential for foreign policy decisions.

The comments came after EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos proposed limiting unanimity only to decisions on opening or closing accession negotiations with candidate countries. Under her proposal, technical negotiations and related measures could proceed without approval from all 27 EU members.