European Council

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will meet European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on May 25 on the sidelines of a NATO meeting in Brussels, as they bid to calm recent bilateral strife and inject some positivity into the ties.

In a letter addressed to the Bulgarian president, the German head of state Angela Merkel had announced that the effective defense of the Bulgarian state boarders are of crucial importance for the overall interest of the EU, reports the Standart newspaper. The Chancellor also mentions how highly she appreciates Bulgaria`s efforts in this course.

European Council President Donald Tusk, who will oversee the negotiations that will take Britain out of the EU, said on May 17 he wanted other member states to be fair towards London, while retaining their unity.

At a meeting in Brussels with European Council President Donald Tusk, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva confirmed that European and Euro-Atlantic orientation was a top priority for the Bulgarian government, reported BNR.

The two discussed  the situation in the Western Balkans and, in particular, the latest developments in Macedonia.

Turkey's EU Minister Ömer Çelik will travel to Brussels and Strasbourg on May 9, where he is expected to hold meetings with the bloc's foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini, European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans, and Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland, after a period of high tension between the EU and Ankara. 

Jean-Claude Juncker has accused Britain of “abandoning” the EU and joked that the English language is “losing its importance in Europe” because of Brexit.

Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, on Thursday warned Theresa May and Mr Juncker that Brexit negotiations could become “impossible” if they become “emotional”.

The winner of Bulgaria’s parliamentary election, the center-right GERB party, named ministers on Wednesday for a coalition government that will see its leader Boiko Borisov return as prime minister for the third time since 2009.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said European Council President Donald Tusk will seek to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at a NATO summit at the end of May.

"Tusk will consult us about this subject beforehand," Merkel said at a press conference on April 29 after a Brexit meeting between EU countries, adding that she welcomed the decision.      

The political crisis in Macedonia has been discussed by Bulagrian President Rumen Radev, European Council President Donald Tusk and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, BNR reported.

European Union nations have agreed to help each other meet gas shortages in a severe crisis, officials said April 27 as they seek to depend less on Russia.

Neighboring EU states will cooperate to ensure supplies for households and essential services such as hospitals if there are major shortages under the plans.