European Parliament

A celebration for the 103rd anniversary of the signing of the Protocol of Corfu took place at the Monument of the “Exquisite Chief of Staff of the Epirus” Thymios Liolis, in the central square of the village of Krania, in Northern Epirus (Southe

The European Commission President Jean-Claude Junker is going to meet the Bulgarian nomination for European commissioner Maria Gabriel today, reported BNR.

After the meeting, Junker is set to take a decision which Department will be suitable for Maria Gabriel.

The Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament has urged Turkey's government to take the Venice Commission's report on constitutional referendum into consideration, while noting that the opening of any new accession chapters depends on the actions of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament have cited "three conditions" for their continued support for Turkey's membership of the EU, after the head of the group, Gianni Pitella, met with main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and CHP members in Ankara.

The Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov claimed that Bulgaria has a potential to reach an 4,5% economic growth and even more, reported BNR.

Borisov took part in a Forum, devoted to the Juncker plan.  

He also expressed his assurance in the Bulgarian application for the next EU commissioner Maria Gabriel:

After the end of the first sitting of the new government of Bulgaria, Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva announced that the Bulgarian nomination for European commissioner is Maria Gabriel, BNR reported.

To become commissioner, Maria Gabriel, who has been EPP MEP since 2007, will undergo a European Parliament hearing.

"The next Bulgarian EU Commissioner must be a woman. These are the expectations of the European Commission and the European Parliament. It will be good, if it is a EP member, this means experience in the European institutions", commented the Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev on BNR.

On May 9, the Europe Day, at 21:30 p.m. the Information Desk of the European Parliament for Bulgaria and the European Commission in Bulgaria will present a sound and luminous 3D mapping show "Europe - your home".

The place will be at "Alexander I" square on the building of the National gallery.

The SDS did not want to disclose any names before the 30 April deadline for bids for the presidency.

The freedom of the press the West Balkans is incomplete, the European Parliament's research service said in a report, Beta reported.

The states of the region have faced politicization, problems in the implementation of law and intimidation of journalists, together with growing self-censorship, the report said.