President Radev: EU’s ambitions to drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions puts Bulgaria in a difficult position

The summit of European leaders in Brussels continues. After the issue of sanctions against Belarus was resolved last night, today, May 25, the talks focus on the Covid-19 pandemic and the vaccination situation, as well as climate issues.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to inform EU leaders about the percentage of vaccinated citizens in the EU, and to formally approve the travel certificate, which is expected to take effect on July 1 and facilitate the movement of citizens.

The Bulgarian representative at the meeting, President Rumen Radev, commented that the most important topic is climate change and the green transition.

The most important topic concerning Bulgaria is related to the sharp increase in the Union's ambitions to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 55% by 2030, which puts Bulgaria in a difficult position. Last December, the Council adopted this binding target and the European Commission is actively working on an ambitious legislative package. In this situation, Bulgaria's room for maneuver is extremely limited. Therefore, we will insist on taking into account the specifics of the countries, the different start and introduction of measures to protect competitiveness and ensure social tolerance of the green transition, said President Radev.

After the meeting, the head of state is expected to give a briefing to the Bulgarian media.