site.bta Government Endorses Decision to Move Half-Year Forward Bulgarian Presidency of EU

Government Endorses Decision to Move Half-Year Forward Bulgarian Presidency of EU

Sofia, July 27 (BTA) - The Bulgarian government Wednesday approved a revised order in which the member states will hold the presidency of the Council of the EU until 2030 and endorsed a decision to move a half-year forward the Bulgarian Presidency.

It means that the Bulgarian presidency will be in January-June 2018 and not in the second half of 2018 as initially planned. Bulgaria will thus be in the same EU Troyka with Estonia and Austria.

The new presidency order was caused by the UK decision to relinquish the Council presidency in the second half of 2017.

The Bulgarian government said in a statement that preserving the integrity and unity of the EU is an immediate priority and that the option of assuming the EU Presidency six months earlier is an opportunity for this country to prove being a responsible and dependable partner in the EU.