site.btaForeign Minister on Ukraine, Potential US-EU Trade Conflict, Bulgaria's Progress Towards US Visa Waiver

Interviewed by bTV on Sunday evening, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev discussed Ukraine, a potential trade conflict between the US and the EU, and Bulgaria's progress under the guidelines of the US Visa Waiver Program.

Asked about the war in Ukraine, Georgiev said no decisions regarding Ukraine can be made without the participation of Ukraine. "Bulgaria supports Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty. Ukraine must always have a say in setting the conditions," he said.

Asked how Bulgaria's assistance to Ukraine will continue now that the Bulgarian Socialist Party is part of the government, Georgiev said: "The National Assembly has adopted a resolution on Bulgaria's policy towards Ukraine. For now, Sofia's approach remains unchanged. From now on, there will be discussions within the government and among the political forces in it about the way things will proceed. However, when it comes to sovereignty and territorial integrity, I do not think we have ever had differences."

Commenting on US President Donald Trump's repeatedly stated intention to impose tariffs on goods imported from Europe, Georgiev said: "A potential trade conflict between the US and the EU would cause damage to both sides, and I am certain that this will not be allowed to happen."

Asked about the progress on the removal of B-visas for Bulgarian travellers to the US, the Foreign Minister said: "Significant progress has been made. The main remaining factor is the refusal rate."

One of the technical requirements for Bulgaria's inclusion in the US Visa Waiver Program is that the refusal rate for tourist visas must not exceed 3%. "Since last year, we have cut this rate in half, which gives us confidence that next year we may reach the required 3% threshold," Georgiev said.

Since 2006, the percentage of refused B-visas for Bulgarians has been below 10% twice. In 2024, it was the lowest ever at 6.02%, according to the US Department of State's website.