On 2 August 2024, the traditional public discussion was held on the occasion of the start of the Hungarian rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union. The event was organized for the 15th consecutive year by PanEurope – Bulgaria in partnership with the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute, the Representation of the European Commission in Bulgaria and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Bulgaria. The Forum brought together diplomats, representatives of institutions, experts and media for an open debate on European priorities in the second half of 2025.
The event was opened by Ms. Gergana Passy – President of PanEurope – Bulgaria, who stressed the importance of a consistent dialogue between European institutions and civil society, especially in the context of the new challenges facing the EU. Mr. Norbert Beckmann-Dierkes, Head of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation Office in Sofia, and Ms. Tanya Mihailova, Director of the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute, also addressed the event.
Minister Petko Nikolov, Bulgaria’s interim Minister of Economy and Industry, presented an economic analysis on the delay of Bulgaria’s full membership of the Schengen area. He pointed out that the country loses annually more than BGN 1.3 billion, of which BGN 845 million are direct losses, according to a report by the Institute for Economic Research at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
Н.E. Miklós Boros – Ambassador of Hungary to Bulgaria, outlined the main priorities of the Presidency under the motto “Make Europe Great Again”. Among the leading themes were. Ambassador Boros stressed Budapest’s commitment to realistic and pragmatic solutions aimed at reaching compromise on key issues in the interest of all European citizens.The event was covered by leading national media and provided an opportunity for an exchange of positions between representatives of different sectors on the future of the EU. The discussion confirmed the role of PanEurope – Bulgaria as an active mediator in the process of European dialogue and a bearer of ideas aimed at integration, economic growth and security.
