Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

The Netherlands wants no “sugar-coating of the truth” in the EC’s assessment of Bulgaria, PM Mark Rutte says

Mark Rutte at the European Council meeting in Brussels, 26 October, 2023
Photo: EPA/BGNES

The Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte expects an honest assessment of Bulgaria by the European Commission, with “no sugar-coating of the truth”.

“We have to be tough but fair on Bulgaria. I know that Nikolai (Denkov) is working very seriously in this government. But we have to see what the Commission will say in December. It has to be strict but fair. That means no sugar-coating of the truth, no shortcuts to Schengen. I know that Ursula von der Leyen is working honestly and rigorously, and then we must see the results. The country can join Schengen if it meets all the requirements,” Mark Rutte said.

Věra Jourová and Nikolai Denkov
“You have our full support for Schengen. All the conditions for Schengen accession have been met,” Věra Jourová, Vice President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency said during a meeting with Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov in Brussels, and went on to add that this position is shared by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. 

Photos: EPA/BGNES, Council of Ministers of Bulgaria 



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Scientists bring back live fish from Antarctica 

Kristiyan Vladov and Stefan Kyurkchiev of the Plovdiv Museum of Natural History are working on a project to bring live fish from the southern Arctic Circle to Bulgaria . The aim is to create an Antarctic aquarium in Plovdiv, where visitors - from..

published on 2/16/25 2:04 PM
Defence minister Zapryanov (L) takes part in the 61st Munich Security Conference, which opened on Friday.

EU accepts Bulgaria's proposal on defence modernisation spending

A procedure will be introduced to exclude military expenditure from the inflation index, Bulgarian Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov announced in Munich, BTA reported. Speaking at the Security Conference, the minister said that Bulgaria had been..

published on 2/16/25 11:33 AM

President Radev calls for stronger EU security and urges North Macedonia to implement Consensus 2022

Addressing the crises facing the EU requires strengthening Europe's global competitiveness and ensuring security, President Rumen Radev said during a meeting with European Council President António Costa at the Munich Security Conference...

published on 2/16/25 10:39 AM