In brief
Commissioner Piotr Serafin spent Thursday and Friday in Sofia to consult with Bulgarian leaders on the next EU budget. He opened a conference on MFF priorities, met with Finance Minister Galab Donev, and visited science and satellite facilities, while advocating for increased defence spending. Bulgaria’s officials stressed a need for secure revenue sources that do not burden national budgets.
European Commissioner for Budget Piotr Serafin arrived in Sofia on Thursday, October 29, 2026, for a two‑day visit aimed at discussing the EU’s 2028‑2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) with Bulgarian officials.
BTA reports that Serafin will confer first with Prime Minister Rumen Radev, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Galab Donev, and Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Pekanov, who is responsible for EU fund management. The European Commission Representation said the tour is part of Serafin’s broader European visit to gather stakeholder insights shaping the 2028‑2034 MFF proposal.
Serafin will open a conference titled "The Next Multiannual Financial Framework: Priorities and Principles" in Sofia. BTA notes the event is jointly organized by the European Commission Representation in Bulgaria, the Embassy of Poland in Bulgaria, and the Sofia office of the European Council on Foreign Relations.
In a BTA‑reported interview, Minister Galab Donev highlighted the need for a robust revenue strategy that protects the coherence policy, the Common Agricultural Policy and food security while avoiding added national budget burdens. "The growing number and scale of the challenges we face require an adequate and timely response, but this must not come at the expense of policies enshrined in the EU treaties," Donev said. He added, "We are seeking agreement on appropriate sources of revenue for the EU budget while avoiding additional burdens on national budgets."
European Commissioner Serafin echoed a sense of urgency. "We face an uncertain future, which is why I hope a consensus on the Multiannual Financial Framework can be reached by the end of the year. We must consider the package of proposals as a whole, and some compromises will have to be made," he said in BTA. He also stressed that increasing defence investment is an essential measure that must be reflected in the EU’s next seven‑year budget if the Union is to maintain peace and security along its borders.
On Friday, BTA reports that Serafin will meet with members of the National Association of the Municipalities to exchange views on the regional aspect of the National and Regional Partnership plans in the MFF. The visit will then take him to the National STEM Centre in Sofia Tech Park, a hub for science, technology, engineering and mathematics managed by the Ministry of Education and Science and co‑funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan.
Before leaving, Serafin will tour a laboratory and mission control room of EnduroSat, a satellite manufacturer and space service provider benefiting from EU funding through the European Innovation Council. The visits will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Pekanov, the European Commission said in a press release.
Nova.bg echoes the defence‑budget emphasis. “The European commissioner for the budget is on a two‑day visit to Bulgaria to discuss the next seven‑year budget for 2028‑2034. Serafin cited Russia’s aggression and the war as reasons for increasing defence spending,” the news outlet reported.
Over the two days, the Commissioner has undertaken numerous dialogues with stakeholders across EU member states, gathering insights that have helped shape the direction and priorities of the MFF proposal, BTA noted. The central theme has been a need to simplify complex funding procedures, ease administrative burdens and improve transparency, while reducing overlapping regulations and improving legal consistency.
