In brief
Serafin’s trip to Bulgaria focuses on discussions with national leaders about the EU's next budget, a conference on priorities, and visits to science and space facilities. He stresses the need for defence investment and quick agreement, while Bulgarian Minister Galab Donev underscores cohesion and revenue‑generation without adding national burdens. The talks underscore unresolved questions over revenue sources, defence spending, and simplified funding procedures.
European Commissioner for Budget Piotr Serafin arrived in Sofia on Thursday, October 29, to meet with government officials and launch a conference on the EU’s 2028‑2034 Multiannual Financial Framework, before proceeding to a municipal forum and technology visits on Friday.
On Thursday the Commissioner met Prime Minister Rumen Radev, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Galab Donev, and Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Pekanov—the latter responsible for EU fund management, who also accompanied Serafin on the trip. He opened a forum titled "The Next Multiannual Financial Framework: Priorities and Principles", organised jointly by the European Commission Representation, the Embassy of Poland and the Sofia office of the European Council on Foreign Relations.
Friday’s itinerary moved from the public‑sector arena to the private‑sector. Serafin met members of the National Association of the Municipalities to discuss the regional aspects of the National and Regional Partnership plans that will shape the next MFF. He then toured the National STEM Centre in Sofia Tech Park, a hub for science, technology, engineering and mathematics that receives co‑funding from the Recovery and Resilience Plan, followed by a visit to the laboratory and mission‑control room of EnduroSat, a satellite manufacturer backed by the European Innovation Council.
Serafin has conducted a series of dialogues across EU member states, bringing back insights that the Commission says have guided the direction and priorities of the 2028‑2034 MFF proposal. A central theme of those conversations is the urgent need to simplify funding procedures, reduce administrative burdens, and improve transparency and legal consistency around overlapping regulations.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Galab Donev said the negotiations should “preserve EU cohesion, agricultural policy and food security while avoiding added national budget burdens.” He urged that the EU’s ambitions not be scaled back.
"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. We are seeking agreement on appropriate sources of revenue for the EU budget while avoiding additional burdens on national budgets,"
Serafin, meanwhile, highlighted the size of the defence budget gap that must be closed. He warned that “increasing defence investment is an essential measure that must be reflected in the EU’s next seven‑year budget if the European Union is to maintain peace and security along its borders.” He cited Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and the war in the Eastern European region as key safety drivers.
"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,"
The meetings, while outlining broad priorities, left several questions unresolved. The revenue side of the framework—what tax measures or other sources will fund the 7‑year budget—remains undecided. The exact scale of defence spending within the MFF, its impact on the cohesion and Common Agricultural Policy, and how to balance national fiscal capacity with EU targets are still under negotiation.
As the European Commission moves closer to finalising the 2028‑2034 Multiannual Financial Framework, Serafin’s Bulgarian visit illustrates the dual focus of its agenda: aligning national objectives with EU priorities while negotiating the financial mechanics that will govern the bloc’s next seven years of funding.
