Bulgaria's new PM signals commitment to EU

Bulgaria's new prime minister has indicated that his government will not block North Macedonia from joining the European Union as he signaled a deeper commitment to the bloc and the NATO military alliance.

Harvard-educated entrepreneur Kiril Petkov was confirmed as the country's prime minister on Monday, ending a months-long political crisis that has brought three elections this year.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Petkov said Bulgaria would intensify talks with neighboring North Macedonia, and attempt to quickly solve a dispute that saw the previous government block the start of North Macedonia's accession talks with the EU. "We are on the right side of NATO and EU policies, 100 percent," he told the FT. "We will propose a new process (on North Macedonia), very fast, with a limited timeframe, just six months long.

"We seek an active and committed role for Bulgaria both in the EU and in NATO. We no longer want to be the bad kid in the back of the classroom."

He added: "We will use working groups... to hash out solutions on issues like joint economic activity, infrastructure, culture and history."

Petkov will lead a centrist-led coalition government formed of his anti-corruption We Continue The Change Party (PP) and three other political groups.

His election ends months of political deadlock in the EU's poorest member state.

"Today is an important day to continue change," Petkov said in a speech to Parliament after his election was confirmed. "Our first task is to realize that if we want a better future for Bulgaria, we must work together."

He said the country's top priorities are fighting COVID-19 and an energy crisis, reported Politico. Bulgaria has the lowest vaccination rate in the EU, with less than 30 percent of its population inoculated.

Petkov's party campaigned on stamping out corruption, but fell short of a majority in last month's parliamentary election, noted the Associated Press.

It said the PP were surprise victors over the conservative GERB party, which had dominated Bulgarian politics over the last decade.

A coalition was formed with the left-wing Socialist Party (BSP), the populist There is Such a People party (ITN) and the liberal Democratic Bulgaria alliance. Together, they have 134 seats in Bulgaria's 240-seat Parliament, and will rule under the motto "zero tolerance to corruption", for a four-year term.

The new government ends the decade-long rule of former center-right premier Boyko Borissov.

Petkov said he will urge lawmakers to support legal changes needed to overhaul the judiciary in the effort to fight corruption, Reuters noted.

"I will insist that corruption from the lowest to the highest level be exposed," Petkov said prior to his election.