Bulgarian parliament rejects president's euro referendum proposal
Kiselova said it did not comply with several articles of the Bulgarian constitutionThe constitutional court has previously rejected a petition for a referendum on joining the euroSOFIA: The speaker of the Bulgarian national assembly Nataliya Kiselova has dismissed President Rumen Radev's proposal for a national referendum on adopting the euro, saying it violated the constitution, the BTA news agency reported on Tuesday.On Monday, Radev had suggested a referendum on Bulgaria's plans to adopt the euro next year with the question: 'Do you agree that Bulgaria should introduce the single European currency 'euro' in 2026?' His proposal was criticized by the government, with one minister saying it was an attempt to sabotage its efforts to join the single currency.Sending back the proposal, Kiselova said it did not comply with several articles of the Bulgarian constitution and related European Union treaties, and was inconsistent with rulings from the country's constitutional court.The constitutional court has previously rejected a petition for a referendum on joining the euro.The government aims to adopt the euro next January, pending confirmation from the European Commission and the European Central Bank in June that all membership criteria have been met.Economists say that Bulgaria, whose lev currency has long been pegged to the euro, would attract more foreign investment if it adopted the single currency and would secure credit ratings upgrades that could cut its debt financing costs.However, Bulgarians are split on the euro's adoption, with concerns that it might lead to price hikes, similar to what occurred in Croatia when it switched to the euro in 2023.
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One major step was last month's creation of a €150 billion ($173 billion) EU defense fund, known as the Security Action for Europe scheme, which is aimed at strengthening its arms industry. A few years ago, the idea of integrating Turkish defense companies into Europe's security systems might have seemed unrealistic. But several factors have changed that. Turkiye's falling-out with the US over the F-35 program, increasing regional threats, Russia's aggression in Ukraine and Europe's doubts about long-term US security commitments have all helped bring Ankara and the EU closer together and make EU-Turkiye defense cooperation more appealing. The combination of these factors has created a major shift in their relationship, which is now reflected in more regular meetings between Turkish and European defense officials. Turkiye has been building strong bilateral defense ties with individual EU countries for some time Dr. Sinem Cengiz Turkiye has been building strong bilateral defense ties with individual EU countries for some time. The recent cooperation between Italy's Leonardo and Turkiye's Baykar — the company behind the well-known Bayraktar drones — is a significant example. Ankara is already joining several EU defense initiatives, such as the European Sky Shield Initiative. It is also involved in joint projects — like making ammunition with Poland, supplying military vehicles to Romania and working on naval programs with Portugal. This bilateral cooperation signals a new type of partnership between Turkiye and the EU states that goes beyond traditional parameters. Turkiye's success in building a strong defense industry — especially with its popular Bayraktar TB2 drone — has impressed many in Europe and boosted Ankara's leverage. Turkiye also has key strategic advantages. It has NATO's second-largest army and a central position near the Black Sea, Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East — areas where Europe needs security support. Its ability to help counterbalance Russian influence adds to its importance. With these advantages, Turkiye not only wants to sell its defense products to EU states, it wants a real seat at the table, shaping Europe's defense strategy and becoming part of the continent's industrial defense base. However, this potential partnership comes with some challenges. Not all EU countries are on the same page when it comes to Turkiye's integration into Europe's defense programs. The main challengers are Greece and Cyprus. Their concerns are not related to today's security realities, but rather to long-standing issues in Turkish-Greek relations. Despite these divisions, the insecurity caused by the broader global uncertainty is pushing many EU countries to move ahead with defense partnerships with Turkiye. 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