In brief
European Commissioner Piotr Serafin arrived in Sofia on October 29 for a two‑day visit to discuss the EU’s next multi‑annual financial framework. During his trip he met with Bulgarian officials, opened a conference on budget priorities, and visited science and satellite facilities that receive EU funding.
European Commissioner for Budget Piotr Serafin arrived in Sofia on Oct. 29 and will remain through Oct. 30 to meet with Bulgarian leaders on the EU’s next multi‑annual financial framework.
Confirmed activities
According to a press release from the European Commission Representation in Bulgaria, Serafin will confer with Prime Minister Rumen Radev, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Galab Donev, and Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Pekanov, who manages EU funds. The visit includes an opening session of a conference titled “The Next Multiannual Financial Framework: Priorities and Principles,” organized jointly by the European Commission Representation, the Embassy of Poland, and the Sofia office of the European Council on Foreign Relations.
Serafin is expected to meet with members of the National Association of Municipalities on Friday to discuss regional aspects of the National and Regional Partnership plans. He will then tour the National STEM Centre in Sofia Tech Park, a hub for science, technology, engineering and mathematics co‑funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan, followed by a visit to the laboratory and mission control room of EnduroSat, a satellite manufacturer that receives EU funding through the European Innovation Council. During these visits, the commissioner will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Pekanov.
Unconfirmed claims
While Bulgarian media (Factik.bg) confirmed Serafin’s trip dates as Oct. 29‑30, it does not independently verify the conference agenda or the specific stakeholders he will meet. The European Commission’s own website is currently inaccessible, leaving some details, such as the joint organization of the conference and the precise scope of discussions with municipal officials, pending confirmation.
Several reports, including one from Euronews, noted a brief meeting between Serafin and Finance Minister Galab Donev, corroborating the broader narrative of engagement. However, full confirmation of the detailed itinerary remains to be published by official EU sources.
