António Costa visits Bulgaria: Meeting with Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov
The sudden visit of European Council President António Costa to Bulgaria has sparked significant interest, with his meeting with Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov on September 4 emerging as a key moment in the diplomatic calendar. The news was officially confirmed today in a statement from the Council to the media, which initiated a wave of analysis and anticipation. The visit is part of an ambitious "Tour of Capitals", during which Costa will hold a series of meetings with leaders of member states during the first three weeks of September.
This tour is intended to serve as a sort of listening session for the moods within the Union. António Costa aims to gather opinions and accumulate impressions from heads of state and government to prepare the ground for the upcoming high-level meetings of the European Council. In today's uncertain and constantly changing world, this personal approach is particularly important for achieving consensus and strengthening cooperation, which Costa has repeatedly emphasized as his main mission.
António Costa: "In our unpredictable world, our unity is our greatest strength"
In a special statement distributed to the media, the European Council President outlined the priorities of his extensive trip. "Over the next three weeks, I will travel across Europe to meet with EU leaders in their capitals. These talks will help shape our common agenda for the coming months. As President of the European Council, it is my duty to listen to and understand the priorities of all leaders - especially in these uncertain times. My role is to build consensus. With every visit, I will work to strengthen our cooperation, because in today's unpredictable world, our unity is our greatest strength", Costa stated.
During his meetings with the leaders of the European Union countries, Costa will place an emphasis on the main political priorities, as well as on the working methods of the European Council itself. His trip, planned between September 1 and 19, began on August 27 with a meeting with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever in Brussels.
Schedule of the extensive diplomatic tour
The official schedule of the Council President is extremely busy, as he will visit a number of key European capitals.
- In the first week of his tour, António Costa will meet with Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob on September 2.
- This meeting will be preceded by his participation in the Bled Strategic Forum on September 1, where he will deliver a keynote speech.
- On the same day, September 2, Costa will also meet with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković in Zagreb.
- His visit continues on September 3, when he will hold talks with Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker in Vienna.
- On September 4, a meeting is scheduled with Romanian President Nicușor Dan, after which he will arrive in Sofia for a meeting with Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov.
- The week will conclude with two meetings on September 5 - with Prime Minister Petr Fiala in the Czech Republic and with Prime Minister Dick Schoof in the Netherlands.
Additional details for the following week of the tour are expected to be officially announced on September 5.
Costa's international activity until the end of the year
In addition to his intra-European commitments, European Council President António Costa will have an extremely busy international schedule until the end of 2025.
- He is scheduled to chair two official European Council meetings, which will be held in October and December.
- Before them, on October 1, an informal European Council meeting will also take place in Copenhagen, where a meeting of the European Political Community is scheduled for the following day, October 2.
- On the international stage, António Costa will co-chair the summit between the EU and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) on November 8 and 9 in Colombia.
- Also, from November 24-25, he will co-chair the summit between the EU and the African Union in Angola.
On behalf of the European Union, Costa will attend key events within the UN General Assembly in September, where he will deliver speeches to the General Assembly and the Security Council. The European Council President will also participate in the UN climate conference COP30, which will take place in November in the Brazilian city of Belém.
António Costa's extensive program until the end of the year highlights his central role in European and world diplomacy, with every visit and statement of his being followed with heightened attention by the international media.