8 Nov
The role of Germany in Europe in times of war: Potential for German-Bulgarian cooperation
We will discuss Germany’s role in Europe and will reflect on how the new European order is viewed in Berlin
Experts & Staff
Maria Simeonova
Programme Coordinator, ECFR Sofia & Wider Europe programme
Languages
Bulgarian, English, Italian, conversational French
Biography
Maria Simeonova is the programme coordinator for the Wider Europe programme and ECFR’s Sofia office. She focuses on the Western Balkans and Turkey.
Simeonova has previously completed internships at the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Bulgaria to the EU, and the European Commission as a Blue Book Trainee at the Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development. Prior to joining ECFR, Simeonova was a civil servant at the Bulgarian Ministry of Finance.
Simeonova holds a BA degree in International Relations from Sofia University and an MA degree in European Studies: Transnational and Global Perspectives from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. Her master’s thesis focused on coherence issues in EU external energy policy and relations with Russia.
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Views from the capitals: Russia’s war on Ukraine
The conflict in Ukraine will change Europe forever. Experts from across ECFR’s network of offices describe the view of the war from Berlin, London, Madrid, Paris, Rome, Sofia, and Warsaw.
Bulgaria’s abstention from the fight against climate change
Bulgaria’s abstention on the European Climate Law not only isolates the country within the EU once again but also reveals two familiar shortfalls in Bulgarian diplomacy
In the media
Europe and the US need to adapt to a multi-polar world in which countries like Turkey and India will play an important geopolitical role
Maria Simeonova comments on the new global public opinion one year into Russia’s war on Ukraine
Russian anti-Putin activists attended the Munich security conference and this is a symbolic act of support from European leaders
Maria Simeonova on the Munich security conference; Zelensky’s call for military support; the situation in Italy with the centre-right coalition with leader Meloni and the EPP’s reluctance to hold its meeting in Naples because of Berlusconi’s controversial statement on Zelensky and the Russian war
The support for Meloni and her government increases after her first 100 days as Italy’s PM. The Czech voters punished the anti-European rhetoric of Babis.
Maria Simeonova comments on the first 100 days of Meloni’s rule in Italy and the election of the new Czech President
There is a risk of worsening the relations between the two countries as elections are approaching
Maria Simeonova comments on the relations between Bulgaria and North Macedonia
I hope that the Russian society will stand up against Putin’s dictatorship
Forecasts for 2023, Putin’s war in Ukraine and internal political processes in Bulgaria