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.
Bulgaria’s European awakening
Bulgaria’s reformist government may have fallen, but this is a new era for the country. Policymakers should now build on Bulgarians’ growing sense of common purpose.
14 Apr
Представяне на доклад – Да разцъфтят хиляди контакти: Как Китай се съревновава за влияние в България
Софийският офис на Европейския съвет за външна политика има удоволствието да Ви покани на представянето на новия доклад на Владимир Шопов, „Да разцъфтят хиляди…
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
The condition for Skopje to start negotiations with the EU is indisputable – inclusion of Bulgarians in the constitution
Maria Simeonova for Lokalno
This unthinkable scenario resembles a similar arrangement in Romania, in what could be described as a natural experiment in political governance from key Balkan EU and NATO member states
Maria Simeonova unpacks the political conundrum in an op-ed for VisegradInsight
Maria Simeonova writes about Bulgaria´s new government
Bulgaria and North Macedonia should rely on the institutional bilateral framework – mechanisms that are used in case of incidents to avoid tensions that do not benefit either Sofia or Skopje
Maria Simeonova commenting on the latest Bulgarian elections
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