On Monday, Bulgarian Prime Minister Dimitar Jeliazkov was hosted at Palazzo Chigi by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The meeting, Meloni said, outlined the following steps to reinforce the partnership between Rome and Sofia, including the signing of the Italy–Bulgaria Action Plan 2026–2030 by the first half of 2026.
What they discussed: Broad alignment on Ukraine, the balance between green transition and competitiveness, irregular migration, and EU enlargement.
- Soft-power diplomacy is also part of the agenda: the 2026 Giro d’Italia Grand Start could take place in Bulgaria.
Why Bulgaria matters:
- Energy & trade corridor: A key transit hub for energy routes and for grain and commodities flows into Europe — a role reinforced after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
- Strategic location: A crossroads between Europe and Asia, strategically relevant for both NATO and the EU on the Alliance’s southeastern flank.
- Critical minerals: A potential strategic supplier in critical mineral value chains vital for the green transition and emerging technologies.
- Tech & investment hub: A growing economy driven by innovation and outsourcing, a competitive labour market and an increasingly attractive environment for foreign investment (including the digital nomad visa).
- Eurozone next: The European Commission has confirmed that Bulgaria meets all criteria to adopt the euro. The country could join the eurozone on January 1, 2026.
Between the lines: The 3SI angle. Bulgaria is one of the most active countries in the Three Seas Initiative (3SI) — a platform linking 12 EU states between the Baltic, Adriatic, and Black Seas to accelerate connectivity, infrastructure, and economic cohesion.
- Sofia played a central role after taking over coordination of the initiative in 2020 and continues to push cross-border projects in transport, energy and digital networks.
- The 3SI helps close East–West infrastructure gaps.
- Italy, though not a member, is watching the 3SI increasingly closely, assessing how its priorities — infrastructure, logistics corridors, digital connectivity — could align with the India–Middle East–Europe Corridor (IMEC) too.
(Photo: X, @giorgia_meloni)
