News - Belgium, Brussels, Permanent Representation of the Republic of Bulgaria

On 25 November 2025, the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Bulgaria to the EU in Brussels hosted the traditional meeting with the Bulgarian participants in the European Commission’s Blue Book traineeship program.

The event was opened by the Permanent Representative of Bulgaria to the EU, H.E. Rumen Alexandrov, who congratulated the trainees on their successful selection for the highly competitive Blue Book program and underlined that this experience opens a wide horizon of professional opportunities. He encouraged the young experts to develop their potential, whether they choose to continue their careers in Bulgaria or within the EU institutions.

Deputy Permanent Representative Ms. Petya Vasileva presented the opportunities for professional development within the Bulgarian public administration, highlighting the advantages of this career path — contributing to decision-making, working on key policies, and building a solid professional foundation valued both at national and European level.

For the first time, the format of the meeting was expanded to include established Bulgarian professionals working in the European institutions, who shared their career paths and practical guidance with the young specialists. Among the guests were Ms Andriana Sukova, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission’s DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, Mr Mario Milushev, Director for “Strategic Plans under CAP II” at DG Agriculture and Rural Development, Ms Sofi Aleksandrova, Deputy Head of Cabinet of Commissioner Ekaterina Zakharieva, Ms Lora Borisova from the Cabinet of Commissioner Hadja Lahbib, as well as other Bulgarian experts holding positions in the European Commission, the European External Action Service and the General Secretariat of the Council. Their participation and expressed readiness to support future initiatives were warmly welcomed and highly appreciated by the trainees.

In conclusion, Ambassador Alexandrov emphasised that the Permanent Representation will continue to actively support young Bulgarian professionals, encourage their career development, and promote initiatives that strengthen the ties within the Bulgarian community across the EU institutions.