Rossen Jeliazkov, Prime Minister of Bulgaria, a UN member for 70 years, renewed its pledge to the Charter and a future defined by unity.  “For the UN to meet the tests of our time, reform is not a choice but an imperative,” he said, throwing his full support behind the Secretary-General’s UN80 initiative for mandate reviews, structural reform and more effective use of resources.  At the institutional level, the Council must reform to reflect today’s world and be more effective, representative and accountable.  “We need genuine progress, including a fairer balance in membership,” he said, including one additional non-permanent seat for the Eastern European Group and limits on the misuse of the veto.  “The General Assembly must remain the heart of this Organization — our shared forum for dialogue and decision-making,” he said.

International peace and security have never been more threatened since the Charter’s adoption, and the Russian Federation’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine represents an existential challenge to the rules-based international order.  “This is not merely a European conflict — it threatens the very legitimacy of the United Nations,” he said.  The only path to peace is clear:  Ukraine’s sovereignty must be respected, and its territorial integrity fully restored.  Bulgaria consistently upholds UN principles at the regional level, engaging actively with the South-East European Cooperation Process, the Regional Cooperation Council and the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation.  “We prioritize good-neighbourliness, human rights and the strengthening of trade, energy, transport and digital connectivity,” he said.

Bulgaria firmly supports European integration of the Western Balkans, “based on merit as the path to peace, stability and prosperity,” he said.  The Black Sea region remains strategically important for European security and energy resilience, and Bulgaria works to make it a space of stability and sustainable development.  On 1 July 2025, Bulgaria assumed the chairmanships of the South-East European Cooperation Process and the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, strengthening its leadership in advancing regional security, stability and resilience.  As a member of the UN Human Rights Council for 2024–2026, Bulgaria is committed to advancing human rights through dialogue and cooperation.

As sustainable development cannot be separated from human rights, peace and security, Bulgaria remains fully committed to the 2030 Agenda, he said.  On 23 July 2025, his country  presented its Second Voluntary National Review at the High-Level Political Forum.  As a steadfast contributor to global development, Bulgaria implements tangible projects and builds sustainable partnerships for a fairer, more balanced world through its “Bulgaria 2030” national development programme.  “The journey ahead is long, but our resolve must be unwavering,” he said.  “Let us commit, once again, to working hand in hand, to upholding the principles of the UN Charter and to ensuring that peace, dignity and opportunity become a reality for every person in the world.”