Balgarianovinite.com The European Parliament in Strasbourg on Tuesday voted on EU asylum procedure rules and held a debate on European defence, opened by European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius.
Kubilius said a key EU priority should be reducing dependence on US strategic enablers such as space-based intelligence and air-to-air refuelling, and called for stronger joint European action, including the idea of a European Defence Union. In the debate that followed, MEPs broadly split between those pressing for greater European strategic autonomy through deeper defence cooperation and those emphasizing Member States’ sovereignty in defence and NATO’s leading role.
Discussion focused on Europe’s ability to defend itself amid a changing international environment, in view of relations with the US, cooperation with NATO, and Russia’s continuing war against Ukraine. In closing, Kubilius urged swift action, arguing that the threat from Russia and President Vladimir Putin will not wait for Europe to complete its security preparations.
During the plenary, UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock addressed MEPs, warning that the world order is under attack and pointing to conflicts and to some powers withdrawing from international organisations. She highlighted Europe’s role, together with the UN, in countering assaults on the rules-based order, human rights violations and disinformation, and also spoke about the harsh conditions Ukrainians are facing in their fourth winter of war, including Russian strikes on the energy system.
MEPs also discussed Syria and the war in Sudan, drawing attention to the role of external powers and urging that the crisis in Sudan not be ignored.
On migration-related files, Parliament backed changes intended to speed up the processing of asylum applications and approved an EU list of safe countries of origin for asylum applicants. The list includes Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, Kosovo, India, Morocco and Tunisia, and EU candidate countries will also be treated as safe. The safe countries of origin list was approved with 408 votes in favour, 184 against and 60 abstentions.
MEPs also approved an agreement on applying the safe third country concept, backed by 396 votes in favour, 226 against and 30 abstentions. European Defence Commissioner Kubilius Calls for Defence Union as Parliament Backs Faster Asylum Rules 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-02-10 22:24:21 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law
