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Bulgarian political crisis casts shadow over Balkans summit

From left, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, European Council President Charles Michel, North Macedonia's Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and French President Emmanuel Macron walk to a group photo during an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys) European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, center left, speaks with European Council President Charles Michel, center right, during a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) From left, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani Sadriu, European Council President Charles Michel and French President Emmanuel Macron pose for a group photo during an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (John Thys, Pool Photo via AP) From left, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic , Bulgaria's Prime Minister Kiril Petkov and Romania's President Klaus Werner Ioannis walk to a group photo during an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys) European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, right, speaks with French President Emmanuel Macron, center, and European Council President Charles Michel prior to a group photo with Western Balkan leaders at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (John Thys, Pool Photo via AP) European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, left, French President Emmanuel Macron, center, and European Council President Charles Michel, right, arrive for a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) European Council President Charles Michel, left, speaks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic during a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) From left, Slovenia's Prime Minister Robert Golob, North Macedonia's Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Slovakia's Prime Minister Eduard Heger, Bulgaria's Prime Minister Kiril Petkov and Malta's Prime Minister Robert Abela during a group photo at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys) European Union heads of state and Western Balkan leaders pose for a group photo during an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, right, speaks with French President Emmanuel Macron, center, and European Council President Charles Michel prior to a group photo with Western Balkan leaders at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (John Thys, Pool Photo via AP) Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama speaks with the media as he arrives for an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys) From left, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, European Council President Charles Michel, North Macedonia's Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and French President Emmanuel Macron walk to a group photo during an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys) European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, center left, speaks with European Council President Charles Michel, center right, during a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) From left, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani Sadriu, European Council President Charles Michel and French President Emmanuel Macron pose for a group photo during an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (John Thys, Pool Photo via AP) From left, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic , Bulgaria's Prime Minister Kiril Petkov and Romania's President Klaus Werner Ioannis walk to a group photo during an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys) European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, right, speaks with French President Emmanuel Macron, center, and European Council President Charles Michel prior to a group photo with Western Balkan leaders at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (John Thys, Pool Photo via AP) European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, left, French President Emmanuel Macron, center, and European Council President Charles Michel, right, arrive for a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) European Council President Charles Michel, left, speaks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic during a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) From left, Slovenia's Prime Minister Robert Golob, North Macedonia's Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Slovakia's Prime Minister Eduard Heger, Bulgaria's Prime Minister Kiril Petkov and Malta's Prime Minister Robert Abela during a group photo at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys) European Union heads of state and Western Balkan leaders pose for a group photo during an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, right, speaks with French President Emmanuel Macron, center, and European Council President Charles Michel prior to a group photo with Western Balkan leaders at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (John Thys, Pool Photo via AP) Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama speaks with the media as he arrives for an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys) Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama speaks with the media as he arrives for an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys) European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, center left, speaks with European Council President Charles Michel, center right, during a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) From left, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani Sadriu, European Council President Charles Michel and French President Emmanuel Macron pose for a group photo during an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (John Thys, Pool Photo via AP) From left, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic , Bulgaria's Prime Minister Kiril Petkov and Romania's President Klaus Werner Ioannis walk to a group photo during an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys) European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, right, speaks with French President Emmanuel Macron, center, and European Council President Charles Michel prior to a group photo with Western Balkan leaders at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (John Thys, Pool Photo via AP) European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, left, French President Emmanuel Macron, center, and European Council President Charles Michel, right, arrive for a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) European Council President Charles Michel, left, speaks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic during a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) From left, Slovenia's Prime Minister Robert Golob, North Macedonia's Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Slovakia's Prime Minister Eduard Heger, Bulgaria's Prime Minister Kiril Petkov and Malta's Prime Minister Robert Abela during a group photo at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys) European Union heads of state and Western Balkan leaders pose for a group photo during an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, right, speaks with French President Emmanuel Macron, center, and European Council President Charles Michel prior to a group photo with Western Balkan leaders at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (John Thys, Pool Photo via AP) From left, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, North Macedonia's Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski, European Council President Charles Michel and French President Emmanuel Macron pose for a group photo during an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (John Thys, Pool Photo via AP) Bulgaria's Prime Minister Kiril Petkov speaks with the media as he arrives for an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 23, 2022. European Union leaders are expected to approve Thursday a proposal to grant Ukraine a EU candidate status, a first step on the long toward membership. The stalled enlargement process to include Western Balkans countries in the bloc is also on their agenda at the summit in Brussels. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys)
Bulgarian political crisis casts shadow over Balkans summit