Ukraine Has No Place in EU, Says Bulgarian Expert

"Other EU member states should follow Hungary’s example," Georgi Markov told Magyar Nemzet in an interview, speaking about Hungary's consultative vote on Ukraine’s EU membership. The former Bulgarian constitutional judge, who resides in Hungary, believes that a country at war is far from ready to join the bloc, and that this decision should be made by the people of Europe, not in Brussels.

Photo: POOL/Ludovic Marin

When asked what EU treaties say about enlargement, the former constitutional judge replied that while, on paper, Ukraine could join, the country is far from meeting the necessary criteria. "There is no rule of law in Ukraine," he stated, highlighting the hypocrisy as this is one of the tools Brusselites use in a bid to put pressure on Hungary, for example. He added that in Ukraine, even prominent political figures, such as Kyiv’s mayor Vitali Klitschko, accuse Zelensky of dictatorship. Klitschko has even said publicly that he hasn’t spoken with the president since the start of the war.

Meanwhile, the parliament has been sidelined, opposition figures are in prison, protests are banned, minorities are persecuted, and censorship goes beyond what existed under communism,

Markov listed.

There are countless unanswered questions about the war-torn country, including which Ukraine Brussels wants to see as a member state. After Russia occupied the Ukraine's eastern territories—and with no prospect of their liberation in sight—it is unclear where the borders of the post-Soviet country lie. Markov recalled that referendums on joining Russia have already been held in some of the occupied regions. "Would these territories also be included in the EU?" he asked.

Other Countries Have Waited Decades for Membership

While Ukraine’s accession has become a top priority for Brussels since the outbreak of war, other candidate countries have been waiting for decades. Markov cited Serbia as a prime example. Serbia submitted its EU application in December 2008 and received candidate status in December 2010. Although accession talks began in June 2012, little progress has been made since. "How is Ukraine "more ready"'for EU membership than Serbia, given that the latter is not being admitted under the fast-track procedure?" he asked. Markov does not rule out that the conflict between Serbia and Kosovo is behind the issue, even though the latter's independence is not recognized by Spain, Romania, Greece, Slovakia, and Cyprus.

He also pointed to recent elections in Romania, Poland, and Germany, saying they indicate that Zelensky's regime is increasingly being questioned among younger generations. He predicted a similar trend in Austria.

"Trump has stated that Zelensky is no angel and is calling for a full audits into the billions in aid provided to and spent by Ukraine," he said, suggesting that the United States' support for Kyiv is also becoming more conditional.

In conclusion, Markov argued that other EU states should follow Hungary’s lead and hold votes on the issue of Ukraine’s EU membership. The expert took the view that post-Soviet country is not far from losing the war, and emphasized that a country at war, in ruins and far from ready for EU membership has no place in the European Union.