Despite German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s best efforts and the French government’s compromise proposal, Bulgaria refuses to budge on its position in the dispute over EU accession talks with North Macedonia. Scholz and Macron had hoped to find a solution before the EU-Western Balkans summit on Thursday, as Bulgaria has been blocking the start of talks for some time. Political turmoil in Sofia further complicates the situation. It „will probably take at least a couple of more weeks“ before parliament can decide on the French compromise proposal, Till Hoppe was told by Deputy Head of Government and Finance Minister Assen Vasilev.