Bulgarians Express Growing Support for EU Common Policies

The latest Eurobarometer's national report on Bulgaria indicates a significant surge in approval for a unified EU foreign policy among Bulgarian citizens. Conducted between October and November 2023, the survey highlighted a distinct shift in public sentiment regarding EU-wide initiatives and international influence.

An overwhelming majority of Bulgarians, constituting 75%, perceive the EU as a robust entity capable of safeguarding Europe's interests on the global economic stage, surpassing the EU average of 69%. Despite ongoing positive sentiments toward the EU (51% in Bulgaria compared to 44% in the EU), confidence in Bulgaria's national institutions remains relatively low at 21% for parliament and 24% for the government.

While support for pan-European policies persists among Bulgarian respondents, it notably trails the EU average. However, there's strong consensus on crucial issues such as investing in renewable energy (67%) and bolstering energy efficiency (74%) to curtail reliance on external energy sources.

Of particular significance is the rising approval among Bulgarians for a common EU foreign policy (62%) and unified defense and security strategies. However, only 53% of Bulgarians approve of EU action to uphold shared values, contrasting sharply with the EU average of 75%.

Regarding media consumption, Bulgarians appear less exposed to unreliable or fake news compared to their EU counterparts (51% in Bulgaria versus 68% in the EU). Interestingly, trust in social media as a news source is increasing, with 70% of Bulgarians considering it a reliable means of staying informed, surpassing traditional national media at 54%.

While Bulgarian public opinion aligns with the EU average on the detrimental impact of misinformation on democracy, there's a slight decline in this concern. Seventy-eight percent of Bulgarians now acknowledge the harm of misinformation, marking a 5% decrease from the previous survey, while the EU average remains steady at 81%.

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