Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov is planning to attend the meeting of the political leaders of the European Parliament group Renew Europe, Politico writes.

It is to take place on 30 May in Brussels, before the European Council. This is “the strongest sign yet that his “We Continue the Change” party is preparing to join the liberal group at the European level”, Politico writes. “Stéphane Séjourné, the leader of the Renew Europe group in the European Parliament, has been courting Petkov since the Bulgarian newcomer surprisingly won the election late last year.” Politico comments further that “One major roadblock to the Bulgarian leader’s membership remains to be cleared though: the fact Renew is home to rival Bulgarian party Movement for Rights and Freedoms, DPS, whose MP Delyan Peevski Washington sanctioned under the Magnitsky Act. DPS has repeatedly been accused of corruption, and Petkov has in the past expressed dismay about the fact it remains in Renew.”