At this Policy Briefing, Monika Panayotova, Deputy Minister for the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU 2018, presented the priorities of the upcoming Bulgarian Presidency of the Council. While presiding over the Council, Bulgaria plans to act as an honest broker and open mediator, and will put a lot of emphasis on the inclusion of citizens, transparency and accountability. Its most important priorities are: the future of Europe and young people, focusing on economic growth and social cohesion; the European perspective and connectivity of the Western Balkans; security and stability in a strong and united Europe; and digital economy and skills for the future.