Austria takes over rotating Council of EU presidency

By Askin Kiyagan

VIENNA

Vienna took over the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union from Bulgaria on Saturday.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, EU Council President Donald Tusk, and Austrian Prime Minister Sebastian Kurz attended the handover ceremony in Austria’s town of Schladming .

Kurz said the motto got Austria presidency would be: “A Europe that protects”.

Vienna’s term officially starts July 1.

The presidency of the Council rotates among the EU member states every six months.