A decision by the European Union to blacklist Hezbollah would interrupt the group's financing because much of the money it uses to fund militant operations comes from European capitals. Bulgaria is pressing the EU to toughen its stance toward Hezbollah after it determined the Iranian-backed terrorist group was responsible for a bus bombing that killed five Israelis at a Bulgarian Black Sea resort last year.

The EU has resisted pressure from the United States and Israel to list Hezbollah as a terrorist group, arguing this could destabilize a fragile government in Lebanon and contribute to instability in the Middle East. But Israel’s Civil Defense Minister Avi Dichter told Europeans that the EU should blacklist the group because it also drew a large portion of its funds from European capitals and later laundered the money.

EU diplomats have said their stance on whether to blacklist the group will depend on the evidence Bulgaria produces.