It is high time Bulgaria and the Republic of Macedonia turned over a new leaf in their bilateral relations. The complicated relations between the two countries are unnatural and do not correspond either to the historical or to the contemporary realities, or to our future goals. This is what President Rumen Radev said, who held talks today with Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev at 2 Dondukov street. The two shared the opinion that the people in both Bulgaria and the Republic of Macedonia expect that their politicians will pursue a policy of friendship and good-neighborly relations between the two closest countries in the Balkans.
At the meeting President Radev confirmed our country’s support for the Republic of Macedonia’s Euro-Atlantic and European prospects. The signing of a bilateral agreement on good neighborliness, which will establish clear regulations “for the development of the bilateral relations following a European model,” guarantees such a support. President Radev highly appreciated the adamant intention declared by Prime Minister Zaev of adopting a new approach of friendship and good-neighborly relations between Bulgaria and the Republic of Macedonia and highlighted Bulgaria’s expectation for taking concrete steps in this direction. The Head of State called for changing the attitude of the delegation of the Republic of Macedonia to our country in the Council of Europe regarding the procedure on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, for support for the renovation and preservation of the Bulgarian soldier monuments, which are part of the lineal heritage in both countries and also for the effective actions the politicians should take to create a stable climate of trust between Bulgaria and the Republic of Macedonia in public space.
“Our country has no alternative than to join NATO and the EU and what is currently most important is to develop good-neighborly relations in the Balkans,” Zoran Zaev emphasized. He added that Bulgaria is the Republic of Macedonia’s greatest friend and he expects that our country will actively support Macedonia in the process of European integration.
Bulgaria and the Republic of Macedonia share a common history, and also a common future in the EU and NATO, Rumen Radev and Zoran Zaev further said. Macedonia’s Prime Minister also confirmed his readiness to jointly mark important events and dates in our common history, such as the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie uprising in 1903, the deed of the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius and others.
The meeting also focused on the issue of achieving a better transport, energy and communication connectivity between Bulgaria and the Republic of Macedonia and in the region of Southeast Europe as a whole. The Bulgarian President and the Macedonian Prime Minister were also unanimous that the bilateral trade may considerably increase, as well as the exchange of tourists. The positive trend of bilateral cooperation in the spheres of education and culture was also noted.