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Rumen Radev: The Bulgarian Stance on the Republic of North Macedonia’s EU Integration is in the Interest of Historical Truth and Avoiding Neighborly Problems in the EU

Ideology and the manipulation of totalitarianism have no place in united Europe, the President said in Smolyan

The people from Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia have been sharing a common cultural code, history and language for 1,300 years. Therefore the politicians from the two countries have the common responsibility to seek approaches that bring us closer together, not occasions that separate us. This is what President Rumen Radev told journalists in Smolyan.

The Head of State said that the Bulgarian stance on the Republic of North Macedonia’s EU integration is in the interest of historical truth and avoiding neighborly problems in the common European family. “Ideology and the manipulation of totalitarianism have no place in united Europe,” Rumen Radev was adamant. The President said that the Bulgarian stance serves above all the interest of the Republic of North Macedonia because it brings in clear European criteria and sustainability in the process of the country’s EU accession. In Rumen Radev’s words, it is essential that the conditions for our support be clear in advance in each negotiation chapter and therefore he organized a consultative meeting on the topic. The Head of State emphasized that he expects that the Bulgarian government will consistently uphold the Bulgarian stance.

“The Republic of North Macedonia’s politicians should not comment Bulgaria’s domestic policy issues, just as I do not comment or deal with the domestic policy issues of the Republic of North Macedonia,” the President further said and added that he invited his counterpart Stevo Pendarovski to visit Bulgaria back during his inauguration ceremony. “I have reiterated my invitation to him a couple of times and I expect that he will find time to come to Bulgaria. We should not wait for the Joint Commission of Experts on Historical and Educational Issues to progress in their work for such a visit to be made,” the Bulgarian President said.