NEWS

President Radev: Timetables are needed for the resolution of political issues between Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia

The Head of State highlighted the inclusion of the Macedonian Bulgarians in the Constitution of the Republic of North Macedonia on an equal footing with other parts of peoples as an indispensable condition for the start of the EU accession negotiations

I expect that the new atmosphere of greater trust and dynamism in the interaction of the governments of Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia will facilitate work on the outstanding political issues that hinder the dialogue and, above all, the opening of the door for the start of negotiations on EU membership. This is what President Rumen Radev said at a meeting with the visiting Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia, Dimitar Kovacevski, and the governmental delegation led by him.

The Bulgarian Head of State hailed the establishment of sectoral cooperation groups in various important areas and the setting of deadlines for achieving results in their activities. 'In parallel with the work of the sectoral groups on all the issues of connectivity, economic cooperation, agriculture, tourism, culture and education, we cannot neglect the other outstanding political issues, because they are extremely important for the security, prosperity and development not only of North Macedonia and Bulgaria, but also of the whole region,' Radev said and called for the introduction of clear timetables for achieving results also in resolving the open political issues. In his words, it is necessary to indicate both the short-term tasks that need to be solved before the start of the negotiations of our south-western neighbour for EU membership and to set the long-term goals after the opening of the negotiation process with clear mechanisms for their achievement.

As one of the Bulgarian politicians who want to see the Republic of North Macedonia as a member of the EU as soon as possible, it is very important for me that the integration process is sustainable and irreversible, Radev said and again pointed to the issue of the rights of the citizens of the Republic of North Macedonia with Bulgarian identity as a sensitive one for the Bulgarian society. According to him, the inclusion of the Macedonian Bulgarians in the Constitution of the Republic of North Macedonia, as well as the guarantee of their equal rights alongside other parts of peoples, is a prerequisite for Bulgaria to open the door for the start of accession negotiations, along with clear mechanisms for the eradication of hate speech, respect for the common cultural and historical past, and overcoming the ideological leftovers of communism.

The main track for our dialogue, for surmounting these unresolved political issues, is to have a frank and sincere dialogue, Radev specified, adding that the time had come for political will and wisdom. 'If both nations show this, I am convinced that in the fastest possible way Bulgaria will not only open the door for the start of negotiations, but will be the country you can count on the most for the integration of the Republic of North Macedonia into the EU,' the Bulgarian President stressed, adding that the people on both sides of the border expect to be able to communicate in a much more comprehensive way as soon as possible.

The Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia, Dimitar Kovacevski, pointed out that on the open political issues the dynamics of the talks should become more intense and be in the spirit of good neighbourliness. He stressed that the dialogue should be based on European values, preserving the dignity of the citizens on both sides of the border. By resolving the open issues, we can become an example for the EU on how to develop a region, Kovacevski concluded.