President Rumen Radev and the visiting Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia, Dimitar Kovacevski and the government delegation led by him, discussed the opportunities for electricity supplies from Bulgaria to the Republic of North Macedonia and joint projects in the field of economic connectivity.
I hope that your meeting with the Bulgarian government today is an important step towards reaching a mutually beneficial solution on the issue of electricity supply in compliance with European rules, President Radev said. The Head of State welcomed Prime Minister Kovacevski's initiative for the working visit to Sofia and recalled his appeal for more frequent top-level meetings and dialogue to strengthen trust, mutual understanding and the development of good-neighbourly relations between Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia.
Despite the turbulent political passions we have witnessed in recent months, the relations between our two brotherly countries rest on a solid foundation that is beyond any political conjuncture, President Radev stressed. The Head of State also recalled the support Bulgaria has repeatedly provided to its south-western neighbour - from the recognition of that country's statehood and independence, through the insistence on the deployment of a UN contingent during the collapse of the former Yugoslavia, the assistance provided during the embargo, the military and technical assistance during the civil conflict in 2001, as well as during catastrophes and natural disasters.
For the sake of the people on both sides of the border, for the sake of the future generations, for the sake of our common European future, we are obliged to develop and strengthen this foundation, the Head of State stressed, adding that the political agreements related to the start of the negotiations on the EU membership of North Macedonia are part of this process.
For his part, the Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia highlighted the positive and fruitful conversation that the Macedonian delegation had with caretaker Prime Minister Galab Donev. Kovacevski stressed that the meeting discussed opportunities for cooperation in the field of electricity and the possibilities for exports from Bulgaria to support the economy and domestic consumers of the Republic of North Macedonia in the upcoming winter season.