NEWS

Head of State: Only by Respecting Human Rights and the Principles of Good Neighbourliness Can the Republic of North Macedonia (RNM) Achieve Progress in European Integration

We expect the EU to react not only when representatives of European institutions are affected in RNM, but also in cases of assaults against European citizens or people with Bulgarian identity in that country, Rumen Radev said at a meeting with European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy, Oliver Varhelyi

Only by respecting human rights and the principles of good neighbourliness can RNM make progress in the European integration process. This is what President Rumen Radev said, who met today with EU Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Oliver Varhelyi.

At the beginning of the meeting, the head of State stressed that Bulgaria highly appreciates the active work and the rational approach of the European Commission and personally of the Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy for accelerating the process of European integration of the Western Balkan countries, which is particularly important for ensuring the stability and security of Europe.

Rumen Radev recalled that it was as a result of his fruitful meetings with Commissioner Varhelyi and the active joint work that the negotiating framework was elaborated, which cleared the way for RNM to join the European Union, at the same time ensuring the protection of the rights of the Bulgarians in that country and the Bulgarian cultural and historical heritage. In this regard, the head of State expressed concern about the lack of progress on the most important issue, which is also a prerequisite for the start of the EU accession negotiations - a change in the RNM constitution and the inclusion of Bulgarians as a constituent part of the state-forming peoples.

We have been witnessing increasing systematic discrimination, police, administrative and judicial arbitrariness against Bulgarian associations, mounting hate crimes against Bulgarians and people with Bulgarian identity in RNM, Rumen Radev stressed. The President highlighted the systematic pressure and attacks against Bulgarians and Bulgarian clubs in RNM in recent months, as well as the adoption of a retroactive law on foundations and civil associations, on the basis of which only two Bulgarian clubs out of 17,000 NGOs in the country were closed down.

Bulgaria praises the reaction of the European institutions and the strong condemnation of North Macedonia's refusal on 6 May to allow MEP Andrey Kovatchev to enter its territory, the head of State said, adding, that we expect such reactions not only when the rights of MEPs are affected, but also of ordinary European citizens, and of the citizens of the RNM with Bulgarian identity.

Commissioner Varhelyi expressed the European Commission's understanding of the importance of the open issues between Bulgaria and the RMS and pointed out that the acceleration of the EU enlargement process with the Western Balkan countries could only be achieved if it acceptable to all countries. He also stated that the Copenhagen criteria are clearly spelled out and unambiguous and the EC will continue to track on their implementation.