Bulgaria requires guarantees over the European Union’s enlargement in North Macedonia, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said on Wednesday during a joint press conference with Portuguese counterpart Marcelo de Sousa, MIA reports from Sofia.

“The most important task is to restore dialogue between Sofia and Skopje at all levels,” Radev said.

He stressed that the Portuguese EU Presidency and Portugal’s President Marcelo de Sousa can assist in finding a constructive approach.

“The approach must be based on respect for positions and issues of the countries in question. Based on this approach, I see prospects for resuming dialogue, developing signs, appropriate documents and relations at all levels, which will provide us with guarantee that the enlargement process will be efficient, stable and irreversible,” Radev noted.

Regarding whether Skopje meets conditions, the Bulgarian President stressed that there’s a whole list of formal conditions. According to him, focus should be put on preventing young people in both countries from hating each other.

“When I formed the caretaker government, I tasked tourism, education and foreign ministers to think about how we can bring our young people closer together. Instead of paying to keep tourism alive, we should give money to hotels that ensure full support for children and students, both in Bulgaria and in North Macedonia,” Radev underlined, adding that he has shared this idea with Macedonian President Stevo Pendarovski during their joint visit to Rome.

This, the Bulgaria’s President noted, is a crucial step for opening both countries’ doors to sustainable and stable future.

“We won’t promote friendship with documents and declarations, but real friendship and respect between people on both sides of the border,” Radev added.