North Macedonia’s President Stevo Pendarovski and Bulgarian President Rumen Radev together on Thursday will visit the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome to lay flowers at the memorial plaques dedicates to Ss. Cyril and Methodius to pay tribute to the Pan-Slavic saint brothers.
They are part of state delegations of the two countries visiting Rome and Vatican to mark Ss. Cyril and Methodius Day (May 24).
Their tribute to the Pan-Slavic educators and the joint trip of the two delegations in general has been described as a step forward in warming the relations between the two countries at a time when the Portuguese proposal for resolving the dispute between Skopje and Sofia — and for unblocking the European integration process of North Macedonia — is on the table.
It will be the only joint activity of the two presidents in commemorating Ss. Cyril and Methodius.
Pendarovski and Radev are expected to speak to members of the media later in the day.
Also, President Pendarovski will have an audience with Pope Francis, the Head of the Roman Catholic Church. He is also set to meet with the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Cardinal Pietro Parolin before laying flowers on St. Cyril’s tomb in St. Clemente Basilica.
On Wednesday, Pendarovski and Radev at the Skopje International Airport held an informal meeting before the two delegations boarded the Bulgarian state airplane to travel to Rome. They are accompanied by crews by several media outlets.
The presidents called their joint trip and joint commemoration of Ss. Cyril and Methodius ‘a chance to renew dialogue and trust and strengthen relations between North Macedonia and Bulgaria in the spirit of the Friendship Treaty.’
