The accession of the Western Balkan countries into the EU is a continuous priority for the Bulgarian foreign policy and the support of Sofia in that respect is consistent, but is based on key principles of individual achievements in fulfilling the criteria for reforms and the importance of maintaining good-neighbourly relations, said President of Bulgaria Rumen Radev before the start of the EU-Western Balkans summit in Brdo kaj Kranj in Slovenia.
– I had important meetings also with leaders of European institutions, as well as a trilateral meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Emmanuel Macron, which was also attended by the Prime Minister of the EU candidate country, the Republic of North Macedonia, Zoran Zaev, said Radev.
He pointed out that the topic of the discussions was finding a way to overcome the obstacles before the start of the membership negotiations of the Republic of North Macedonia, a topic that, as he said, “is exceptionally important for the region, for the Macedonian Bulgarians and for Bulgaria’s place and role in the EU”.
– North Macedonia cannot pass catharsis. Our positions are clear, as long as our compatriots are subject to subtle assimilation, their basic rights suppressed over the years and not fully integrated in North Macedonia, we cannot say “yes” to the start of the negotiations, stated Radev.
Ahead of the plenary session of the EU-Western Balkans summit, President Radev called on the Republic of North Macedonia to fulfil its obligations of the Agreement of Friendship, Good-neighbourliness and Cooperation with Bulgaria, signed four years ago. He outlined the need for clear legal guarantees that Skopje will fulfil its obligations before Sofia removes the veto for the start of the EU accession negotiations of the Republic of North Macedonia.
– More than three years since the bilateral Agreement of Friendship, Good-neighbourliness and Cooperation entered into force, and no real action has been taken by the Macedonian side, he said, adding that they are working on better explaining the position of Bulgaria to the European partners.
Radev called on President Stevo Pendarovski and Prime Minister Zoran Zaev to show “a necessary will for overcoming the problems in the bilateral relations”.
As MIA correspondent from Sofia reported, Radev said that the suppression of the rights of Bulgarians in North Macedonia is a challenge for the EU as well, because they “are citizens of Bulgaria and citizens of the Union’ and called for “European solidarity both with them and with Bulgaria”.
– It is neither a veto, nor stopping of the process, we do not demand more than that, only respect for the basic European principles and interests of each EU member state, said Radev, adding that, according to him, the language of hatred should be eradicated, the interpretation on Bulgaria from textbooks, monuments, from the state policy, and then they will be prepared to say “yes”.
Radev said that Bulgaria in the country should also be included in the census of the population in North Macedonia.
– Bulgaria demands just as the historical truth in the relations between North Macedonia and Greece was recognized, for the historical truth in the relations with Bulgaria to also be recognized. We expect the bilateral protocol of 6 items to be ready by the beginning of November. In the protocol there are solutions that should be fulfilled during the entire negotiation process. I am interested in the binding issues that need to be completed by the beginning of the negotiations, in order for us to say “yes”, added Bulgarian President Radev.
Translation: N. Cvetkovska
