Bulgaria expects effective action from the institutions of the European Unions for valorising the values of democracy and respect for human rights in the Republic of North Macedonia. This was stated by the President of Bulgaria, Rumen Radev, today during the meeting with EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi, announced the press service of the Bulgarian President.
Radev, at the meeting with Varhelyi, said that the declarations and promises in the dialogue with the Republic of North Macedonia no longer work and Bulgaria expects clear legally binding decisions that will lead to sustainable and irreversible results, reported MIA correspondent from Sofia.
According to Radev, this will accelerate the process of European integration for the Republic of North Macedonia. The Bulgarian President reminded Varhelyi that the Agreement for Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation with the Republic of North Macedonia signed in 2017 is not being implemented and Skopje, according to Radev, has still not solved the problem with hate speech and instilling a false image of Bulgaria in school textbooks, museums and monuments, as well as in regards to the rights of the citizens who openly express their Bulgarian self-awareness.
President of Bulgaria Radev, during talks with EU Commissioner Varhelyi, outlined that “120,000 Bulgarian citizens in the Republic of North Macedonia are citizens of the European Union, and Bulgaria relies on the support of European institutions for the effective respect of their rights”.
The progress in the process of European integration of the countries of the Western Balkans was also in the focus of the conversation between Rumen Radev and Oliver Varhelyi.
– Bulgaria is most interested in seeing its neighbours in the European Union, but this requires fulfilment of the Copenhagen criteria for membership by the Republic of North Macedonia, especially respect for human rights and the principles of good neighbourliness, which are at the basis of European cooperation, outlined the Bulgarian President.
The common position was that in the process of European integration of the Western Balkan countries and in resolving the disputed issues, direct and open dialogue is most important.
After Sofia, EU Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi will visit the Republic of North Macedonia, where he will meet with the country’s leadership.
Translation: N. Cvetkovska
