The Republic of North Macedonia will have a place in the EU when it’s ready. Bulgaria considers that at the moment it’s not ready, Bulgarian FM Ekaterina Zaharieva said.

“Bulgarian diplomacy cannot afford to implement a policy of denigration of another country, which, unfortunately, we see in Skopje. We are a member of the European Union,” Zaharieva told BNT ahead of Tuesday’s meeting of EU’s General Affairs Council (GAC) ministers, which is expected to discuss the negotiating framework for North Macedonia.

According to Zaharieva, the authorities in Skopje mistakenly thought that Sofia would be “pressured” to change its position.

She said that Bulgaria continues to support EU enlargement and it is not just declarative support. She advised Skopje not to give up on the first problem it faces on its path to the EU – the approval of the negotiating framework.

“Challenges are yet to come, the process is not easy. Bulgaria has moved on the same path. Afterwards, when the passions subside, including in Bulgaria, and when they will start thinking less emotionally, and stop clinging to building a state-sponsored anti-Bulgarian ideology, then they will get much more,” Zaharieva said.

She announced that she plans to come before the Bulgarian Parliament to answer all parliamentary questions related to the Republic of North Macedonia.