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“Until we receive legal guarantees, both from Skopje and in the context of the EU negotiation process, that the policy will change, we cannot agree to hold the first intergovernmental talks and start the membership talks.”
This was stated to the deputies in Parliament by the Deputy Prime Minister and Chancellor Ekaterina Zaharieva, who was summoned to a hearing to give deputies updated information about our relations with our neighbor, the BGNES agency reported.
“Bulgarian national interests in the Republic of Macedonia are the subject of public and political consensus, and for generations intersect with Bulgarian foreign policy, enshrined in the declaration of the National Assembly of October 10, 2019. This declaration is an example of continuity in time and consensus between parties few countries can boast. They also gave us the necessary political weight to confidently defend our national interest in our talks with Skopje, “said Zaharieva.
She was adamant that
our country has made all the necessary efforts to achieve a qualitatively fresh start in its relations with RS Macedonia
– from the recognition of its independence, through the friendly hand and the Bulgarian presidency of the Council of the EU, to our help to face the COVID crisis.
According to our Foreign Minister, Bulgaria has always demonstrated “consistency, predictability, transparency and constructiveness”. “Despite all our good neighborly demonstrations, Skopje has not changed the essence of its policy towards Bulgaria. The commitments to our country have remained merely declarative and, in essence, Skopje has continued its policy in support of minority, historical claims unsubstantiated, linguistic and otherwise. We have a long list of cases where they do not adhere to signed bilateral documents, “Zaharieva told MPs.
Zaharieva said from the parliamentary rostrum that in her opinion
Totalitarian thinking still keeps people in Macedonia.,
Taking as an example the celebration of the anniversary of Tito’s death organized by the mayor of Skopje. “While many of the other former Yugoslav republics honor the many victims of the Tito regime, in Skopje his legacy is being magnified.” Unfortunately, this ideological construction, fueled by the ‘deep state’ former Prime Minister Lyubcho speaks of Georgievski, he is trapping society, “said our chancellor.
As an example, Ekaterina Zaharieva also pointed to the administrative obstacles to Bulgarian business in Macedonia, the delay of transport corridor number 8, the anti-Bulgarian rhetoric in the media and the distorted presentation in the media of the Bulgarian position. “We leave the door open for communication and are ready at any time for bilateral talks with RS Macedonia,” concluded our first diplomat.
Deputy Prime Minister Krassimir Karakachanov also spoke on the subject from the parliamentary rostrum. “Bulgaria has stated its firm position: Macedonia is not ready to start EU accession talks,” he said.
“The reason for this is mainly due to the policy that RS Macedonia has been pursuing for decades towards Bulgaria. I will not go back from the early 90’s, because we all know that
Bulgaria was the first country to recognize Macedonia. Thanks to Bulgarian diplomacy, several other countries recognized it as a sovereign state.“,
noted the deputy prime minister.
However, according to him, despite all these efforts, our country only receives insincerity, even “a total anti-Bulgarian policy”. Karakachanov insisted that the language of hatred towards Bulgaria in our neighbor is fed through the educational system there, and through the media, as well as through its cultural departments through the funding of films and various programs. “By presenting false and distorted facts of the history of the Bulgarian people, the Bulgarian presents himself as an enemy and adversary, almost as an enemy of the state, which we recognized for the first time,” said Krassimir Karakachanov.
He also stressed that even Macedonian diplomacy, over time, has tried to create a negative image of our country in relation to European countries, and through international institutions it has tried to impose the thesis of the so-called Macedonian minority in Bulgaria.
For the deputy prime minister, even the construction of transport corridor number 8, which favors the direct connection between the Black Sea and the Adriatic, was deliberately blocked. “We see that today’s government is not in a hurry, and some of the representatives of this government, due to its previous composition, called it a Bulgarian project, detrimental to Macedonian interests,” he said.
In conclusion, Krassimir Karakachanov assured that Bulgaria’s position not to support the Republic of North Macedonia at this stage for the EU is based solely on the parameters of the Treaty of Friendship and Good Neighbor between the two countries, as well as on the position framework adopted by the government and confirmed by parliament. in the form of a statement. “We have not committed to what the National Assembly has confirmed as a position,” he added.
Assistant Professor Tashev: Our message is clear, Macedonia must make changes
Zaharieva: Bulgaria cannot support North Macedonia at this stage
North Macedonia: Bad message, defeat of European values
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Karakachanov announced whether a solution has been reached with Skopje
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