Bulgaria Expects North Macedonia to Meet EU Membership Criteria, Says President Iotova

Bulgaria expects the Republic of North Macedonia to fulfil the European criteria for membership in the European Union, said President Iliana Iotova during a meeting with President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova.

The two held talks on the sidelines of the Summit of the Process of Cooperation in South-East Europe, hosted by President Iotova, according to a statement from the Head of State’s press office on June 10.

The Head of State stressed that the Republic of North Macedonia should fulfil the 2022 French proposal, which she herself signed and which became a common European position on the country’s accession to the European Union.

Iliana Iotova underlined that these are European membership criteria, not Bulgarian requirements. She stated that in order to begin accession negotiations, Skopje must fulfil its commitments, including the inclusion of Bulgarians in its Constitution. She also called for respect for the rights of Macedonian Bulgarians and an end to hate speech in North Macedonia.

In the conversation, which also included Bulgaria’s Deputy Foreign Minister Ivanka Tasheva and North Macedonia’s Foreign Minister Timcho Mucunski, the Head of State raised the issue of urgent medical treatment for 23-year-old Iva Mihaylova, who was injured in a traffic accident.

She has had her identity documents confiscated due to an ongoing investigation and is not allowed to leave Kocani, despite requiring medical treatment in Bulgaria.