Ministry of Foreign Affairs Issues Strong Response to the Republic of North Macedonia Over the Summoning of the Bulgarian Ambassador in Skopje

Today, July 10, the Bulgarian Ambassador in Skopje was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of the Republic of North Macedonia in relation to the use of the adjective “North Macedonian” in reference to the Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia, Mr. Hristijan Mickoski. On the same day, the Prime Minister of the neighbouring country made highly inappropriate public remarks insulting the Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs. In this regard, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria states the following:

The Bulgarian Ambassador in Skopje has expressed his surprise at the grounds for his summoning, particularly in the light of a series of unfriendly messages and actions from representatives of the authorities in Skopje in recent months. The Bulgarian diplomat emphasised that the official authorities of the Republic of North Macedonia have systematically and deliberately demonstrated a lack of respect toward the Bulgarian state in the public domain.

During the meeting, the Ambassador also conveyed Bulgaria’s serious concern regarding a number of sharp, manipulative, and often offensive public statements made by senior officials of the Republic of North Macedonia—statements directed both at Bulgaria and the European Union. It is particularly unacceptable to refer to Bulgaria as a "hostile state," especially given its ongoing, genuine, and selfless assistance—such as the support being provided by Bulgarian firefighters in response to the wildfires in Kriva Palanka.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria categorically condemns the unacceptable and offensive language used by Mr. Hristijan Mickoski toward an official representative of Bulgaria—in this case, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Such statements are incompatible with the basic norms of diplomatic and political dialogue, as well as with the principles of good neighbourly relations that the Republic of North Macedonia claims to uphold but in practice repeatedly violates.

The repeated use of vulgar language toward representatives of the Bulgarian state not only further undermines the already fragile trust between our two countries but also casts serious doubt on the genuine commitment of the political leadership in Skopje to the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness, and Cooperation of 2017, as well as to its declared desire to join the European Union—a process that requires respect, responsibility, and political maturity.

Bulgaria will not tolerate hate speech, personal attacks, and deliberate undermining of bilateral relations. Such statements by the official authorities in the Republic of North Macedonia create a climate of hostility and demonstrate no political will to return to a normal, respectful, and constructive dialogue.