With full unanimity and without a single vote against, the National Assembly on May 30 adopted a resolution regarding the progress of the Republic of North Macedonia in its EU accession process.
The document states that Bulgaria remains fully committed to the European consensus reached in July 2022 and urges the authorities in Skopje to strictly adhere to the commitments they have undertaken.
Any attempts to renegotiate are unacceptable, the Bulgarian Parliament says. Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev confirmed that Bulgaria will not yield and will strictly observe the 2022 agreement, emphasising that there is no “Plan B” for North Macedonia—only the fulfillment of the negotiation framework.
The document, submitted by Toshko Yordanov and a group of MPs, also calls on EU institutions to continue active efforts to guarantee the rights of Bulgarians in North Macedonia, including the right to preserve and develop their cultural and historical heritage, language, collective memory, and identity. Bulgaria expects Skopje to present a targeted action plan.
“Any provocations are in no one’s interest. This declaration serves as another reminder that the foundational document of our modern bilateral relations is the Treaty of Good Neighbourliness. You’re all aware of the incidents with burned cultural clubs, issues around minority rights, and the failure to include Bulgarians in the Constitution, while at the same time, we’ve issued over 100,000 passports to citizens of North Macedonia,” said Boyko Borissov, chair of the GERB-UDF parliamentary group.
MPs expressed anger that the western neighbour has not honoured its commitments concerning the rights of Bulgarians there.
"We expect the authorities in the RSM to stick to their commitments, to adopt a clear, measurable and effective action plan aimed at fulfilling these commitments, to protect human rights and combat hate speech. Bulgaria should not allow any renegotiation of this proposal," said Lena Borislavova, PP-DB.
“We expect the authorities in North Macedonia to stick to their commitments and adopt a clear, measurable, and effective action plan focused on fulfilling them—particularly in terms of protecting human rights and combating hate speech. Bulgaria must not allow any renegotiation of this proposal under any circumstances,” stated Lena Borislavova from the WCC-DB parliamentary group.
There is a growing expectation for Bulgaria’s position on Skopje to be more visible.
“There are times when the National Assembly makes good decisions—though rarely. This is one of those moments. Credit is due to the government for heeding ‘Vazrazhdane’s’ calls to strengthen Bulgaria’s negotiating stance,” commented Kostadin Kostadinov, leader of the ‘Vazrazhdane’ parliamentary group.
The left-wing parties also emphasised the importance of demonstrating that Bulgaria has a unified foreign policy regarding Skopje, noting that the EU remains our strongest ally.
“It’s easy to say that Bulgaria should leave the European Union; it’s easy to beat our chests and claim that everything Bulgarian will thrive outside the EU. But the truth is that in these diplomatic matters, Bulgaria needs allies,” said Dragomir Stoynev, chair of the BSP parliamentary group.
The “There Is Such a People” party responded sharply to what they described as the arrogant behaviour of Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski. They believe that mistakes have been made over the years in Bulgaria’s approach to Skopje.
“From now on, we must not budge even a millimetre, and it must be made crystal clear—so that it doesn’t even cross the minds of those in power in North Macedonia to continue with this rhetoric. Otherwise, they’ll see the EU in 3,658 years,” said Toshko Yordanov, chair of the There is Such a People parliamentary group.
Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev reaffirmed that Bulgaria’s position on North Macedonia is stable and firm.
“Bulgaria’s calm and diplomatic tone should not be mistaken for inactivity. We are the opposite of the sometimes hysterical conduct of other nations. Bulgaria will continue to abide by the 2022 agreement and will not retreat a single centimetre from it,” said Georg Georgiev.
There is no plan B for North Macedonia, the plan is one - change the Constitution and fulfil the criteria, Georg Georgiev said.
Чуй новините
Подкаст
