PM Kiril Petkov in Brussels: I will keep my word on North Macedonia, I am tired of cowards!

Speaking to journalists on June 23, before the European Council meeting in Brussels, outgoing Prime Minister Kiril Petkov assured that he would keep his word and will leave the decision concerning the lifting of the veto on North Macedonia's EU accession talks to be taken by Parliament.

"The decision on the matter should be taken by the Bulgarian Parliament. I keep my word, regardless of what anybody asks me to do. I am the Prime Minister of Bulgaria and when I say something, I keep my word. What I hope, however, is that in the next few days we will have a resolution of the Parliament," Petkov said.

The outgoing Prime Minister pointed out that he personally likes the French proposal (on solving the dispute with Skopje) and believes that in accepting it would be a historic opportunity for Bulgaria, but it has to be done in the right way.

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Kiril Petkov criticised President Rumen Radev for not taking a firm position on the issue and not convening the Consultative Council for National Security.

"A President in the right place, would call the Consultative Council for National Security, we can all sit down together, discuss and go! But the masks have come off, I'm tired of cowards! I will keep my promise to the Bulgarian people and I hope we will have an open discussion because it is a historic moment that we must not miss. This proposal is very good, the point is that it has to be done in the right way," Petkov pointed out.

He also criticised the behaviour of the opposition for going on TV Wednesday morning talking about their proposal on North Macedonia but then blocking the meeting of the parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee in the afternoon which was supposed to address the matter.

"You cannot go on TV and beat your chest that you are going to do something and then block a committee. I can't believe they can't secure a quorum (in Parliament) for a second day. Do you know why they do not secure a quorum - because they are afraid and they cannot even elect a Speaker of the Parliament. These people are cowards and all they think about is how to manipulate. If they really have a position - the committee is sitting today. Either you are all cowards who are trying to pass the hot potato, or you are all thieves who are trying to shake down the government in order to get some billions of money, or you are statesmen. If you are statesmen - go to a committee, make a decision, and say it in front of the Bulgarian people. I will tell all European partners today that until the Parliament takes a decision, the Bulgarian position remains as it is," the outgoing Prime Minister said.

Before the European Council meeting, Petkov participated in the EU-Western Balkans summit. Before the meeting, North Macedonian Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski declined to comment.

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