PM Petkov: North Macedonia topic is used to distract attention from the 2.5 billion BGN requested by Ministry of Regional Development for illegal constructions

All sorts of insinuations have been heard in Parliament about the decision on the Republic of North Macedonia. The Council of Ministers today took a clear decision which is unequivocal. Henceforth no political leader should indulge in any rhetoric, Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said at a press conference together with Economy Minister Kornelia Ninova and outgoing Energy Minister Alexander Nikolov after the Council of Ministers meeting on June 15.

The decision of the Council of Ministers is: first - any proposal by the rotating EU presidency from member states or the European Commission related to the launching of negotiations for EU membership with the Republic of North Macedonia or Albania, which deviates from the framework position of the Council of Ministers, to be sent immediately to the Foreign Policy Committee of the Parliament. Second - Bulgaria's representatives in the Permanent Representatives Committee and in the General Affairs Council should not agree with the proposals under point 1 until they are discussed in Parliament, and in case of their rejection by the National Assembly to express a negative position on them, Petkov specified.

"From now on, no politician can say that the government would take unilateral action. The decision is the Parliament's and this decision obliges our representation in Brussels to turn to the Pareliment. All along, the issue of the Republic of North Macedonia has been used to distract public attention. Why was the hearing of the outgoing foreign minister, Teodora Genchovska, held today? To avoid discussions on a much more important topic, and that is: the interdepartmental commission between the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Regional Development which found violations in the construction sector worth BGN 2.5 billion. This money was going to be paid through the budget increase requested by the Ministry of Regional Development," the Prime Minister said.

He stated that the commision’s decision is coming out today with these findings. He gave an example of a 6 metre culvert that cost BGN 1 million and 3 pillars that cost BGN 2 million.

“With this decision the North Macedonia issue is over and from now on keep an eye on who wants to use what of your money in an illegal way," he said.