President Radev: Republic of North Macedonia’s European perspective cannot happen without guarantees for the Bulgarian minority rights

The European perspective of the Republic of North Macedonia has no alternative and is a strategic goal of the Bulgarian state. The integration of our south-western neighbour, however, cannot happen without first guaranteeing the rights of the Bulgarians in North Macedonia and stopping the hate speech.

This position became clear from President Rumen Radev's speech at the opening of of the National Conference on the European Perspective for Good-neighbourly Relations between Bulgaria and North Macedonia in Sofia on May 4.

The forum is under the patronage of the Head of State and is being held on the day of marking 119 years since the death of the great Bulgarian revolutionary Gotse Delchev.

The President pointed out that Bulgaria insists on resolving its contentious political issues with North Macedonia before the start of the EU membership negotiations because there are many cases in our relations over the past decades in which Bulgarian trust has not been justified by North Macedonia.

"Changing the Constitution and adding one word - Bulgarians, alongside other state-forming peoples, means that you accept the European idea. They say they can't do it now because they don't have a 2/3 majority in the North Macedonian parliament to approve it. Excuse me, but if the parliament does not have the will to meet the Copenhagen criteria for EU membership, what readiness does our neighbour have," President Radev asked.

The Head of State warned that the failure to resolve the political issues between the two countries is blocking the exchange in all other spheres.

"It is wonderful that the energetic new prime ministers of the two countries have taken initiatives to build upon friendly relations, but I would like to see a schedule not only for economic and cultural rapprochement, but also for resolving political issues. Because if we don't resolve them, all efforts will go on the back burner," the President said.

The forum was organised by the Institute for Historical Research at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the Macedonian Scientific Institute

It was attended by Vice President Iliana Iotova, prominent historians, diplomats, journalists, representatives of organisations of Macedonian Bulgarians, as well as representatives of the Macedonian Patriotic Organisation in the United States and Canada.

The moderator of the event is the journalist Boyko Vassilev. The forum was broadcast live on BNT, as well as on the Facebook page of the Head of State.

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