Vice President Iliana Iotova: Bulgaria does not impose additional conditions on North Macedonia

Bulgaria has never deviated from the agreed framework and does not impose additional conditions for the start of EU membership negotiations with the Republic of North Macedonia. Instead, it expects Skopje to adhere to the European agreements. These are not Bulgarian claims but European membership criteria, the main of which is the protection of human rights. This was stated by Bulgaria’s Vice President, Iliana Iotova, during a meeting with Manuel Sarrazin, the special representative of Germany for the Western Balkans, held at the Presidency in Sofia on November 26.

The meeting highlighted Bulgaria's leading role in the European integration process of the countries in the Western Balkans.

Iliana Iotova emphasized that in 2018, during Bulgaria's presidency of the Council of the European Union, the country succeeded in bringing the issue of the European future of the Western Balkans back onto the EU agenda – a process that had stalled back in 2003. She described the declaration adopted in Sofia at the EU-Western Balkans summit as a key document, though one that remained underdeveloped.

Regarding the start of EU membership negotiations with the Republic of North Macedonia, the Vice President pointed to Bulgaria's firm, consensus-driven position, which is linked to the inclusion of Bulgarians in the Constitution and the full implementation of the Treaty on Friendship, Good Neighborliness, and Cooperation.

“We expect Skopje to fulfill the commitments made in the French proposal accepted in 2022, which was approved by all EU member states and North Macedonia,” stated Iliana Iotova.

She outlined Sofia's expectations from Skopje: the inclusion of Bulgarians (as constitutive peoples), in the Constitution of the Republic of North Macedonia; tangible results from the work of the joint commission on historical issues; measures to counter the spread of anti-Bulgarian ideology and hate crimes, discrimination against people who identify as Bulgarians, and the hate speech against Bulgarians in our western neighbour and against Bulgaria.

"Up to now, nothing has been achieved; there is not even a proposal for the constitutional amendments. Furthermore, Skopje has halted joint bilateral and European projects," pointed out the Vice President, giving the example of the work on the construction of Corridor 8, a crucial infrastructure project for the entire region and the European Union.