Minister Zaharieva: We Have Managed to Reconcile our Differences with Politicians in the Republic of Macedonia, and Our Historians Should Do the Same
03 July 2018 News
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ekaterina Zaharieva welcomed the members of the joint scientific committee of the Republics of Bulgaria and Republic of Macedonia which held its first meeting today in Sofia. The joint multidisciplinary committee comprising experts in the fields of history and education was set up pursuant to the Amity, Good-neighbourliness and Cooperation Agreement concluded between the two countries.
‘What is most important now is that you should ensure a spirit of trust and that – even when you disagree – you should abide by the Agreement,’ Minister Zaharieva said. ‘Let us follow not just the letter of the Agreement, but its spirit, too,’ she added.
The Deputy Prime Minister noted that during each of her continued visits to the Republic of Macedonia she had felt the desire on the part of the people at both sides of the border to communicate and mark important events together.
This desire was what inspired politicians from the two countries to sign the agreement a year ago. ‘This positive spirit then lead to the matter of the name of the Republic of Macedonia, the demarcation of the Kosovo–Montenegro border, the continuation of the Belgrade–Pristina dialogue, and the decision on enlargement adopted during the latest European Council regarding Albania and the Republic of Macedonia,’ the Minister continued.
‘I believe that we all need to show commitment and courage now, and that both countries have to admit to their blatant missteps of the past and live together keeping in mind our youth,’ Bulgaria’s highest-ranking diplomat said.
She noted that politicians expected results from the committee, and called on the scholars in it to begin work on those figures of history and those events that the two countries may celebrate together before they move on to revising history textbooks.
‘I call on this committee to show its European spirit! I believe that you will assist us in our effort to continually support you without reservation, to set an example for our countries, and to require the same bravery as we have shown of European leaders,’ Minister Zaharieva concluded.
The Bulgarian co-chair of the committee is Professor Angel Dimitrov, the country’s first ambassador to the Republic of Macedonia. Its members include Professor Ivan Ilchev and Professor Kiril Topalov, Associate Professor Naum Kraichev and Daniel Vachkov, and other. All members are scholars of repute and high professional standing, and some have experience as diplomats. The aim of these scholars is to contribute to the objective interpretation of historical events and to their being represented accurately in textbooks in the two countries. The committee shall present an annual report on its work to both governments.
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