Open dialogue with the Republic of Northern Macedonia and the organization of the elections, on July 11, 2021, abroad are priorities in the work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
25 May 2021 News
Restoring trust and intensifying the dialogue with the Republic of Northern Macedonia, as well as organizing the elections on July 11, 2021 abroad, are among the main priorities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the next two months.
This was announced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Svetlan Stoev today at a media briefing, during which he presented his team.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a professional service. We are depoliticized, there is a Law on the Diplomatic Service. Here, party interests are not on the agenda, but national interests. Each of us, no matter what position he holds, protects precisely these national interests, " said Minister Stoev. He recalled that his belief as a minister was continuity and the predictability of diplomacy.
Regarding the foreign policy priorities - above all it is to restore confidence and intensify the bilateral dialogue with the Republic of Northern Macedonia. Minister Stoev reminded that Bulgaria has an official position - a framework in which it moves in its relations with the Republic of Northern Macedonia, and a declaration of the National Assembly, supported by all political forces represented in the 44th Parliament. Our country is open for dialogue. "What is needed in our relations is, on the one hand, consistency and, on the other hand, a constructive attitude in the bilateral dialogue. The goal is to achieve sustainable and irreversible results in restoring trust between the two countries."said Svetlan Stoev.
At the same time, our country is working to return the topic of European integration to the Republic of Northern Macedonia within the normal European formats between EU member states to obtain guarantees for Bulgaria that bilateral agreements will be implemented. We expect a constructive dialogue on the part of the Republic of Northern Macedonia.
As another important topic on the international agenda in the coming months, Svetlan Stoev highlighted the partnership within NATO, the upcoming videoconference meeting of the foreign ministers of the Allies and the preparations for the June Summit. The Minister also drew attention to the forthcoming Summit of the Three Seas Initiative, within the Bulgarian Presidency.
Minister Stoev once again stated the readiness of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and called on the Bulgarian communities abroad for activity and cooperation in the preparation of the elections on July 11. The preparation of the vote is the other main task in the work of the Minister and the Ministry. For this purpose, a working group "Elections" was established in the ministry, chaired by the Permanent Secretary Ivan Kondov and Deputy Chairman Kalin Anastasov, who provided information on what has been done so far by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in constant contact with the Central Election Commission on all issues concerning the role and responsibilities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the process of organizing the elections. Including every week, the ministry will inform the CEC about the pandemic situation abroad.
- Consent has been requested for the organization of elections from 128 countries in which we have accredited ambassadors with primary or secondary accreditation.
- Consent has already been received from 19 countries: Switzerland, Great Britain, Slovenia, Belgium, Austria, Spain, the Republic of Northern Macedonia, Turkey, Costa Rica, Uzbekistan, Argentina, Nigeria, Luxembourg, Georgia, Belarus, the Netherlands, Finland, New Zealand and the Czech Republic . The Czech side clarifies that it is not desirable to open polling stations outside the embassy premises.
- According to the decisions of the CEC, as of May 25, 568 sections were automatically formed in 67 countries. According to the analysis of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to date in about 300 of them in 24 countries we expect to vote with machines, for which a decision of the CEC is expected.
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working on logistical plans for sending the ballot papers, and, if engaged, is ready to implement additional logistical plans for the delivery of technical means for machine voting to the sectional election commissions abroad. The CEC has been informed of this.
- Invitations for international observation have been sent, and a section "Elections" has been created on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for regular informing of the citizens.
- We call on Bulgarian citizens abroad who wish to exercise their right to vote to take the opportunity to submit electronic applications through the CEC website.
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will also organize regular briefings for the media in order to receive up-to-date information related to the process of organizing the vote abroad.
During the briefing, Minister Svetlan Stoev also presented his team, which he will work with during the term of the caretaker government. He will be assisted by two deputy ministers: career diplomat Rumen Alexandrov and expert Zaritsa Dinkova, who has experience in various European institutions. She will be responsible for the development policy and economic profile of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and will work closely with the Deputy Prime Minister, who is responsible for the control of EU funds and the recovery and sustainability plan. The head of the foreign minister's office is Yana Docheva, a former director at the Bulgarian EU presidency ministry. An important role in the team of the Minister is played by the Directors General of the Diplomatic Service: Vasiliy Takev, Director General of Bilateral Relations, Maya Dobreva, Director General of Political Affairs and Ulyana Bogdanska, Director General of Global Affairs. The Secretary General of the Ministry is Nedyalcho Danchev, who until now headed the Inspectorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Minister Stoev stressed that his team is fully expert and will work in accordance with the main function of diplomacy for dialogue, for establishing contacts and friends in defense of the national interests of our country.