EU Permanent Representative Dimitar Tsanchev: The process of EU enlargement cannot be at the expense of the interests of the member states
14 May 2021 News
Our Permanent Representative to the EU, Ambassador Dimitar Tsanchev, participated in the informal videoconference meeting of the EU Foreign Ministers with their counterparts from Albania and the Republic of Northern Macedonia, organized on May 13, 2021 by Greece and Romania.
"Treaties must be respected and this is one of the most important rules in international relations. Bulgaria and the Republic of Northern Macedonia signed a Treaty of Friendship and Good Neighborliness in 2017, which was to lay the foundations for true cooperation and honest dialogue. This agreement, as well as the Prespa Treaty with Greece, paved the way for Skopje's European integration. "Unfortunately, the refusal of the Republic of Northern Macedonia to implement the agreement with Bulgaria is the reason for today's situation," said Ambassador Dimitar Tsanchev to the conference participants.
He focused on the problems related to the implementation of the agreements with Skopje, the lack of results from the work of the joint historical commission, the violation of the fundamental rights of Macedonian citizens with Bulgarian identity and open use of hate speech against Bulgaria.
"I would not be surprised to say that we are among the biggest supporters of the EU enlargement process in the Western Balkans region, but this cannot be at the expense of the interests of the EU member states. The Bulgarian position is clear and pragmatic. Upon taking office, the new caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs stated that our position remains unchanged, " said Ambassador Tsanchev.
"We cannot talk about lost trust in the European Union. Candidate countries must also earn the trust of their EU partners with their conduct, which must be fair and open. Bulgaria remains open to dialogue and finding a positive solution, " the Bulgarian Permanent Representative to the EU concluded.