Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria Position on the European perspective of the Republic of North Macedonia
28 June 2021 News
Sofia insists on sustainable European solutions to the challenges facing the European integration of Skopje
Bulgaria was compelled to postpone lending its support for the start of the accession negotiations with the Republic of North Macedonia at the June 2021 General Affairs Council.
In the course of the same meeting, Bulgaria made a positive assessment of the achievements of the Republic of Albania in the process of reforms and gave its ‘yes’ for the adoption of its Negotiating Framework.
The position of Bulgaria on the European perspective of our close neighbor, the Republic of North Macedonia, has been consistent and clear. It is in line with our conviction that the Enlargement Policy must be based on the compliance with the Copenhagen criteria and on the principle of own merits. Bulgaria will continue to insist on receiving reliable guarantees that our fundamental interests shall not be infringed. The practice of suppressing the rights of people in the Republic of North Macedonia who identify themselves as Bulgarians must cease. We want to see an irreversible, comprehensive and effective implementation of the Treaty on Friendship, Good-Neighborly Relations and Cooperation of 2017.
Our support for the EU enlargement with the countries of the Western Balkans remains a priority of the Bulgarian foreign policy; it is our unwavering commitment. We are resolute to continue the dialogue with the Republic of North Macedonia. We are committed to finding pragmatic, sustainable and mutually acceptable solutions to the challenges inherited from the past.
During the June 17, 2021 meetings in Sofia of Prime Minister Zoran Zaev with President Rumen Radev and Prime Minister Stefan Yanev, and also during the talks between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs Svetlan Stoev and Bujar Osmani, the Republic of North Macedonia expressed its readiness to implement the following commitments:
- Skopje will promptly convey a Verbal Note to the UN, in accordance with Article 11 (3) of the Treaty on Good-Neighborly Relations, confirming that the full and the short name of the state refer only to the political entity of the Republic of North Macedonia, and not to the geographic region of North Macedonia, part of which is a sovereign Bulgarian territory. Following that, Bulgaria will immediately discontinue to insist on the sole use of the full official name “The Republic of North Macedonia” in the EU and all international organizations.
- The Republic of North Macedonia will permanently withdraw its minority claims towards Bulgaria by confirming that there exist no historic, ethnic or other grounds to pursue a minority status for any group of people, who are not citizens of the Republic of North Macedonia, in the territory of Bulgaria. This is pursuant to Article 11 (5) of the Treaty regarding non-interference in the internal affairs of Bulgaria.
- The Republic of North Macedonia will start a process of rehabilitation of the victims of the Yugoslav Communist Regime, persecuted in its territory due to their Bulgarian identity. Such a historic gesture by the Republic of North Macedonia would manifest in practice its commitment to the European values.
- The Republic of North Macedonia will adapt the content of its school programs, in order to objectively reflect our common history, which is embedded as a central element of the Preamble and in Article 8 (3) of the Treaty on Good-Neighborly Relations, as well as to remove educational content instigating hatred towards Bulgaria, as envisaged in Article 11 (6) of the same Treaty.
- The Republic of North Macedonia will identify, together with Bulgaria, public inscriptions on its territory, which instigate hatred towards Bulgaria and the Bulgarian people, with a view to removing them.
Bulgaria reconfirms its will to continue the exploratory consultations and all other necessary formats of bilateral negotiations with Skopje. We approach this process constructively and in good faith. However, we expect the Republic of North Macedonia to embark on the practical implementation of the commitments it has made at high level.. The full and prompt implementation of these commitments would be a test for sincerity and good will. It will enable us to move forward in a tangibly positive direction.
Following up on the bilateral dialogue, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Svetlan Stoev has sent a letter to his colleague Bujar Osmani on June 25th, whereby he expressed anticipation for the fulfillment of the commitments made by the Republic of North Macedonia, and the readiness of Bulgaria to work for lasting and sustainable solutions.
Regardless of the challenges, the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia ought to develop full-fledged, sincere, predictable, relations based on the Treaty, in all areas. Bulgaria has produced countless proofs of its readiness to do so.
The effective implementation of the Treaty should be incorporated among the accession criteria stemming from the Negotiating Framework for the Republic of North Macedonia. This is an EU internal process. At the same time, the opened approach on this matter demonstrated by the Republic of North Macedonia, including on the incorporation of the good-neighborliness criteria into the Negotiating Framework, should be commended.
Bulgaria declares its readiness for a constructive dialogue with the upcoming Slovenian Presidency, as well as with the successive Presidencies of Council of the EU, in order to accomplish lasting and sustainable results in the process of EU enlargement with the countries of the Western Balkans. Beyond any doubt, these will be to the benefit of the entire region and its European future.
25 June 2021