Minister Svetlan Stoev received the leaders of the Social Democratic Union Party from the Republic of Northern Macedonia
22 July 2021 News
Bilateral relations and European integration with the Republic of Northern Macedonia were the focus of Foreign Minister Svetlan Stoev's talks with the leaders of the Social Democratic Union of the Republic of Northern Macedonia.
"There is no country more interested in the Republic of Northern Macedonia starting the negotiation process with the European Union, than Bulgaria", said our foreign minister, who received party leader Petar Kolev at the Foreign Ministry. Svetlan Stoev explained the Bulgarian position regarding the European integration of the Republic of Northern Macedonia, which is not conjunctural, but objectively justified by the problems arising from the non-implementation of the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation of 2017.
Minister Stoev stressed that Bulgaria continues to hold a dialogue with the Republic of Northern Macedonia on open issues. "Leading must be what unites us, not what divides us", our foreign minister said. On the Bulgarian side, it was stressed that hate speech is not a way to resolve controversial issues.
On the topic of European integration of the Republic of Northern Macedonia, the Bulgarian side stressed that it is making serious efforts for active and constructive dialogue with the authorities in the Republic of Northern Macedonia, as well as with its European partners, where the Bulgarian position is increasingly understood.
The President of the Social Democratic Union, Petar Kolev, presented his party's position on the negotiation process of the Republic of Northern Macedonia for EU accession, noting the need to address two main issues: hate speech and discrimination. "It is not normal in the 21st century for a country, a NATO member and an EU candidate, not to respect basic human values. We are determined to work on these issues", Petar Kolev said. He explained that his party would request official meetings with the president and prime minister of the Republic of Northern Macedonia in the coming weeks to present its arguments on how to resolve disputes with Bulgaria.
The leadership of the Social Democratic Union thanked Minister Stoev for the opportunity to meet, as well as for the attention of the Bulgarian institutions and the Bulgarians in the Republic of Northern Macedonia in general.