Position of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
27 January 2026 News
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria expresses deep disappointment at the continued unconstructive approach of the authorities in Skopje and the lack of openness in communication with the public. Once again, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of the Republic of North Macedonia spoke of an “initiative by larger and more influential EU Member States” to organize a meeting between the foreign ministers of Bulgaria and North Macedonia. This is not the first time that Skopje has officially made such vague and manipulative statements.
The European consensus of 2022 was adopted unanimously by all EU Member States, as well as by the Republic of North Macedonia itself. In this context, we once again draw attention to the fact that the dialogue is institutional, taking place between the candidate country and the EU. The implementation of all the measures set out in the consensus, in order to advance the process of European integration, depends solely on Skopje.
We have always been open to dialogue on all other issues. Unfortunately, Minister Mutsunski has demonstrated a reluctance to engage not only in words, but also in practice in conducting such a frank dialogue. The latest example of this is the declined invitation for his visit to Sofia on 25 November 2025 to commemorate the legacy of St. Kliment Ohridski - a significant historical figure from the shared history of both countries.
As for the suggestions and assessments made by Minister Mutsunski regarding Bulgaria’s approach to the presented draft plan on the rights of communities, we recall that it was rejected by the Bulgarian community in North Macedonia as unacceptable due to the lack of fundamental principles guaranteeing the protection of human rights. We expect the legitimate demands of our compatriots in North Macedonia to be heard.