Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia Discuss Regional Connectivity
22 May 2026 News
On the sidelines of the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting in Helsingborg, Sweden, Minister of Foreign Affairs Velislava Petrova held talks with her counterpart from the Republic of North Macedonia, Timcho Mucunski.
The discussion focused on improving regional connectivity, with the two ministers reaffirming the strategic importance of the accelerated development of Corridor VIII for the prosperity, resilience and security of the region and Europe. In particular, concrete steps are needed towards the joint construction of the cross-border railway tunnel following the entry into force of the Intergovernmental Agreement of 6 November 2025.
Minister Velislava Petrova reaffirmed Bulgaria’s consistent position that the full implementation of the commitments undertaken towards the European Union under the European Consensus of July 2022 remains the only guarantee of the Republic of North Macedonia’s sustainable progress on its path towards EU accession. Minister Petrova further stated that, for Bulgaria, ensuring the full protection of the rights of Macedonian Bulgarians will continue to be a matter of priority importance.