Skopje, 14 October 2024 (MIA) - Bulgarian President Rumen Radev believes that there is no need for mediation in the talks between Skopje and Sofia regarding the continuation of the country's negotiations, BTA reported.

When asked to comment on Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski's statement that he is willing to negotiate with the Bulgarian President, Radev said he has always been open to dialogue, but, in his view, it is important to distinguish between dialogue and negotiations.

"The negotiations between Bulgaria and North Macedonia concluded in July 2022, when the two countries signed the bilateral protocol for the treaty of friendship, good-neighbourliness and cooperation. If we are discussing dialogue, it should be conducted between North Macedonia and the European Commission, based on the adopted negotiating framework for North Macedonia, which was adopted unanimously by consensus by all EU member states and accepted by the Government of North Macedonia," Radev stated in a comment to Bulgarian media.

In his view, the situation is more than clear, and North Macedonia must fulfill the requirements set by the European Union, while Bulgaria, as he mentioned, can assist in this process.

"And I will repeat for who knows how many times, that we are ready and need to help. It is our responsibility to assist North Macedonia in meeting the conditions specified in the bilateral protocol and the negotiating framework more quickly and efficiently, so they can progress more confidently along the European path," the Bulgarian President said.

Photo: MIA archive