Sofia, 21 September 2021 (MIA) – Bulgarian Foreign Minister Svetlan Stoev had Tuesday a meeting with visiting European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi where he reaffirmed Bulgaria's principled position in support of the European integration of the Western Balkan countries, including the Republic of North Macedonia. Bulgaria, said Stoev, in order to support the start of accession talks between North Macedonia and the EU, needs concrete actions and guarantees for the lasting and irreversible implementation of the 2017 Treaty of Friendship, MIA’s Sofia correspondent reported. “Bulgaria expects North Macedonia to show the political will to overcome the differences. Bulgaria, for its part, remains actively engaged in seeking opportunities to resolve outstanding issues, the Foreign Ministry said in a press release after Stoev’s meeting with Varhelyi, who is paying a day-long visit to the Bulgarian capital. During the meeting, Minister Stoev underlined the continuity of the caretaker government’s policy as regards the Republic of North Macedonia’s EU integration, which is in line with the Declaration of the National Assembly, passed on Oct. 10, 2019, and the Framework Position of the Ministerial Council, passed on Oct. 9, 2019. Stoev also briefed the EU official on current developments in the bilateral dialogue with Skopje, highlighting Bulgaria's efforts to restore confidence at all levels, and the series of expert consultations between the two foreign ministries on Bulgaria's initiative in recent months, said the press release. "Bulgaria remains consistent in its support for the European path of the countries of the Western Balkans, including the Republic of North Macedonia. Guided by this position, we have invested serious efforts in maintaining an open and full dialogue with our neighbors and restoring trust in relations between us," Stoev said.