Sofia, 15 June 2023 (MIA) - North Macedonia's Ambassador to Bulgaria, Agneza Rusi - Popovska, has been summoned for a meeting with Director General for European Affairs Slavena Gergova at the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  

According to the Bulgarian MFA, Gergova expressed concern about the attack on Bekir Kadrieski, co-chairman of the Bulgarian association "Shemeto" in Struga. 

Gergova also stressed the need for the competent authorities in North Macedonia to take swift action for an effective investigation and justice in the case.  

"It was pointed out during the meeting that Bulgaria expects tangible results on the other incidents with Bulgarians and their associations in North Macedonia," added the Bulgarian MFA in a press release. 

Regarding the issue of motives in the case with Bekir Kadrieski, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bujar Osmani, at a press conference Thursday at the Prespa Forum Dialogue in Struga, asked the public to avoid rushing to premature qualifications and allow the institutions to fully clear up the case.

“We shouldn’t rush to qualifications and politicize this case, by doing so we are sending a bad message, and making it possible for every incident in the future to be assigned to ethnic hatred and to ask for certain protections, and we have to be careful here,” said Osmani in answer to a journalist’s question.

The Foreign Minister stressed that North Macedonia, as a country, is an example of multi-ethnic tolerance and said it will not be allowed for anyone to destroy that process.

“In this case, we asked the Bulgarian society and media not to rush to premature qualifications. First, we have to see what happened. The MFA is the first point of contact, yesterday I spoke with the MFA and with the Government. We mustn’t be late a single hour when it comes to clearing up this case, and I think the institutions are acting appropriately,” said Osmani.

According to the Foreign Minister, there are two versions of the event, one is the perpetrator’s the other is the victim’s, and this should be cleared up by the Public Prosecutor’s Office.  

In the meantime, Kadrieski told BNT that he wants to continue his treatment in Bulgaria. According to his statement, doctors in the Struga hospital were not giving him adequate treatment. He will be transferred to the Military Medical Academy in Bulgaria.