MFA denies reports over new obligations with Bulgaria outside Protocol
Skopje, 9 August 2022 (MIA) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) denied Tuesday reports over new mutual documents between North Macedonia and Bulgaria outside the principles agreed in the signed Protocol.
The Ministry says it rejects this speculation, adding that it is closely following the process of formation of Bulgarian government and the development of internal and external policies, while encouraging the focus attached to the bilateral relations as an important element of the new government as well.
“All reports about internal positioning, way of organization, action plans and priorities of the new government are internal affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria, and they are not the result of mutual discussions,” reads the Foreign Ministry’s press release. Therefore, it adds, we deny all reports that new obligations are being drafted for the two countries outside the agreed principles in the mutual Protocol, which include: first, reciprocity within the framework of the obligations undertaken; as well as autonomy of the joint multidisciplinary expert commission on historical and educational issues. Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolay Milkov said Monday an immediate obligation of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the bilateral dialogue with North Macedonia will be to adopt a document that defines the tasks of the institutions in Bulgaria. In a reaction, the opposition VMRO-DPMNE called on the government to say what the new documents from Bulgaria include. “Kovachevski, Osmani and Marichikj should immediately answer what these new documents include, what are the new demands and conditions? While they were trying to convince the Macedonian public that the protocol closes all conditions and demands from Bulgaria, in less than a month, again we get new conditions and new demands to fulfill,” said VMRO-DPMNE.
