Skopje, 29 July 2023 (MIA) - The protocol with Bulgaria is not a condition for opening and closing of the 35 chapters of the Acquis. This Friendship Treaty only serves to highlight the impression of goodneighborly relations, it is not subject to vote in the European Union. There will be no written report by the European Commission on the degree of realization of the Friendship Treaty, said Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani on Saturday.

"Some are saying that inclusion of Bulgarians as a separate minority in the Constitution would Bulgarize the country, and not the passports that require one's declaration of being Bulgarians by origin. That is why I suspect that radicals in both countries have a silent agreement - we will keep the country from making progress and you continue with the mission of issuing Bulgarian passports," said Osmani.

According to him, every delay in the EU accession process leads to more Macedonian citizens getting Bulgarian passports. In order to get it, they go to Sofia and apply by claiming they have Bulgarian roots.

"The most unpatriotic and most damaging act for the state is that our passport is subordinated to the Bulgarian passport. This process of passportization is the biggest platform of Bulgarization," noted Osmani.

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