Sofia, 20 June 2022 (MIA) – If Sofia on Monday gives a positive response to the proposals of the French Presidency on resolving the dispute between Bulgaria and North Macedonia, the EU’s General Affairs Council is expected tomorrow to approve the negotiating frameworks and accompanying documents for Skopje and Tirana, and set dates for start of negotiations at the Western Balkans Summit on Thursday, according to Sofia-based daily Standart. The daily notes that the permanent diplomatic representatives of the EU member states will meet on Monday in Luxembourg to discuss the so-called 'French proposal' on resolving the dispute between Bulgaria and North Macedonia and opening Union accession negotiations with Skopje and Tirana, with Bulgaria’s position on the negotiating framework proposed by the French EU Presidency expected to be presented by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Bulgarian National Assembly, after the Government in Sofia decided on June 15 to leave all decisions regarding the dispute with the country to the Bulgarian MPs. According to Standart, most of Bulgaria’s demands on North Macedonia have been accepted in the submitted proposal of the French Presidency and the European institutions, and they are included in the negotiating framework. “Change to North Macedonia’s Constitution will ensure respect for the rights of Bulgarians in the country, and the European Commission will monitor the process, including discrimination and hate speech,” says the daily. Meanwhile, Vice-President of the Bulgarian Assembly and former foreign minister Kristian Vigenin said the ‘French proposal’ was the best solution offered since 2019. Vigenin told Nova TV last night that the proposal includes for the first time almost all issues that Bulgaria considers problematic, related to hate speech and rights of Bulgarians in North Macedonia. “There is a mechanism that will monitor these issues. As regards the Bulgarians there, a solution has been found which I think is the best one,” said Vigenin, who is a member of the Bulgarian Socialist Party. However, according to him, the decision to lift the Bulgarian veto on the country should not be made only by the Parli8ament, but a wider public debate is necessary.