Skopje, 7 March 2024 (MIA) — Bulgaria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned North Macedonia's Ambassador in Sofia to a meeting about "recent public comments by politicians in the neighboring country and their false statements related to the Republic of Bulgaria," the Bulgarian MFA said in a press release.

Without disclosing any specifics on the politicians or their comments, the release says Bulgaria's MFA "categorically objects to any attempts to involve Bulgaria and our bilateral relations in the internal political debate in the Republic of North Macedonia, including in the context of the current election campaign."

"Bulgaria has consistently maintained a constructive tone and refrained from commenting on the constant provocations from North Macedonia's public arena. It has done so with the understanding that providing a constructive environment for the normal conduct of the electoral process and an environment of public peace is necessary for implementing the required reforms," the release continues.

"Unfortunately, it is obvious these efforts made by Bulgaria are not understood and appreciated by some factors in Skopje, who continue using our country as an excuse for the lack of progress before the citizens," the release says.

The Bulgarian MFA, the release adds, once again urges "the political elite in North Macedonia to show the necessary political maturity and make a constructive contribution to the implementation of the political commitments made as part of the 2022 compromise and to strictly observe the Agreement on Goodneighborliness of 2017."

This is the only option for achieving real progress in the process of the country's European integration for the benefit of its citizens," the release adds. mr/