Bulgaria’s caretaker PM and North Macedonia’s PM gave a joint press conference following the tragic bus fire accident, in which 45 people died

Today is a special day that marked the Bulgarian people with two serious tragedies - the incident last night in the village of Royak, where Bulgarian citizens died in a fire in old people’s home. The tragedy is currently being investigated. Unfortunately, in less than 7-8 hours, a new tragedy took place - a road accident with a passenger bus registered in the Republic of North Macedonia (RNM), with citizens of RNM and other nationalities. Unfortunately more than 40 people died. Tragedies are common. Tragedies are what touch us and make us empathize, no matter what nationality the victims are.

This was stated by Bulgaria’s caretaker Prime Minister Stefan Yanev in a joint press conference with the Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia Zoran Zaev, on November 23. The two spoke after the tragedy of Struma Motorway, Southern Bulgaria, in which 46 people traveling by bus with Macedonian registration died.

Yanev expressed sympathy and condolences of the Bulgarian state to the relatives and families of the victims.

Tragedy on Struma motorway: A bus caught fire leaving 45 dead

He added that all relevant authorities involved in the safety and investigation of such incidets are working on-site. The investigation continues, and Deputy Prime Minister Galab Donev is traveling to the municipality of Dulgopol to discuss the possibilities for additional assistance to the survivors of the old people’s home in the village of Royak.

The survivors of the Struma Motorway accident were taken to Pirogov emergency hospital in Sofia. Prime Ministers Zaev and Yanev visited them.

The opinion of the medics is that their injuries are relatively minor and probably in the next 1-2 days it will be possible to transport most of these people to their families.

"We have been in coordination with Prime Minister Zaev since the early hours. Our authorities and those of the Republic of North Macedonia have coordination in the relevant sectors - the Ministry of Health, Foreign Affairs, Interior, as well as the authorities conducting the investigation and the relevant prosecutor's office. Coordination is established at all levels" Yanev said.

Asked whether the cause of the accident was a problematic section on the road, Yanev said that the assessment of the conditions of the sections of the motorway was a responsibility of the relevant expert bodies. He did not accept speculation that the section of the motorway - possible potholes or bumps - was something that led to the accident. From the visible picture, the reason is rather different, Yanev said.

The two prime ministers declined to comment on the reasons for the tragedy.

Zoran Zaev described the accident as a "terrible tragedy". He said the Republic of North Macedonia had lost 11 children and the other dead were young people returning home.

He said that he had visited the injured passengers in the hospital and that they were well, some with more serious injuries, but specified that those who were well would be transported home with the assistance of the Bulgarian authorities.

Asked whether this tragedy would be used in the strained relations with Bulgaria, Zaev said:

Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia are in good and in bad together, we are fraternal peoples and we must help each other, both in good times and in bad times. In such a tragedy, the positive thing is that we help each other.

He declined to comment on political issues, but congratulated Rumen Radev on his re-election for a second term in office as President. "When the neighbours feel good, we feel good too," the PM of RNM commented.