Bulgaria’s caretaker PM Yanev after the meeting with North Macedonia’s PM Zaev: Responsibility lies with politicians

The Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia Zoran Zaev is visiting Bulgaria. He held talks with his Bulgarian caretaker PM Stefan Yanev on June 17.

It is the responsibility of politicians. Of course, historians have an important place and responsibilities in the work of this commission, caretaker Prime Minister Stefan Yanev said in response to a question after the meeting with Prime Minister Zoran Zaev.

We currently have a window of opportunity to work on unresolved issues. Our aim is to create a favourable environment of trust, friendship, frank conversation and open dialogue, which will help our specialists to sit down and find the right solutions, the caretaker Prime Minister explained.

Zoran Zaev's delegation came with specific decisions, which we will discuss today and in the coming days, added Yanev.

The focus of Zoran Zaev's visit is the deepening of the bilateral dialogue and the prospect of achieving real progress in the process of European integration of the Republic of North Macedonia.

It is obvious that as neighbours, as good friends and fraternal peoples, we need constant communication, Yanev stressed.

Bulgaria supports the European perspective of the Republic of North Macedonia and the opportunities to start EU accession talks. We firmly support the perspective of the Republic of North Macedonia and the Republic of Albania on the path of their joining the European family, caretaker Prime Minister stressed.

images by Dessislva Kulelieva, BNT

We work together, we talk about solutions that are in the interests of both parties - only in this way we could have a successful implementation, said Zoran Zaev.

image by Dessislva Kulelieva, BNT

We believe in European values ​​and appeal to the Bulgarian people for fraternal support, because we owe this to the young and future generations, as well as to the present ones. I believe that we will find the solutions, added Zaev.

The working groups will continue the talks today, as the Prime Minister Zoran Zaev has received an invitation to stay in Bulgaria tonight, he said during the briefing.

When institutions lay the groundwork for hate speech, for example by removing monuments, they lay the groundwork for teaching the younger generations that there has been something wrong in our past. We are purposefully and well-intentionedly discussing all these ways, so that there is no such groundwork, Stefan Yanev explained.

In this regard, we have planned a number of activities, which, however, are in the process of being made. They are precisely to enable the young people from the Republic of North Macedonia and Bulgaria to be together more often, to find a common language.

This is something that can be resolved at the political level, he concluded.

image by Council of Ministers