President Radev congratulated North Macedonia on the country's holiday, Ilinden - Republic Day

Head of State Rumen Radev sent a congratulatory address to the President of the Republic of North Macedonia Gordana Silyanovska-Davkova on the occasion of the state holiday of the Republic of Macedonia - Republic Day.

"The sacrifice of the heroes of the Ilinden-Preobrazhensky Uprising carries the memory through time, which will forever link Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia and their citizens. As heirs of our ancestors, we have the responsibility and the historical duty to follow and preserve the worthy covenants of our past for the sake of our common European future," Radev said.

The Head of State pointed out that August 2 remains a glorious date in our shared history and, along with the events related to the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising, are a reason for pride and admiration for the courage and dedication of our ancestors in the name of their aspirations for freedom, equality and justice.

"The high ideals of the uprising today stand at the core of the values of united Europe," Rumen Radev noted.

President Radev says that our common European future requires the necessary will and sincere approach in implementing the 2017 Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation and implementing all the commitments made.

"The Republic of Bulgaria remains determined to work for the establishment of good-neighbourly relations with the Republic of North Macedonia and to provide the necessary support for the fulfilment of the agreed EU membership criteria," the Head of State said in his congratulatory address.