President Radev: PM Kiril Petkov’s January visit to North Macedonia was too early

Prime Minister Kiril Petkov's visit to the Republic of North Macedonia (RNM) in January was too early, Bulgaria’s President Rumen Radev said on February 1.

According to him, Pendarovski's meetings divert Republic of North Macedonia from the path to the European Union.

"The actions and conduct of the President of the Republic of North Macedonia do not contribute to the progress of the RNM’s desired path to the EU. Any claims of reciprocity regarding civil rights are counterproductive. Macedonian Bulgarians are fighting for equality to be guaranteed in the Constitution of North Macedonia by including them in it on an equal footing with other peoples there. They are fighting for their full integration into the public life of the country," Radev said.

According to him, this is completely different from the separatist attitudes and minority claims professed by the people with which President Pendarovski meets.

"Every hasty action of the Bulgarian government, every positive preliminary signal can be misinterpreted as a concession from the Bulgarian side. I have had frank talks with PM Kiril Petkov. It is important that Bulgarian diplomacy fully realises its professional capacity without relying on external experts and NGO’s and resist external pressure. Bulgaria is always open to dialogue. When politicians from the Republic of North Macedonia toured European capitals they avoided Sofia, but I am glad that this dialogue is beginning to take place. We keep in touch with President Pendarovski, we will look for a suitable moment for a high-level meeting, but it depends on his actions," added Rumen Radev.