SOFIA – On the sidelines of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) Summit, which took place on 10 June in Sofia, President of North Macedonia Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova met with the Bulgarian President Iliana Iotova. The meeting was also attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Timco Mucunski.
It was stated by the President of North Macedonia that talks focused on the problems in bilateral relations related to the Macedonian European integration.
“The interlocutors expressed different views on possible solutions for starting Macedonia’s accession negotiations. Siljanovska-Davkova pointed out the necessity of intensifying communication between schools, universities, scientific and cultural institutions, non-governmental organizations and citizens in order to overcome prejudices, bring people closer together and understand each other”, the press release notes.
Siljanovska-Davkova also stressed the importance of implementing the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, as an obligation for all member states of the Council of Europe.
According to the presidents, “we need to continue the discussions on difficult issues”.
The President of Bulgaria stated that “Bulgaria expects the Republic of North Macedonia to meet the European criteria for membership in the European Union”.
“The head of state emphasised that the Republic of North Macedonia must fulfil the 2022 French proposal, which she herself signed and which became the common European position on the Republic of North Macedonia’s accession to the EU. Iliana Iotova stressed that these are European criteria for membership, not Bulgarian requirements”, it was stated by the President of Bulgaria.
The statement remarks that in order to start negotiations, “Skopje must fulfil its commitments by including Bulgarians in its Constitution”.
“President Iotova insisted that the rights of Macedonian Bulgarians be respected and that hate speech in North Macedonia be put to an end”, the statement reads.
