English
Regarding the dispute with Bulgaria, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski today said that it was Bulgaria who first violated the friendship treaty from 2017. Mickoski was asked about whether Macedonia is violating the treaty with the failure to organize joint honorings of historic figures, such as Goce Delcev, whose birthday was marked today.
I think that the first party that did not respect the friendship treaty was the Bulgarian Government in 2019, when it decided not to support us but to obstruct our EU accession talks, by placing a veto. But, if they want to honor and commemorate the work and achievements of the great Macedonian ideologue and revolutionary Goce Delcev, they are welcome. This is a free and democratic country. Anyone who wants to honor Goce Delcev is free to do so, I see no problem in that, Mickoski said.
He added that currently there are no new moments that can be shared with the public in relation to the communication with the new Bulgarian Government. “We will give the process a chance. I will not go through a wall at any cost, we will not sign what is laid before us at any price. You know our positions, we have legitimacy from the people and we must listen to the people”, Mickoski said.
The Prime Minister added that he is in communication with Macedonians in Albania, who are under pressure or being enticed by Bulgarian officials to change their national identity. Mickoski said that Macedonia is aware of this challenge and will try to help the Macedonians in Albania in any way we can, without interfering in the internal matters of a sovereign country.
