Bulgarian Deputy Foreign Minister Vasil Georgiev said that they are prepared to make one concessions to Macedonia and allow the country to hold an inter-governmental conference with the EU, but not to allow the actual opening of the EU accession talks. Holding the conference is the next step that leads to accession talks.

Even this incomplete first step, Georgiev said, would require Macedonia to meet additional demands.

There are steps that need to be undertaken by the Macedonian Government, especially in the area of implementing our 2017 treaty. We would like to see some concrete steps and see guarantees that the issues of our two countries will not be delayed, but attempts will be made to resolve them, Georgiev said.