Bulgaria condemned the action of the Macedonian Government to ban entry into the country for Bulgarian member of the European Parliament Andrey Kovatchev. Kovatchev was heading to Novo Selo near Strumica, for the honoring of Bulgarian soldiers and Macedonian recruits in the Bulgarian army who fought in the Balkan wars and the First World War.

For over 10 years I have visited the military memorial graveyards in Novo Selo on St. George’s Day, to honor those who died for the fatherland. To my great surprise, this time I was not allowed to enter. I was given a piece of paper notifying me that I’m not allowed to cross the border. I’m very confused by this. Only a few days ago I met with the Foreign Minister. I support them in opening the EU accession talks, Kovatchev said.

He was stopped at the border along with businessman Milen Vrabeski and three other Bulgarians. Kovatchev, from the center right GERP party, is known for his tough rhetoric on Macedonia, but is not usually considered as someone who would be banned from entering the country – unlike more nationalist politicians. Vrabeski is a financial supporter of Bulgarian organizations in Macedonia, including the controversial cultural clubs named after Nazi collaborators that were opened recently.

Macedonia banned members of the nationalist Rebirth party from crossing the border on the honoring of the death of Goce Delcev earlier this year, but the border police did not issue formal orders, but pretended that the power is out and that they can’t process the entry of the group of nationalists – this caused a scuffle in which one member of the Bulgarian Parliament and several others were briefly detained. This time around, the Interior Ministry said that they “will not allow, now or in the future, that someone disturbs the public order and peace, insults and humiliates the citizens of the state, and we will not allow entry of such persons in the territory of the country”.