The issuance of Bulgarian passports to Macedonian citizens has sparked controversy, not due to the passports themselves threatening Macedonian national identity, but because of the procedures involved, as reported by “Sloboden Pechat.” The discussion resurfaced after Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski predicted that Macedonian citizens holding Bulgarian passports would discard them upon Macedonia’s accession to the European Union. Former Macedonian ambassador to Bulgaria, Marjan Gjorchev, suggests that Macedonia might need to file a complaint with the European Commission regarding Bulgaria’s passport issuance practices, alleging that Sofia is exploiting the situation for the economic assimilation of Macedonians.

Gjorchev notes that the recent census was uneventful and its outcomes are definitive, emphasizing that the only relevance of the census is determining the number of Bulgarians in Macedonia. He points out that Bulgaria, having lost three million citizens to economic migration, views Macedonia as a potential source of labor. He mentions that approximately 4,500 Macedonians live and work in Bulgaria, while others holding Bulgarian passports are spread across Europe. Bulgarian passports are also issued in Albania and Kosovo, with a notable number being issued in Serbia.

Gjorchev advises against overemphasizing the issue of Bulgarian passports, asserting that they do not pose a threat to Macedonian national consciousness.

Former Macedonian ambassador to Greece, Ljupco Arsovski, adds that while passport issuance is a domestic matter, EU member states should be monitored for how they issue travel documents to foreigners. He argues that the increasing number of Macedonians obtaining Bulgarian passports is strengthening demands to include Bulgarians in the Macedonian Constitution. Arsovski also criticizes the requirement for passport applicants to declare Bulgarian national consciousness, describing it as problematic. He believes that many European officials are dissatisfied with Bulgaria’s approach but remain silent for unclear reasons.

Ljupco Ristovski from the Integra party emphasizes that simply tearing up Bulgarian passports is insufficient. He points out that every Macedonian citizen who obtained a Bulgarian passport signed a declaration of feeling Bulgarian and having Bulgarian ancestry.