The Macedonian-Bulgarian history commission, co-chaired by Dragi Gjorgiev, reported a lack of progress in their recent meeting held in February. Gjorgiev stated that the commission, established in accordance with the 2017 Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness, and Cooperation between Macedonia and Bulgaria, is set to convene again in April.

Despite the ongoing discussions, Gjorgiev emphasized that the commission will continue its work as long as there is room for dialogue. However, he acknowledged the uncertainty regarding a timeline for achieving concrete results.

One of the focal points of the commission’s discussions revolves around the content of seventh-grade Macedonian textbooks and sixth-grade Bulgarian textbooks. Gjorgiev disclosed that no recommendations have been adopted for the seventh-grade textbooks, and discussions have been ongoing without reaching a resolution. On the other hand, discussions related to the sixth-grade Bulgarian textbooks, particularly focusing on the Middle Ages, have been concluded. Nevertheless, no recommendations have been forwarded to the governments of the respective countries.

The Joint Multidisciplinary Commission of experts on historical and educational issues faces challenges in making substantial progress, leaving the future outcomes of their deliberations uncertain.