Macedonian and Bulgarian historians, who are part of the joint commission, met in Sofia over the past two days.

The meeting was conducted in a constructive atmosphere, with intense discussions on issues within our mandate. We discussed joint honoring of historic figures and events, as well as recommendations from the Macedonian 7th grade history books, the Macedonian side of the commission said.

This is the second meeting of the commission after a number of members from the Macedonian side were replaced, after the change of Government in Skopje. The members that were dismissed were overly eager to accept the Bulgarian positions and signed off on statements that declared a number of medieval rulers and saints to have been Bulgarian. Bulgaria is blocking the opening of Macedonia’s EU accession talks, and demands that more of its positions are accepted in the Macedonian historic and national narrative.