The Macedonian Foreign Ministry remains silent about the diplomatic mission of Zoran Zaev’s personal envoy to Bulgaria, former Prime Minister and SDSM party leader Vlado Buckovski. Instead of Government sources, the Macedonian public is being informed by Bulgarian officials, mainly Defense Minister Krasimir Karakacanov, who said that Buckovski is coming today, but that he doesn’t expect much progress in the next two months, until Bulgaria holds elections.

The second visit by Buckovski to Sofia after Bulgaria vetoed Macedonia’s opening of EU accession talks surprised the country, as just days before Deputy Prime Minister Nikola Dimitrov said that Macedonia will “take a break” from the dispute with Bulgaria.

While in Sofia last time, Buckovski presented a memorandum that would guarantee that Macedonia won’t raise minority or territorial claims against Bulgaria. But Bulgaria had already tabled a demand of its own, that will likely include significant changes to the 2017 Zaev – Borisov treaty, and would lay claims to Macedonian history and national identity. The document, that would be an annex to the treaty, is now being referred to as a protocol by sources close to the Macedonian Government, which continues to keep the public in the dark about its existance.