The Commission for Accountability of the Macedonian Radio and Television decided Tuesday that there is nothing disputable in Vasil Garvanliev representing the country at the Eurovision Song Contest.

The Commission says that the colors of the Bulgarian flag in the video were just a perception, and citizenship is personal freedom.

The public broadcaster has no right to discredit anyone on the basis of religion, nationality or other affiliation and has the full freedom to appoint a representative singer regardless of their nationality. Practice has shown that there are such cases in almost every Eurovision Song Contest, said MRT.

It added that the eventual cancellation of the country’s performance at the Eurovision Song Contest would cause financial and other implications for MRT and would drastically damage the reputation of both the public broadcaster and the state internationally.

Earlier today, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva summoned the Macedonian deputy Ambassador to express “deep confusion and dissapointment from the negative campaign aimed at Garvanliev” and said that Bulgaria will protect Bulgarian citizens in Macedonia and citizens who express their Bulgarian identity.