The Prime Minister of Bulgaria, Kiril Petkov, in an interview with BTV on the dispute with Macedonia, said that the first thing to do is to change the rhetoric.

We should start talking about all the benefits of good neighborliness, how much more business our companies can do, how to quickly build the Sofia-Skopje railway line, why there is no common cultural calendar, said Petkov and expressed confidence that a new prime minister will be elected.

I plan to go to Macedonia when they elect him and we will agree on the work of these groups. I want 5 groups – economy, infrastructure, culture, European integration and history. I want them to meet once a month, not to meet at the same time, to have results from their work, Petkov said.

Of course there are red lines, he adds.

The most important thing is for Macedonians with Bulgarian roots to be protected from discrimination and hate speech. This must be a basic goal for every European citizen. We cannot hide the facts. It is easier, when we see how much we can get from both sides, to think about opportunities for things that are acceptable to both sides. We will not give up serious positions, together we can gain a lot, Petkov added.