Bulgaria submitted a protest note to the Macedonian charge d’affaires in Sofia Vladimir Krstevski, after unknown persons removed the Bulgarian flag from their diplomatic mission in Bitola.

The theft of the flag was noticed on Saturday. According to the Bulgarian authorities, this lack of respet for their country undermines the good-neighborly relations with Macedonia. Macedonian authorities expressed strong condemnation and pledged to find those responsible.

Relations between the two countries have slumped after Bulgaria blocked Macedonia from opening its EU accession talks.