Zoran Zaev switched to Bulgarian in an attempt to score points with the Bulgarian politicians and public, as he is desperately trying to avoid another veto at the coming European Council meeting.

Zaev is meeting with the main parties in Bulgaria, the President and the interim Government, a week before the European Council where Bulgaria is expected to again block the opening of EU accession talks.

It is important for us to inform BSP, GERB about all the details, that our intentions are good. And when the institutions in Bulgaria are ready, we will accept their decision. Until then it is important for us to send a message of friendship, we are brotherly nations and we want to send a good message to the young people, Zaev said, starting in Macedonian and ending in Bulgarian.

Still, Kornelija Ninova, head of the Bulgarian Socialist Party BSP, which is allied with Zaev’s SDSM, said that there is no possibility for Bulgaria to allow the opening of EU accession talks at the moment. The same statement was made yesterday by the interim Prime Minister Stefan Janev.

Our position remains unchanged. At the moment there is no possibility for Bulgaria to give its approval to the opening of EU accession talks for Macedonia, Ninova said, condemning the “hate speech and discrimination of Bulgarians in Macedonia” and “the twisting of historic facts and truths”.

The Zaev Government issued a far more optimistic statement after the meeting, insisting that “Ninova welcomed the proactive and sincere approach from the Prime Minister”.