The Macedonian Government did not respond to a request from Republika about whether they intend to protest the latest string of insults from Bulgarian politician Slavi Trifonov. In a new interview, the showman turned politician refers to Macedonians as “Northmacedonians”, while he presents his plan – to blackmail the EU and the US into making concessions to Bulgaria in exchange for the lifting of the Bulgarian veto against Macedonia’s EU accession talks.

Bulgaria demands strict adherence to the 2017 Zaev – Borisov treaty from Macedonia, but at the same time its Government officials use a derogatory name that is not part of the treaty – such as “Northmacedonians”. Trifonov is one of the key coalition partners in the new Government led by Kiril Petkov.

His plan is to demand that the US lifts its visa regime against Bulgaria and that the EU admits Bulgaria to the Eurozone and the Schengen treaty, in exchange for the lifting of its veto against Macedonia.