The Macedonian Customs Office issued a statement about the incident at the Deve Bair border crossing with Bulgaria, where an activist was not allowed to enter Macedonia with about a thousand books printed in Bulgaria. The books were an edition of the folk songs curated by the Miladinovci brothers in the 19th century, were labeled as Bulgarian folk songs and were meant for the Bulgarian cultural center in Skopje.

The Customs Office said that the Bulgarian activist who was carrying the books said that they are a donation and as such not subject to import tax, but that he lacked signature from the recipient of the books on the contract he submitted.

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva ordered a diplomat to the border to intervene and demand that the books are allowed into Macedonia.

They have crossed all limits. They must stop their campaign against Bulgaria. Obviously they don’t want their people to read these authentic books, Zaharieva said.