As reported by the Bulgarian news agency “Focus”, Radev said that he and the President of the Republic of Macedonia had a very honest and constructive conversation in a friendly atmosphere.

I expect this expressed desire for openness to be taken up by the RSM Government, but let it be clear that this was neither a state nor a working visit. I hope that in the near future the President of the Republic of Macedonia will make a state visit, which with all the official meetings according to the protocol will contribute to the further development of our relations. If we follow the protocol, it is my turn to go there, said President Radev.

The meeting, added Radev, was very constructive and in a friendly spirit. – This is a really good start to fully help the Republic of Macedonia, said Radev.
Dimitar Stojanov, adviser to President Radev and former minister, told BNT that “the visit of the President of the Republic of North Macedonia was for a cultural event and was neither a state visit nor a working visit.”

“That is why the Macedonian flag was not placed in the hall, as such visits do not require strict observance of state protocol,” Stojanov said.

DNES.BG reports that Stojanov indicated that the meeting between Radev and Siljanovska-Davkova was extremely constructive and conducted in a good tone. Future state visits to Macedonia and Bulgaria have been agreed upon, which, according to Stojanov, is a step forward in the dialogue between the two countries.

He stated that he would not describe this situation as a provocation, as what is needed is a step forward in developing relations. “It is not correct to involve flags in this situation. If a statesman from a neighboring country comes to drink coffee in Bulgaria, should we put up flags? It is an unnecessary worsening of the situation,” Stojanov added.

Due to the photo of Radev and Siljanovska-Davkova in front of the Bulgarian flag at their meeting in Sofia, the Bulgarian ambassador to North Macedonia, Zhelyasko Radukov, will be handed a note of protest today. The note will be delivered by the director of the Directorate responsible for the region, rather than by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Timcho Mutsunski, according to sources from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

Regarding this event, sources from the MFA say there was no direct reaction to the meeting in Sofia, as there are established protocols for such situations. They noted that before the meeting of the heads of state, the protocol was clearly defined, and the question the MFA will ask is why the Bulgarian side deviated from the previously established protocol. The sources added that the Macedonian flag was displayed during the working lunch that preceded the meeting between President Siljanovska-Davkova and Bulgarian President Radev in Sofia.

MFA sources say it is still constructive that a meeting between the presidents of North Macedonia and Bulgaria took place. They also mentioned that the issue of the state’s proposal for constitutional amendments with delayed effect was not raised during the working lunch. They noted that this topic will be addressed after a political government is elected in Bulgaria.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said that a note of protest would be handed to the Bulgarian ambassador in North Macedonia. He reiterated that the country is always ready to respond to good neighborly relations with kindness, but when red lines are crossed, they must intervene.

“In the past, when Macedonian dignity was being humiliated and sold out, people stayed silent, bent their spines, and agreed with those who humiliated and trampled on us. Now, things are resolved diplomatically, through protest notes, and we will no longer engage in international or diplomatic politics with bent spines. When the Rubicon is crossed, when the red line is crossed, it is necessary to react. If you don’t, that exception will become practice,” Mickoski said in response to journalists’ questions before a meeting with representatives of AHK Macedonia, part of the network of German chambers abroad and the Macedonian-German Economic Association.

Mickoski pointed out that the Macedonian delegation did not react immediately to the absence of the national flag, as a sign of respect for the two pilots who lost their lives in a plane crash on the same day.

On Saturday, President Siljanovska-Davkova’s Cabinet announced that they would demand an explanation for the photo taken in front of the Bulgarian flag in the office of the Bulgarian President. They emphasized that such a move had not been foreseen or agreed upon.

“What cast a shadow over the event was the deviation from the agreed protocol for the meeting, according to which no photos were supposed to be taken in the closed space. Unfortunately, before the start of the meeting, President Radev invited President Siljanovska-Davkova to take a joint photo in front of the Bulgarian flag, even though such a move was not foreseen or agreed upon. We want to believe that this was a protocol oversight and not a deliberate act, and we will seek clarification from the Bulgarian side tomorrow,” stated the Cabinet of President Siljanovska-Davkova.

The meeting between Radev and Siljanovska-Davkova was part of the Macedonian President’s activities during her visit to Sofia for the Macedonian Opera’s performance of “Nabucco” as part of cultural diplomacy. The Macedonian delegation included the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Timcho Mutsunski, and the Minister of Culture, Zoran Ljutkov.