Radev: The inclusion of Bulgarians in the constitution of the Republic of North Macedonia will accelerate its European path

The inclusion of Bulgarians in the constitution of the Republic of North Macedonia (RNM) will significantly accelerate the country's European perspective, and our southwestern neighbor is expected to take this step as soon as possible, in order to open the way for negotiations for full membership in the European Union (EU). This was stated by President Rumen Radev during a meeting with representatives of organizations of the Bulgarian community in the Republic of North Macedonia from the cities of Bitola, Ohrid, Skopje, Prilep, Kavadarci and Kochani, the press secretariat of the head of state announced.

Radev stressed that for every democratic state, it is a basic obligation to ensure effective protection of the rights of all its citizens and to guarantee their right to self-determination. He recalled that the integration of RNM into the EU is a common expectation, but in his words "this cannot happen at the expense of the rights of the Bulgarian community in the country." In this regard, the President expressed hope that the authorities in Skopje will implement the European compromise from 2022 as soon as possible and include Bulgarians in the constitution.

The head of state reminded that it was the Bulgarians from our southwestern neighbor who first raised the issue of real and working guarantees for their rights in their own country. According to Radev, today this cause is already common not only for the Bulgarian institutions, but also for the European Union, which monitors the implementation of the commitments made by RNM.

The representatives of the Bulgarian organizations in North Macedonia expressed their expectation that the country will not use the Bulgarian community as a convenient alibi for postponing or not implementing the necessary reforms that should bring RNM closer to membership in the EU. They categorically opposed ideas for constitutional changes with deferred action or other conditions, as it is a matter of guaranteeing basic human rights. The representatives emphasized that as loyal citizens of their state, they expect the institutions in Skopje to provide them with equality and effective protection from discrimination.

The participants in the meeting also talked about their concerns regarding the current process in Skopje of drafting and adopting an Action Plan for the protection of the rights of communities, which is among the key commitments of the Republic of North Macedonia under the European compromise of 2022. They noted that they were not included from the very beginning in the preparation of this document, as well as that they were given an extremely short period of time, in which they were suddenly asked to submit assessments and proposals on the plan.

The representatives of the Bulgarian organizations called on the media in Bulgaria to pay attention not only to cases of serious attacks against our compatriots in RNM, but also to their cultural and social activities. They expressed hope that Bulgaria will encourage more young people from our southwestern neighbor to study in Bulgarian universities, as this is of particular importance for the contacts between the young people of the two countries.

Earlier today, the deputies of the parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee unanimously adopted a declaration condemning the act of hate-motivated violence against Vladimir Perev – a well-known journalist and defender of the rights of Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia. The document emphasizes the unconditional support for all citizens of RNM with Bulgarian self-awareness, who are justly defending their rights.

The declaration calls on the authorities in the neighboring country to stop any actions and statements that justify violence, as well as to clearly distance themselves from the public denial or downplaying of the serious problems with the rights and security of Bulgarians living there.

The chairwoman of the Foreign Policy Committee, Yordanka Fandakova, received representatives of the Bulgarian community in the Republic of North Macedonia in the building of the National Assembly. Denitsa Sacheva, head of the Bulgarian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, also attended the meeting.

The main focus of the conversation was the state of the rights of Bulgarians in the neighboring country, which is a candidate for membership in the European Union. Fandakova strongly condemned the attack on Vladimir Perev, who also participated in the meeting, and personally thanked her interlocutors for defending a "just cause" at the cost of their own security and inviolability.

Also today, for the first time, the parliamentary Committee on Policies for Bulgarians Abroad gathered in Sofia representatives of about 20 Bulgarian associations in the Republic of North Macedonia, as well as activists and journalists. The meeting was attended by the Bulgarian ambassador to Skopje, Zhelyazko Radukov, and the executive director of the Executive Agency for Bulgarians Abroad, Raina Mandzhukova.

The chairman of the committee, Stoyan Taslakov, explained to journalists that the main goal of the meeting was to send a strong signal to our compatriots in the Republic of North Macedonia that Bulgaria has not forgotten them. He emphasized that for the first time all Bulgarian associations from RNM were gathered in one place in Sofia at the same time – a fact that he defined as unprecedented since the establishment of the committee until now.