site.btaBulgarian PM Petkov: There is Russian Interference in Bulgaria against Friendly Sofia-Skopje Relations

In an exclusive interview  for bTV broadcast on Saturday morning, Prime Minister Kiril Petkov commented on Friday's news that two employees of the State Agency for National Security and one ministry official are being investigated by the Specialized Prosecution Office (SPO) for espionage for Russia. In Petkov's words, the individuals linked to this scandal were serving Russian interests directed against the Western Balkans' European future and against the friendly relations between Sofia and Skopje. "From this point of view, for me it is very important to be known that we clearly have Russian interference in Bulgaria specifically when it comes to the Western Balkans and North Macedonia," Petkov said.

In a televised interview on Friday evening, North Macedonia's Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski said that there are individuals and marginalized groups, even political parties in his country funded by third countries, who do not want to see North Macedonia in the EU and are working against an eventual agreement with Bulgaria. In his words, the optimism expressed by Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, is based on the progress in the work of the bilateral working groups and on the results achieved: direct flights between Sofia and Skopje, scholarships for Macedonian students studying in Bulgaria, and cross-border cooperation meetings between mayors of settlements on either side of the border. "Political talks are also being held but we do not yet have a final document; once we get to that, we will share it with all political and public subjects," he specified.