site.btaPresident Radev: Bulgaria Should Adhere to National Framework Position on North Macedonia
Approached by journalists in Lisbon, President Rumen Radev said that when it comes to the EU integration of North Macedonia, it is extremely important that Bulgaria adhere in its foreign policy to the national framework position on the matter, the National Assembly's declaration, and the consensus achieved at the Consultative Council on National Security in January. "I hope that we will stick to this policy as it is the only guarantee for sustainability and irreversibility of the Republic of North Macedonia's integration process," he said.
Radev's comment comes after recent press reports in Bulgaria suggested that Foreign Minister Teodorva Genchovska may have promised to German counterpart Annalena Baerbock that Bulgaria would lift unconditionally the Bulgarian veto to allow the start of EU accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania. On Tuesday, the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry issued a statement calling such media information false.
Bulgaria has refused to agree to the start of the EU entry talks of North Macedonia before it ends hate speech against Bulgaria, the distortion of historic facts and the discrimination against its citizens of Bulgarian descent. These conditions stem from Bulgaria's framework position on EU enlargement and the process of stabilization and association of the Republic of North Macedonia and Albania of October 9, 2019, which was unanimously supported by a declaration of Parliament on October 10, 2019 and by the Consultative Council on National Security with the President on January 10, 2022.
The topic of the Western Balkans' EU integration featured on the agenda of Tuesday's meeting between the heads of state of Bulgaria and Portugal in Porto, held as part of Radev's visit to Portugal from April 11 to 13. Emerging from the meeting, the Bulgarian President said his country has already expressed unconditional support for the start of accession negotiations with Albania, but North Macedonia will need more time to meet the necessary requirements.
/DS/
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