site.btaPM: Rights of Bulgarians in North Macedonia Must Be Protected

The rights of Bulgarians in North Macedonia must be protected, Prime Minister Kiril Petkov Saturday told reporters in the North Macedonia town of Bitola, where he attended the opening of a new club of the Ivan Mihailov Cultural Centre.

He said that his visit here together with representatives of other state institutions and political forces in Bulgaria shows the commitment of Bulgaria to the matter.

Petkov is in Bitola accompanied by a delegation which also includes Vice President Iliana Iotov and Foreign Minister Teodora Genchovska, as well as MPs from various political groups.

"We cannot play party-to-party on this issue: we have to play on a national level. We need to be united - but not only in Bulgaria. We need to stand united with the Bulgarians in North Macedonia as well. They are the bridge between the two countries and their rights must be protected," Petkov said.

He added that "it is in Bulgaria's best interest to see the Republic of North Macedonia join the EU but at this stage Bulgarians there are not fully protected".

Petkov went on to say that Bulgaria and North Macedonia have good communication.

He also said that the issue cannot be used for domestic policy goals and urged all state institutions to work together in this department "if we want to have peace and stability in the Balkans".