site.btaBulgarian Associations in North Macedonia Ask to See EU Commissioner Varhelyi

In a letter to EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi, representatives of non-governmental organizations which openly identify as representatives of the Bulgarian community in North Macedonia, requested a meeting with him, encouraged by his remarks that he would like to meet them.

"The daily stigmatization of our Bulgarian community and the inability to establish a dialogue with the local and national authorities in North Macedonia creates challenges for our community which often exceed our individual and collective abilities. We sincerely hope that the dialogue with you will alleviate the daily pressure on us, the nationals of the Republic of North Macedonia, who are not afraid despite the risk of discrimination and hate speech, to openly protect our Macedonian Bulgarian heritage and identity," says the letter, signed by representatives of 11 associations.

In an interview for Bulgarian ON Air days earlier, Varhelyi said he is ready to meet with representatives of the organizations of Macedonian Bulgarians if they request a meeting with him. "My door is always open to every involved side from any candidate country," he said.