ESD 14:16:31 12-05-2021
LN1431ES.112
112 POLITICS - BULGARIA - N MACEDONIA - CARETAKER MIN

Bulgarian Caretaker Government not to Change
Policy on North Macedonia,
Determined to Continue Dialogue


Sofia, May 12 (BTA) - The Bulgarian caretaker government is not going to change the Bulgarian position on the Republic of North Macedonia but is determined to do its best to continue the dialogue. This transpired as Svetlin Stoev, Foreign Minister in the caretaker Government, took over from his predecessor Ekaterina Zaharieva on Wednesday.

He also said that as with all caretaker governments, a key task for this one is to prepare the upcoming general elections and therefore a priority for his Ministry is to ensure fair and glitch-free elections for Bulgarians abroad.

Regarding the Republic of North Macedonia, Stoev said: "As a caretaker government, we have no authorization to change the framework position on the Republic of North Macedonia, adopted by a consensus of all political forces in the Bulgarian Parliament. I can assure you that whatever depends on the caretaker government and the Minister of Foreign Affairs to continue the dialogue, it will be done. From there on, things depend on the official representatives of the Republic of North Macedonia. They know what the Bulgarian position is and they should not speculate on possible changes while this caretaker Government is in office," said Stoev.

Relations between Bulgaria and North Macedonia have soured as Sofia, reacting to anti-Bulgarian sentiments in North Macedonia and its refusal to take steps towards overcoming hurdles to cooperation, refused to support the EU's negotiating framework for its neighbour, thus blocking the formal start of EU accession talks with Skopje.

Zaharieva commented that there have been ininuations that the caretaker Government will change Bulgaria's position about the Republic of North Macedonia. "We have always been a true friend [of North Macedonia] and I hope it will remain this way. I am convinced that Bulgaria wants the Republic of North Macedonia to reform and to begin negotiations more than any other EU country," she said. "But there is no way that can happen at the price of Bulgarian national interest, because the purpose of membership is to make the union stronger, not weaker," Zaharieva said. "Bulgaria has a very clear position on the subject: all these years we have not stopped trying to find a solution with the colleagues from Skopje and we have a clear plan and conditions, she said, noting that agreements should be kept. The conditions for beginning negotiations should be there before negotiations begin, not adjusted in the course of the negotiations," she said. LN/BR