October 13 (BTA) - Organizations of Bulgarians in North
Macedonia have urged Bulgaria to be firm and insistent in its
support for their cause and have voiced expectation that
Bulgaria's well-reasoned and clear position will be upheld
firmly and categorically. This is contained in a letter
addressed to Bulgarian state and political leaders, circulated
to BTA on Wednesday.

According to the letter, hate speech towards everything
Bulgarian in North Macedonia echoes much more strongly for them
than for people in Bulgaria. Because of this Bulgarians in North
 Macedonia underline the importance of the clear and principled
position expressed by Bulgaria that the Republic of North
Macedonia can begin negotiations on acceding the EU only after
problems with their equal rights, language, traditions, history,
 monuments and everything else associated with their identity
are resolved.

"Because of this we expect Bulgaria's well reasoned and clear
position to be defended firmly and categorically," the
organizations  say. "We, the Macedonian Bulgarians, our rights,
identity and history cannot be a subject of bilateral
negotiations between Sofia and Skopje. Our right and obligation
before our children is to have our role when our future is
decided. We are ready to discuss every possible contribution on
our part, so that problems can be resolved more quickly."

The letter has been signed by the Ivan Mihailov Cultural Centre
in Bitola, the Macedonian-Bulgarian Friendship Association in
Skopje, the Tribuna Association in Prilep, the Koridor 8
Association in Skopje, the Interakcija Association in Ohrid, the
 Edinstvo Association in Kocani and other non-governmental
organization of Bulgarians in North Macedonia as well as by the
Civic Democratic Union. RY/PP

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