Sofia/Strasbourg, December 2 (BTA) - Bulgarian President Rumen Radev held separate meetings with his German and French counterparts in Strasbourg on Thursday. The discussions covered bilateral relations, security in the EU's neighbours and the EU prospects of the Republic of North Macedonia, among other matters.

The Bulgarian head of State was invited by his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and European Parliament President David Sassoli to take part in a commemorative ceremony for Valery Giscard d'Estaing, president of France from 1974 to 1981, who passed away a year ago.

Security in the EU neighbours and the EU prospects of the Republic of North Macedonia topped the agenda of a meeting between Presidents Rumen Radev of Bulgaria and Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany, Radev's Press Secretariat said Thursday.

Radev expressed Bulgaria's expectations for active bilateral dialogue at high level with Skopje, to resolve the controversies in bilateral relations. He said that North Macedonia "needs to show European maturity and respect for the EU values by taking tangible steps to end hate speech in the public media, in state and research institutions and schoolbooks, stop the distortion of the Bulgarian cultural and historical heritage and, most of all, respect the rights of its citizens with Bulgarian self-awareness".

President Radev also raised the question of Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen agreement, for which this country has been technically ready since 2011.

The two Presidents agreed that the EU should be more active in seeking peaceful and lasting solutions to crises in neighbouring regions, which cause increased migrant pressure on Europe, said the Presidential Press Secretariat.

Issues from the bilateral agenda, Schengen accession and the European prospects of the Republic of North Macedonia were also discussed by Radev with French President Emmanuel Macron. President Macron expressed his country's principled support for Bulgaria's entry in the visa-free travel area.

Radev reiterated that Bulgaria expects tangible and irreversible results in the dialogue with Skopje.

In Strasbourg, Radev also met with European People's Party President Manfred Weber and discussed with him the challenges facing the EU and the future of Europe. DD/LN
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