Sofia, January 24 (BTA) - Foreign Ministers Teodora Genchovska of Bulgaria and Bujar Osmani of the Republic of North Macedonia met in Sofia on Monday, a day before a joint meeting of the two governments, the Foreign Ministry said. The two chief diplomats expressed satisfaction with the invigoration of dialogue in recent weeks. They are confident that Tuesday's meeting of the two governments will help to deepen the positive dynamics of bilateral relations.

They hailed the initiative to set up sectoral working group as an instrument of building on political dialogue and of identifying the practical benefits of more active cooperation between Bulgaria and North Macedonia.

The sides reviewed the current state of political dialogue and bilateral relations, including in the context of the implementation of the Treaty of Friendship, Goodneighbourliness and Cooperation of 2017.

They also discussed North Macedonia's response in December 2021 to Bulgaria's proposals regarding the "5+1" political package.

Sofia expects the "5+1" Protocol to contain legally binding guarantees for honouring the commitments taken under the Treaty of 2017, including putting an end to the distortion of historical facts, respect for the rights of people who identify themselves as Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia, and abandoning hate speech against Bulgaria.

The two countries' chief diplomats concurred that direct and intensive contacts between the Foreign Ministries are the right path to finding mutually acceptable solutions to the outstanding issues. LN/DD