The new prime ministers of North Macedonia and Bulgaria agreed on January 18 to intensify efforts to improve relations between the Balkan neighbors.
Although Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov and his counterpart from North Macedonia, Dimitar Kovacevski, expressed a desire to improve relations between their countries during a meeting in Skopje, they failed to reach a breakthrough on the Bulgarian policy of blocking EU accession talks with North Macedonia.
Since 2020, Bulgaria has blocked the opening of EU membership negotiation talks with North Macedonia because of disputes over history and language, even though the issue has nothing to do with EU law.
Bulgaria’s obstinance on the North Macedonia issue has frustrated the United States and other EU member states, which want Skopje to further its Western integration after joining NATO.
Bulgaria says that North Macedonia has failed to honor parts of a friendship deal signed in 2017, with a key issue being Sofia’s demand that the Bulgarian minority in North Macedonia become a constitutionally recognized people like ethnic Albanians.
During the meeting, both governments agreed to form joint working groups for cooperation in economic issues, infrastructure, European integration, trade, education, culture, and history.
“We have promised each other that we will use new energy to improve our relations with respect,” said Kovachevski, who became prime minister this week.
“I’m a huge optimist for the new dynamics in relations and can assure you that the results will be visible every week,” said Petkov, who received the mandate to form a government last month.
Bulgaria, North Macedonia Agree To Work On Issues Preventing EU Talks
- By RFE/RL
Editors' Picks
Top Trending
1
In Russia's War Economy, The Warning Lights Are Blinking
2Attack From Afghanistan Kills Chinese National In Tajikistan, Sources Say
3U.S. Reportedly Allows Ukraine To Strike Russia With Long-Range Weapons
4RFE/RL Reveals Chilling New Details Of Bucha Massacre As Ukraine Marks 1,000 Days Of War
5Putin Says Russia Fired New Intermediate Missile At Ukraine After ICBM Accusations
6No Smooth Sailing For Climate Activist Greta Thunberg In The Caucasus
7Could U.S. Long-Range Missiles Tip The Balance In The Ukraine War?
8Wider Europe Briefing: Georgia's Vanishing EU Dreams
9Ukraine Live Briefing: Kyiv Says Moscow Used ICBM
10At Least 21 Dead In Russian Missile Strikes In Ukraine's Odesa, Sumy
RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.
If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.
To find out more, click here.
