Bulgaria-North Macedonia Diplomatic Tensions Over Constitutional Remarks

Political statements originating from Skopje regarding the potential integration of Macedonians into the Bulgarian constitution have ignited a diplomatic dispute between Bulgaria and North Macedonia.

Agneza Rusi Popovska, the extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of North Macedonia in Sofia, was urgently summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The reason for this summons stems from "recent public statements made by politicians from the neighboring country, as well as the dissemination of inaccurate information regarding Bulgaria".

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly opposes "any attempt to once again involve Bulgaria and our bilateral relations in the internal political debate in the Republic of North Macedonia, including within the context of the current pre-election campaign for the presidential and parliamentary vote there".

"God forbid that tomorrow, we write Macedonians into the Bulgarian constitution today - our minority, which has been mistreated for decades, at least 70-80 years, they have gone through terrible torture and calvary, but tell me what is this magical way? How will you write them into the Constitution? With the government? In the Bulgarian government today, a key factor is Boyko Borisov, who signed the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation in 2017. And now this person must say that this treaty does not exist, let's make a new one that is better for Macedonians? I don't believe that. And I had to tell VMRO-DPMNE in such a parodic way not to lie to us, looking us in the eye. To include Macedonians in the Bulgarian constitution, it must be changed because there are no minorities in it. I don't think that the world powers can change the Bulgarian constitution, what is...