Karakachanov

Krasimir Karakachanov, chairman of the Bulgarian party VMRO and former minister of defense, criticized Skopje's behavior towards Sofia, calling it insolent and arrogant. He emphasized that Sofia must adopt a firm stance towards the Republic of North Macedonia. Speaking on BNT, Karakachanov commented on the recent political developments.

Saturday's opening of a Bulgarian cultural club in the North Macedonia town of Bitola named after Ivan Mihailov, a controversial 20th Century nationalist movement leader who became a Nazi collaborator, has been criticised as a threat to ongoing attempts to achieve a breakthrough in the two countries' dispute over history.

The Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) on Monday reversed a decision by the Commission for Protection against Discrimination (CPC) which had found that a controversial statement by nationalist VMRO party leader and former Defence Minister Krassimir Karakachanov did not violate the established rules.

Ultra-nationalist parties VMRO and the National Front for the Salvation of Bulgaria, along with populist Volya, have agreed to stand together in Bulgaria's July 11 2021 parliamentary elections under the name "Bulgarian Patriots", the parties announced on May 20.

The Eurovision song contest has further increased tensions between Bulgaria and North Macedonia. Sofia expressed "bewilderment" at the hate speech campaign taking place in North Macedonia against the country's own Eurovision 2021 contender, Vasil Garvanaliev.

"This Friday is a good day for our aviation. At Bezmer Airport, we have eight Su-25 aircraft in full fighting trim and ready to perform combat flights. Two years ago we were faced with the prospect of not having any of them, and they are a major tool of our airfleet", said Defense Minister Krasimir Karakachanov.

The roadmap prepared by the Ministry of Health for medical evacuation by air of injured Bulgarian citizens includes the purchase of 1 helicopter with European funds and provision of national funding for the repair of 4 available Cougar helicopters, owned by the Ministry of Defense.

Although Skopje appointed former Prime Minister Vlado Buchkovski as special representative in Sofia, Macedonian politicians themselves do not trust him, and this is evident from the fact that he has an assistant, the state secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

For the term of the government from May 4, 2017 to the end of 2019, various types of defense products and related services were provided to the Bulgarian Army with grants from the US Government to the total value of $ 87,237,534. This was announced by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Krasimir Karakachanov in parliamentary control.

Bulgaria's defence minister has hit out at "unreasonable" Greek plans to build a camp near their border to shelter asylum seekers amid a migration surge from Turkey, AFP reported, quoted by various media including Focus News Agency.