North Macedonia protests

The Bulgarian Parliament has unanimously adopted a declaration with 178 votes in favor, addressing the ongoing "systematic and methodical destruction of the dialogue" between Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia, as well as provocative and offensive remarks made by political leaders in North Macedonia.

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, speaking to journalists in New York during the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, expressed concerns about the direction North Macedonia is taking under its new government.

EU ambassador in Skopje, David Geer, urged the Macedonian government to fulfill its obligation to include Bulgarians in the Constitution, stressing that the EU's negotiating framework will not change, BGNES reported.

The US ambassador in Skopje, Angela Aggeler, has publicly opposed Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski's proposal to renegotiate Bulgaria's inclusion in North Macedonia's constitution, a condition crucial for EU negotiations.

Bulgaria is set to assert its stance on North Macedonia firmly at the upcoming European Council meeting, aiming to secure reaffirmation of previous conclusions regarding its neighbor and urging adherence to commitments crucial for advancing EU integration. This intention was communicated through a press release from Bulgaria's Council of Ministers.

The Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly criticized the new government of North Macedonia, labeling its intentions as "unacceptable" for refusing to honor international commitments and agreements. This rebuke follows statements by North Macedonia's Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski indicating a desire to renegotiate the negotiation framework with Bulgaria.

A prominent professor of international law at the University of Skopje Law School has slammed the new president of North Macedonia, Gordana Siljanovska, and the leadership of the future ruling party VMRO-DPMNE over their "clear violation" of the Prespa Agreement with Greece, signed in 2018.

Following the victory of Gordana Siljanovska Davkova from VMRO-DPMNE in North Macedonia's presidential elections, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev reaffirmed his support for the European integration of North Macedonia. However, Radev emphasized the importance of adherence to the principles of good neighborliness and the Copenhagen criteria for membership.

North Macedonia's Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani affirmed that Bulgaria's potential future demands on his country would not disrupt its European Union (EU) accession negotiations, highlighting the EU's framework as a barrier against such issues.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said he would attend an Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) meeting in Skopje if Bulgaria allowed his plane into its airspace.