Bulgaria has asked North Macedonia for a specific timeframe to fulfill the commitments necessary for the country's progress towards membership in the European Union. The issue was raised by Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova at a meeting with her counterpart Timcho Mucunski in Sofia.
The conversation took place within the framework of the International Ministerial Conference on Corridor VIII. Petrova confirmed Bulgaria's support for North Macedonia's European perspective, but stressed that it must be based on the principle of its own merits.
„We expect both the constitutional changes and all other elements agreed in 2022 to be fulfilled. I asked Mucunski to understand how he imagines the time frame“, said Velislava Petrova.According to information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Bulgarian side has requested clarity on when Skopje plans to fulfill the commitments set out in the European consensus of 2022. They are related to the start of the actual negotiations for accession to the EU.
Constitutional changes remain the key condition
Among the main commitments is a change to the Constitution of North Macedonia, so that Bulgarians are included among the recognized communities. This is the condition stated in the conclusions of the EU Council and in the negotiating framework approved in 2022.
The European documents provide that after the constitutional change enters into force, the next intergovernmental conference will be held, which will conclude the initial stage of the negotiations. The EU Council also expects the good faith implementation of bilateral agreements, including the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighborliness and Cooperation between Bulgaria and North Macedonia.
“Bulgaria's conditions remain unchanged from 2022“, said Petrova. She expressed hope that positive steps will be taken to restore trust between the two countries.
The published statement about the meeting did not specify a specific deadline set by Skopje for implementing the constitutional changes. The two sides agreed to continue open communication on topics of mutual interest.
The case of Iva Mihailova was also discussed
The case of Bulgarian citizen Iva Mihailova was also discussed during the conversation. Petrova positively assessed the agreement of North Macedonia to have Bulgarian doctors participate in a medical council to assess her health condition.
The Bulgarian Foreign Minister expressed the expectation that Mihailova would be allowed to receive the necessary treatment. It was also agreed to continue communication between the two countries on this issue.
Sources: dariknews.bg, bgnes.bg, bnrnews.bg