This is due to the ruling party from VMRO-DPMNE. Not everyone in the ruling coalition supports such behavior, but I am convinced that all people in Macedonia want rapid membership in the European Union. This was said in "Face to Face" on bTV by the MP from "There is Such a People" and Chairman of the Committee on European Affairs and Management of European Funds in the National Assembly, Dimitar Gardev, about the case of Ljubcho Georgievski, chairman of the Bulgarian cultural club "Ivan Mihaylov" that was abolished by the authorities in North Macedonia. Last week, the Bitola court imposed a one-year suspended sentence on Georgievski, with a two-year probationary period, on charges of ethnic hatred, because he used quotes from Vanche Mihaylov.
This is a purely anti-Bulgarian trial. Georgievski is not being tried for a crime, but for his beliefs, stated Gardev, quoted by novini.bg.
This policy of the ruling party in Macedonia has led to a very serious problem - the process of negotiations for North Macedonia's membership in the European Union was halted, while Albania opened several negotiation chapters, he added.
In all the conversations I have had, I see a conviction in Macedonian society for accelerated membership in the European Union. That is why I see that there is a huge gap between the ruling party and the Macedonian citizens. This process will intensify and it is no wonder that it will lead to a political crisis in North Macedonia, the MP from "There is such a people" pointed out.
Bulgaria's position on North Macedonia's membership in the European Union is the European position. Bulgaria has a consistent position in this regard and all political forces in parliament have united on Bulgaria's clear position that we have no preconditions, except for the decision of the European Council. VMRO-DPMNE's position is a violation of international law, stressed Dimitar Gardev.