Stanislav Stoyanov: It is time for Kosovo to recognize the Gorani as Bulgarians

Stanislav Stoyanov, MEP elected from the "Vazrazhdane" quota, Vice President of the "Europe of Sovereign Nations" group and President of the European party of the same name, called on the Kosovo Parliament to protect the rights of the Bulgarian minority.

“It is deeply disturbing that the signature of nearly 500 citizens who historically identify themselves as Bulgarians has not yet been considered by the Kosovo Assembly. This silence undermines the trust in Kosovo's commitment to minority rights,“ Stoyanov said from the rostrum of the European Parliament during the debates on the European Commission's reports on Kosovo for 2023 and 2024.

We must clearly and firmly uphold the principles of democracy and equality of all national communities, Stoyanov said. “ Unfortunately, a huge part of the Bulgarians in Kosovo are still registered as Gorani in the Constitution, but they are an ethnographic group, an integral part of the Bulgarian people, and not a separate ethnicity,“ he said.

According to Stoyanov, the 50% quota for men and women on the electoral lists required in the report threatens the democratic process. “The legislation already provides for a threshold of at least 30% for each of the two sexes. Representation must be fair, but stem from the free will of citizens and the quality of the candidates, and not primarily from gender,“ Stoyanov added.

Stoyanov praised Kosovo's progress in some areas of transport connectivity, but called for the development of rail transport as well.

The European Commission's reports on the Western Balkan countries address areas such as the rule of law, democratic institutions, minority rights, economic development, regional cooperation, and harmonisation with EU law. The reports note achievements, identify problems and provide guidance for future reforms.