Prime Minister of North Macedonia Hristijan Mickoski said that "Zhivkovism" is still alive among Bulgarian politicians. His statement came in the context of the upcoming vote on a report on the country in the European Parliament, reports Kurir, quoted by FOCUS.
''The Macedonian Parliament has adopted many resolutions in the past. Over the past few months, we have been working on the European Parliament rapporteur's report so that the text is clear enough to emphasize the centuries-old Macedonian identity and language. ''
Mickovski expressed ''regret'' that despite the attempt for normal neighborly relations with politicians in Bulgaria, he is faced with attempts at manipulation.
''I am concerned about the attempt of an MEP from the ruling GERB party to insert an amendment that would define the Macedonian identity as "present", which clearly brings to the surface the policy of "Zivkovism", which, unfortunately, is still alive among politicians in Sofia,'', added the RSM Prime Minister.
Mickovski's statement comes at a time when the European parliament is preparing to vote on a report on North Macedonia's progress towards the European Union. According to media reports, the report contains four separate texts with explicit recognition of the Macedonian identity and language, which would be the first such case in the history of the European institution.
The Bulgarian side has repeatedly stated that the issue of the rights of Bulgarians in North Macedonia is not a bilateral dispute, but affects basic European values and standards. However, Skopje continues to refuse to change its position on the inclusion of Bulgarians in the Constitution, which further complicates the country's path to European integration.