Zaharieva: Bulgaria Supports EU Integration of both North Macedonia, Albania

The Bulgarian Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva presented on Wednesday the Declaration of the Bulgarian Parliament for support of the integration in EU of Macedonia and Albania. “We shall insist on a joint procedure for integration of North Macedonia and Albania in the EU, because other scenarios may result with destabilisation of the region,” Zaharieva said during a session of the Bulgarian government. Bulgarian Defence Minister Krasimir Karakachanov on the other hand spoke about the conditions Bulgaria implies to Macedonia for supporting its full integration in EU. “There cannot be compromises over the history. Bulgaria will not prevent North Macedonia from starting the negotiations, but later in the process of opening the chapters, we shall demand conditions that North Macedonia must fulfil, among which is the completion of the work of the inter-governmental commission on historical issues,” Karakachanov said. Bulgaria’s demands include terminating any claim by the Republic of North Macedonia of a Macedonian minority in Bulgaria. Another is the removal of signs that are anti-Bulgarian, such as references to “Bulgarian fascist occupiers”.