Radev Asks for Clear Guarantees over Bulgarians in North Macedonia

Bulgaria’s President, Rumen Radev, has asked for clear guarantees from North Macedonia over respecting rights of Bulgarians in the country. As he said, before the start of the negotiations with the EU, there should be clear guarantees to protect the Bulgarian cultural and historical heritage in North Macedonia. Radev presented that stance at the meeting with representatives of associations of Bulgarians in North Macedonia, adding that his country highly valued the ties with North Macedonia and with its compatriots in it. The Bulgarian President stated that before the start of the negotiations, a clear and sustainable process of eradicating hate speech should be seen. Putting political problems aside, in his view, will sooner or later lead to a blocked integration process of North Macedonia. “I demand for there to be clear guarantees and a sustainable process of the European integration of the Republic of North Macedonia. Bulgaria is the country that most wants that to happen,” the Bulgarian President stressed.