Dzhambazki and Mirakovska Confront Views on Skopje-Sofia Relations

Though topics concerning civil society, the environment, and the energy crisis were on the agenda of the session of the EU-North Macedonia Joint Parliamentary Committee in Strasbourg, Bulgarian MEPs used it to reiterate accusations towards North Macedonia over, as they said, violation of human rights and spread of hate speech.

As MEP Angel Dzhambazki stated, the issue of hate speech is resolved within, by societies themselves. “If you, politicians, don’t take measures, there is no way to stop that and that will always cause a response from the other side,” he stated, adding that that issue was not a problem only between Sofia and Skopje and that it is not related only to good-neighbourly relations.

In response, NSDP’s Sonja Mirakovska stated friendship took two sides. “We cannot stop hate speech on social media because it is caused by your behaviour. Friendship takes two sides. People like you, types of people like you cannot be bridges between the two nations. You bring down the bridges,” she stressed.