site.btaBulgaria Hands Regional Red Cross Leadership to North Macedonia

The Bulgarian Red Cross (BRC) transferred the chairmanship of the Neighbours Help First (NHF) mutual-aid network of Southeast European national societies to the Red Cross of the Republic of North Macedonia (RCRNM) on Monday.

The handover was formalized during an official ceremony at BRC headquarters in Sofia, where a protocol was signed that entrusts the RCRNM with coordinating the regional cooperation initiative for the next two years.

Established in 2017 to encourage voluntary collaboration among national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies in Southeast Europe, the NHF network will now be directed by North Macedonia until July 1, 2027.

Addressing the ceremony, BRC President Hristo Grigorov said the Red Cross is one of the few organizations worldwide that builds bridges both between nations and between those in need and those able to help.

“Our helping hand is strong because we are united. Our vision is to support everyone who needs it,” Grigorov said. He highlighted the productive partnership between the BRC and the RCRNM, adding, “Let us hope for no disasters, accidents or emergencies.”

RCRNM Secretary-General Sait Saiti emphasized the shared mission of the network’s members and the common value they generate. He pledged that the RCRNM would build on the BRC’s achievements in expanding the network, saying, “You achieved a great deal.”

Ambassador of the Republic of North Macedonia to Bulgaria Agneza Rusi Popovska also underscored the effective cooperation between the two national societies, recalling that Bulgaria was among the first to assist North Macedonia after the tragedy in Kocani.

The NHF network currently comprises 13 national societies from Southeast and Central Europe and the Mediterranean, while another six organizations hold observer status, including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), both of which provide technical support.