site.btaBulgaria Expresses Support for Ljupcho Georgievski in Wake of Politically Motivated Trial in North Macedonia

Ljupcho Georgievski, former head of the now-closed Ivan Mihailov Bulgarian Cultural Club in Bitola (North Macedonia), received unconditional support during his meetings in Sofia on Tuesday. He met with Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev and President Rumen Radev and was given a hearing by the parliamentary Committee on European Affairs.

On June 12, Georgievski received a 12-month suspended sentence with a two-year probation period from the Basic Court in Bitola. He was convicted of inciting xenophobia, racism and ethnic hatred after publishing quotes by the historical figure Ivan Mihailov on the club's Facebook page.

Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev said Bulgaria considers the case against Georgievski a politically motivated trial. "Politically motivated trials that use state institutions and courts for repression against people who identify as Bulgarians and defend their identity are absolutely unacceptable in a country that claims to be European," Bulgaria's chief diplomat told Georgievski, as quoted by his Ministry.

Georgievski thanked Bulgaria for its support. "I do not regard the sentence as a shame. On the contrary, for me it is an honour to be tried as a Bulgarian defending Bulgarian heritage in Macedonia. Until a few years ago, we sought to prove our Bulgarian origin, today I have a document for Bulgarian ancestry and something my grandchildren can be proud of," he said.

Meeting with Georgievski, President Rumen Radev called the case against him and the anti-Bulgarian statements of leaders in North Macedonia "absolutely unacceptable". Radev reaffirmed his support for Georgievski and recalled that the office of the President was the first to declare support.

For his part, Georgievski said Bulgarians in North Macedonia should be inscribed in the country's Constitution, because, as he put it, "some are sued, others are beaten." He vowed that the Bulgarian community will keep struggling, and their path will take them to the European Court of Human Rights. "Europe is governed by human rights, but in the Republic of North Macedonia the rights of Bulgarians are nil," the activist said.

Addressing Bulgaria's parliamentary Committee on European Affairs, Georgievski said it is important to act now on all the problems faced by all Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia. He argued: "People are being persecuted and pressured. It is hard to explain this to someone who has not lived in that country."

He also said: "Being sentenced is not a shame, it is an honour to be tried as a Bulgarian in North Macedonia, as a follower of Ivan Mihailov." He added that the charges against him are absurd, namely, that he had quoted Ivan Mihailov. "Every count of the indictment begins with the statement that I shared something in standard literary Bulgarian," he said, noting that political parties exert pressure on the prosecuting magistrates.

"Invite Bulgarians [from North Macedonia] and hear them out in the Bulgarian Parliament. Let everyone know what is happening in North Macedonia," Georgievski said.

The meeting in Parliament was attended by Bulgaria's Ambassador in Skopje, Zhelyazko Radukov, and Hristian Pendikov, secretary of the King Boris III Cultural Club in Ohrid.

All the parliamentary forces expressed unconditional support for Georgievski and Bulgarians in North Macedonia.

Dafinka Semerdzhieva, Deputy Chair of the Committee on European Affairs: GERB-UDF firmly supports the Bulgarians in North Macedonia and condemns the court's decision in Bitola.

Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov: Lifting the Bulgarian veto [in 2022 on the start of EU accession talks with North Macedonia] was a mistake. We are not certain what will happen on June 24, when the report on North Macedonia's progress towards EU accession is expected to be published.

Continue the Change (CC) Co-chair Assen Vassilev: North Macedonia will not start EU accession talks as long as cases like that of Ljupcho Georgievski exist. Negotiations will not start until all conditions are met and until both Bulgaria and the EU confirm that they are met.

CC Co-floor leader Nikolay Denkov: We can support you, but ultimately, it is the people in North Macedonia who will want European development.

Atidzhe Alieva-Veli MP of MRF-New Beginning: Our parliamentary group will push for a strong position that clearly explains our arguments to all European partners, so that the stance of Bulgaria's Parliament and government can be heard and accepted.

National Assembly Deputy Chair Dragomir Stoynev MP of BSP - United Left: Our strength lies in our partners from the EU, we are counting on them to help find a solution to this problem. Georgievski can rely on Bulgaria's support with whatever is needed.

Toshko Yordanov, Floor Leader of There Is Such a People: The authorities in North Macedonia will not see Bulgaria give in, as is also evident in the stance taken by Bulgarian MEPs from various political families.

Hristo Rastashki MP of Morality, Unity, Honor (MECh): It is unacceptable for a country that claims to be ready for EU membership to prosecute someone for quoting a Bulgarian revolutionary on their Facebook wall. Bulgarian diplomacy must stand firm.

In its position on June 12, the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry described Georgievski's conviction by the Basic Court in Bitola as absolutely unacceptable.

On June 13, National Assembly Chair Nataliya Kiselova expressed her support for Ljupcho Georgievski.