site.btaParliament Chair: North Macedonia’s EU Accession Talks Should Be with EU, Not Bulgaria

Parliament Chair Nataliya Kiselova told reporters in the village of Manastirishte, Northwestern Bulgaria, on Saturday that the issue of compliance with the conditions for the accession of the Republic of North Macedonia to the EU is between the EU and the Republic of North Macedonia, while Bulgaria has no involvement. She pointed out that the conditions for the accession of North Macedonia are not set by Bulgaria but are a part of the agreement that the Republic of North Macedonia signed with the EU in 2022.

Kiselova stated: "The efforts of everyone who claims that this is a bilateral relationship are just political intrigue."

The Parliament Chair added that Bulgaria will try to help North Macedonia to start negotiations with the EU. She noted that on May 30, Bulgaria's National Assembly unanimously adopted a decision regarding the Bulgarian position on the Republic of North Macedonia. Its aspects as listed by Kiselova are: "Firstly, Bulgaria has absolutely no demands on the Republic of North Macedonia in any form, except that the Treaty on Friendship and Goodneighbourliness from 2018 should be respected, and the European consensus from 2022 should be respected. Those commitments in particular that the Republic of North Macedonia accepted with this European consensus should be fulfilled. Since they have not been fulfilled, they [North Macedonia] are looking for arguments not to fulfil them and to delay their invitation."

Kiselova concluded: "Bulgaria, however, is lending a hand, and I think that in the coming weeks we will witness how we will try to help the Republic of North Macedonia to start negotiations, because this – having the Western Balkans be part of the European Union – is important."