Mucunski: Dialogue with Bulgaria will continue after the elections; we welcome EU support for a long-term solution

Dialogue with Bulgaria will continue, while North Macedonia is also holding talks with representatives of the European Union and its member states on European integration. Foreign Minister Timcho Mucunski said that decisions in this process require consensus.

Asked whether he had met again with his Bulgarian counterpart following the incident involving Iva Mihailova’s escape, Mucunski said he would be cautious in his remarks. He said North Macedonia did not want to become involved in the political debate surrounding the issue, especially during Bulgaria’s presidential elections.

The remarks were made today after Mucunski met with Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar, who is on an official visit to Skopje. Mucunski said North Macedonia expects EU members to uphold the highest standards of the rule of law, and called it unacceptable for Bulgaria to serve as a refuge for people who have been convicted or are facing legal proceedings.

The minister said the country was continuing its efforts to find a lasting solution that would enable progress in European integration. He noted that important high-level meetings had been held in recent days, including a meeting in Montenegro with the French minister for European affairs, to whom he directly presented the country’s positions.

Unblocking the European integration process was also among the main topics of today’s talks with Juraj Blanar. Mucunski stressed that decisions on enlargement and integration carry enormous weight and require full consensus in Brussels.

According to him, any possible agreement with Bulgaria, if it aligns with North Macedonia’s positions, must secure support and consensus within the EU. He reiterated that the country has no alternative to its European path and that the government would continue working on the issue.