Mucunski requests a meeting in Sofia with Bulgarian Foreign Minister Petrova-Chamova

The meeting between Foreign and External Trade Minister Timcho Mucunski and his Bulgarian counterpart, Velislava Petrova-Chamova, is expected to take place next week in Sofia. The Ministry of Foreign and External Trade announced that an official request for a meeting was submitted today during the ministerial meeting on Corridor 8.

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said earlier that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had offered him advice on steps that could help advance dialogue with Bulgaria. He spoke about this at a joint press conference in Skopje.

Asked about the possibility of the European Union becoming involved in negotiations between Skopje and Sofia, Mickoski said an official bilateral meeting between the foreign ministers should take place first.

“Next week, our Minister of Foreign and External Trade will travel to Sofia to discuss Corridor 8 and the projects we are carrying out as part of it. I asked him to send a diplomatic note requesting a meeting with his Bulgarian counterpart, with the aim of getting the process started and moving it forward,” Mickoski said.

The prime minister added that talks with the European Commission president had also openly addressed the difficulties in relations with the eastern neighbor. According to him, North Macedonia expects a clear European perspective in exchange for decisions with long-term consequences for the country.

Mickoski stressed that the aim is not to delay European integration, but to ensure conditions that allow the process to move forward on a stable and sustainable basis.