Petrova: North Macedonia’s EU membership issue should be addressed through European institutions and rules

Bulgaria’s Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova said that the accession of the Republic of North Macedonia to the European Union is a European issue that should be examined within EU institutions and in accordance with established procedures. She made the statement in response to a question about an interview given by North Macedonia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Timčo Mucunski, to the state news agency AIM, BTA reports.

According to the Bulgarian minister, Sofia supports the European Commission’s engagement with all countries currently negotiating for membership, while also recognizing the results achieved within the European Council.

Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry stressed that the country has consistently been ready for constructive dialogue with the Republic of North Macedonia. The statement said that several candidate countries have made significant progress in fulfilling their obligations, despite a complex security environment.

“We expect the Republic of North Macedonia to fulfill its obligations as well and undertake the necessary changes to advance on its path toward Europe,” Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry said.

Earlier, in a statement to AIM, North Macedonia’s Foreign Minister Timčo Mucunski said that Skopje was seeking the involvement of the European Union in future talks with Bulgaria. According to him, this participation could be achieved either through individual member states or through European institutions.

Mucunski stressed that the EU’s presence at every future meeting with Bulgaria is important for North Macedonia. He explained that the form of involvement is not decisive, since what matters is that at least one other party capable of helping strengthen trust should be part of the process.

The North Macedonian minister said that there continues to be a “fundamental lack of trust” between North Macedonia and Bulgaria./Telegrafi/