site.btaBulgaria Informs EC It Will Not Accept Proposed Negotiating Framework for North Macedonia

November 6 (BTA) - Bulgaria Friday informed the European Commission it cannot accept the proposed draft negotiating framework for North Macedonia and the draft declaration to it because it does not provide the necessary guarantees for meeting the conditions set by Bulgaria, the Foreign Ministry said.

Bulgaria thanked the German EU Council Presidency and Neighbourhood and Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi for their constructive approach and daily cooperation in seeking a solution, which could yet be found despite pressure of time.

Bulgaria considers it unacceptable to have the conditions set to the Republic of North Macedonia included in a declaration of the EU Council accompanying the negotiating framework. The Council Declaration is not a legally binding instrument and does not provide the legal guarantees that Bulgaria seeks. "We would have such guarantees if our demands were reflected in the text of the negotiating framework, on which we insist," said the Foreign Ministry. RI/DD



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