site.btaBulgaria's Parliament Chair in Skopje: Our Two Countries Used to be Neighbours, Now We Are Strategic Allies within NATO

February 11 (BTA) - Bulgaria's Parliament Chair Tsveta
Karayancheva met with her North Macedonian counterpart Talat
Xhaferi in Skopje. She expressed her satisfaction with North
Macedonia's successful journey toward NATO accession, as well as
 her hope that the two countries will soon be partners in the
EU, the National Assembly press service informed on Tuesday.

Karayancheva pointed out that Bulgaria and North Macedonia "were
 just neighbours and now they are strategic allies in NATO". She
 added that Bulgaria's Parliament will continue to support the
efforts of North Macedonia, and Bulgarian MPs will gladly share
their experience in fields of interest to their North Macedonian
 colleagues.

She also emphasized that Bulgaria was one of the first countries
 to ratify North Macedonia's NATO accession protocol. She
pointed out that Bulgaria continues to be one of the staunchest
supporters of North Macedonia's EU perspectives, but that our
support has never been unconditional. Karayancheva added that
Bulgaria expects all political parties in North Macedonia to act
 responsibly and show foresight when discussing the Good
Neighborliness Treaty with Bulgaria, especially in the run-up to
 the elections. Bulgaria will support a decision of the European
 Council as early as in March 2020 on the start of accession
talks with North Macedonia and Albania.

Later on Tuesday, Karayancheva conferred with President Stevo
Pendarovski. Meeting with him, she recalled that the
Goodneighbourliness Treaty with North Macedonia was supported by
 all parliamentary groups in the Bulgarian Parliament. It is
important for Bulgaria to see this document fully implemented
and this implementation will remain a condition for Bulgaria's
support after a decision is made on the start of talks with the
EU, regardless of the composition of the new government in North
 Macedonia, said Karayancheva.

She expressed Bulgaria's expectation for the joint
multidisciplinary commission on historical and educational
issues to resume work immediately and produce tangible results.
    
The Bulgarian parliamentary delegation was invited to attend the
 sitting of North Macedonia's Parliament when the protocol on
North Macedonia's NATO accession will be ratified.

The Bulgarian delegation also included the chairman of the
parliamentary friendship group Bulgaria - North Macedonia, Boris
 
Vangelov, deputy chair Toma Bikov and members Zhelyo Boychev,
Velislava Krasteva and Polina Tsankova-Hristova. RY/MT/LN/ 
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