site.btaBulgaria, Macedonia Sign Goodneighbourliness Treaty

Skopje, August 1 (BTA) - A Treaty of Friendship, Goodneighbourliness and Cooperation between Bulgaria and
Macedonia was signed in Skopje on Tuesday. The document was signed by Prime Ministers Boyko Borissov of Bulgaria and Zoran Zaev of Macedonia during the former's two-day official visit to Skopje.

The Treaty is expected to bring about a thaw in relations between the two neighbouring countries.

"The Treaty is not aimed against any country," Borissov said, speaking to journalists.

He said that Bulgaria and Macedonia, "using no intermediaries or guidelines, arrived at the conclusion that peace, friendship and goodneighbourliness are more important than all else."

The Bulgarian Prime Minister further noted: "We realized that this will encourage young people to stay in the Balkans, will boost our economic competitiveness and will make us strong, independent and important. As the saying goes, if you look back,you will trip and fall. So we decided to look ahead." Borissov expressed his conviction that 10 years from now the results of Tuesday's meeting in Skopje will be visible for both countries.

Borissov remarked that he is in a different European political family than Macedonian Prime Minister Zaev (the EPP and the PES,respectively) but in the same family as Macedonian opposition leader Nikola Gruevski. He recalled that he and Gruevski had accomplished quite a lot to bring about the Treaty's signature, but then added: "Had it not been for the courage of Zoran Zaev, the Treaty would not have been signed."

According to Borissov, the Treaty sets the tone "for political stability and maturity, for adhering to all European principles, for democracy, liberty, and freedom of speech."

Criticism against the Treaty is inevitable both in Macedonia and in Bulgaria, he admitted.

A Macedonian journalist asked the Bulgarian Prime Minister why the Treaty was signed on the eve of Macedonia's national holiday, Ilinden (Saint Elijah's Day, August 2). Borissov responded by saying: "Because we share the same holidays. Why not celebrate them? Should we fight instead? Like the Balkan peoples have done so often. We have fought many times before. And we have all been beaten. Great Bulgaria, Great Albania,
Great Macedonia, Great Serbia - we are all Great. Our wars have made the Balkans the poorest and most underdeveloped place in Europe. We can go back to the past if you want. But Zoran Zaev and I want [our countries] to reach the levels of Germany, Austria, France, the Netherlands. Ilinden is a holiday which we [in Bulgaria] cherish as well."

Borissov said that the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2018 will make it possible to put the European perspective of the Western Balkans on the EU agenda.

Macedonian Prime Minister Zaev said the signing of the Treaty shows that where there is a political will and an urge for progress, issues get solved. Zaev said: "The Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Bulgaria have together made a historic step forward. We decided to use history as a basis for the future and we opened up a path of stability and development for our two countries and for the Balkan region. We got certain matters closed, thus clearly forging a path of cooperation between our countries." Zaev described the Treaty as a success for both sides and a contribution to regional stability. "It should be an idea, an example, a model of cooperation in our region and worldwide," the Macedonian government leader stated.

In addition to Zaev, Borissov also conferred with Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov and with the Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, Talat Xhaferi.

During his meeting with Borissov, Talat Xhaferi invited Bulgarian National Assembly Chairman Dimiter Glavchev to visit Skopje, the Bulgarian government press service reported.

"It is time for us to open up even more to each other, to communicate and to integrate ourselves," Macedonia's President Ivanov said during his meeting with Borissov, the Government's Press Service reported.

President Ivanov said he is happy about the signing of the Treaty, adding that this is a new stage in the relations between the two countries. Borissov in turn said that what has to be done next is to confirm the signed Treaty in practice. According to the Bulgarian Prime Minister, bilateral relations need to be more pragmatic, while the documents signed on Tuesday are the first steps in the right direction

On the occasion of the 114th anniversary of the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising, on August 2 Borissov and Zaev
will take part in a ceremony for laying wreaths at the grave of uprising leader Gotse Delchev.

Boyko Borissov is in Skopje together with Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva, Defence Minister Krassimir Karakachanov, Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski and Energy Minister Temenouzhka Petkova.

Treaty highlights

According to a draft of the Treaty circulated by the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry, the two sides will:

- cooperate in all areas in keeping with international law and good neighbourliness;
- work to enhance cooperation in Southeast Europe;
- provide legal, economic, financial and trade pre-conditions for the largest possible movement of goods,services and capital;
- encourage mutual investment and ensure investment protection;
- improve transport links;
- relax customs and border formalities for people and goods;
- encourage cooperation in culture, education, health care, social care and sport;
- create, right upon the signing of the Treaty, a multidisciplinary expert commission (on parity principle) on
historical and educational matters to bring about an objective interpretation of historical events;
- organize joint observances of common historical events and personalities;
- encourage free dissemination of information.

Bulgaria vows to support Macedonia as it strives for EU and NATO accession.

Each side makes a commitment:

- not to undertake, incite or maintain hostile actions aimed at the other side;
- not to allow its territory to be used against the other sideby organizations or groups involved in subversive and
separatist actions or actions threatening order and security in the other country;
- not to make territorial claims against the other side.

Each side will have the right to protect the rights and interests of its citizens on the other's territory and in keeping with international law.

Macedonia reconfirms that nothing in its Constitution shall be interpreted as providing grounds for interference in the internal affairs of Bulgaria with the aim of protecting the status and rights of persons who are not Macedonian citizens.

The two sides vow to take action for preventing hostile propaganda by their institutions and agencies and to discourage actions by private entities inciting violence, hatred or other such actions that may harm bilateral relations.

Within three months from the entry into force of the Treaty, a mixed intergovenmental committee will be set up, headed by the two foreign ministers and including high-ranking officials of the two countries. The committee will meet at least once a year to review the implementation of the Treaty and map out measures for improving cooperation.

The Treaty is subject to ratification by the countries' Parliaments.