site.btaPM Borissov Meets with Macedonian Opposition Leader Zaev

PM Borissov Meets with Macedonian  Opposition Leader Zaev

Sofia, May 29 (BTA) - Speaking at a news conference following
his meeting with Macedonian opposition leader Zoran Zaev here on
Friday, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said: "We insist very
much that the political crisis is resolved democratically and we
are firmly against any talk about Macedonia's federalization."
He added that Macedonia has Bulgaria's support for joining the
EU and NATO. The meeting was also attended by Foreign Minister
Daniel Mitov and Bulgarian Socialist Party deputy leader Yanaki
Stoilov.

"We insist that the incumbents and the opposition find a common
language - the type that Europe wants. We are not intervening in
Macedonia home affairs, but we are concerned about the
political crisis there, which is on our border, among a people
who are the closest to Bulgaria," the Bulgarian Prime Minister
said. Borissov noted that he and Zaev have discussed holding
this meeting in Bulgaria some ten days ago. The meeting was held
together with the Bulgarian opposition, represented by the
socialists, in order to show that there is no division in
Bulgaria into Left- and Right-wings, when the stability of a
nation is at stake, Borissov explained.

Zaev said that during the meeting he informed his hosts about
the situation in Macedonia and the possibilities for resolving
the crisis peacefully. He thanked his hosts and the EU
representatives, who in his words, are doing their best to find
a solution to the problems in Macedonia through dialogue.
According to Zaev, his country's place is in the EU and NATO.
"Together we will try to find a solution to the crisis, which
concerns the whole region," he said.

According to Zaev solutions can be found peacefully in the 21st
century, while the things that happened in Ukraine and Serbia
should not be repeated by Macedonia. He noted that discussions
with European representatives have already begun, adding that
such a meeting will be held with EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn
on Tuesday.

"We need friends when there are problems," Zaev said, adding
that Bulgaria is a big friend of Macedonia, which was shown by
Borissov and Stoilov during the meeting.