site.btaDelegation of Bulgarians from North Macedonia Confers with GERB Leader Borissov, MRF, BSP and TISP Representatives

October 28 (BTA) - A delegation of Bulgarians from the
Republic of North Macedonia met here on Thursday in succession
with GERB
leader Boyko Borissov and representatives of the Movemenet for
Rights and Freedoms (MRF), the Bulgarian Socialist Party
(BSP), and the There Is Such a People (TISP) party.

"I am convinced that the problem with the Bulgarian minority in
the Republic of North Macedonia will be resolved naturally,"
Borissov said during the meeting, held at his party's
headquarters and streamed on Facebook.

"Our efforts should rather be focused on how to overcome the
crisis in the relations between the two countries, because the
democratic world is mocking yours and our diplomacy. Nothing is
impossible, as long as there is a will from both sides,"
Borissov said. He noted that North Macedonia's and Albania's EU
membership is exceptionally important for Bulgaria, adding that
the Bulgarians in North Macedonia can help build a bridge of
friendship between the two countries.

Peter Kolev from the Civil Democratic Union said that they see
there is common national consensus, especially when it comes to
starting EU membership negotiations. "This is an important sign
for us - the largest political force to continue maintaining
this line, because these matters affect our fate, the fate of
our children," Kolev said. "Our fate is in your hands and that's
 a huge responsibility," he added. According to Kolev, if the
problems facing the Bulgarians in North Macedonia are not
resolved, they will deepen further, create unbearable conditions
 which will contribute to the continuation of the process of
debulgarization.

"You have my full guarantee - they [politicians in North
Macedonia] know that in order to get our support, they must
include the [Bulgarian] minority in the Constitution [of North
Macedonia]," said Borissov.

MRF deputy leader Yordan Tsonev and MEP Ilhan Kyuchyuk also had
a working meeting with representatives of the Bulgarian
community in North Macedonia, Kyuchyuk's press office reported
Thursday.

"The MRF is an important partner for us, with whom we can
cooperate. We are the part of society that wants the most the
Republic of North Macedonia to become an EU member. The most
important issue, however, pertains to equality and we expect
support from Bulgaria, as well as clear measures on important
matters related to culture, education and hate speech," the
participants in the meeting were quoted as saying.

According to Kyuchyuk, the dialogue must be restored, because
the lack of information is the biggest problem for both
countries. "We know very little about each other, which is why
it's important to find the formula for effective dialogue," the
MEP said.

Yordan Tsonev noted that a lasting solution to the problems in
the Balkans would be for all countries to become members of the
EU.

Later on Thursday, the representatives of the Bulgarian
community in North Macedonia conferred with BSP leaders. The
Republic of North Macedonia's EU membership cannot happen at the
 expense of the historical truth and Bulgarian national
interest, the Socialists' leader Kornelia Ninova said, quoted by
 her party's press centre.

"We also want the Republic of North Macedonia's EU accession,
but given implementation of the Treaty [of Friendship,
Goodneighbourliness and Cooperation] is implemented; observation
 of what's included in the declaration; putting an end to hate
speech and the persecution of citizens of the Republic of North
Macedonia who identify as Bulgarians; recognizing the historical
 truth about Bulgaria and our national interest," Ninova said.  
 
She told the representatives of Bulgarians in North Macedonia
that they can count on the BSP to back their previously stated
positions, which are in favour of the Republic of North
Macedonia's EU membership, "but not at the expense of Bulgaria's
 national interest and your rights".

The representatives of the Bulgarian community in North
Macedonia conferred with leaders of the There Is Such a People
(TISP) party, TISP said in a press release.

TISP Deputy Chairman Toshko Yordanov and TISP International
Secretary Dimiter Gurdev, who also chaired the foreign policy
committee in the 46th National Assembly, conferred with the
representatives of the organizations of Bulgarians in the
Republic of North Macedonia who spoke about their problems.

Yordanov said that in TISP all Bulgarians in the Republic of
North Macedonia have "an unreserved partner" and that via TIPS'
Mps will have representation in the future Bulgarian Parliament.
 

Yordanov and Gurdev also said, quoted in the press release, that
 TISP will work for "stopping the process of debulgarization"
and will resolutely defend the interests of the Bulgarians in
the Republic of North Macedonia.

President Rumen Radev also met with the representatives of
Bulgarian organizations in North Macedonia on Wednesday and
pledged support form the Bulgarian State for the Bulgarians in
North Macedonia's fight for equality.

The delegation of the Bulgarian community in the Republic of
North Macedonia included representatives of the Civic Democratic
 Union party, and of the associations Ivan Mihailov in Bitola,
Tribuna in Prilep, the Association for Macedonian-Bulgarian
Friendship in Skopje, Corridor VIII in Skopje, Interakcija
[Interaction] in Ohrid, and Unity in Kocani.

The Republic of North Macedonia stands to gain if the Bulgarian
community is integrated in society, Peter Kolev of the Civil
Democratic Union in the Republic of North Macedonia said,
speaking at a news conference at BTA's National Press Club. The
news conference was held in connection with the visit to Sofia
of the representatives of organizations of Bulgarians in the
Republic of North Macedonia. In Sofia the guests met with
representatives of Bulgarian institutions and political parties.

Kolev said that the society in the Republic of North Macedonia
will draw "only positives from this, and will not lose
anything". "The society will be more united, stronger and more
convincing. Then we will have much argumentation to work
together with for the process of quick Europeanization of the
Republic of North Macedonia which we desire from our hearts,"
Kolev said. He voiced hope that the visit "marks the start of a
new era of the bilateral relations, and in particular, a new era
 of relations between the Bulgarian community in the Republic of
 North Macedonia and official Bulgaria". RY/MY, ZH

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