site.btaNorth Macedonia’s Foreign Minister Says His Country Is Ready to Seek Solutions with Bulgaria in Good Faith

North Macedonia's Foreign Minister Timco Mucunski was heard on Monday at the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs. Addressing the hearing, he said that North Macedonia was ready to seek solutions with Bulgaria in good faith.

Mucunski paid attention to the relations between the Republic of North Macedonia and Bulgaria and recounted personal memories related to Bulgaria exemplifying the depth of bilateral ties built over generations. These ties are now threatened by political moves that have brought mistrust between the two nations in recent years, undermining the foundations of their good neighbourliness, Mucunski stressed.

According to him, the Bulgarian veto on the start of EU accession talks with North Macedonia sends discouraging signs, affects mutual respect and allows bilateral issues to influence the EU enlargement process.

North Macedonia and its government remain committed to dialogue and reconciliation and are ready to seek solutions in good faith that are consistent with the past and contribute to building a better future. This should be a joint effort that requires mutual respect and understanding, Mucunski said and called on Bulgaria to share this effort and build on relations in the spirit of European cooperation.