site.btaNorth Macedonia's SDSM Condemns Position of Vazrazhdane Party Leader Kostadin Kostadinov

The leader of the North Macedonian opposition party Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM), Venko Filipce, condemned the statements made by the leader of the Bulgarian party Vazrazhdane, Kostadin Kostadinov, and called for a response from Sofia and the European Union, SDSM said on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, Kostadinov wrote that "there is nothing more logical than the unification of Bulgaria and Macedonia into a single state, as well as the return of Southern Bessarabia to Bulgaria".

Commenting on Kostadinov’s statement, Filipce said on Facebook: "I strongly condemn the irredentist statements of the leader of the far-right Bulgarian party Vazrazhdane, Kostadin Kostadinov, which undermine the sovereignty and dignity of the Republic of North Macedonia and deny the distinct Macedonian ethnic identity. Denial of the uniqueness of the Macedonian language, identity, and history is a direct violation of the principles of international law and the fundamental values of the European Union".

The SDSM leader called on the authorities in Sofia to "clearly and categorically distance themselves from Kostadinov’s statements, which are contrary to European values and the principles of good neighbourliness". Filipce also urged the "European Union to unequivocally condemn such behaviour, which undermines universal human rights and European values, and to demonstrate that such statements have no place in the EU," while calling on the government of North Macedonia to “urgently announce specific measures to prevent such irredentist statements and take action to protect the Macedonian national dignity and interests".

Kostadinov’s remarks are circulating on North Macedonian media. Another Bulgaria-related topic that North Macedonian media are highlighting is the initiative of Viktor Stoyanov, Chair of the Macedonia Foundation, who organizes a memorial service in Skopje and other cities in North Macedonia on January 12, marking the anniversary of Bulgarian revolutionary Mara Buneva’s death.

In response to a reporter’s question about the upcoming commemoration, SDSM Deputy Chair Kristina Kostova said that SDSM considers the announcements of memorial services for Mara Buneva in the country to be a provocation, which the party representatives most strongly condemn.