site.btaBujar Osmani: Relations between Bulgaria, North Macedonia Often Victim to Bulgarian Internal Political Dynamics

Relations between Bulgaria and North Macedonia have often fallen victim to Bulgaria's internal political dynamics and politicians have tried to exploit this issue for political dividends, the Foreign Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia, Bujar Osmani, told journalists in Skopje on Wednesday.

In his words, regrettably, Bulgarian Vice President Iliana Iotova has waged a similar campaign against North Macedonia and the Macedonian people, attempting to create her own political profile.

"It is increasingly evident that certain actors in political life, who have no sense of the importance of the bilateral relations of the two countries, are abusing this issue for political purposes and I can only condemn this as it does not lead to anything good in the relations between the two countries, which are NATO allies," Osmani stressed.

Osmani's statement came as a response to a journalist's question related to the different messages that, according to the media in the country, Bulgarian Parliament Chair Rosen Zhelyazkov and Bulgarian Vice President Iliana Iotova send.

"Zhelyazkov calls for dialogue, Iotova’s refrain tells different", reads one of the headlines in the media in North Macedonia after Rosen Zhelyazkov's visit to Skopje and Iotova's words during the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Macedonian Scientific Institute, which took place in Sofia.

Answering a question regarding media statements in North Macedonia on the population census in Albania, which read that Bulgaria exerts pressure on Macedonians in Albania to register themselves as Bulgarians, Osmani said: "I hope every Albanian citizen has used his right to register himself in the census the way he feels, because no one has the right to exert pressure", Osmani said, adding that he is in touch with the Albanian authorities, and the North Macedonian embassy in Tirana is actively working on the issue.

Allegations of pressure exerted by Bulgaria during the census in Albania were spread by Vasil Sterjovski, former member of Albanian parliament and chair of an Albanian party that defines itself as Macedonian. According to Sterjovski, Bulgaria’s main threat mechanism is Bulgarian passports, which will be confiscated or not issued at all to those who have applied for them, in case they register themselves as Macedonians.