site.btaForeign Ministry: Bulgarian Partners Informed of Groundless Provocations by North Macedonia Officials

The Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wednesday released a position in response to the latest statement of North Macedonia's Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Nikoloski. “In connection with the latest insulting qualifications towards Bulgaria and the Bulgarian people by officials from the Republic of North Macedonia, we categorically refuse to enter into such un-European tone that is incompatible with good manners”, the Ministry said. The position adds that the Bulgarian partners “have been informed of the groundless provocations aimed at destroying the dialogue, among other things".

In a televised interview earlier in the day, North Macedonia's Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Aleksandar Nikoloski joined an outcry in his country against the absence of the national flag of North Macedonia in a photo of Presidents Rumen Radev and Gordana Siljanovska during Siljanovska's visit to Bulgaria on September 13. Nikoloski said the hosts were disrespectful to President Siljanovska.

The Foreign Ministry once again recalled the key importance of good neighbourly relations’ development for the European future of North Macedonia.

On September 16, North Macedonia Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said that his country is willing to build good neighborly relations but will react if "red lines" are crossed, potentially issuing a demarche to the Bulgarian Ambassador. Mickoski's comment came after a meeting between the Presidents of Bulgaria and North Macedonia.

The topic of the photo, at which the two Presidents stay in front of Bulgarian and EU flags, while that of North Macedonia is missing, continues to dominate the country’s media for the third day.