site.btaCommittee on Policies for Bulgarians Abroad Chair Alerts Foreign Ministry about Detained Cars with Bulgarian Registration in North Macedonia

Parliamentary Committee on Policies for Bulgarians Abroad Chair Stoyan Taslakov (Vazrazhdane MP) formally inquired the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about a report on the detention of more than 20 vehicles with Bulgarian registration by police in Kavadarci, North Macedonia, the Committee said on Wednesday.

The request asks for information on the legal grounds for the detention, the exact number of vehicles involved and the diplomatic action taken to protect the rights of Bulgarian citizens. A reply is awaited from the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry, which in turn may request an official position from North Macedonia's authorities. A reaction will also be sought at European Union level as to whether the basic principles of the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation between the two neighbouring countries are not being violated.

The Committee Chair expressed concern that the cases in which the rights of Bulgarian citizens are violated are increasing in North Macedonia and even MPs have been denied entry to the country.

Taslakov stressed that if timely and adequate measures are not taken and the hate speech and harassment by the authorities in the Republic of North Macedonia are not put to an end, there is a significant danger that the rights of Bulgarian citizens will be violated again and again, which puts into question the principles of the rule of law and European values in the region.