Mickoski: Constitution provides strong protection, but the issue of Macedonians in Bulgaria must be solved

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said the Government is prepared to enter talks with Bulgaria to resolve outstanding issues but insisted any negotiations must take place within clearly defined red lines. He spoke before the start of the Ambassadorial Council and referred to remarks by Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev on Sofia's stance toward EU enlargement.

Dialogue, rights and the question of red lines

“Our Constitution offers absolutely serious protection for all citizens in the country, including for the Bulgarian community. And I'm not the only one saying that, the Council of Europe, which deals with human rights, also says that, and therefore the monitoring and post-monitoring mission ended in the country, which means that the human rights of all communities, of all citizens, are guaranteed by our Constitution,” Mickoski said.

Mickoski then raised the situation of Macedonians living in Bulgaria, arguing that Sofia, in his view, does not fulfil its human rights obligations toward that community.

“And now we come to the second topic, which is what we do about the Macedonian community on the other side of the border, given that Bulgaria has ratified that it will respect human rights, and on the other hand continuously avoids registering the associations of the Macedonian community in Bulgaria, as is the case with OMO Ilinden Pirin despite the fact that we have a dozen judgments from the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg,” the prime minister said.

“Partners must talk as partners sincerely, and neighbours must also talk, and I am always ready to talk on this topic,” he added, while noting that so far no direct meeting with the Bulgarian side had been initiated at any level.

If the opposition requests it, “we will agree to early parliamentary elections,” Mickoski said.

Photo: Hristijan Mickoski / oficijalna Fejsbuk-stranica