“What negotiations and what compromises is Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev hoping for with so many accusations and lies, so much hatred for Bulgaria,” MEP and vice-chair of the European People’s Party Andrey Kovatchev said, commenting on Zoran Zaev's speech at the Atlantic Council, in which he accused Bulgaria of having an “anachronistic” position with regard to North Macedonia, BGNES reports.

At the forum Zoran Zaev stated that Bulgaria’s unprincipled position had prevented the possibility of the first intergovernmental conference with the EU, which should have marked the beginning of negotiations, BTA reports.