Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has welcomed a delegation of the Bulgarian community in North Macedonia. The head of state described talks that a regular parliament and government in Bulgaria would immediately unblock North Macedonia's path to EU membership as wishful thinking. Until the issue concerning the rights of Bulgarians in the former Yugoslav republic is resolved according to European standards, Skopje cannot start negotiations, President Radev said.

We strongly support the European future of North Macedonia, but this cannot happen at the expense of Bulgaria and the Macedonian Bulgarians living in the country, the delegation pointed out. Bulgarians in North Macedonia continue to insist that they must be included in the country’s constitution, just like the other ethnic groups in the country.