"The Law on Associations and Foundations and the decisions of the Commission on Names are not directed against the guaranteed freedom for association, but against decisions that associations bear the names of controversial individuals who create discomfort among the citizens of the country," the Foreign Ministry of North Macedonia wrote on its website. The comment comes after the sharp reaction of Bulgaria regarding the ban on two Bulgarian associations in the Republic of North Macedonia to use the names they chose - "Ivan Mihailov" in Bitola and "Tsar Boris III" in Ohrid.

According to Foreign Minister Nikolay Milkov, Bulgaria is watching with concern attempts to limit the right of association of Bulgarians in North Macedonia and will signal to its European partners after Thursday's attack against the Bulgarian Cultural and Information Center in Skopje.

• Bulgaria’s Interior Ministry calls for prompt investigation into the attack on the Bulgarian Cultural Centre in Skopje

• Foreign Ministry with strong position on attitude towards Bulgarians in North Macedonia