Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

The rights of Bulgarians in North Macedonia are not protected, the vice president believes

Photo: BTA

Bulgaria does not impose additional conditions on the process and negotiations of the Republic of North Macedonia with the EU, said Vice President Iliana Iotova at the opening of the “EU meets the Balkans” forum in Sofia.

The forum is attended by European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos and government representatives of Turkey, Romania, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Montenegro.

Iotova stressed that bilateral relations between the two countries are not a problem for Skopje not to start negotiations with the EU. She noted that this is the thesis of “our colleagues from the Republic of North Macedonia”, as well as some European politicians and experts who speak in the direction that the process is blocked by both sides.

“We want the European criteria to be respected, just as every country that has embarked on the path to real EU membership has respected these criteria,” said the vice president. "We continue to believe that the rights of Bulgarians in North Macedonia are not protected," Iotova emphasized and noted that the framework agreed with the EU in 2022, based on the French proposal, does not set out Bulgarian claims, but European criteria for membership, the main of which is the protection of human rights.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Slight drop in temperatures, rain showers expected on Tuesday

On Tuesday, over many areas, the cloudiness will temporarily decrease, but in the morning in places in the lowlands there will be short-term fog. Around and after noon, cumulus and cumulus-rainy clouds will develop. Mainly in Southwestern Bulgaria,..

published on 5/12/25 7:35 PM

Members of election commissions are being investigated over missing ballots

The Prosecutor's Office has initiated pre-trial proceedings against members of the Sectional and Regional Election Commissions in Stara Zagora, Kardzhali, Blagoevgrad and Sofia. During an inspection by the Constitutional Court in connection with a case..

published on 5/12/25 6:02 PM
President Rumen Radev

Bulgarian President submits to parliament the proposal for a referendum on the euro

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev submitted to the 51st National Assembly a proposal to hold a national referendum with the question "Do you agree that Bulgaria should introduce the single European currency "euro" in 2026?" The proposal is based on the..

published on 5/12/25 4:25 PM