/ world today news/ President Radev met with representatives of organizations of the Macedonian Bulgarians, among the political party Civil Democratic Union (GDS), the associations Cultural Center “Ivan Mihailov” – Bitola, “Tribune” – Prilep, “Macedonian Bulgarian Friendship” – Skopje, “Corridor 8” – Skopje, “Interaktsia” – Ohrid, “Edinstvo” Kochani, during their first ever visit to Sofia. Vice President Iliana Yotova took part in the meeting.
In his welcome to the guests, President Radev emphasized that Bulgaria as a whole, as a society and as a country, has started an important and positive, albeit belated, change in its attitude towards the Republic of North Macedonia (RCM). So far, relations have been primarily along the Sofia-Skopje line, which did not sufficiently include the Bulgarian community in the RSM in the processes of policy formation and decision-making. This is changing, the head of state said. Bulgaria firmly stands behind the Macedonian Bulgarians in their struggle for equality with all other parts of peoples in the Republic of Macedonia. This is also the position that President Radev categorically defended before the leaders of the European institutions and before the leaders of the member states of the EU Council on the issues of enlargement on October 6. “My confidence to defend this position is due to you,” Rumen Radev addressed the representatives of organizations of the Macedonian Bulgarians.
According to the president, Macedonian Bulgarians must be united in the name of the common goal – ending de-Bulgarianization and the practical realization of rights and equality through the constitution, through laws and the population census, and above all through practical actions. The Constitution of Bulgaria obliges the Bulgarian institutions to protect their citizens both in Bulgaria and abroad. Specifically, this issue is also laid down in Art. 11, para. 4 of the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighborliness and Cooperation of 2017. Bulgaria will not interfere in the internal affairs of the RSM, but supports the request of the Macedonian Bulgarians to guarantee their equality through the Constitution and laws of the RSM, for their adequate census. In this regard, Bulgaria will do nothing more, and nothing less, than any of the other regional countries, which also have parts of peoples on the territory of the RSM and which maintain structured, official relations with their compatriots there.
The President explicitly assured the guests that regardless of the geopolitical context, regardless of how the wider interests of Bulgaria are projected in Europe and in the world, the Bulgarian state will not sacrifice the interests of Macedonian Bulgarians for equality and a dignified life, for the right to political, economic , cultural-historical and any other manifestation. According to President Radev, it is precisely this, along with the encroachments on the historical and cultural heritage common to all Bulgarians, as well as the language of hatred and other hostile acts that continue to be a daily occurrence, along with the non-compliance with the Friendship Treaty of 2017, that postpones our agreement for the RSM to start negotiations for EU membership.
The President informed that there is a process of formulating a new policy regarding the Republic of Macedonia, which within the framework of the existing positions of the Bulgarian Parliament places a stronger emphasis on the well-being of Macedonian Bulgarians. A special place in this policy will be occupied by the issues of Bulgarian citizenship, which concern Bulgarians all over the world. Obtaining Bulgarian citizenship should be made easier and faster and turn from an administrative procedure into a solemn act. Bulgarian citizenship is also citizenship of the European Union and it should be a reason for pride, noted Rumen Radev. Alongside this is the question of the rights and obligations of people who become both Bulgarian and European citizens. Realization of these rights and obligations, full participation in political, public, economic, cultural life both in the Republic of Macedonia and in Bulgaria is an important manifestation of civic responsibility.
This will also be the worthy answer to those who belittle the importance of Bulgarian European citizenship. This is a non-recognition of the documentary facts of origin, as well as a denigration of the free expression of the Bulgarian identity. These speculations, which are offensive to all Bulgarians, must be resolutely refuted, it became clear from the words of the president.
The Head of State, Rumen Radev, emphasized once again that the path of the Republic of Macedonia to the EU necessarily passes through the suspension of debulgarization. It is the common task of all Bulgarians, both in Bulgaria and in the Republic of Macedonia, to protect in a fair way the common heritage and memory of our parents and compatriots to the most distant sources of history, to ensure Macedonian Bulgarians a dignified life and equal rights with all other citizens of the RSM. President Radev honored the memory of bright personalities such as Pande Eftimov, Vladimir Pankov, Jovan Stoyanovski and a number of others who gave their lives to preserve the rights and dignity of Bulgarians in Macedonia.
The head of state expects the leaders of the political parties, who will also meet with the representatives of the organizations of the Macedonian Bulgarians, to carefully listen to their voice and declare their support for the common cause.
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