16.04.2022
We must unite so that the day comes when the rights of the Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia are protected and when that neighbor country is a member of the European Union. This matter should not be exploited in Bulgaria for the sake of domestic political purposes. It is a national interest and we all must work together, in agreement, Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said in Bitola. He noted that the matter requires unity within Bulgaria but also consolidation with the Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia who are a bridge between the two states. “Their rights must be protected,” said Kiril Petkov firmly while he added that at the same time it is equally important for the Bulgarian community in the Republic of North Macedonia and for the Bulgarian interest that one day that country is an EU member.
In the words of Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, the greater the joint activities that the two neighbor countries engage in, the stronger the relations between the businesses and the citizens of the two countries, the better for good neighborly relations. The Prime Minister cited as an example the Ivan Mihailov Cultural Center’s club that was opened today in Bitola and that affords yet another opportunity for good neighborliness. Kiril Petkov stressed that it is important for the Balkans to enjoy stability and for the people to share the understanding that together they can do a lot more, and that otherwise nothing can be achieved.
Prime Minister Kiril Petkov stated that the Bulgarian Government and the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia work seriously on that matter and maintain good communication. “It is important to agree on a clear position,“ the Prime Minister said as he recalled that Bulgaria has a framework that it sticks to. Kiril Petkov noted that that both countries have a clear understanding of the importance of our neighbor’s European future as well as of the fact that all communities in the Republic of North Macedonia should feel that they enjoy equal rights. The Prime Minister added that from his talks with his counterpart Dimitar Kovacevski he got the impression that even the topic concerning the Constitution of the Republic of North Macedonia is fully realistic and is not something that is unattainable.
In Bitola, the Prime Minister attended the official opening of the Ivan Mihailov Cultural Center’s club. During his visit, Prime Minister Kiril Petkov and cabinet ministers of the Republic of North Macedonia will visit the Bitola-Elbasan Power Interconnection. Bulgaria may use this to sell electricity to the entire region, all the way to Italy. The construction of the transmission line is in fact the implementation of the energy segment of Corridor 8. These corridors give the added value that we all hope to have in our joint work, Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said.
