The joint visit of delegations from Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia to Rome and paying homage to Saints Cyril and Methodius is a wonderful occasion to renew the dialogue between the two countries at the highest level, declared Head of State Rumen Radev before journalists in Skopje following a conversation with his counterpart from the Republic of North Macedonia Stevo Pendarovski. The two held a brief meeting before the delegation led by Mr. Pendarovski joined the Bulgarian one led by Mr. Radev, which will visit the Vatican and the Italian Republic. The two delegations travelled together to Rome for the first time where they will pay homage to the work of Saints Cyril and Methodius.

President Rumen Radev stated that the joint journey provides an occasion for Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia to declare a common will for the development of bilateral relations, based on cooperation, friendship and good neighbourliness. The Bulgarian President thanked Skopje for the warm welcome, despite the visit there being a brief one.

We must restore trust and talk as friends on the most difficult issues still hindering us and I hope soon they could bring us together, said President Stevo Pendarovski before media in the joint statement with the Head of State Rumen Radev. The President of the Republic of North Macedonia pointed out that from an operational point of view, discussions between the two countries are led by the two governments and that will remain the same. “We are here to ease the situation and speak differently about the problem standing between us over the past year,” Mr. Pendarovski added.