Along with all the efforts to improve connectivity and economic cooperation, let us not forget the key issues that need to be resolved in order to start the negotiations on the EU accession of the Republic of North Macedonia (RNM), the Head of State said

 

I hope that RNM's state leadership will show wisdom and political courage to resolve the main issues that will effectively unlock the door for launching EU accession talks. This is what President Rumen Radev told the media, highlighting the issues around the rights of the Macedonian Bulgarians as key for building meaningful bilateral relations and opening the door for accession talks.

 

In the Head of State's opinion, there are positive signs in the wake of the prime minister's visit to Bulgaria's southwestern neighbour and every step that leads to an intensification of our relations should be supported. 'Along with all the efforts to improve connectivity, investments, economy and cooperation, let us not forget the main issues that need to be resolved,' the President stressed and recalled what they are: the inclusion of the Macedonian Bulgarians in the Constitution of the RNM, on an equal footing with other parts of peoples, notably, the protection of their rights and enabling their full integration in that country's cultural and political life, the end of hate speech and any encroachments on Bulgarian history and culture. 'As a responsible member of the EU, we should integrate not problems, but partners, Rumen Radev stressed.

 

Responding to a question, the Head of State described as absolutely groundless the allegations that since Bulgaria wants equal rights for the Macedonian Bulgarians, guaranteed in the Constitution, the RNM in turn could reciprocally demand a Macedonian minority in Bulgaria. 'Let us not forget that our constitutional frameworks are radically different - the Bulgarian Constitution provides for the protection of individual rights, while the Macedonian Constitution is based on the protection of collective rights of parts of peoples, so there is no way this could ever happen,' the President explained.

 

Asked to comment on possible amendments to the Bulgarian basic law, the Head of State pointed out that before the Constitution can be opened up for amendments, there needs to be a consensus, a debate, and public maturation about the need for the changes, as well as a parliamentary majority. According to Radev, the individual and his rights, the guarantees for an effective and accountable prosecutor's office, as well as other changes that need to be debated should be at the core of the Constitution, and the time for this is ripe. In the Head of State's view, the resignation of the Prosecutor General, requested by the parliamentary majority in a declaration, is an expression of the necessary political will to initiate legal and constitutional change.