Iliana Iotova held meetings during the Munich Security Conference with the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, and the High Representative for Gaza, Nickolay Mladenov

Until Bulgarians are included in the Constitution of the Republic of North Macedonia (RNM), there will be no progress on its EU membership. This is not just Bulgarian policy. It has long been European policy. This was stated by President Iliana Iotova at a meeting with European Council President Antonio Costa. The two spoke on the sidelines of the 62nd Munich Security Conference, with the focus of their meeting being the enlargement of the European Union with the countries of the Western Balkans.

Iotova noted the worrying signs that the RNM leadership is trying to find a lobby among European countries to bypass the first cluster of accession negotiations, which is based on human rights. There is no way Bulgaria can agree to such a change. I hope that by June, when the next EU summit on the Western Balkans is scheduled, a solution will be found to the issue with North Macedonia, if the country still wants to join the Union, the Bulgarian head of state stressed.

At the Munich Conference, President Iotova also spoke with Nickolay Mladenov, the High Representative for Gaza of the Board of Peace initiated by US President Donald Trump. Mr. Mladenov assured me that there would be more clarity on the functioning of the Board at the Inaugural Meeting in Washington on February 19. It is very difficult for me to say at what level Bulgaria will be represented. I will not be attending, as I will have to issue decrees for a caretaker cabinet and schedule elections for the National Assembly, Iotova told the Bulgarian media.