Bulgaria conditions: The Macedonian language did not exist before 1944

Bulgaria is seeking support from the European Union, so that, within the framework of the negotiating framework between Northern Macedonia and the EU, the good neighbourly agreement, which the two states signed in 2017, will also be introduced.

The bilateral Agreement between Skopje and Sofia for good neighbourly relations should be part of the negotiating framework for Northern Macedonia's membership in the European Union”, said the argument of a memorandum drafted by Bulgaria.

In this six-page document, as Radio Free Europe learns, Bulgaria seeks the support of EU member states that “the good neighbourly agreement between Northern Macedonia and Bulgaria be included in chapter 35 of the negotiating framework for North Macedonia's membership in the European Union”.

Bulgaria's memorandum notes that Macedonia's <x0juge has not existed until 2 August 1944, and that the formation of the Macedonian nation is Belgrade's project during the period between the two world wars”.

The negotiating framework between Skopje and official Brussels was introduced in July this year by the European Commission. Skopje said it expects the final text of this negotiating framework for state membership in the EU to be published later in October of this year.

Macedonian side experts locked in talks between the two neighbouring countries stress that after several months of pauses from December last year, respectively, due to the corruption pandemic and elections in northern Macedonia during this month, the Commission is expected to meet experts in Skopje and official Sofia, where it will discuss many controversial issues.

“I hope that soon we will meet with Bulgarian co-workers of the Commission at the expert level who is committed to resolving historical differences. So these days are expected to co-ordinate with regard to time, but also protocols that need to be respected on the basis of the authorities' recommendations on protection from the Coronavirus”, says Radio Free Europe, Petar Todorov, who is part of the expert Commission, not giving more details about topics experts from both countries will discuss.

International relations director Selim Ibrahimi tells Radio Free Europe that the Bulgarian side has already officially presented its position to Brussels, that if the commissions of the two neighbouring states fail to reach any agreement, then Bulgaria will veto Northern Macedonia.

Selimi emphasises that now is the time to give rise to resolving open historical issues between Bulgaria and Northern Macedonia.

“In this direction, I don't think the European Union is interested in a new crisis in the Balkans. I personally think that the European Union will manage to find tools for activating mild diplomacy, so that conflicting issues between the two countries (Northern Macedonia and Bulgaria) will be resolved and not present an obstacle to the opening of chapters for Northern Macedonia or the membership of Northern Macedonia in the European Union in the future”, Selimi says.

“Skopje must once again review the story, so that the figures for Bulgaria contesting them will be reviewed by the prism of professional historians without party influence”, he adds.

Meanwhile, Macedonian opposition party chairman V MRO- The DPMNE, Hristian Mickovski, in the protest held on the evening of September 15th, has stressed that it will in no way be allowed to compromise for Goce Dellchev (which is considered hero by Northern Macedonia and Bulgaria, which has fought against the Ottoman Empire), as according to him, this historical figure presents the main pillar of the existence of the Macedonian people.

“Delchev is our red line of dignity and identity, so we are here today, because Delchev is Macedonia and the pillar of our existence as a people. Macedonia and what we are is nothing less important than Europeanisation, Macedonia is above and before everything”, Mickovski has declared.

Otherwise, the agreement for good neighbourly relations between northern Macedonia and Bulgaria was signed on August 2nd 2017. This agreement aims to resolve disputes between the two neighbouring countries, which have to contest the Macedonian language on the part of Bulgaria, as well as disputes over historical events by 1944, the descent of the two countries' hero Goce Delchev, the role of VMRO (the Macedonian revolutionary internal organisation) and the Ilinden Assembly, which had declared the independence of the first Macedonian state, on August 2nd of 1903. REL