Bulgaria takes harder stance on FYROM
The Bulgarian President, Rosen Plevneliev, said on Thursday that the results in the interest of good neighbourly relations between Bulgaria and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) will be the basis for his country to ‘judge’ Skopje.
This statement came as a response to the President of FYROM to a letter of Plevneliev in which he called on ‘to leave history to historians’. George Ivanov accepted the suggestion Bulgaria and FYROM to mark together historic dates, such as Europe Day, the day on which Bulgaria recognised FYROM and the day on which the two countries established diplomatic relations.
Nevertheless, Plevneliev said that this agreement came only when as regards common European or long recognised dates. However, FYROM’s position was not the same in relation to disputed celebrations, for example commemorations of Gotse Delchev. Plevleniev added: ‘It is the actions of FYROM and not their letters which will give us the basis on how to ’judge’ them’.
Even though Bulgaria had concerns about the way FYROM citizens with Bulgarian identity were treated, the country did not block the EU integration of its neighbour. This is what the foreign minister Mladenov said in relation to rumours that Sofia impedes Skopje on its way to European Union (EU) membership. However, Mladenov clarified that the position of his country at the European Council in December, during which the start of negotiations between the EU and FYROM is planned for discussion, will entirely depend on how the government in Skopje continues or changes its current line of behaviour towards Bulgaria.
The EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Štefan Füle also got involved in the issue saying on Wednesday he was convinced that Bulgaria and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia could solve any open issues in a good neighbourly spirit. He added: ‘I am confident that through constructive dialogue and common understanding real progress can be achieved’.
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