Sinisa Jakov MarusicSkopjeBIRNFebruary 2, 202311:49MPs’ declaration in Sofia condemning alleged ‘anti-Bulgarian campaign’ in North Macedonia includes threat to again halt North Macedonia’s EU integration.
Bulgarian Parliament building in Sofia. Photo by Wikimedia Commons/Nenko Lazarov
Bulgaria’s parliament on Thursday adopted a declaration condemning the recent attack on a Bulgarian activist in neighbouring North Macedonia, an alleged “anti-Bulgarian campaign” in the country and warning that this could derail Skopje’s EU integration.
The MPs’ declaration expresses concern that “the escalation of the anti-Bulgarian campaign in North Macedonia may threaten the process of inclusion of Bulgarians in the country’s constitution” and so endanger North Macedonia’s EU accession, which would “serve the interests of third-party countries”.
This was an apparent reference to Russia, which opposes further EU and NATO enlargement in the Balkans, though the declaration does not explicitly name which countries it is referring to.
The declaration “categorically condemns the manifestations and calls for violence against Bulgarians in North Macedonia, their organisations and clubs”, and especially “the severe criminal act against the Bulgarian Hristian Pendikov”, insisting that Skopje undertake “systemic measures” to bring his attackers to justice.
Pendikov, secretary of a recently opened Bulgarian club in the North Macedonian town of Ohrid, named after Bulgaria’s World War II ruler, Tsar Boris, was attacked on January 19. North Macedonia’s authorities condemned the attack and police already apprehended the suspects.
Further in the declaration, it condemns the “hate speech in North Macedonia against the local Bulgarians and against Bulgaria, as well as its manifestations in political, public and media sphere”, and says Skopje should stop denying that the rights and safety of Bulgarians in the country are endangered.
The declaration, passed on Thursday morning, was supported by 184 legislators in the 240-seat parliament with only one MP abstaining.
It follows a series of incidents and provocations, culminating with the attack on the Bulgarian activist, which have marred already strained bilateral relations.
The complicated dispute between the two neighbours centres around Bulgarian claims that the identity and language of Macedonians are essentially Bulgarian and must be recognised as such.
Macedonians see this as a denial of their existence as a nation. North Macedonia accuses Bulgaria of abusing its veto power as an EU member state; it blocked Skopje’s EU accession process in 2020.
Last year, under the EU’s French presidency, both governments accepted a so-called French proposal under which Bulgaria lifted its EU blockade on condition that North Macedonia change its constitution and list Bulgarians among its constitutive peoples.
However, the North Macedonian government is struggling to secure a majority in parliament for this change amid opposition claims that it is betraying national interests.
The declaration also comes amid fears of fresh incidents this Saturday, during celebrations in Skopje marking the 151st birthday of the Ottoman-era independence fighter Goce Delcev – whose legacy is claimed by both countries.
While groups from Bulgaria, who see Delcev as an exclusively Bulgarian hero, announced their organised arrival in Skopje to pay respects to Delcev’s final resting place, groups online and representatives of the main opposition VMRO DPMNE party in North Macedonia have said they would also attend, to guard the grave and prevent what they see as denial of his Macedonian identity.
The interior ministers from both countries have called for calm, and North Macedonia said it will heighten a police presence during the day to prevent any such incidents.
Source link: balkaninsight.com
