By signing the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighborhood and Cooperation, we introduced a new spirit and a new ambience between our two countries. We have shown how two neighboring countries should regulate their relations and close the issues for which there is a different understanding. This is a positive example for other countries in the Balkans, how they should proceed, support and help each other, the Macedonian President, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, said who is paying an official visit to the Republic of Bulgaria.

At a joint press conference with the Bulgarian President, Rumen Radev, President Ivanov thanked Bulgaria for bringing the region to the agenda of the European Union as chair of the EU Council. The Chairmanship of Bulgaria with the European Union is also a positive signal for the future chairs of the European Union how they should dedicate themselves to our region, President Ivanov said.

The Macedonian President stressed that the Republic of Macedonia is doing everything it can to achieve its strategic goals, but that it is hindered by one of its neighbors.

- I hope that those responsible in Brussels will understand the severity of the situation and will react properly, as they reacted in the past when we had bilateral disputes from the region and found a way to solve them. Positive experiences must be applied to Macedonia, President Ivanov said after the meeting with the Bulgarian President, Rumen Radev.

The Macedonian President expressed hope that the reason will prevail, that through dialogue, a mutually acceptable solution will be reached, and not a solution that is an ultimatum for Macedonia. The attainment of our strategic goals must not be an alibi for bad and harmful agreements in Macedonia, Ivanov said answering a journalist question.

For the agreement reached between the governments of Macedonia and Greece, President Ivanov reiterated his position that he cannot accept an act that is contrary to the Constitution and the laws.


- I have sworn and made a solemn declaration that I will respect the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia. I cannot accept an act that is contrary to the Constitution and the laws of the Republic of Macedonia, which is contrary to the consensus built by the state leadership, said the Macedonian President, adding that although it is the President's competence to conclude international agreements, he was excluded from the whole process.

The Bulgarian President noted that Bulgaria is closely monitoring the process of negotiations between Macedonia and Greece and that it will continue to strongly support the European and Euro-Atlantic integration of the Republic of Macedonia.

Asked to comment on the agreement between Macedonia and Greece, the Bulgarian President, Rumen Radev, stressed that with the eventual agreement between the Republic of Macedonia and the Hellenic Republic, the Republic of Bulgaria does not have firm guarantees that the Treaty o Friendship, Good Neighborhood and Cooperation between the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Bulgaria,will be in force when there will be the Republic of North Macedonia. According to him, such a treaty puts Bulgaria in a position to demand additional guarantees.

- I am expecting the Bulgarian Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as an additional guarantee for fulfilling the clauses of our agreement between the Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria, to write down the contractual provisions in Chapter 35 of the future contractual framework for the negotiations of the Republic of Macedonia for EU membership. And that will mean clear monitoring procedures, President Radev said.

Radev pointed out that the Treaty of good neighborly relations brought a new spirit of friendship and cooperation in the relations between the two countries, as evidenced by the dynamics of their meetings and stressed that the institutions of both countries should commit themselves to fostering cooperation in the economy, trade, education, science and tourism.

President Ivanov, who is paying an official visit to the Republic of Bulgaria at the invitation of the Bulgarian President, Rumen Radev, laid a wreath at the Monument of the Unknown Soldier in Sofia today and met with the President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria, Ms. Cveta Karayancheva.

The Macedonian President will visit the Cultural-Information Center of the Republic of Macedonia in Sofia, where a meeting is planned with Macedonian citizens, businessmen and cultural activists living and working in the Republic of Bulgaria