Bulgaria is ready at any time to come up with support for Macedonia's NATO and EU integration. Common position of the two presidents regarding the Agreement on Good Neighborly Relations is that the Ministers of Foreign Affairs need to be engaged so that the agreement can be finalized soon", said in Sofia the President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, after meeting the Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev.

"We had an excellent meeting with President Plevneliev in a constructive spirit, with many discussions on how to reach a solution on the issues such as the agreement on good neighborly relations which is still, unfortunately, not closed. Therefore, we share the position that the ministries and even the ministers should engage directly in the final resolution of that issue which is somehow an obstacle for other initiatives between our two countries. Bulgaria is ready at any time to come up with support for Macedonia's NATO and EU integration. We both concluded that we can impose our influence on everything except on geography. We have been and we remain neighbors, peoples who live and share the same space that faces the same challenges, especially now with the refugee crisis that burdens the entire region", President Ivanov said.

President Ivanov, encouraged by the statements of the Bulgarian president, expressed his expectation for intensification of the cooperation between the two countries.

"Encouraging is indeed everything that President Plevneliev said, that many of the ideas and initiatives presented are acceptable and that probably a period of real progress in all spheres with Bulgaria is ahead of us. Bulgaria is the fourth-fifth trade partner of Macedonia; despite the existing infrastructure we have managed to reach that level in the field of economy. We expect the same in the coming period in the political relations there is indeed mutual trust and communication as befits two immediate neighbors, President Ivanov said.

Regarding the Agreement on Good Neighborly Relations, President Ivanov said that he expects intensification of the talks after the local elections in Bulgaria, scheduled for October 25.

"There will be local elections in Bulgaria. Probably it will happen after the elections. Elections imply campaigning and various interpretations. Probably what we expect will happen after the local elections in Bulgaria, when the working groups and the ministries are to intensify the cooperation. There is progress, but there are also differences in the nuances of the wording", President Ivanov said.