The Bulgarian National Assembly swiftly reacted to the news of Albania and North Macedonia being separated on their paths to EU membership. Brussels’ decision to greenlight Albania‘s negotiations while pausing those for North Macedonia sparked immediate responses from Bulgaria’s parliamentary leaders.
Boyko Borissov, leader of the largest parliamentary group GERB and chairman of the foreign affairs committee, urged for calm responses from all political parties. An extraordinary meeting of the foreign affairs committee was convened, where a draft declaration is expected to be proposed and voted on in the plenary session of the National Assembly.
Borissov highlighted that Bulgaria’s concerns were well-received by European institutions and praised Albania‘s progress. He emphasized that Albania had accepted the Bulgarian minority, while North Macedonia would need to face the consequences of its actions, particularly concerning its relations with Bulgaria.
Kiril Petkov, co-chair of We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (WCC-DB), expressed satisfaction with the French proposal, noting that it aligned with Bulgaria’s interests. He stressed that North Macedonia must decide whether to include Bulgarians in its constitution, without which its EU path would remain blocked.
Kostadin Kostadinov, leader of “Revival” (Vazrazhdane), criticized North Macedonia for failing to uphold agreements with both Bulgaria and the EU. He argued that the decision to halt its EU negotiations was a necessary consequence of its failure to meet its commitments.
Borislav Gutsanov, chair of the parliamentary group of BSP for Bulgaria, supported the EU’s decision, stating it was a fair response to the increasingly hostile rhetoric from North Macedonia. He added that North Macedonia‘s recent comments toward Bulgaria left Brussels with no other choice but to delay negotiations.
Toshko Yordanov, chairman of the parliamentary group of There Is Such a People (TISP), echoed these concerns, stating that North Macedonia had not fulfilled its obligations in the negotiation framework. He argued that unless the country changed its behavior and recognized Bulgarians in its constitution, it would remain outside the EU.
In a separate statement, TISP leader Slavi Trifonov criticized certain politicians in North Macedonia for openly fostering hostility toward Bulgaria. Writing on social media, he accused some Macedonian leaders of encouraging hatred while benefiting from Bulgarian citizenship. Trifonov maintained that Bulgaria should not allow a country with such leadership to begin EU negotiations unless it fully respects the terms of the French agreement and acknowledges Bulgarians in its constitution.
