The Bulgarian MFA voiced support for the legitimate demands of the Bulgarian community and called on the government of North Macedonia to heed the concerns of its citizens and fulfill all commitments made to both the EU and Bulgaria.
Organizations representing the Bulgarian community in North Macedonia have issued an official letter regarding a revised draft Action Plan for the protection of the rights of persons belonging to minorities and communities, presented by the government in Skopje.
Bulgaria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) emphasized that this Action Plan is a key document under the 2022 European consensus, and its implementation will be monitored throughout North Macedonia’s EU accession negotiations.
Once the expected constitutional amendments formally recognize Bulgarians as legitimate holders of civil rights in the country, the Action Plan will need to ensure the practical implementation and protection of these rights.
In their position, representatives of the Bulgarian community expressed concern that their comments and proposals from December 2025 have not been adequately reflected in the draft. According to them, the document still fails to address core issues faced by Bulgarians in North Macedonia and lacks effective mechanisms to resolve them.
Among the identified shortcomings are systemic institutional pressure, uneven application of laws, serious restrictions on self-identification and freedom of association, insufficient protection against discrimination, and politically motivated hate crimes.
The Bulgarian MFA voiced support for the legitimate demands of the Bulgarian community and called on the government of North Macedonia to heed the concerns of its citizens and fulfill all commitments made to both the EU and Bulgaria.
“We expect North Macedonia to engage sincerely and consistently in building a reliable, effective, and sustainable mechanism for the protection of fundamental human rights, so that it can secure consensus support for its European path in the future,” the MFA said. | BGNES