Bulgarian parliament approved the protocol on the accession of North Macedonia to NATO without a single vote against.

"It is in our national interest that Macedonia become part of the Western structures. The joint exercises of our armies will help enhance their combat readiness, but also contribute to overcoming the prejudices accumulated over time. We shall continue with the diplomatic efforts to help North Macedonia become a member of the EU and receive an invitation to open negotiations in June. The future lying ahead of us is a shared future,” Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva said.