The European Commission encourages Bulgaria and North Macedonia to find a solution to the bilateral dispute as soon as possible so that the inter-governmental conference can begin which will give the start to North Macedonia’s EU accession negotiations. This was stated by EC chief spokesperson Eric Mamer, BNR’s Brussels correspondent Anguelina Piskova reports.

Eric Mamer added that EC President Ursula von der Leyen had supported the start of negotiations with North Macedonia during the meeting she had with PM Zoran Zaev today.

EC spokesperson Ana Pisonero stressed that the Commission maintains its position that North Macedonia and Albania have fulfilled the conditions for opening negotiations and insists that an inter-governmental conference be convened as soon as possible.