Bulgaria has repeatedly reiterated that the creation of conditions for free self-identification and respect for the rights of citizens of North Macedonia considering themselves Bulgarian is of fundamental importance, reads the position of Bulgaria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

We are very surprised by the census data regarding the number of people in North Macedonia who self-identified as Bulgarians. There is a huge difference between these figures and the over 100,000 citizens of North Macedonia, who have personally submitted documents proving their Bulgarian origin, when applying for Bulgarian citizenship. There is a lack of information on the number of people with Bulgarian consciousness abroad included in the census. We are taking into consideration the doubts expressed by organizations of Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia, about the transparency and veracity of the census-taking. We expect that their voice is heard by North Macedonia’s authorities, the statement of Bulgaria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reads.