Bulgaria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reacted strongly to the ideas by political parties in the Republic of North Macedonia to ban Bulgarian associations in the country by law.

“The Republic of North Macedonia is launching the latest in a series of campaigns against Bulgarian organizations which is jeopardizing the fundamental rights of Bulgarians in a neighbouring country under the European Convention on Human Rights, and more particularly freedom of assembly, freedom of association, freedom of belief,” Deputy Foreign Minister Kostadin Kodzhabashev commented. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out that Bulgaria cannot support any step in Skopje’s European integration unless the rights of Bulgarians in North Macedonia are guaranteed.