„Skopje has no desire for the issues to be resolved. They think that they can be cunning, as before – Bulgaria to support them, and they thankfully stab us in the back and insult us.“
This was commented by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Krassimir Karakachanov for bTV on the occasion of Bulgaria’s position on Northern Macedonia. According to him, the Macedonian governments that have ruled the country since the first day of its existence are not normal. He considers that they have not created conditions for their citizens for normal development, but have created tension. That is why some of the Bulgarians in Macedonia come and take Bulgarian citizenship.
„Attention should be paid to why the government is doing this in Skopje.“
Karakachanov pointed out that our country has always supported Northern Macedonia for its membership in NATO and the EU, but our refusal is currently due to non-compliance with the Agreement on Cooperation and Good Neighborliness from August 1, 2017.
„When the time came for Macedonia to join NATO, Bulgaria’s position was that we would not suspend its membership in NATO, although it was delaying the implementation of the agreement. The position was clearly stated that Bulgaria will not compromise on the membership of Northern Macedonia in the EU if the agreement is not implemented. On October 9, 2019, a framework position of the Bulgarian government was voted, which on October 10 was supported unanimously by the entire Bulgarian Parliament. Macedonia, at least a year ago, knew something about this framework position, and we constantly reminded them that they could not sabotage the implementation of the agreement. From November last year until a month ago, the interstate commission on controversial issues did not work on the Macedonian side.„
The Defense Minister noted that Zaev is one of the few Macedonian politicians who have not used offensive qualifications against Bulgaria. According to him, Bulgarians in northern Macedonia have occupied a tangible place.
„These are prime ministers, ministers, military, generals, some of the most famous professors and others. For almost 30 years, Bulgaria, whenever it does something good, not a single word is heard from Macedonian media or politicians to say thank you. In these 30 years, Bulgaria has raised the question that there are people in Macedonia who are repressed for being Bulgarians and showing Bulgarian consciousness. When Bulgaria raised the question that it is not normal to support Macedonia for EU and NATO membership, but to destroy Bulgarian monuments in Macedonia and to falsify history, then a howl arose that we are occupiers and fascists. We want this country that we are pulling to enter Europe, at least to behave respectfully. Skopje has no desire for the issues to be resolved. They think that they can be cunning, as before – Bulgaria to support them, and they thankfully stab us in the back and insult us.“
„The tone in Macedonian society is conducted by the media, which are part of the“ deep state „that the former prime minister of Macedonia is talking about. This is the upbringing, the mentality and the ideology that is cultivated – the creation of a new identity. Since this identity cannot be historically justified, Bulgarian history must be stolen, and in order to explain this theft, people must be educated in hatred of everything Bulgarian. That is the problem.„, Karakachanov said.
