20 Bulgarian organisations from North Macedonia meet the MPs in Sofia

Last week's attack on journalist Vladimir Perev in Skopje prompted a strong reaction from Bulgarian lawmakers. Today, the Foreign Policy Committee of the National Assembly adopted a declaration condemning the hate crime committed against Perev, a staunch advocate for the rights of Bulgarians in North Macedonia.

Citing increasingly hostile rhetoric against Bulgarians from the highest political levels in North Macedonia, Bulgarian MPs called on the authorities in the neighbouring country to halt all actions and statements that justify violence. They also voiced their disagreement with the public denial and downplaying of serious issues concerning the rights and security of Bulgarians in North Macedonia. The declaration urged Skopje to guarantee the rights and dignity of all its citizens regardless of ethnicity, and to take measures to prevent hate speech and violence against Bulgarians.

‘This is a signal that Bulgaria is responding, and that no such incident will go unnoticed,’ said Stoyan Taslakov, a Member of Parliament, in an interview with Radio Bulgaria. The attack on Vladimir Perev was the focus of a meeting of the Committee on Policies for Bulgarians Abroad, chaired by Taslakov. For the first time, the meeting brought together nearly 20 Bulgarian associations from North Macedonia.

• Skopje has a distorted view of Bulgaria, says journalist Vladimir Perev

'They unanimously condemned attacks on members of the Bulgarian community. While they do not always share the same position, incidents like this bring them together,' Taslakov said after the meeting. He added that most of these organisations work on projects such as applying for programmes run by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, organising events, cleaning Bulgarian military cemeteries and monuments, and assisting prospective students. 'But this was the first time they had been able to meet in one place, in Sofia. Some did not even know each other,' he said.

According to Taslakov, North Macedonia’s policy towards its Bulgarian citizens is moving the country further away from EU membership. “When I invited the organisations, I wanted to show that we care about them and get to know them. It turned out that the Bulgarian state had no contact with many of them. It was difficult to locate and invite them, but we succeeded in the end,” he said.

Two of the Bulgarian associations present at the meeting announced plans to launch a pro-Bulgarian podcast. The first episode will feature an interview with Zhelyazko Radukov, the Bulgarian Ambassador to Skopje, and will focus on Bulgarian identity.

During the committee meeting, representatives of Bulgarian associations in North Macedonia said they were counting on stronger protection from Bulgaria.

‘Our next steps will be to communicate with them more often and organise cultural events, because good examples and culture can always overcome hate. Only through culture and example can our two peoples come closer together,’ Taslakov concluded.

Editor: Elena Karkalanova

Posted in English by E. Radkova