Two-hour protests to block border crossings with North Macedonia

Protests will close the border crossings with North Macedonia over the repression of people with Bulgarian identity in the neighboring country, BNR’s correspondent in Kyustendil Kiril Falin reported.

The organizers from the "Kuberov Voin" organization and the ''Macedonia Foundation'' say that on Sunday they will block the three border crossings between Bulgaria and North Macedonia for two hours in protest against the ongoing pressure on Bulgarians.

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The action, coordinated with Bulgarian authorities, is intended to send a message to the government in Skopje regarding the persecution of people who identify as Bulgarians, arson incidents, assaults and legal proceedings against Bulgarians in North Macedonia.

Tensions escalated after two vehicles belonging to the Bulgarian diplomatic mission in Skopje were set on fire.

Initiatives to block the Bulgarian-North Macedonian border are counterproductive and could undermine Bulgaria's position in relations with North Macedonia, Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova said. According to her, such actions are not linked to the Bulgarian government and do not help protect the country's national interests.

Edited by Diana Tsankova

Translated by Kostadin Atanasov