Bulgaria Pledges Support for Macedonia’s Integration into EU, NATO

Bulgaria is ready to help neighbouring Macedonia meet the requirements for joining the European Union and NATO, Bulgaria’s Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov said on Monday.   

He also said that increased migrant influx to Macedonia highlights the need to strengthen considerably the European integration of the countries of the western Balkans.

Bulgaria is ready to support Macedonia’s efforts to receive logistical and financial assistance from the EU to cope with the recent surge in migrant wave, Mitov said during a visit to Skopje, according to a press release of the Foreign Ministry in Sofia.

Mitov was invited to Skopje by his Macedonian counterpart Nikola Poposki to attend the annual conference of the country’s ambassadors as a special guest. Albania’s Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati also attended as a special guest.

With the migrant crisis impacting both the EU member states and the countries of the western Balkans there is no alternative to their joint efforts to promote cooperation and exchange of information, Mitov said.  

Nikola Popski said that the attendance of Mitov and Bushati at the ambassadorial conference is a clear and strong signal that Bulgaria and Albania are ready to support Macedonia’s bids to join the EU and NATO.

Macedonia’s foreign minister also called for holding similar meetings on a regular basis to make progress on issues of regional as well as Europe-wide importance. 

Mitov, Bushati and Poposki agreed on the need to improve the transport, energy and infrastructure links in the region to ensure sustainable economic growth and increased inflow of foreign investment.

The foreign ministers of Albania, Bulgaria and Macedonia also adopted a joint declaration [BG] stating that the respect for territorial integrity, sovereignty and good neighbourliness is fundamentally important for the long-term stability and security of the region.

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