Bulgarian PM Warns North Macedonia's Tone May Jeopardize EU Aspirations

Bulgaria remains a reliable partner and supporter of the EU integration of the Western Balkans, but the approach taken by the Republic of North Macedonia may hinder its progress towards membership, according to Acting Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev. He emphasized that Bulgaria has already made significant compromises regarding its national identity and North Macedonia must meet the necessary criteria for EU accession.

Glavchev also addressed the issue of voting machines, noting that efforts are being made to improve the storage conditions for the devices, but the matter involves commercial relations between contractors and the Central Election Commission (CEC). He expressed concern over potential price increases, warning that any complications could lead to a major scandal.

Regarding the recent incident in Lebanon involving pagers, Glavchev clarified that the Bulgarian State Agency for National Security (SANS) found no evidence linking Bulgaria to the production or supply of the devices. The only connection involved cash flows processed through invoices for services rather than goods. He saw no reason to convene the Security Council over the matter, describing the implicated company as a conduit for financial transactions.