New diplomatic scandal between North Macedonia and Bulgaria over the use of the phrase "northmacedonian partners". How do you think this should have been handled?
North Macedonia reacted fiercely and called in the Bulgarian ambassador to protest against the use of the phrase "northmacedonian partners" by the new Bulgarian minister of foreign affairs in an interview for Bulgarian media from Brussels.
When asked about the EU integration of North Macedonia she replied:
>Bulgaria has a clearly established position, which from 2022 is not a bilateral issue, but a matter of discussion between the EU and a candidate country. And today this position was reaffirmed. I am glad that there is a very broad political consensus on this position in Bulgaria and this is something that I also told our northmacedonian partners. And we expect to see actions on their part that will show that they have all the political willingness to truly move forward on their European path.
Source:
My opinion - a complete overreaction by North Macedonia. This phrase was clearly used as a way to say "officials from North Macedonia", it was not meant to target the ethnic Macedonains at all. I think this is just a way for the Macedonian government to spin an anti-Bulgarian narrative and hurt the relations between the two countries with which to justify its shortcomings in regards to the reforms that need to be made in the country. It looks like they do not have the "political willingness to truly move forward on their European path".