President Iliana Yotova has described the arson attack on Bulgarian diplomatic vehicles in Skopje as an attack on Bulgaria itself, calling on European lawmakers to address the incident during upcoming discussions in the European Parliament.
Further reading: Macedonian Police Detain Man Over Arson Attack on Bulgarian Embassy Vehicles in Skopje
Speaking ahead of key debates and a vote on North Macedonia’s EU accession progress report, Yotova warned that the next two days would be decisive. She said there are indications that last-minute amendments could be introduced in plenary aimed at removing references to the joint historical commission established under the Good Neighbourliness Agreement, which she argued would undermine its work.
Yotova stressed that the commission operates under the agreed framework and should not be politically weakened. She said “this issue is part of the protocol, which is part of the negotiating framework and mandatory European legislation”, urging MEPs to act with restraint and institutional consistency.
She also called for the Skopje arson incident to be raised in the European Parliament debate. Referring to the destroyed diplomatic vehicles, she said “this is the property of the Bulgarian state and I personally accept it as an attack on Bulgaria”, adding that the event should not be overlooked during discussions on North Macedonia’s EU path.
