By order of Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ekaterina Zaharieva, the interim head of the Embassy of North Macedonia in Sofia, Vladimir Krastevski, has been summoned for a conversation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the ministry's press service reported. The reason is frequent manifestations of hate speech and discrimination by officials in North Macedonia against citizens of the country who declare Bulgarian identity.

Bulgaria has also expressed bewilderment and disappointment at the large-scale negative campaign in North Macedonia against the representative of Skopje in the "Eurovision 2021" music contest, Vasil Garvanliev. In an interview he said that he also felt Bulgarian and in his video for "Eurovision" the Bulgarian flag can be seen.

Bulgaria will continue to make all necessary efforts in accordance with the principles of international law to protect the rights of Bulgarian citizens and citizens with Bulgarian identity, anywhere in the world, the ministry said.