Bulgaria is open to dialogue with North Macedonia and expects work in the spirit of sincerity and constructiveness from its closest neighbors. This was what Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Svetlan Stoev said after a meeting in Sofia with European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi and Portugal’s Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva. He pointed out Bulgaria's consistent support for the European integration of the countries of the Western Balkans, but in compliance with the principle of good neighborliness and the necessary guarantees for the implementation of the 2017 Neighborhood and Friendship Agreement, Stoev said.

"EU enlargement must be based on achieving sustainable results in building good neighbourly relations in the Balkans, and this should be an irreversible process over time." This was stated by Bulgarian President Rumen Radev during the talks with the European Commissioners.

The guests also met with Bulgaria's Caretaker Prime Minister Stefan Yanev. In the conversation, Yanev confirmed the Bulgarian position that so far no positive trend could be outlined in terms of overcoming the key contradictions with Skopje.

The visit comes weeks before a meeting in Brussels, at which North Macedonia and Albania hope to receive approval for their negotiating frameworks.

European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi pointed out that Bulgaria was a leading Member State in terms of policy development towards the Western Balkans.

Prior to the meeting with Stoev, Várhelyi spoke on his own initiative with GERB leader Boyko Borissov and the focus was also placed on EU enlargement to the Western Balkans, it was reported.