Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Vessela Tcherneva on tensions between Bulgaria and North Macedonia: An escalation of this kind emerges when elections are in the offing

Vessela Tcherneva
Photo: BGNES

“There is a mechanism for bringing down tension between Bulgaria and North Macedonia and for identifying the acts of hate. It is clearly defined in a protocol between the foreign ministries of the two countries from 2022 but it is not being applied,” Vessela Tcherneva, advisor to former PM Kiril Petkov stated in an interview with the BNR.

In the words of Vessela Tcherneva, the exacerbation of bilateral tensions additionally is affecting the lives of Macedonian Bulgarians adversely. She described the fact that the Bulgarian ambassador has been summoned back from Skopje as an “ill-advised gesture” which undermines the weight Bulgaria carries within the EU.

“An escalation of this kind invariably emerges when elections are in the offing,” she said, adding there were parties on either side of the border which are taking advantage of the tension to boost their approval ratings.


Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Sunny and hot weather expected on Sunday

On Sunday, the lowest temperatures will range from 12°C to 17°C, around 12°C in Sofia . It will be sunny and hot during the day. Cumulus clouds will develop in the afternoon hours mainly over the mountains, with a chance of isolated showers in some..

published on 6/7/25 6:45 PM
Iliana Iotova

Iliana Iotova: EC and ECB reports justify President Radev's concerns

''The reports by the European Commission and the European Central Bank justify all the concerns and reservations expressed by President Rumen Radev when he proposed a referendum on the euro'', Vice President Iliana Iotova said  at the Iliеva..

published on 6/7/25 5:32 PM

The BNR Symphony Orchestra protests with concert silence

The Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra undertook effective protest action, as shown in videos of their June 6 concert at Bulgaria Hall, which were posted on social media. The BNR Symphony Orchestra refused to perform Sergei Rachmaninoff’s..

published on 6/7/25 4:48 PM