The European Parliament Bureau of the Delegation to the EU-North Macedonia Joint Parliamentary Committee expressed concern, on Wednesday 31 March, over the video of MEP Angel Dzhambazki (ECR Bulgaria) claiming territory in North Macedonia.
Mr Dzhambazki, Vice-President of the Bulgarian National Movement (VMRO), a party in the ruling coalition, said that “Macedonia is Bulgarian and Bulgaria is above all”. “No matter how you turn it around, Macedonia is Bulgarian”, he added.
“We express deep concern over the recent video by an MEP, laying territorial claims to North Macedonia by a party of the Bulgarian government and showing open disrespect to the European values, merely for the sake of political campaigning”, stressed the Chair of the delegation, Andreas Schieder (S&D, Austria) and Vice-Chairs Irena Joveva (Renew Europe, Slovenia) and Marion Walsmann (EPP, Germany).
According to them, the video “openly disrespects the progress and efforts made by North Macedonia on its EU path”. Sofia and Skopje should continue their efforts towards good neighbourly relations and any actions violating this spirit should be avoided and deemed unacceptable, the MEPs added.
They called on the Bulgarian government, including Prime Minister Boiko Borissov, to condemn the video. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)