Joint Declaration by Paneuropa Bulgaria and Macedonia

Due to current tensions between Bulgaria and North Macedonia, which could lead to a blockade of accession negotiations, Paneuropa Bulgaria and Paneuropa North Macedonia have issued a joint declaration to their respective governments.

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We urge the governments of Bulgaria and North Macedonia to resolve bilateral issues in good faith.

Since its foundation in 1922, Paneuropa has promoted the unification of Europe. Today, we continue our mission by driving this process forward through the integration of the Western Balkan countries into the EU.

We welcome the European Council’s decision of March 2020 to open accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania. As a member state, Bulgaria supported this agreement. Good neighbourly relations and regional cooperation remain vital elements of the enlargement process. Furthermore, we recall the decisive role of Bulgaria, which held the Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2018, when the Western Balkan states were placed back on the European agenda.

We also welcome the determination shown by North Macedonia to implement the EU reform agenda by fulfilling the conditions for the opening of accession negotiations. In view of this, we believe that differing views on the past of the two countries should not constitute an obstacle to their common European future.

Mutual good neighbourly relations between Bulgaria and North Macedonia should be developed on the basis of mutual trust, respect, economic development, cultural exchange, and mutual understanding, but also on the undisputed right to self-determination, as well as on the principles and values of the EU.

We fully support active measures to bring the Bulgarian and Macedonian nations closer together and to avoid the negative rhetoric used in past decades, which regrettably leads to divisions in our relations.

We are convinced that as the EU integration process in North Macedonia progresses – with the support and mentorship of Bulgaria – the links between the two nations will grow even stronger, and the sense of the European spirit of mutual understanding and cooperation in relations between the two countries will be bolstered.

Signed by: Gergana Passy, Paneuropa Bulgaria; Andrej Lepavcov, Paneuropa Macedonia; Walburga Habsburg Douglas, Vice-President of the Paneuropean Union, Sweden; Rainhard Kloucek, Paneuropa Austria; Carlos Uriarte Sanchez, Paneuropa Spain; Laris Gaiser, Paneuropa Slovenia; Jean-Paul Picaper, Member of the Presidency of the Paneuropean Union; Ihor Zhaloba and Igor Gavrylov, Paneuropa Ukraine; Gordana Djurovic, Paneuropa Montenegro; Alain Terrenoire, President of the Paneuropean Union.

WE URGE THE GOVERNMENTS OF BULGARIA AND N. MACEDONIA TO RESOLVE IN GOOD FAITH BILATERAL ISSUES

Since its foundation in 1922, Pan-Europa has been promoting the unification of Europe. Today we continue our mission by enhancing the completion of this process – the integration of the Western Balkan countries into the EU.

We welcome the decision of the Council of the EU of March 2020, approved by the European Council, to open accession negotiations with N. Macedonia and Albania. Bulgaria as a Member State supported the consensus with the understanding that good neighbourly relations and regional cooperation remain important elements of the enlargement process. Moreover, we recall the instrumental role of Bulgaria holding the Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2018 to bring back enlargement to the WB on the European agenda.

We also welcome the determination, demonstrated by N. Macedonia, to deliver on the EU reform agenda, by the fulfilment of the conditions for opening accession negotiations.

In view of the above, we believe that the different views on the past history of the two countries should not be an obstacle for their common European future.

In this regard we urge the governments and institutions of Bulgaria and N. Macedonia to continue with the communication in good faith and overcome any obstacles that might hinder progress of N. Macedonia towards our shared European future.

The two-sided good neighbouring relations between Bulgaria and N. Macedonia should be built on the basis of mutual trust, respect, economic development, cultural exchange and understanding of each other, but, as well, on the undisputed right of self-determination, and the EU principles and values.

We fully support active measures, bringing the Bulgarian and Macedonian nation closer together, avoiding negative rhetoric that has been in use in the past decades bringing regrettably divisions in our relationship.

We are convinced that with the progressive advance of EU integration process of N. Macedonia with support and mentorship by Bulgaria, the connections between the two nations will grow even stronger, and that will bring reinforced feeling of the European spirit of mutual understanding and cooperation, in the relations between the two countries.

Signed by: Gergana Passy, Paneuropa Bulgaria; Andrej Lepavcov, Paneuropa Macedonia; Walburga Habsburg Douglas, Vice-President Paneuropa-Union, Sweden; Rainhard Kloucek, Paneuropa Austria; Carlos Uriarte Sanchez, Paneuropa Spain; Laris Gaiser, Paneuropa Slovenia; Jean-Paul Picaper, Member of the Presidency of Paneuropa-Union; Ihor Zhaloba and Igor Gavrylov, Paneuropa Ukraine; Gordana Djurovic, Paneuropa Montenegro; Alain Terrenoire, President of the Paneuropa-Union.