The Speaker of the National Assembly, Rosen Zhelyazkov, will again today in Skopje demonstrate the categorical desire of the official Sofia Republic of Macedonia not to waste time and to start negotiations for membership in the European Union as soon as possible. Zhelyazkov is the only Bulgarian politician from the top state leadership of the country who consistently makes efforts to speed up the European process of our southwestern neighbor. This will be Zhelyazkov's third meeting with his colleague Talat Xhaferi in the last five months.
The Speaker of the Bulgarian Parliament will visit the Republic of North Macedonia at the invitation of the Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of North Macedonia, Talat Xhaferi, reported the special envoy of BGNES in Skopje, Georgi Pashkulev.
The first meeting took place in the Italian capital Rome, where the delegations of Bulgaria and Republic of North Macedonia, led respectively by the Speakers of the Parliaments Rosen Zhelyazkov and Talat Xhaferi, bowed before the relics and work of the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius. On May 25, they jointly laid wreaths in front of the Bulgarian and Macedonian plaques in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, in which Slavic books were officially recognized by Pope Adrian II. Then Rosen Zhelyazkov called on the RSM not to waste time, but to fulfill the membership criteria.
"Bulgaria believes that the RSM will be a full member of the EU based on its own contribution. We believe that they will fulfill the conditions for membership and they should not waste time, because the worst thing is to waste time, which will turn into skepticism", the chairman of the 49th National Assembly warned at the time and added that in Skopje they should take quick decisive acts and definite decisions without looking for the cause outside themselves.
The second meeting took place a month later. On June 30, Zhelyazkov and Jaffery took part in the Global Conference to mark the International Day of Parliamentarianism in the Spanish city of Leon. Zhelyazkov noted that Bulgaria's position on Skopje's accession to the EU is consistent. Guaranteeing the rights of Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia by including them in the country's Constitution is the key to the development of good neighborly relations between the two countries, he added.
The Speaker of the Bulgarian Parliament emphasized that other countries cannot solve our problems. According to him, the change of tone is of particular importance. We must pay attention to how the two countries present their neighbor in the information space, noted Zhelyazkov.
The program of today's visit of the Speaker of the Bulgarian Parliament, in addition to the meeting with Talat Xhaferi, also includes a pilgrimage to the sarcophagus of Gotse Delchev in the Church of the Holy Saviour, an event at the Bulgarian Cultural and Information Center in Skopje, at which vouchers for internet training will be distributed to children with disabilities, their parents and teachers, as well as the opening of the exhibition "Silver Thrace" in the Archaeological Museum of Republic of North Macedonia. Yesterday afternoon, Rosen Zhelyazkov spoke with representatives of organizations of Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia. /BGNES
