The agreement of good neighborly relations with Bulgaria is in accordance with national interest, and this big step is in the interests of the peoples of Macedonia and Bulgaria, and also it is a reflection on the new spirit of policy from a generation of politicians who build bridges, not crash them, bring citizens together, not divide them”, said Prime Minister Zoran Zaev in Parliament at the presentation of the agreement on good neighborly relations with Bulgaria.
He said the agreement would be published on the Government’s website and that everyone would be able to see it.
“The agreement is a foundation for good neighborly relations and friendship, which will enable to connect the roads and gas infrastructure between the countries. It will improve the exchange of goods and services and capital investments. The trade exchange with Bulgaria now is 500-600 million euros, why not be one billion euros? Macedonia in Trieste received 70 million euros for the construction of Corridor 8”, Zaev said.
He added that it is important that Bulgaria firmly supports Macedonia’s acceptance in the EU, without conditions, and it will transfer its experience in the process of European integration.
Zaev said that the signing of this agreement means a finalization of the process which started in 2009, when the commissions of Macedonia and Bulgaria had ten meetings.
He expects a constructive debate in Parliament, and expecting the opposition to participate in completing the process and to support the agreement.
On a journalist question regarding the language on which the agreement will be signed, Zaev made it clear that he would be in two copies, in Macedonian and in Bulgarian language, and both sides will have to sign it.
