Bulgaria–Republic of Macedonia relations

Bulgaria–Macedonia relations

Bulgaria
Macedonia

Bulgaria–Republic of Macedonia relations refer to the bilateral relations between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of Macedonia.

Macedonia and Bulgaria have complicated neighbourly relations. On January 15, 1992 Bulgaria was the first country to recognize the independence of Macedonia.[1] Bulgaria has however refused to recognise the existence of a separate Macedonian nation[2][3][4] and a separate Macedonian language. It argues that the Macedonians are a subgroup of the Bulgarian nation,[5][6][7] and that the Macedonian language is a dialect of Bulgarian.[8][9] This leads to some complications when signing treaties between these countries—they are signed with this long phrase in the end: "done in the official languages of the two states—Bulgarian language, according to the Constitution of Bulgaria and Macedonian language, according to the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia".[10]

Macedonia has generally good relations with Bulgaria in the political, economic, and military spheres. The governments of the two countries work to improve business relations. Bulgaria supports the Macedonian bid to enter the EU and NATO. Bulgaria has also donated tanks, artillery, and other military technology to the Macedonian Army.

The rules governing good neighbourly relations agreed between Bulgaria and Macedonia were set in the Joint Declaration of February 22, 1999 reaffirmed by a joint memorandum signed on January 22, 2008 in Sofia.[11]

Reacting to the publication of a controversial[12][13][14][15][16] encyclopedia by the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts (MANU) in 2009, Bulgaria warned that "it is unacceptable for a country aspirant for NATO and EU membership to resort to terminology typical for the ideology of the Cold War era," and that the encyclopedia "gives no contribution to strengthening of the neighborly relations and curbing down of the 'hatred speech'."[17]

In connection with the administrative, police and other types of pressure allegedly being exercised on Bulgarian citizens and Macedonian citizens with Bulgarian self-identification in Macedonia, on August 4, 2009 the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry declared that "Bulgaria will examine the approach of the Macedonian side in such cases as one of the criteria on the basis of which to assess the country's readiness to make the changes that would allow the European integration of the Republic of Macedonia."[18]

Bulgaria has proposed to sign a treaty (based on that 1999 Joint Declaration) guaranteeing the good neighbourly relations between the two countries, in order to enable Bulgarian support for the accession of Macedonia to the European Union.[19][20]

During the last few years thousands of citizens of Macedonia have applied for Bulgarian citizenship (amongst them Macedonia's former PM Ljubco Georgievski[21]), with 42,372 having already received Bulgarian passports. In order to obtain the passport, the Macedonian citizens who apply for Bulgarian citizenship must prove that they have a Bulgarian origin and a Bulgarian national consciousness. Between January 1 to November 18, 2011, the Bulgarian council for citizenship considered 22,241 applications for citizenship, of which 13,607 were approved.[22][23][24]

The governments of Bulgaria and Macedonia signed a friendship treaty to bolster the relations between the two Balkan states in August 2017.[25] The treaty was ratified by the parliament of the Republic of Macedonia on the 15th of and of Bulgaria on 18th January 2018.[26]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Republic of Macedonia, bilateral cooperation. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria, official website, September 10, 2011.
  2. ↑ Negotiating Diplomacy in the New Europe: Foreign Policy in Post-Communist Bulgaria, Author Stefanos Katsikas, Publisher I.B.Tauris, 2012, ISBN 1845118855, p. 163.
  3. ↑ Who are the Macedonians? Author Hugh Poulton, Publisher C. Hurst & Co. Publishers, 2000, ISBN 1850655340, p. 214.
  4. ↑ Atlas of Eastern Europe in the Twentieth Century, Authors Richard Crampton, Benjamin Crampton, Publisher Routledge, 2016, ISBN 1317799526, p. 233.
  5. ↑ Aspen Institute Prague, 1/2016, Between Skopje and Sofia, Jan Muś. Agreement on Good Neighborly Relations between Bulgaria and Macedonia faces serious difficulties related to the crucial issue of nationality.
  6. ↑ The Politics of Language and Nationalism in Modern Central Europe, Author T. Kamusella, Contributor Peter Burke, Publisher Springer, 2008, ISBN 0230583474, p. 253.
  7. ↑ Macedonia, Bradt Travel Guide, Authors Thammy Evans, Rudolf Abraham, 2015, ISBN 1841628581, p. 42.
  8. ↑ Encyclopædia Britannica-online, Bulgaria, transition period, Loring Danforth.
  9. ↑ The Princeton Encyclopedia of Self-Determination, Macedonia, Author: Jenny Engstrom.
  10. ↑ Agreement of free trade between the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Bulgaria, Stability Pact for Southeast Europe, Retrieved on 2012-02-29.
  11. ↑ Bulgarian Policies on the Republic of Macedonia: Recommendations on the development of good neighbourly relations following Bulgaria’s accession to the EU and in the context of NATO and EU enlargement in the Western Balkans. Sofia: Manfred Wörner Foundation, 2008. 80 pp. (Trilingual publication in Bulgarian, Macedonian and English) ISBN 978-954-92032-2-6
  12. ↑ Macedonia’s first encyclopedia provokes protests. Euranet, September 23, 2009.
  13. ↑ Kosovo Slams Macedonia Over Encyclopaedia. BalkanInsight.com, September 22, 2009.
  14. ↑ Macedonian Encyclopaedia To Be Changed. Eurasia Press and News, September 24, 2009.
  15. ↑ FYRMacedonia: "Macedonian Encyclopedia" withdrawn. EMportal, September 26, 2009.
  16. ↑ Macedonia embroiled in encyclopaedia row. Euractiv, October 13, 2009.
  17. ↑ Bulgaria joins growing criticism of Macedonian Encyclopedia. Independent News Agency Makfax, September 24, 2009.
  18. ↑ Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Official website, August 4, 2009.
  19. ↑ Bulgaria's Position Concerning Macedonia Unchanged – Kalfin. The Sofia Echo, July 31, 2006.
  20. ↑ Bulgaria Treaty Proposal Called 'Indecent'. BalkanInsight, March 17, 2010.
  21. ↑ Macedonia’s Former PM Ljubco Georgievski Received Bulgarian Citizenship, Macedonian News, July 16, 2006
  22. ↑ Како преку ноќ се станува Бугарин, Утрински весник, December 22, 2011
  23. ↑ Македонци на брза лента за бугарски пасош, Утрински весник, December 23, 2011
  24. ↑ Macedonia Suffers from 'Bulgarian Citizenship Syndrome', Sofia News Agency
  25. ↑ "Bulgaria pledges to champion Macedonia's EU and NATO dreams". 2 August 2017.
  26. ↑ "Macedonian Parliament Ratifies The Declaration of Cooperation With Bulgaria". Retrieved 2018-01-15.
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