Sofia, 25 June 2022 (MIA) – The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday it is ready to proceed to the signing of the Protocol under Article 12 of the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation with the Republic of North Macedonia. The statement comes after Friday’s decision of Bulgaria’s National Assembly to greenlight the proposal of the French EU Presidency over start of North Macedonia’s EU accession negotiations, MIA’s Sofia correspondent reports. The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry’s statement reads: “It is time for the responsible bodies in the Republic of North Macedonia to show, not in words but in actions, their commitment and desire for the European future of their country and the region.” “The Republic of North Macedonia’s approach toward EU membership depends on that country’s actions and will not be delayed if the country fulfills its commitments to European values and good neighbourly relations,” reads the statement of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.