Sofia, 29 July 2021 (MIA) – The Bulgarian position on the Republic of North Macedonia should be made clearer to our partners in the European Union, said Dimitar Gardev, international secretary of Bulgaria’s There Is Such a People (TISP) party, after talks with BSP for Bulgaria on foreign policy. The two political forces agreed that the main direction in Bulgaria’s foreign policy remains the EU. The enlargement of the Union with the Western Balkans is also of strategic importance, according to TISP and the left. The position on the Republic of North Macedonia is based on the decision of the Parliament, the framework position of the Council of Ministers and the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS), Gardev said. At the same time, he pointed out, we know very well that we should actually seek greater communication among our Western partners on the Bulgarian position, as that is the right thing to do. The most important thing for us is to see North Macedonia as part of the Union and Bulgaria, surrounded only by friendly countries and member states, Gardev noted. Asked whether they would change the declaration on North Macedonia, adopted by the 44^th National Assembly, Gardev said circumstances didn’t require that at the moment. Negotiations are dynamic, he added, let’s see the view of North Macedonia, Zaev’s Government and their Parliament. With our colleagues from BSP, when we made this review, we agreed that we have extremely dynamic and important decisions and processes, which Bulgaria cannot stay out of and maintain the previously unclear position, said Dimitar Gardev. In addition, both parties agreed that the conflict in Ukraine is an unbalanced factor in the Black Sea region, which has the potential to escalate but can only be resolved through diplomatic means. At the same time, it’s very important to understand that Europe is being transformed and a unified position of the Bulgarian state and proposals at the Conference on the Future of Europe are extremely necessary, Gardev said. In addition, the parties tackled relations with Russia, as well as the common European policy related to Turkey, and the Istanbul Convention in Bulgaria. According to Gardev, talks also focused on security, the need for a strategic review and improvement of the regulatory framework regarding national security.