Skopje, 23 February 2023 (MIA) - The Parliament adopted a law on citizens' associations, which will be implemented like all other laws in the country. Whether any other state passes any declaration is the right of that state and it cannot affect the implementation of the laws. I call on Bulgaria and all other countries to implement the decisions and judgments of all international courts, institutes to which they are members, just as we do, Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski said Thursday in answer to a question from MP Rashela Mizrahi on whether the implementation of the law on associations and foundations, which was supposed to resolve issues of fascist names and collaborators, is hindered because of the Bulgarian declaration.

"We are negotiating with the EU, not with Bulgaria. With Bulgaria, we have bilateral issues that are regulated by an agreement, and regarding that, working bodies have been formed that do their work without political influence and without political pressure based on methodology, and can only draw conclusions with full consensus, which should then be institutionally implemented. We have an administration that successfully conducts the negotiations with the EU, i.e. the screening process. The signals are positive from the EU, and at the current pace, the screening phase of the EU accession process will be completed by November as planned," said Kovachevski. 

Asked by MP Mizrahi when the Macedonian club will be opened in Bulgaria, the PM said that the Ministry of Culture has prepared all the necessary documents on opening a cultural club in Bulgaria, which would be part of the cultural club already opened in Sofia.

"We will submit a request to the Government of Bulgaria. The Ministry of Culture has prepared all the necessary documents and forwarded them to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but since then no political government has been elected in Bulgaria. When a government is formed in Bulgaria, with which it will be possible to discuss long-term solutions, the request can be sent to the appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and then the answer will depend on Bulgaria because it is about opening our club in Bulgaria. When there is a positive answer, we will attend together the opening of another cultural club in Bulgaria," said Kovachevski. 

Photo: MIA archive