Skopje, 24 June 2022 (MIA) – Today, the Bulgarian Parliament took a decision in support of the Western Balkans in the EU. We have not added any new requests to Skopje and stand ready to approve holding of the first political Intergovernmental Conference as soon as our friends from North Macedonia sign the bilateral protocol, as discussed by the ministers of foreign affairs, tweeted the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday. The Bulgarian National Assembly approved the French proposal on North Macedonia with 170 ‘yes’ votes, 37 ‘no’ and 21 abstentions. According to the decision, the parliament gives the government the right to approve the negotiating framework and the conclusions proposed by the French EU Presidency over the settlement of relations between Bulgaria and North Macedonia, provided certain conditions are met. The conditions include efficient implementation of the Friendship Treaty, guaranteeing the rights of Bulgarians in North Macedonia through their incorporation in the Constitution, nothing in the accession process to be interpreted as recognition of the Macedonian language by Bulgaria, and EU guarantees that Sofia’s conditions will be met.