Bled, Slovenia, 1 September 2021 (BTA/MIA) — "Bulgaria is ready to support its Southwestern neighbour meet the Copenhagen criteria for EU accession faster," Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said addressing the Leaders' Panel on EU enlargement at the 16th Bled Strategic Forum here on Wednesday. The European integration of the Western Balkans will remain a Bulgarian foreign policy priority, especially with an emphasis on the European perspective of the Republic of North Macedonia, the head of state said. "Regrettably, the last couple of years have seen our relations with the Republic of North Macedonia being deadlocked and, because of an impossibility and inability to explain our position, Bulgaria even found itself isolated by its European partners." Radev stressed that Bulgaria stands to gain the most from North Macedonia, along with Albania, embarking on their European road. "That is why Bulgaria expects an active bilateral dialogue with its Southwestern neighbor on reaching legally binding guarantees to lead to stable and irreversible solutions for the advancement of bilateral relations, especially in the wake of the resolution adopted by the Parliament of North Macedonia in July that cements the non-performance of the bilateral Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation," the President pointed out. "We expect clear legally binding mechanisms, as well as eradication of hate speech and of the perverted notion of Bulgaria from textbooks, museums, monuments, the media and even the highest-level policy in the Republic of North Macedonia", as well as "respect for the freedom of self-identification of the citizens of North Macedonia, who have been persecuted and discriminated against in the course of decades because they identify themselves as Bulgarians," Radev said. In his words, this is "a tangible sign that will prove that the Republic of North Macedonia has covered the road of reforms and has confidently overcome the legacy of the totalitarian Yugoslav past." The Bulgarian President is confident that a sustainable solution would be located with joint efforts as soon as possible which, however, should not be at the expense of the citizens of North Macedonia who identify themselves as Bulgarians. The European perspective of the Republic of North Macedonia also topped the agenda of Radev's sessions with European Council President Charles Michel, with EU Neighborhood and Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi, and with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew G. Boyse. In his conversation with Michel, the Bulgarian President highlighted the need for the EU to develop and adopt an operational plan of its own for safeguarding the European borders in case of a surge of the migration pressure, as well as for the timely provision of financial and material support to Bulgaria.