Sofia, 21 September 2021 (MIA) - Bulgaria expects effective action from the EU institutions to promote the values of democracy and respect for human rights in the Republic of North Macedonia, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said during a meeting with the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi, who is paying a day-long visit to Bulgaria. Radev said that declarations and promises in the dialogue with North Macedonia no longer work and Bulgaria expects clear legally binding decisions that will lead to sustainable and irreversible results, his office said in a press release. The President also said it will accelerate the process of European integration for North Macedonia, MIA’s Sofia correspondent reported. Radev told Varhelyi that the 2017 Treaty of Friendship is not being implemented, noting that North Macedonia has not yet solved the problems with hate speech, involving the false image of Bulgaria in textbooks, museums and monuments, and with the rights of the citizens of this country who openly express their Bulgarian self-awareness, said the press release. During the meeting, the Bulgarian President said that “120,000 Bulgarian citizens in North Macedonia are also citizens of the European Union, and Bulgaria relies on the support of European institutions for the effective respect of their rights.” Talks between Radev and Varhelyi also focused on progress in the process of European integration of the Western Balkan countries. “Bulgaria is most interested in seeing its neighbors in the European Union, but this requires the fulfillment of the Copenhagen criteria for membership by North Macedonia, especially respect for human rights and the principles of good neighborliness, which are at the heart of European cooperation,” said the President. Direct and open dialogue is crucial for the European integration of the Western Balkan countries and resolution of disputes, it was concluded. EU Commission Varhelyi is also set to visit North Macedonia for meetings with top state officials.