Skopje, 16 September 2024 (MIA) - The conversation with the Bulgarian President Ruman Radev was long, friendly, respectful and I did not forget the Macedonian national interests even for a moment, knowing that he also has the right to present them. I believe I managed to tell him what our position is and what I expect in a decent, cultured, presidential and statesmanlike way, said President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova. 

Commenting on the absence of the national flag at the meeting with Radev in Sofia, Siljanovska Davkova told Sitel TV on Monday she had decided it was better not to create a scandal, adding that the Chief of Protocol will not be held responsible. She said she will meet with Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski on Wednesday, before he heads to Brussels.  

"I know the protocol rules of Bulgaria, I also know them of many other countries. I know that the host determines the protocol, I know of examples when other officials have paid a visit, but state symbols have not been displayed. But what surprised me, and I don't think it was done on purpose, is why I wasn't informed about it. It has been agreed that there would be a photo of the tête-à-tête meeting, of course there would be no photo of the lunch, but I didn't know that I would need to have a photo taken in the area where the photo sessions are held. When we left, we thought we were going to a conversation room. Suddenly, when I entered the room, I saw the two flags and had to think about what to do. One thought was that I could leave, which would have caused a scandal, and the other was that the host had set the rules and that the host was making a mistake, not me. At that moment I decided that it was better not to create a scandal after all," Siljanovska Davkova said.

She stressed that she and Radev had a pleasant lunch, mentioning projects and ideas. It was a friendly conversation, she noted, full of solutions and ideas. Siljanovska Davkova is of the opinion that there is no reason for her Chief of Protocol to be held responsible.

"There is no reason for the Chief of Protocol to be held responsible, because for the whole morning both the Ambassador and my Chief of Protocol sought contact by phone with Radev's Chief of Protocol, but that was not possible. Even as we entered, neither my Chief of Protocol nor the Ambassador was informed that according to the protocol rules for this type of visit, there is no need to display the guest's flag," said Siljanovska Davkova. 

Asked whether she has talked with Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski regarding the meeting with Radev, the President said that she has not yet talked with the Prime Minister, but they will meet before he heads to Brussels.

"I haven't talked with Mickoski yet, I will see him before he heads to Brussels. I will see Mickoski on Wednesday. I responsibly claim that during the tête-à-tête meeting and during the lunch with Radev there was an intensive dialogue, but the dialogue was not focused on problems and disagreements, but on what we can do together with the first neighbour and that this meeting was a first step towards that," said Siljanovska Davkova.

On whether she expects the change of members in the history commission to affect the relations between North Macedonia and Bulgaria, the President said it was not good for science to function under the cover of politics.

"It is not good for science to function under the cover of politics. I think that the process is threatened with politicization. I can't judge the work of the previous commission and what the current one will do, but there is never any harm in a scholarly discussion," Siljanovska Davkova added.

Asked whether the President has started using the constitutional name of the country, she said that adjectives by themselves do not mean anything, the essence is the country of Macedonia.

"I'm not denying it. The Government is realistic, or it is realistic optimism, and acknowledges reality. The reality is reflected in the name on the documents, the title of the Office of the President. I acknowledge that. What I would like, is that when Republic of Macedonia is written or said somewhere, it must be stated in a footnote that the name was changed in 2019. Even the laws don't have retroactive effect, let alone a name. I was not born in North Macedonia and I want someone to write that, because it is very correct," Siljanovska Davkova added. 

Photo: MIA archive