Counterspin: The Reasons for Obstruction are in Sofia, not in Skopje

By admin On Jan 30, 2023 0

Although the technique of running Macedonian politics on daily issues with Bulgaria is disputable, the reasons for the new obstructions are not in Skopje, as VMRO-DPMNE claims. Bulgaria has its own goals and wishes to accomplish them within the framework of bilateral relations with the RNM, thereby using the European integration process. The fact is that one of those goals is implementing the thesis that Macedonia did not exist before 1944, as well as the thesis that the Bulgarians in Macedonia were, – and still are – repressed by the system. With such strategic goals, including the withdrawal of their ambassador, neither soft nor hard politics toward Sofia will secure results. The only thing that could give results is prudent, considerate, and distinctive politics

Although the technique of running Macedonian politics on daily issues with Bulgaria is disputable, the reasons for the new obstructions are not in Skopje, as VMRO-DPMNE claims. Bulgaria has its own goals and wishes to accomplish them within the framework of bilateral relations with the RNM, thereby using the European integration process. The fact is that one of those goals is implementing the thesis that Macedonia did not exist before 1944, as well as the thesis that the Bulgarians in Macedonia were, – and still are – repressed by the system. With such strategic goals, including the withdrawal of their ambassador, neither soft nor hard politics toward Sofia will secure results. The only thing that could give results is prudent, considerate, and distinctive politics

Author: Teofil Blazevski

A spin can be recognized in VMRO-DPMNE’s announcement, which is a summary of the statements provided by high officials of the party:

Spin: The leniency toward Bulgaria, encouraged with the protection of the crime of Kovacevski and Ahmeti brought about new obstructions. Everything that Bulgaria wanted was accepted, still the relations escalated.

VMRO-DPMNE appealed for timely reaction by means of protest note and a strong attitude, but SDS kept silent. Several times Macedonia was humiliated or offended by Bulgarian politicians. VMRO-DPMNE condemned, but the Government has the political power and it kept silent allowing never-ending provocations.

And now, when we have attacks, denials, and insults, Kovacevski and Osmani have only vague speeches without an actual response. There is some kind of crime the Government wants to hide every time it is lenient to insults. With SDS, Kovacevski and Osmani, we have only insecurity, humiliation, and obstructions. The lack of statesmanship that the Government is displaying is the biggest defeat that Macedonia has to endure.

[Source: VMRO-DPMNE – Annoncement/web; Date: 26.01.2023]

Counterspin: After several statements given by high officials and Members of Parliament of VMRO-DPMNE, the party published a public announcement with twisted truth, i.e., a spin that the Government’s leniency, embodied by Prime-minister Dimitar Kovacevski and Bujar Osmani resulted with new obstructions by Bulgaria.

The opinion refers to the last few statements made by Bulgarian officials, the Chief of their diplomacy Nikolay Milkov, and the President Rumen Radev as well as others, that the RNM was facing a new veto if the rights of the Bulgarians were not respected in Macedonia, related to the latest tensions between Sofia and Skopje following the battering of the man from Ohrid, Dimitar Pendikov.

Regardless of the “nitty-gritty bits” such as the fact that the battered person was not beaten up by the State, but due to reasons that are still not clarified, and regardless of the fact that the battered persons was an active member of VMRO-DPMNE until recently, including the unsubstantiated information that one of the beaters also has Bulgarian citizenship, as well as many other details related to this case, to claim that leniency policy of the country was the reason for Bulgaria’s rigid behaviour is spinning the real reasons for such politics.

Caution is not a synonym for leniency

What VMRO-DPMNE calls leniency in its announcement refers to the fact that several times up to date the State responded with caution to most of the provocations, thereby “five times” deciding to respond with a statement, diplomatic note, or any other form of protest toward representatives of Bulgaria for the insulting and humiliating behaviour toward the Republic of North Macedonia or its citizens.

This refers to, for example, the event from several weeks ago when the death of Mara Buneva was marked in the middle of Skopje, organized by the radical Parliamentary party whose leader is Kostadin Kostadinov and the Member of the European Parliament from VMRO-BND, Angel Dzhambazki, with extreme insults for Macedonia and the Macedonians, and the Police declined from undertaking any violent actions to prevent such a gathering.

That also refers to taking a decision to prohibit entrance on its territory for any Bulgarian citizen, including a political representative as recommended by President Stevo Pendarovski, following the meeting of the Security Council on this issue. One can debate whether the position of state officials or institutions is too soft or too strict, but to claim that new obstructions from Sofia are coming because of the leniency policy of representatives from the RNM is simply not true.

Bulgaria and its strategic goals toward the RNM

This is clear to all serious people that appeared on the media space in our country regardless of whether they are former representatives of the politics close to VMRO-DPMNE or other former diplomats, as well as to representatives of the opposition because they also advocate the same thesis – that the reasons are the political positions of Bulgaria toward North Macedonia. One year after signing the Friendship and Cooperation Agreement from 2017, their political stance became harsher. After the two-year veto that lasted until the adoption of the EU Negotiation Framework in 2022, veto threats or disruption of cooperation are imposed, yet again.

Obviously, Bulgaria has its own goals that wants to accomplish within bilateral relations with the RNM, thereby using the European integration process. It is also obvious that those goals include proving that Macedonians did not exist before 1944, as well as the thesis that the Bulgarians and the Macedonians were and still are repressed by the system and that that was the reason why they want to be included in the Constitution.

It is also obvious that in accomplishing these goals Bulgaria is strategically utilizing the mechanisms of overstressing the alleged reluctance of the Macedonian side for finding solutions by the Commission for Historic and Educational Issues, as well as the establishment and operation of the Bulgarian Clubs in the RNM named after people who were collaborators of fascism and Nazi countries from the time of the Second World War. In terms of tactics, every incident or semi-incidental situation is utilized – from glass-breaking of the clubs, the amendments of the Law on Associations of Citizens, to battering the person named Pendikov. One should not forget, however, the ramifications of acting encouraged by third countries, i.e., the influence of Russia and its politics of abusing the bad Macedonian-Bulgarian relations mentioned by President Pendarovski following the last meeting of the Security Council. The former Head of the Bulgarian diplomacy, Ekaterina Zaharieva, also responded yesterday.

Answers for the obstruction are in Sofia, not in Skopje

Therefore, when referring to the responses of the official Macedonian politics, all these elements should be taken into consideration, including the fact that Bulgaria – yet again – does not have a government and irregular parliamentary elections will take place this Spring, and the Macedonian issue has always been a good pre-election topic. Consequently, one might talk about, for example, “cumbersome” statements given by Osmani in Sofia in the interview on BTV, especially when claiming that he trusts Pendikov’s parents, and is not concerned with the investigation (for which he had to explain himself yesterday in Skopje), as well as other statements related to hate-speech, but no claim can be made that his urgent travel to Sofia was a step that brought about new obstacles.

In the same token, one might wonder whether the Government and the MIA – due to tactical reasons – will inform in advance which persons will be prohibited entrance into the country on 4^th February for marking the birth of Goce Delcev. One might also talk about whether and when the Macedonian MFA should deliver a verbal note or written demarche and what are the difference between both actions, and whether the ambassador in Sofia will be summoned for consultations in Skopje as a reciprocal measure of the inappropriate unproportional decision by Bulgaria and a whole set of other issues. However, under no circumstances can one claim that these leniency policies brought about new obstructions.

Thus – let us repeat – the reasons are not the politics of North Macedonia, but the desire of neighbouring Bulgaria to accomplish its strategic goals in relations to Macedonia i.e., the reasons are the Bulgarian policies which is substantiated by the fact of withdrawing their ambassador.

Hence, such a claim in public communication with the citizens – that leniency was the reason – is twisting the truth i.e. spin.

This article has been produced within the project Fact-Checking the Progress of North Macedonia towards the EU, implemented by the Metamorphosis Foundation. The article, originally published by Truthmeter,, is made possible by the support of the American non-profit foundation NED (National Endowment for Democracy). The content of this article is the responsibility of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Metamorphosis, NED or their partners.

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