23 Jan. () –
Bulgaria has called its ambassador to North Macedonia, Angel Angelov, for consultations to see first-hand “the serious situation” of the rights of Bulgarians in this country due to the increase in outrages and hate crimes committed against them in recent months.
The objective of this consultation is to discuss mechanisms to stop this “dangerous trend” and the increase in pressure on Bulgarian citizens in North Macedonia, as well as new perspectives that strengthen diplomatic ties between the two countries.
Among those hate crimes referred to by the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the “arson” at the Ivan Mihailov cultural center, in the southern city of Bitola, in June 2022, as well as three “attacks consecutive”, including one with a pistol, against the headquarters of the organization Tsar Boris III, in Ohrid, five months later.
Thus, he has denounced that these and other acts, such as the “brutal attack” against Hristian Pendikov, secretary of the Zar Boris III organization, add to the “aggressive anti-Bulgar campaign” that is taking place in North Macedonia, which in November approved a “discriminatory” law that limits the presence of Bulgarian organizations and foundations within this country.
