Speaker of Parliament Tsveta Karayancheva spoke with Speaker of the Macedonian Parliament Talat Xhaferi during the 138th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly taking place in Geneva.

Tsveta Karyancheva and Talat Xhaferi agreed that Bulgaria and Macedonia had made a historic step with the ratification of the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation between the two countries. With this act the two neighbouring countries launched a new stage of building modern and good neighbourly relations based on European values, emphasised the Speaker of the Bulgarian Parliament. Tsveta Karayancheva and Talat Xhaferi said that the two parliaments had an essential role for establishing those relations.

The main priority of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU – the European integration of the Western Balkans countries – was also discussed. The Speaker of the Bulgarian Parliament said that in May 2018 leaders of the EU and the countries from the region would come to Sofia to exchange their views on ways to achieve our common goal: a better united and stronger Europe.

The visit and meetings of a delegation of the Macedonia-Bulgaria Friendship Group two days ago, which took place after a lapse of more than 10 years, was considered as very important.

Tsveta Karayancheva confirmed that the National Assembly was prepared to share its experience and support its Macedonian counterparts in their next steps towards full membership in NATO and the EU.