Position of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
22 May 2025 News
On 21 May 2025, the final hearing in the case against one of the most prominent representatives of the Bulgarian community in North Macedonia, Mr Lyupcho Georgievski, was held at the Basic Court in Bitola. A ruling in the case is expected in the coming days.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been closely monitoring the proceedings since their inception over 2 years ago. Both the Bulgarian Embassy in Skopje and the Consulate General in Bitola have been actively engaged throughout, including through the presence of the Ambassador, the Consul General, and consular officers from both missions at the hearing on 21 May.
The authorities in Skopje have been repeatedly made aware that for Bulgaria, this case is emblematic of their willingness to ensure equal rights for Bulgarians and to address the challenges they face.
This position has also been clearly articulated by the Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Georg Georgiev, during meetings with his counterpart from North Macedonia. The nature of the charges against Mr L. Georgievski has been brought to the attention of EU Member State diplomatic missions in Skopje. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to inform its international partners about the situation of Bulgarians in North Macedonia and to engage the international community in supporting their struggle for equal rights.
Bulgaria expects a fair and just decision by the court and the dismissal of the unfounded charges against Lyupcho Georgievski. Unfortunately, justice alone cannot erase the years of severe stress and disruptin to the personal life of the Macedonian Bulgarian.
The essence of institutional pressure lies not only in its final outcome, but also the irreversible consequences of its very implementation. As it has done so far, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to insist, including through active engagement with its EU partners, that such pressure on the Bulgarian community in North Macedonia be brought to an end.
The Bulgarian institutions remain steadfast in their commitment to consistently defending the rights of Macedonian Bulgarians, including those of Mr Lyupcho Georgievski.