President Rumen Radev commented on the suggestion by Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski of the Republic of North Macedonia to renegotiate the Friendship and Good Neighbor Agreement with Bulgaria, emphasizing that international treaties must be respected by all successive governments once signed. He criticized the state leadership of North Macedonia for lacking knowledge of international law, stating they are not well-prepared. This statement was made during a briefing for Bulgarian media after Radev’s meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens.

Radev highlighted that the constitutions of Bulgaria and North Macedonia differ significantly, with North Macedonia's constitution protecting collective rights, while Bulgaria's upholds individual rights. He stressed the importance of understanding European legislation, noting that Council conclusions adopted by consensus are non-negotiable and must be implemented.

The Prime Minister of North Macedonia suggested that the treaty with Bulgaria could be renegotiated, similar to the agreement with Greece, which is part of their constitution. In response, Radev explained that authorities in Skopje lack the necessary knowledge of constitutional law, adding that such actions hinder the country's European integration and cause concern for both Bulgaria and Greece.

Radev also pointed out that North Macedonia's leadership needs to improve their understanding of statistics and human rights. He mentioned that at least 120,000 citizens of North Macedonia have received Bulgarian citizenship based on proven origin with documents. He emphasized that in Bulgaria, people are not persecuted for expressing a different identity, nor are their clubs targeted or burned down, and they are not excluded from administrative positions.

He reiterated Bulgaria’s readiness to assist North Macedonia on its European path, but warned that actions like these distance the country from European integration. Radev concluded by stating that North Macedonia must adhere to its European path to be a member of NATO and the EU.