Macedonian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Aleksandar Nikoloski made a pointed remark in response to the controversy over the absence of the Macedonian flag during an informal meeting between Presidents Rumen Radev and Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova in Sofia. Nikoloski, a key ally of Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, argued that Bulgarians and Macedonians share neither a common history nor common roots.

Commenting on the situation, Nikoloski criticized the lack of protocol, stating that when nations engage in diplomacy, it is customary to display both nations' flags. He suggested that this failure reflected poorly on the host, accusing them of being "uncivilized." He further added that if Bulgaria chooses to protest, "they are not worthy," and labeled "more miserable than the Bulgarians" those Macedonian officials who signed agreements suggesting a shared history between the two peoples. He also dismissed claims that the Macedonian language is a dialect of Bulgarian, calling such statements a barrier to North Macedonia’s European Union accession.

Nikoloski also highlighted the ongoing political situation in Bulgaria, noting the difficulty in forming a government over the past two years. He suggested that both Bulgarian political parties and President Rumen Radev are using the issue of Macedonia to gain political leverage, with Radev allegedly positioning himself to establish a political party after his term ends.

The comments come after North Macedonia’s Foreign Ministry demanded an apology from Bulgaria for the missing flag at the Presidency in Sofia. Prime Minister Hristijan Mickosk indicated that a formal protest would be sent to the Bulgarian ambassador, accusing Bulgaria of crossing "red lines."

In response, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev clarified that the meeting was not an official state visit, and thus the protocol did not require the display of flags. His advisor, Dimitar Stoyanov, also noted that Siljanovska's visit was cultural in nature, not an official or working visit, so strict adherence to state protocol was unnecessary.