The Bulgarian government has decided to redirect funds originally intended for railway infrastructure connecting Bulgaria and North Macedonia towards the completion of domestic railway projects. The move comes as part of changes to the "Transport Connectivity" program for 2020-2027. Due to delays and funding shortages, the modernization of the Sofia-Pernik and Pernik-Radomir railway sections, which were allocated €500 million, will no longer be eligible for funding in the current period. Additionally, European financing for railway hubs in Gorna Oryahovitsa, Ruse, and Varna has also been dropped. Instead, the funds will be used to complete the railway lines between Sofia and Burgas, with €700 million allocated for the Plovdiv-Burgas, Elin Pelin-Kostenets, and Voluyak-Dragoman sections.

Meanwhile, diplomatic tensions between Bulgaria and North Macedonia have escalated following remarks by Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski. Speaking in the presence of EU Ambassador Michalis Rokas, Mickoski accused Bulgaria of interfering in North Macedonia's internal affairs. He stated that Bulgaria should recognize the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights regarding the Macedonian community in Bulgaria, as well as acknowledge the Macedonian identity, culture, traditions, and language, which has been an official UN language since 1945. He emphasized that failure to adhere to these principles would create serious issues.

In response, the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry issued a statement rejecting Mickoski’s claims. The ministry reiterated that the European Consensus of July 2022, approved by both North Macedonia and all EU member states, remains the framework for Skopje’s EU accession process. It expressed concern that Mickoski viewed the obligations North Macedonia had already accepted as "interference" and interpreted his remarks as an attempt to deflect attention from the lack of reforms.

The statement also criticized Mickoski’s interpretation of the European Court of Human Rights' rulings, accusing him of spreading misleading and manipulative narratives. The Bulgarian ministry argued that such statements could themselves be seen as interference in Bulgaria’s internal affairs. The ongoing dispute underscores the broader challenges in North Macedonia's EU integration process, as well as persistent historical and political tensions between the two neighboring countries.