Bulgaria may be preparing to toughen its approach toward North Macedonia once again, according to Bulgarian analysts and media, after a diplomatic dispute erupted over the use of the phrase “North Macedonian partners” by Bulgaria’s new foreign minister, Velislava Petrova-Chamova.
An analysis published by Deutsche Welle’s Bulgarian service described the wording not as a diplomatic mistake, but as “a carefully measured first signal” that Sofia no longer intends to avoid sensitive issues related to identity, language and North Macedonia’s European integration.
The tensions emerged after a brief meeting in Brussels between Petrova-Chamova and North Macedonia’s Foreign Minister Timcho Mucunski.
Following the talks, the Bulgarian side reiterated its position that constitutional amendments remain a key condition for North Macedonia’s progress toward European Union membership.
However, political reactions in Skopje focused primarily on the use of the term “North Macedonian partners.”
Mucunski described the wording as “inappropriate and inaccurate,” stressing that “Macedonians are Macedonians” and arguing that the issue concerns dignity and identity rather than politics.
In response, Bulgaria’s ambassador to Skopje, Zhelyazko Radukov, was summoned to North Macedonia’s Foreign Ministry and handed a formal verbal diplomatic protest.
According to the analysis, Petrova-Chamova, who previously served as deputy foreign minister and worked extensively on the North Macedonia dossier, is fully aware of the sensitivities surrounding the dispute and “knows exactly what she is doing.”
The report also recalls that Bulgaria’s demand for constitutional amendments was incorporated into the so-called French proposal adopted in 2022, which requires the inclusion of Bulgarians in North Macedonia’s Constitution before EU negotiation chapters can be opened.
Four years after Bulgaria lifted its veto on Skopje’s EU accession path, North Macedonia has still not adopted the required constitutional changes, while the government has repeatedly stated that there is currently no political readiness for such a move.
Additional tensions have emerged over the latest European Parliament progress report on North Macedonia prepared by Austrian MEP Thomas Waitz.
Bulgarian members of the European Parliament reacted strongly to suggestions that parts of the agreed framework between Sofia and Skopje should be reconsidered, warning against reopening what they describe as an already achieved compromise.
Analysts say tough rhetoric toward North Macedonia continues to generate political support in Bulgaria, particularly during periods of domestic political instability and rising nationalist sentiment.