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Radev: The visit of Siljanovska-Davkova was neither official nor working

by AI | 16.Sep 2024 | Europe in brief AI

Skopje – Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, in his first comment after the meeting with Macedonian President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, which sparked reactions due to the absence of the Macedonian flag […]

Meeting of the Presidents of North Macedonia and Bulgaria, Gordana Siljanovska Davkova and Rumen Radev in Sofia. Photo: MIA

Skopje – Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, in his first comment after the meeting with Macedonian President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, which sparked reactions due to the absence of the Macedonian flag in their joint photograph on Friday in Sofia, emphasized that her visit was neither official nor working. 

Radev stated that he had a very sincere and constructive conversation with the President of the Republic of North Macedonia in a friendly atmosphere.

– I expect this expressed desire for openness to be taken over by the Government of the RNM, but let it be clear that this was neither a state nor a working visit. I hope that in the near future the President of the Republic of North Macedonia will make a state visit, which with all official meetings according to the protocol will contribute to the further development of our relations. If we follow the protocol, it is my turn to go there, Radev said.

The meeting, Radev added, was very constructive and in a friendly spirit. – This is indeed a good start to fully help the Republic of North Macedonia, Radev said.

Dimitar Stoyanov, advisor to President Radev and former minister, told BNT that “the visit of the President of the Republic of North Macedonia was on the occasion of a cultural event and was neither state nor working. – Therefore, the Macedonian flag was not placed in the room because for such visits strict adherence to state protocol is not required, Stoyanov said. 

Due to the photo session in front of the Bulgarian flag of Radev and Siljanovska Davkova at the meeting in Sofia, the Bulgarian ambassador in the country Zhelyazko Radukov was handed a protest note today by the director of the Directorate responsible for the region.

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said that the Macedonian delegation did not immediately react to the non-placement of the state flag out of respect for the two pilots who lost their lives in a plane crash on the same day.

From the Office of President Siljanovska – Davkova on Saturday announced that they will seek an explanation for the photo in front of the Bulgarian flag taken in the Office of the President of Bulgaria, although, as they emphasized from there, such a move and act was neither foreseen nor agreed upon. 

The meeting between Radev and Siljanovska Davkova was part of the activities of the Macedonian President during her visit to Sofia in order to attend the performance of the Macedonian opera in Sofia with “Nabucco”, as a step of cultural diplomacy. (September 16, 2024, MIA)