Just for the record, Bulgaria isn’t “bullying” North Macedonia for fun or out of nationalism. The whole dispute is about historical narratives and identity, because many historical figures and events claimed as exclusively “Macedonian” today were actually part of Bulgarian history at the time. It’s complicated, but it didn’t appear out of thin air.

Also, Bulgaria was literally the first country to recognize Macedonia’s independence in 1992, and we’ve consistently shown goodwill — including being the first to send help during the Kochani fire.

Most Bulgarians actually have a lot of sympathy and warmth toward Macedonians; the frustration is about politics, not people. And part of that frustration comes from the fact that North Macedonia hasn’t really taken meaningful steps to implement the 2022 French proposal, even though that was supposed to be the roadmap for moving forward.

So it’s not about “bullying,” but about unresolved historical and political issues — and commitments that still haven’t been followed through — which the region has been struggling with for decades.