What does victory of Rumen Radev mean for North Macedonia? Expectations are one thing, but reality...

Photo: Tanjug/AP

After former Bulgarian President Rumen Radev won the early parliamentary elections on Sunday, it is estimated that the Progressive Bulgaria coalition will independently form a government with 130 parliamentary seats, while North Macedonia expects that its leader will soften the rhetoric and that the open issues between the two countries will be resolved.

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"You should know that Bulgaria will make efforts to stay on the European path, but believe me, a strong Bulgaria and a strong Europe require critical thinking and pragmatism, because Europe has become a victim of its own ambition to be the moral leader in a world without rules," said Rumen Radev, the leader of Progressive Bulgaria.

Radev, who is considered a hardliner when it comes to relations with North Macedonia, received congratulations from North Macedonia politicians, but also messages that they expect him to soften the rhetoric, Skopje-based 21TV is reporting.

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski congratulated Radev on his victory in a phone conversation, saying he expects the open issues between the two countries to be resolved.

RSM leader Gordana Siljanovska Davkova says that so far they have not come to an understanding with Radev, and that she "has not forgotten the incident with the Macedonian flag either."

"I met with Mr. Radev, I met with him many times, we don't agree on many things, but we know how to listen to each other. I expect to see each other, to talk, of course with both flags, and to look for a new solution," said Siljanovska Davkova.

North Macedonia Minister of Foreign Affairs Timco Mucunski announced "dynamics in contacts with Bulgaria".

"Immediately after the formation of the government, we will take appropriate actions and measures to develop dialogue and we hope that an appropriate and fair solution can be found that confirms our desire for progress towards the path of European integration, but also takes into account self-respect of our identity, language and history," he said.

The president of the Macedonian assembly, Afrim Gashi, hopes that Bulgaria will finally have a stable government with which Skopje will be "closing the issues". As for constitutional amendments, Gashi said that the parliament will adopt these amendments, but that they need guarantees from Bulgaria first.

"The European path is part of our agenda, but the dilemmas we have should be solved by a stable political authority. I hope we will overcome them and catch the first train for (EU) enlargement and be part of that process. The parliament is ready to adopt constitutional amendments right away, but it is necessary to have an agreement that there will not be questions about (North Macedonia) identity going forward," says Gashi.

Radev's party won the elections in Bulgaria in the wake of mass public discontent and mass protests against high levels of corruption, which led to a political crisis that prevented the forming of a government for several years. Radev previously resigned as Bulgaria's president and formed his own party, 21TV recalled.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)