Andreas Scheider, member of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the EU Parliament, was part of the group that submitted an amendment that called on Bulgaria to desist its provocative rhetoric towards Macedonia.
The amendment was turned down even though the major political parties in Bulgaria are using Macedonia as an important battle ground for scoring points among nationalistic Bulgarians in the coming elections.
In an interview for Kanal 5, Scheider said that the Government of Bulgaria is pretending a friendship in regards to Macedonia, but acts contrary.
Scheider, who chairs the Delegation to the EU-North Macedonia Joint Parliamentary Committee, said all sides need to serve the people and find a solution. The MP believes this is an issue that can be easily resolved.
The Social Democrat from Slovenia, Tanja Fajon, also a member of the Progressive Alliance, has called on the governments of the European Union to commit to the promise and begin negotiations with Albania and Macedonia.
The MP said the Bulgaria veto to Macedonia destroys the relations between the colleagues in the Parliament. She added, “the veto was irresponsible.”
Prior to her speech, the Bulgarian MP Andrej Kovachev told the Parliament that Bulgarians were a majority in Macedonia before World War 2, in spite of overwhelming evidence that Macedonians constituted a majority in the Pirin region that Bulgaria won following the partition of Macedonia in 1913.
