The coleader of “We Continue the Change” and likely next Prime Minister of Bulgaria, Kiril Petkov, on Monday said his party and its coalition partners had reached “a 90-per-cent agreement” on a governing agenda against the background of a softer tone likely with Skopje.
“Our three coalition partners will return their notes on the coalition agreement we sent to them by tomorrow [Tuesday] afternoon,” Petkov added.
The coalition is also expected to engage in improving frayed relations with North Macedonia following Bulgaria’s veto on the start of the latter’s EU membership talks, imposed by the previous cabinet.
“The topic of Northern Macedonia is not a divisive red line in our discussions,” Petkov said.
This marked the first time Petkov has confirmed that a potential new government will take a more inclusive approach to North Macedonia, without surrendering Bulgaria’s previous complaints.
“We can’t ignore some factors – for example, that the Bulgarian minority in North Macedonia should have its rights protected,” Petkov told Bulgarian National Radio on September 26, before the general elections.
“We want to introduce a new approach to solving problems between Sofia and Skopje,” Petkov told North Macedonian outlet MIA on November 15.
According to unconfirmed reports, some interim ministers, such as Minister of Interior Boyko Rashkov and Minister of Education Nikolay Denkov, will remain in their positions.
Since last week, Kornelia Ninova, leader of the Socialist Party, has been dodging questions over reports that she will be a Deputy Prime Minister. /Argumentum.al
