Our relationship have went through complicated periods but we have an interest in bringing back the positive bilateral agenda, caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikolay Milkov said after a meeting in Sofia with his North Macedonian counterpart Bujar Osmani.

It turns out that there is a negative atmosphere that we should overcome, Milkov said. The two ministers commented on the situation with the cultural clubs and the recognition of the Bulgarians in the constitution of North Macedonia, but also pointed out the large bilateral trade of over 1 billion euros. "In a period in which both countries are exposed to external impacts from crises that have hit us, we focused on the role of Bulgaria as a gas hub in the Balkans and on a number of other positive topics, such as the purchase of electricity from Bulgaria," Milkov added.