Meeting announced in Sofia
President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova is expected to visit Sofia on Wednesday afternoon for a meeting with Bulgarian President Iliana Yotova. The meeting was announced as taking place on the margins of the Summit of the South-East European Cooperation Process, and according to the reports, it comes at the initiative of the Macedonian side.
No official agenda yet
So far, no official list of topics has been announced, and the precise agenda of Siljanovska-Davkova’s trip to Sofia has not been made public. However, the visit comes at a time when Macedonian authorities are trying to intensify the country’s European integration process, while Bulgaria’s insistence on constitutional amendments remains the main obstacle on that path.
Context after the Merz–Macron proposal
The meeting is being viewed in the broader context of recent diplomatic activity linked to the proposal by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron. That initiative has renewed expectations that the dispute between Skopje and Sofia could receive fresh European attention, although the Macedonian side has stressed that words must be measured until there is a formal document.
Siljanovska-Davkova’s position
Siljanovska-Davkova has presented the meeting as a possible continuation of dialogue and confidence-building with Bulgaria. In her public remarks, she said that there are no unsolvable problems between the two countries if there is political will for dialogue and cooperation. The meeting is therefore being seen as a chance to open substantial issues in bilateral relations, rather than only as a formal protocol encounter.
Expectations and cautious optimism
The announced meeting has raised cautious expectations because relations between Macedonia and Bulgaria remain one of the key factors affecting Skopje’s EU path. While no concrete breakthrough has been announced, the fact that the meeting is taking place at a regional summit gives it additional political weight. The main question is whether the dialogue between Siljanovska-Davkova and Yotova can help create a more constructive atmosphere and rebuild trust between the two sides.
