One week before the event of high security risk - commemoration of the 151st anniversary of the birth of the Macedonian revolutionary Gotse Delchev - passions are heating up and calming down at the same time. Despite appeals for a peaceful and dignified commemoration due to the expected presence of Bulgarian provocateurs, Macedonian citizens made a call to organize night watches in the "Sveti Spas" church, where Delchev's grave is, so that "no one is allowed to celebrate Delchev as a Bulgarian". The initiative received support from members of VMRO-DPMNE and Levica, who announced that they will come to vigil at the great man's grave from Friday afternoon. There are also calls on social networks for roadblocks leading from Bulgaria to Skopje.

On the other hand, the initiator of the Bulgarian commemoration of the anniversary, Viktor Stojanov from the Bulgarian foundation "Macedonia", now calls for quiet and peaceful laying of flowers, "without provocations and without responding to provocations", and in the discussions on his Facebook profile there are instructions to it is not shouted that Macedonia is Bulgarian. Their plan is to gather at 11.30:4 a.m. at the parking lot near Kale, at noon, to pay their respects as a group and immediately return to Sofia, and they have informed the Macedonian police about this. Stojanov, together with MEP and radical Angel Dzambaski, are among the persons for whom the Security Council recommended to ban entry to the country on February XNUMX.

The Minister of the Interior, Oliver Spasovski, urged the citizens not to organize guards and blockades, assuring that the police will use all legal powers to ensure public order and peace and that everyone who comes will be able to pay their respects peacefully and with dignity, but also that the Ministry of the Interior will absolutely not allow the humiliation of the Macedonian citizens and people, at least by someone from outside.

- We will not allow anyone to come and humiliate us. The institutions are taking all measures to ensure that this expectation of the citizens is realized - Spasovski said yesterday for "Utrinski Pechat".

The minister reiterated that he will not reveal what decision the police will make if Dzambaski appears at the border.

The Bulgarian MFA, on the other hand, will send a note to Skopje with a request to guarantee the safety of the Bulgarians who will come to Skopje on February 4, the head of the Bulgarian diplomacy Nikolay Milkov informed yesterday, according to whom, "the key right now is to ensure tranquility for the Bulgarians there." Milkov says that Sofia wants to achieve a de-escalation of tensions and announced a telephone conversation between the two prime ministers Dimitar Kovacevski and Galab Donev.

- The conversation will be aimed at guaranteeing the safety of the Bulgarians there, as well as those who will go to celebrate the birthday of Gotse Delchev. Representatives of the Bulgarian embassy will also be present to a minimal extent - said Milkov, adding that the problem is that Bulgarians and people with a Bulgarian national feeling "don't trust the basic institutions in Macedonia".

Regarding the announcements to ban the entry of one MEP and several other persons from Bulgaria, Milkov said that it would be an unprecedented event and that he is not aware that so far two EU member states have mutually declared individuals persona non grata. He also added that a ban on the entry of MEPs into a country that is a candidate for EU membership is illogical.
Milkov repeated yesterday that Bulgaria will not put a new veto on Macedonia's European path because, as he said, it is not necessary because the country has not even started negotiations.

– There is a clear criterion. When the Bulgarians will be included in the Constitution, the negotiations will begin. Then we can already think to what extent they fulfill the criteria. At the moment it is not necessary. They have a clear condition, it is a European condition, ratified by our parliament and accepted by their parliament. Maybe because they see what comes out of that condition, that's why these tensions are being created there - said Milkov.

According to him, Ambassador Angel Angelov could return to Skopje when appropriate conditions are created, that is, if a high-level dialogue begins. For him, the Macedonian MFA's statement that Sofia's decision to call the ambassador for consultations is an unfounded, unargued and disproportionate move is a sign that "maybe they don't understand the seriousness of the situation there." Milkov is categorical that the measure is coordinated at the highest level and that it is not a random decision at the level of the MFA, but a national response.