The picture of President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev in front of the Bulgarian flag, but without the Macedonian flag, is a protocol failure.
Before the meeting, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, everything was agreed between the offices of the presidents and the Macedonian embassy in Sofia. A joint meeting and photo shoot was arranged only in the working part of the office of the Bulgarian president. But their protocol deviated from what was agreed upon and what happened happened.

According to information from the Ministry, the Bulgarian Ambassador Zheljazko Radukov at today's meeting with the Director of the Directorate for the Region in the MFA. an apology will be requested from Bulgaria for the concession made from what was agreed, and a note of protest will be sent.

When asked why the Macedonian protocol did not react on the spot, the diplomats in the MFA assure that due to the fact that a few hours earlier a military plane crashed in Bulgaria and two of their pilots died, it would be inappropriate to react at that moment.

The President of Bulgaria, Rumen Radev, says about this event that this was neither a state nor a working visit of President Siljanovska-Davkova.

- Let it be clear, this was neither a state nor a working visit and I hope that in the near future the President of the Republic of North Macedonia will make a state visit, which will be with all official ceremonies according to protocol, and that will also contribute to our relations - Rumen Radev said today and added that the meeting in Sofia was constructive and had a good tone, as well as that he received an invitation to visit Macedonia.