The political elites in North Macedonia and Bulgaria at times behave as if they do not notice the complex situation in the neighboring country, do not "measure" their reactions and turn into mutual hostages of their difficult internal political debates, comments today Sofia's "Diary".

What events and processes led both sides to provocations, and each of them pretends not to notice them? The answer shows that Sofia and Skopje repeat the same mistakes.

As the elections approach, Skopje enters Sofia's agenda. The Bulgarian veto for Macedonia's negotiations with the EU came a few months before the vote in April 2021, and with it - the consolidation of the "Bulgarian position". Tensions accompanied all early elections thereafter, although they were not the dominant theme.

According to the comment in the newspaper, the next elections are no exception. The visit of the MEP Angel Dzambaski and the leader of "Prerodba" Kostadin Kostadinov with supporters of Skopje for the honoring of Mara Buneva and their statements caused an avalanche of reactions in the Macedonian society, and at the same time shook the authorities in Skopje as they try to secure a majority for the constitutional amendments established in last year's agreement with Sofia (and with the EU).

After stating the statements and events after the beating of Hristijan Pendikov in Ohrid, the commentary goes back to the constitutional amendments with the remark that Skopje is competing with time. The constitutional amendments, according to the plan, should be completed by November, and the authorities are trying to withstand the pressure they are exposed to from other countries, not only from Bulgaria.

In the text, it is concluded that even in the case of much more dangerous conflicts than the Bulgarian-Macedonian one, when tensions increase and turn into a new storm, it is not important "who started first", but that someone stops it.