The Minister of Culture Bisera Kostadinovska-Stojcevska, in statement for the Voice of America in the Macedonian language, answering the question whether the point in the Bilateral Protocol with Bulgaria will also mean censorship of creativity, he says that authors should create freely, but "in the spirit of what will please the people and the audience".

"Let them create freely." But to create in the spirit of what will cheer up the people and the audience. "Not something that will bring the people back again, to some dark times where we really didn't see anything good," says the minister.

Dilemmas arose in the Macedonian public regarding what, according to the Protocol, constitutes hate speech and who will determine it. Article 16 of the Macedonian Constitution prohibits censorship and guarantees freedom of speech.

"And by the way, what is hate speech?" Is the historical truth hate speech?, asks the writer in the contribution of the Voice of America in the Macedonian language Petar Andonovski.

"All Macedonian prose is based on that so-called historical narrative, for example Petre M. Andreevski very often talks about the Bulgarian occupation. Does that mean we will have to censor Petre's books?” he says.

In the third point of the Protocol, it is said that in relation to the prevention of hate speech, the two countries, among other things, undertake:

"...to guarantee that the state financing of new books, documentaries and magazines, films and other artistic production, as well as of cultural monuments and celebrations, will be realized in the spirit of the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighborliness and Cooperation, and in this context, each entity funded by the state will confirm through a clear and binding statement that it will follow with the necessary attention the issue of non-acceptance of all forms of hate speech and failure to comply with this duty will constitute grounds for the termination of further state funding of such an entity."

Kostadinovska-Stojchevska says in this regard: "The Ministry of Culture will not play the role of a policeman and stalk who will do what. The freedom of the artist is great and he has the right to express himself and no one has the right to limit that at any moment."

But she also adds that:

"Any film that will promote Macedonian culture, that will show the Macedonian individuality that we are as Macedonians should have support. However, we must be aware that we must move forward, we must free ourselves and that history must no longer be a prison for us, it should be a lesson for us," says the Minister of Culture.

A few hours after her statement was published, and numerous reactions and questions appeared in the public about whether it was promoting censorship, Kostadinovska-Stojčevska announced a reaction, saying that she "feels obliged to explain several aspects".

"CENSORSHIP is a feature of past societies or past governments and it has no place in the 21st century, in a country that is a candidate for full membership in the EU. Censorship is a phenomenon that goes against democracy and the freedom of speech that we enjoy today! That is why my statement begins with the words "Let them create freely!" As a minister, as long as I am in that position, there will be no censorship in any project supported by the Ministry of Culture. I also want to be absolutely clear, while I am a minister, there will be no room to limit or direct any artist in any way, it is against all my personal and above all professional beliefs." wrote the minister on Facebook.

"If the statement, which today is the target of "free" interpretations, hurt feelings, urge, motive and creative attempts, I am sorry. The intention is absolutely not to direct or limit, on the contrary, my intention has always been and always will be to support free thought and expression. And finally, I would like to repeat: The freedom of the artist is enormous. She is inviolable. NO ONE can limit that freedom. And here, no one should have any doubts," she adds.

The second bilateral Protocol for the fulfillment of the Good-Neighborhood and Friendship Agreement of 2017 on July 17 in Sofia they signed the ministers of foreign affairs of Bulgaria and Macedonia, Teodora Gencovska и Bujar Osmani. The signing of the document was part of the negotiation framework for the start of Macedonia's accession negotiations with the EU.