Bulgaria and North Macedonia are aiming at achieving quick success that would trigger media publications and create an impression that something is being done. The Bulgaria-North Macedonia Joint Committee on Historical and Educational Issues is working to achieve strategic changes over the next 10 to 15 years, Professor Ivan Ilchev, member of the joint committee, said for the BNR.

History has been at the heart of negotiations between the politicians, but they have failed to undertake the necessary steps in other fields. “I would like to see an economic analysis of the Transport Corridor No 8, how busy it would be and how many vehicles would travel along this route. I have not seen an economic analysis of the Sofia-Skopje airline either- how many passengers are expected to use the airline and how busy the airline would be in terms of freight”, Professor Ilchev further said. He is skeptical about the business relations between the two countries, because in his words, they compete with the same items on the same markets.