Macedonia evaluates highly Bulgarian support for the country’s European integration, head of the Bulgaria- Macedonia friendship group Stojan Andov said.

The Macedonian group met Bulgarian parliament representatives on April 18.

Bulgaria is the first country that recognised Macedonia’s independence under its constitutional name, Andov said as quoted by Bulgarian news agency BTA. So far the country received Bulgaria’s support on all major issues.

Representative of the Bulgarian parliamentary group Margarita Paneva said that Bulgaria will continue supporting Macedonia in its efforts to achieve EU and NATO membership.

Facilitating the visa regime between the two countries and creating conditions for deeper economic co-operation featured among the topics of discussion.

Paneva said that Bulgaria had to introduce a visa regime for Macedonians because of the EU entry. This regime affected negatively the direct contact between the two countries, related to business developments, she said.