Vlado Buckovski, North Macedonia’s Ice-Breaker With Sofia

Bulgarian historians in a joint history commission continue to dispute the adjective "Macedonian" used in North Macedonia's history text books.

In this tense but absurd atmosphere, Buckovski is heading for Sofia as North Macedonia's a new Special Representative to Bulgaria. The Bulgarian capital has long been a frequent destination of his, but so far the reasons for the trips were academic.

"Over the past four years, due to my professorial duties, I stayed in Sofia every month for a few days," the Roman Law professor recalls.

Since 2005, he has been an honorary professor at the Bulgarian UniBIT university, while since 2016, he has been part of that university's post-graduate studies.

One year before that, he started participating in the regional Jus Romanum project at Sofia's St Clement of Ohrid University.

While his professorial work has led him to these two universities, from now on it will be a less easy ride.

The new addresses he is expected to be frequent are  No 1 Knez Aleksandar Dondukov Nr. 1, the seat of the Bulgarian government, and No 2 Aleksandar Zhendov, the seat of the Foreign Ministry.

Buckovski is aware that the obstacles between Skopje and Sofia are not small. Buckovski has been given a one-year term to complete his task, described as one of "shuttle diplomacy".

"I will constantly be on the route between Skopje and Sofia and vice versa. I will also be responsible for coordinating the implementation of the action plans in the field of infrastructure, joint capital projects, education and culture that stem from the 2017 Friendship Agreement," Buckovski told BIRN, while completing his preparations for his first meetings with his interlocutors.

Then PM Vlado Buckovski votes in Skopje...