The Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has announced that commissions of the Orthodox Churches of Bulgaria and Macedonia have prepared a plan for cooperation aimed at fulfilling the request of the Macedonian church to be recognized as independent. At a meeting with the Archbishop of Ohrid and Macedonia and spiritual leader of the Macedonian Orthodox Church Sfefan the Bulgarian Patriarch Neophyte voiced hopes that the desired result will be achieved. In an interview for the Bulgarian National Television Archbishop Stefan thanked all people in Bulgaria who support the request of the Macedonian Orthodox Church to be recognized as independent.