Bulgaria's veto on North Macedonia is "the biggest defeat for the EU and a great injustice," Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said, adding that he met Bulgaria's decision to block the start of his country's accession talks with difficulty and bitterness, BTA has reported.

In an interview with TV 21, Zaev expressed the opinion that there was no other explanation for the decision than the upcoming elections in Bulgaria and pointed out that talks between Sofia and Skopje continue. He pointed out that the German Presidency and the European Commission were working to help Skopje and Sofia resolve the dispute, but said there would be no talks on North Macedonia's national identity and language.