Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of Bulgaria Ivan Demerdzhiev is in Skopje for talks with his Macedonian counterpart. Mr Demerdzhiev is accompanied by the Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Interior and the President of the State Agency for National Security. 

North Macedonian and Bulgarian officials are discussing measures to ensure security during the celebrations of the 151st anniversary of Gotse Delchev's birth on 4 February. 

North Macedonian Interior Minister Oliver Spasovski assured Minister Demerdzhiev that the Macedonian authorities will take all necessary measures to ensure that the event passes without incidents. Mr. Demerdzhiev also stated that he will take all measures to ensure that people coming from Sofia will not make provocations. He said that he had received the assurance of the authorities in the RSM that the case of the beating of Christian Pendikov would be investigated impartially.