Orban offers to mediate between N. Macedonia, Bulgaria

(ANSA-AFP) - SKOPJE, 28 SET - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Friday offered to help mediate a long-running dispute between North Macedonia and Bulgaria that has been a sticking point holding back EU negotiations for the former. North Macedonia's route to membership in the European Union has been blocked for years by neighbouring Bulgaria, which demands it change its constitution to acknowledge its Bulgarian minority.
    "Whether the parties are prepared to accept Hungary as a mediator will be their own decision, but we are ready and we want to work on this," said Orban. The nationalist prime minister made the statement during a trip to the city of Ohrid during a two-day state visit to North Macedonia, where he met with counterpart Hristijan Mickoski. (ANSA-AFP).