The former Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Zoran Zaev, called on the EU today to change the way of decision-making and prevent the Bulgarian blockade of the start of negotiations on the admission of his country and Albania to the Union, and the head of diplomacy of North Macedonia, Bujar Osmani, also spoke about this today.
"I ask the EU from my European Strumica, which borders Greece and Bulgaria, whether this way of decision-making in the Union, where one member state blocks the entire region for extremely irrational and nationalist reasons, is the mechanism by which the European idea develops? If not, and I know if not, then change the way you make decisions," said Zaev.
At the conference "Sovereignty and Europe", which was organized by the Embassy of France in Strumica, he emphasized that the European idea must not be blackmailed by nationalism and that nationalism must not be allowed to veto freedom.
"The European Union must act in its own interest, in favor of the European idea, which by definition is liberal, open, broad," said the former Prime Minister of North Macedonia and pointed out that Russian aggression against Ukraine is the reason why the EU must resolve all open issues in the region , and especially the Macedonian issue.
According to Zaev, this is the time when EU leaders should dare to address these issues and take political leadership as the EU's founders did.
"It should be clear to all of us: if the founders of the EU had calculated their rating then, the EU would not have been created. Political courage is worth it, it is the bearer of change. The Prespa agreement is proof that political courage is worth it," said the former the prime minister of North Macedonia, Zoran Zaev.
North Macedonia's Head of Diplomacy, Bujar Osmani, told EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhei earlier today in Skopje that the region is increasingly tired of waiting and that this is harming the Union's credibility.
"North Macedonia has so far shown an exceptional level of commitment to its progress on the road to the EU. In addition, we have achieved a XNUMX% level of compliance with the common foreign and security policy of the Union. It is time for the EU to lend a hand to the countries of the Western Balkans and to clearly show that the future of the region European," said Osmani.
The EU Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy came to Skopje from Sofia, where on Tuesday he participated in a meeting where the Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Teodora Genčevska, reiterated that the condition for North Macedonia to start negotiations is that it first introduces Bulgarians as a national community into the Constitution. .
In December 2020, Sofia blocked the start of North Macedonia's accession negotiations with the EU, insisting that Skopje first fulfill the conditions of the Good Neighbor Treaty with Bulgaria and recognize the Bulgarian roots of the Macedonian nation and language.
Last year, it reformulated the demands into the "Five plus one" document, asking for "an end to hate speech against Bulgaria and twisting of historical facts in textbooks and elsewhere, an end to discrimination against citizens who declare themselves Bulgarian and their inclusion in the Constitution, non-interference of Skopje in the internal affairs of Bulgaria and minority rights".
Along with the Bulgarian veto of North Macedonia, the beginning of Albania's negotiations with the EU was also prevented, because the European Commission put these two countries in the same "package".
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