Prime Minister Mickoski expressed regret that “Bulgaria’s new Foreign Minister has forgotten that good neighborly policies are a fundamental value of European values, regardless of whether one is part of the EU or not.” The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, reacted by saying that the Macedonian Prime Minister has once again shown a lack of understanding of the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights.
The harsh “tones” in the Skopje-Sofia address have not stopped. In a period when there is talk of a possible agreement between the European Council and the Bulgarian side that the constitutional amendments that foresee the inclusion of Bulgarians in the Constitution should be Bulgaria’s only demand, the parties do not spare statements that could negatively affect relations and the achievement of a compromise. The latest “sneak peeks” in Skopje-Sofia are between Prime Minister Mickoski and Bulgarian Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev, in terms of whether Bulgaria is interfering in the internal affairs of North Macedonia. Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski has expressed regret that the new Minister of Foreign Affairs of our eastern neighbor has forgotten that good neighborly policies are a fundamental value of European values, regardless of whether someone is part of the EU or not.
THE TRUTH ACCORDING TO MICKOSK
“We are partners in the greatest alliance of humanity – NATO, and we will continue to function there. We will remain here, but our citizens will also remain there in Bulgaria,” said Mickoski, following yesterday’s reaction from official Bulgarian diplomacy regarding yesterday’s statements by Prime Minister Mickoski that the goal of official Skopje is to build good neighborly relations, “but when it comes to the truth, we are here to comment.”
“If the amendment of the Constitution were not a direct intervention in the internal affairs of a sovereign and independent state, then I do not know what is. I would refer to international law and the Convention for the Protection of the Rights of Groups, and we cannot fail to comment on the right of the Macedonian community in Bulgaria, which is based on 14 decisions of the Court in Strasbourg. We must all support the Macedonian community, which unfortunately in the XNUMXst century, in an EU member state, cannot realize this right. This has nothing to do with internal affairs,” said Prime Minister Mickoski after the presentation of the accreditation by the International Association of Directors of Police Academies for Standards and Training.
BULGARIAN MFA: MICKOSKI SPREADS MANIPULATIVE THESES
The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry has reacted by saying that the President of the Macedonian Government has once again shown a lack of understanding of the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights.
“Whether he likes it or not, he promotes manipulative and false theses, which can be seen as a real interference in the internal affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria,” the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Bulgarian diplomacy recalls that the European consensus of July 2022, adopted by all EU member states and Macedonia, remains a valid guideline for the country’s progress in its accession process.
“We see such statements as another attempt to evade the commitments made and to distract public attention from the lack of reforms. The Prime Minister of North Macedonia has once again demonstrated an insufficient understanding of the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights. Thus, whether he wants it or not, he promotes manipulative and false theses, which can be considered a real interference in the internal affairs of Bulgaria,” the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Otherwise, the Bulgarian Foreign Minister’s reaction came after Prime Minister Mickoski, after laying the foundation stone of the Macedonia-Greece border crossing “Markova Noga”, responding to a question from journalists regarding the EU’s willingness to sign a declaration from the European Council, the European Commission or the Bulgarian side to say that the inclusion of Bulgarians in the Constitution will be the only bilateral issue on our path towards the EU, said that he has heard many statements so far, but we need to see the deeds.
“I remember when senior representatives of the EU, accompanied by senior representatives of other countries of the world, were sitting in front of me and saying – the name is the last thing you should do. Of course, even then we were against it, but even then I told them that they are not telling the truth and that it is not the last thing. We need to see actions, and actions in my opinion include the recognition of the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg for the Macedonian community in Bulgaria. Clear and irreversible recognition of the Macedonian identity and clear and irreversible recognition of Macedonian culture, tradition, customs, and clear and irreversible recognition of the Macedonian language, which has been an official language in the UN since 1945. We must respect the principles, otherwise we will have a serious problem,” the prime minister said.
Meanwhile, yesterday, EU Ambassador Michalis Rokas stated that intensive work is being done at the EU level to overcome the remaining issues before the negotiations are opened, also announcing strengthened diplomatic activity to overcome the issue of constitutional changes. It is unofficially learned that EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos will also visit the country in the coming period, and is expected to discuss ways to unblock the process. (koha.mk)
