Fotova: Sofia does not impose additional conditions on Skopje, the agreed framework is a European document that must be respected

Bulgaria does not impose additional conditions on the process and negotiations of the Republic of Northern Macedonia on its path to Europe – said Bulgarian Vice President Iliana Fotova at the opening of the EU Forum is meeting the Balkans in Sofia – BTA reports.

The event was organized by the European Liberal Forum, the Alda Party and the Atlantic club of Bulgaria. The forum was attended by Enlargement Commissioner Martha Kos, who is on a working visit to Bulgaria, as well as government officials from Turkey, Romania, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Montenegro. Bulgarian lawmakers and experts were also present.

Fotova noted that bilateral relations between the two countries are not a problem for the Macedonia’s negotiations with the European Union, pointing out that it is « a thesis of politicians from the Republic of Macedonia, as well as some European politicians and experts ».

– What Bulgaria wants is to respect the European criteria, as every country on the road to true membership in the European Union respects these criteria at the cost of very difficult decisions and compromises. We continue to believe that the rights of the Bulgarians in the Republic of Northern Macedonia are not protected – said Fotova, noting that in the framework agreed in 2022, on the basis of the French proposal, there are no Bulgarian demands, but European membership criteria, of which the protection of human rights is. Fotova said the agreed framework is a European document that must be respected, implemented and cannot be added, deleted, changed or put « second. »

According to her, stopping or freezing the EU enlargement process will bring even greater instability, conflicts and the influence of other hostile forces in the region. He considers a clear answer to the question of whether the EU wants the Western Balkan countries, as well as Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova to have a close and real European perspective.

However, it disagrees with proposals to resolve EU enlargement issues by a qualified majority of member states, not with consensus, noting that there are some states that want to change European legislation and the way of making decisions.