Mickoski: NATO Summit in The Hague Opportunity for Bilateral Meeting with Bulgaria, which would be attended by Costa, von der Leyen, Calas, Rutte

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, today at the meeting in Skopje with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaya Calas, among other things, discussed the bilateral meeting with the Bulgarian side, its format, which could attend and where it could be held. The forthcoming NATO Summit in The Hague is a good opportunity for the meeting, would be attended by Predictor Siljanovska Davkova, European Council President Antonio Costa, Ec. President of Ec. Ursula von der Leyen, EU High Representative Kaya Kalas, and the composition, as Mickoski said.

-This topic started since the meeting and visit of the President of the European Council, Mr. Costa. During the Hague Summit in NATO, there will be a bilateral meeting between representatives from Macedonia and Bulgaria, as the president will be there. That would be a great opportunity to have a bilateral meeting, which would be attended by EC President Mrs. Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Mr. Antonio Costa, normally High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Kaya Callas. We have expanded that composition with the NATO Secretary General. Some of the NATO member states, not the biggest of them, so we can say at a bilateral meeting-said Mickoski at a joint press conference with Calas, answering a journalist question about Siljanovska Davkova’s meeting with Bulgarian President Radev and what format is planned.

He noted that the meeting would be very useful, as both sides amount to their own arguments and that it is necessary to sit at the same table and to talk without Racika, how much those conversations will last.

-We immediately accepted that. I don’t know what the answer from Bulgaria is. But we accepted it. And today again with Mrs. Kaya Callas we discussed the subject and absolutely confirmed our commitment to survive what we have said and accepted. We also talked to President Siljanovska. We will prepare the best we know. And I think there is a good meeting, where the arguments on both sides can be heard, especially on the sidelines of the NATO Summit, because as the previous question all this has a phosocus and security in the region. As a NATO member we reflect security-said Mickoski.

He added that Calas also confirmed this in his address to the Macedonian contribution to regional security initiatives such as Altea in Bosnia, but there is also the country’s support for Ukraine. Mickoski pointed out that we are in the top five countries per capita for Ukraine and added that we will continue to help.

-So, we are a factor of stability, and so we should behave in the region. And that’s why we need to radiate stability. Unfortunately, there are strengths in the region that reflect, want to reflect instability. And so it would be good to have all the arguments at such a bilateral meeting, it would be very good for them to hear … Maybe we will hear from that side some arguments we have not known, where they disappeared, say, 200,000 Macedonians in western Bugajira from ’56 to ’65 – said Mickoski.

Regarding whether he will accept mediation to overcome the differences with Bulgaria, Mickoski responded affirmatively.

-To. We are absolutely ready to discuss the level of bilateral talks, at the level of partnerships within the NATO Alliance. Anyone who wants to help we are prepared to talk. With everyone we are ready to sit down and talk and accept any mediation… We want a solution, a solution that will be dignified and long -lasting. We were tired of continuous blockades relating to bilateral issues. Give a solution that will be the only continuous and let us finish our homework at home, so to see who will be the Frontier, who will not be, let all those – said Mickoski.

Asked if this is a new definition of constitutional changes, he emphasized that the biggest culprit why we are now in this situation is the previous government.

-I would not agree that there were some votes missing because it was not voted to know how many votes, whether there were a few or several tens of votes. So, if we point out the main culprit, it is clear, the then Prime Minister, the Minister of European Integration, the foreign minister. They are the ones who have brought the situation today as it is – added Mickoski.