Skopje is looking for negotiations with Bulgaria under the auspices of NATO
Northern Macedonia wants to discuss with Bulgaria issues that impede its path to EU membership during a NATO summit in June in The Hague. This was stated by Macedonian Prime Minister Christian Mickoski, adding that he hopes that senior EU and NATO officials will also be able to attend the talks.
Skopje has been a candidate for EU membership since 2005, but negotiations cannot be launched as authorities refuse to fulfill the condition for the entry of Bulgarians among minorities living in Northern Macedonia in their constitution.
Elections primarily: why northern Macedonia does not enter the Bulgarians in the Constitution
Mitzkoski, who had previously tried meetings with Bulgarian governing during international events, told about his idea at a press conference after his conversation with EU foreign policy representative in Skopje on Friday.
« We are ready to talk, to have bilateral conversations at the level of partnerships within the NATO Alliance, » said Mitskoski, quoted by Reuters.
Asked if he would accept external mediation, he added that « anyone who wants to help, we are ready to talk to him. »
« Fatigue from Bulgaria »: What depends on the changes in the Macedonian Constitution
Kalas, who arrived in northern Macedonia as part of his tour in the Western Balkans, praised the hosts for sticking to the European Common Policy and Foreign Policy and contributing to regional security as part of EUFor’s peacekeeping forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
| « My message today is to continue on the course and take the next necessary steps to start the negotiations, » Kalas said. |
Mitskovski said that the idea of a bilateral meeting with Bulgaria during the Hague summit was discussed and coordinated with Kalas, but does not know if Sofia will accept the proposal.
| « We are ready to sit down and talk to anyone who wants to accept a certain mediation. We want a solution, but a solution that will be worthy and lasting. We are tired of the continuous blockages related to bilateral issues, » said the Macedonian prime minister. |
And the Zhelyazkov cabinet so far does not see what to negotiate with Mickski
So far, Bulgaria has diverted the invitations for bilateral conversations with Northern Macedonia, as it believes that the condition for constitutional changes is a European issue after it was included in the negotiation framework by virtue of the so -called. « French proposal » from 2022
On it, Bulgaria has raised its veto from the beginning of the negotiation process of northern Macedonia against a commitment from Skopje to add the Bulgarians among the minorities living in the state, as a prerequisite for opening the first negotiation chapters.
