Skopje, 24 June 2022 (MIA) – The issue of the Macedonian language and issues related to history to not be part of the negotiating framework, the sequencing of steps over the Bulgarians’ incorporation in the Constitution and the start of the negotiations will be crucial in North Macedonia’s final decision over the acceptance or rejection of the French EU Presidency proposal, said Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani on Friday. FM Osmani said that the ‘French proposal’ circulating in the public was in fact the draft-version of the negotiating framework and other conclusions delivered to member-states, including “brackets and questions” and not the final version of the proposal. “The negotiating framework has no questions or formulations in brackets. This means these are non-aligned formulations,” said Osmani. Regarding the resolution adopted in the Bulgarian National Assembly over the proposal, the FM said he has not seen it yet. “First, we have to see the text endorsed by Bulgaria and how it will be reflected on what the French Presidency will deliver as a final proposal, because the version shared with the member-states was a draft. Certain issues that both countries have not managed to align remained in brackets as unresolved or unaligned. Therefore, we are yet to see what exactly is the Bulgarian position,” said Osmani. According to him, it is yet to be seen what the approach of the French Presidency will be, based on the official position by Bulgaria and the position that Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski presented yesterday. “We will be in communication with them in the coming days and we’ll see what they deliver as a final proposal,” added Osmani. The FM said that both Bulgaria and North Macedonia have now taken formal positions. “The main points that are crucial for us are the language, the historic issues as benchmark for progress in the negotiations and the dynamics of the constitutional revision. You know there is a difference between the Bulgarian position and ours, which says that we cannot make constitutional changes unless accession negotiations start. The French Presidency now has the countries’ official positions and they should take the final decision and the final proposal,” noted Osmani. He said the position presented by PM Kovachevski had been communicated to the French Presidency in advance but was made public only yesterday because it was assessed together with North Macedonia’s partners and friends that a clear position should not be disclosed so that Skopje does not affect the processes in Bulgaria prior to the government no-confidence vote. Deputy PM for European Affairs Bojan Marichikj said the Government has made serious efforts in recent years, and especially over the past few months, to have a sincere approach and open discussions with Bulgaria so that North Macedonia achieves its foreign policy objectives. “Our goal is EU membership while protecting our interests related to the language and the identity, and launching a sustainable process of negotiations and a package that we can implement in a way that leads to membership not new blockades. That is why it is important for us to take care of these interests. We cannot and we will not give up on our EU path because this was defined when the country gained its independence, but we also cannot give up positions that are important for any country,” said Marichikj. He added that as soon as the country receives any official proposal, it will be available for discussion to the Government and the coalition partners, whereas the Parliament will be consulted through the Foreign Affairs Committee.