Skopje, 24 June 2022 (MIA) – Today we did not receive a new French proposal r a draft, but a declaration by the Bulgarian National Assembly that reaffirms their positions. We presented our positions at yesterday’s summit and if the French government, the President and the French EU Presidency put forward a different proposal based on these positions, we will be ready to discuss it and see whether our positions and red lines have been incorporated and met, said Deputy PM for European Affairs Bojan Marichikj on Friday. Deputy PM Marichikj told Telma TV that North Macedonia will insist on incorporating the positions in the entire package, the negotiating framework and the conclusions. On the reactions to the French proposal, he said that the goal is not to create enemies, “which does not mean that we will always agree with them”. “We have a double interest in this – to maintain our identity and language and enter the EU accession process with dignity, but also to launch EU accession negotiations, a strategic goal since 199,” said Marichikj. He did not want to comment on PM Kovachevski’s statement that certain experts in the country created hysteria in the interest of third countries but said “it is a fact there are people, former politicians, people interested in the process, who either provided false information or intentionally heightened tensions, including some political parties or media”. “It is much more important for the country to support the negotiations led by the Government, which has a framework and positions rather than to send pathetic text messages to foreign ministers across Europe, urging them to reject the proposal,” said Marichikj.