Skopje, 27 November 2024 (MIA) — The national red lines have been drawn and the government will not back down because the citizens of Macedonia and the Macedonian people have made enough concessions, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said Wednesday in response to a reporter's question about his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, considering Transport Minister Aleksandar Nikoloski's recent statement that if France agreed to the government's proposal of delaying the constitutional changes, other EU member states would follow suit.

"We will not be a victim to the bilateralization of Macedonia's accession process to the EU. We have said what we can do and that is the most we can do," Mickoski said, adding that the government's position had already been shared with several international decision-makers and politicians.

He also recalled the country's foreign and security policy was completely aligned with the EU's.

"The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade [Timcho Mucunski] signed an agreement with Mr. [Vice-President of the European Commission Josep] Borrell the other day. We are conducting reforms completely in line with the EU's requirements. We are working in accordance with the EU. If the EU wants to be held hostage to some member states in the process of bilateralization, fine, we can understand that. Let them leave us alone to finish our homework, to solve our problems at home. We are not a danger to anyone," Prime Minister Mickoski said.

He said the country had already done enough.

"We did everything, everything we needed to. If they think we should humiliate ourselves even more, destroy our identity, and never be where we need to be, fine. That is their right. We understand them, fine. They have decided to be held hostage to people who live in the Middle Ages and do not look forward. That is their decision. Let them leave us alone to solve our domestic problems. We are interested in investments, more employees, well-paid employees. We will align everything with European regulations. We are not a danger to anyone. There is no longer any [other] influence, there is European influence here," Mickoski said.

The country was, he highlighed, a NATO member state.

"If they want to be held hostage to such policies of some individuals in the EU, that is their right. I leave it up to them. And we will be tackling our domestic problems. More than five months now, there has not been a single corruption scandal, not a single scandal where you see Louis Vuitton bags full of millions, not a single scandal where some people wave European flags and buy hotels in the city center. There is none of that. We are truly committed to working for the citizens. That is our goal," he said.

The PM added that "if they think this is not enough, and that we should not be part of it [the EU] based on merit, but based on something that happened in the Middle Ages, that is their right."

"Let them leave us alone to do our homework. And again, this will be according to EU rules; not according to other rules. Because we believe, we believe in values ​​where progress is made on the basis of merit, and not by humiliating others," Mickoski said. mr/

ФОТО: МИА Архива