Skopje, 21 October 2024 (MIA) – The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Timcho Mucunski, stated that during their recent meeting in Berlin, the German Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, in addition to pointing out the constitutional changes that are currently set as a condition for continuing the European integration process, did not rule out the possibility of dialogue on initiatives. He noted that the spirit of European values is to communication with each other, to discuss and to ensure that we are all strategically aligned in the same direction.

“I don't want to go into detail about what the minister said. She mentioned that unanimity is currently the rule—something Germany has publicly stated it wants to change concerning enlargement. Germany also has an active initiative to alter the rules regarding enlargement, which is backed by several member states. The minister also stated that the process of constitutional changes has been set as a condition for us at this time; however, at least from what I observed, she did not dismiss the possibility of dialogue on initiatives. The spirit of European values is to communicate with each other, to discuss, and to ensure that we are all strategically aligned in the same direction. I truly appreciate that a major member state like Germany would send such a strong message. Within two days, there was a meeting between the Prime Minister and the Chancellor, and we were there along with my colleague. Then there was a meeting between the foreign ministers, which means Germany is actively confirming its commitment to the Western Balkans and to us as a candidate country that needs to open accession negotiations,” Mucunski told reporters at Monday’s event on the topic “Enhancing Diplomacy, Foreign Trade, EU Integration and Digital Transformation.”

Regarding when and if constitutional changes will take place, he stated that a definitive answer to that question will come from two-thirds of the lawmakers, noting that the current ruling majority has nearly two-thirds of the 120 MPs.

“I can't provide a concrete answer to that right now. However, what I can say is that we, as a government, are aware that constitutional changes are a prerequisite for starting negotiations. We don’t want it to appear that the minister in Germany is saying one thing while we are saying something different. We all understand that this is a condition, albeit one that is set incorrectly, but it is the reality we face at the moment. So, how can we ensure that this will be the last request of this kind, which is not connected to European standards but instead relates to a bilateral issue raised by our neighbor that does not align with European values? If there is a blockage tomorrow due to the failure to carry out a reform agenda or due to not fulfilling something essential in any of the clusters, we might be unhappy or dissatisfied, but the principle remains. You need to comply with the highest standards to become a member state,” Mucunski said.

According to Mucunski, we to move forward on the European path, but, he said, we also want an approach that protects us while also safeguarding the EU.

"The situation here is entirely different, which is why I hold the view that we shouldn’t be careless with deadlines or timelines. Instead, we need to secure a solution that offers us long-term security – some might refer to it as a guarantee. Let’s use a more gentle term: assurance that the path forward will be predictable and that we will be evaluated based on objective criteria. We have never said that such a solution will be easy to find, but our obligation is to be consistent in everything we have been discussing for a long time, what we spoke about before the citizens during the campaign, and what we are talking about now. Yes, we want to move forward on the European path, but we also want an approach that protects us while also safeguarding the EU, as highlighted by our colleague Murtezani. A potential new veto based on a bilateral request could lead to an increase in Euroscepticism, not only among us but also, I would say, throughout the entire neighborhood, where there are politicians who can hardly wait to point fingers and say, “Look again at what they are doing, see the injustices that the EU is enforcing.” That’s why we say we are protecting ourselves, but we are also protecting the enlargement policy as it stands at this moment," Mucunski noted.

When asked if we will wait for the EU to change the principle of unanimous decision-making in order to continue on the Euro-integration path, and what the government's plans are if no government is formed in Bulgaria after the elections, leaving no relevant partner for discussion, Mucunski stated that the country does not have time to wait and needs to maintain an open dialogue.

“We, as a country, do not have time to wait. This is a governing majority with nearly a two-thirds majority. The easiest thing the parliament could have done was for this ruling majority to simply wait. They could have said, "Look, this proposal is not good, it conflicts with our interests; we will work on the European path, but we don’t feel the need to engage in dialogue." We are saying that we must have an open dialogue because the state does not have time to wait and wants to open accession negotiations. We are now coming to the realization that we are dismantling the myth created previously that we are negotiating. Because a certain atmosphere was being created that we are negotiating with the EU. That’s why I say we will discuss this; there will be active involvement from the Prime Minister, the President, my colleague Murtezani, and myself personally in finding a solution, but not a solution at any cost. I want to emphasize the fact that Germany has publicly begun to address the need for a change in a voting system that is damaging to the perception of the EU. Concerning the internal political situation in Bulgaria, I would prefer a government to be formed quickly because, without a government in neighboring Bulgaria, it will be hard to reach a compromise with the desired political legitimacy,” Mucunski underlined.

In his remarks at the event regarding constitutional amendments, Minister of European Affairs Orhan Murtezani noted that the government seeks a guarantee not only to commence the second phase of negotiations but also to finalize them without facing any obstacles. When asked where he sees these potential obstacles, he underlined that the possibilities for blockages are quite extensive, and some may even arise from our own actions if we fail to carry out reforms in accordance with EU standards. However, he stressed that these would be blockages solely caused by an irresponsible government.

“When it comes to the specific areas, I believe it is still premature to publicly discuss these matters. We will need to be patient a bit longer. All of our efforts with our European partners and more broadly are very active right now, and when we feel that the citizens' interests are secured and that we have initiated dialogue with Bulgaria, I will be sure to share that,” Murtezani said.

Concerning the issue of Italian authorities not recognizing the driving licences of our citizens with their new constitutional name, Mucunski said that this matter will be resolved shortly, as they are in communication with the local authorities and working alongside Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski.

Photo: screenshot