Skopje, 28 November 2025 (MIA) - Minister of European Affairs Orhan Murtezani said Friday that work is under way since after the local elections together with European partners to establish dialogue and restore trust between Skopje and Sofia, in order to overcome the dispute and unblock the country's European integration process.

Speaking at Friday's press conference with his Swedish counterpart Jessica Rosencrantz, Murtezani commented in response to a reporter's question on whether a third protocol with Bulgaria is possibly being drafted in order to overcome differences, an idea recently floated by President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova as a creative solution.

"Work is ongoing since after the local elections together with our European partners on establishing dialogue and restoring trust, because without dialogue and trust the issue cannot be overcome. Efforts are currently under way to establish dialogue and build trust, and then we will look into possible ways to overcome the issue," said Murtezani. 

The idea for a new protocol was brought up as a creative solution by President Siljanovska Davkova in an appearance on TV 24.

"There is a protocol, it is a simple minutes signed by two ministers. With minutes, you change an international agreement or add to it. Open the Treaty of Friendship and Good Neighbourliness, there is not a single word there about constitutional amendments. Then why not be creative and agree on a third protocol which would clearly state that issues related to history, culture and identity cannot be a condition," the President pointed out.

In response to a reporter's question on U.S. Ambassador Angela Aggeler's recent statement in an interview with TV 21 that she was a hundred percent certain that work is under way on the issue of constitutional amendments, Murtezani said "of course work is under way, because it is an obligation that we have undertaken," adding that at the moment nothing can be said about the process of amending the Constitution, because all the country's concerns and dilemmas have not been adequately addressed.

"Of course work is under way on constitutional amendments, because it is an obligation that we have undertaken. Otherwise, there would be no negotiations and no EU membership. But, as I pointed out, we cannot say anything about the process of constitutional amendments at the moment when all our concerns and dilemmas are not adequately addressed, and in order for them to be addressed, a regular dialogue needs to be established, trust needs to be restored between the two neighbouring countries so that we can build a common European future in a European way," the Minister of European Affairs said.

Photo: Ministry of European Affairs