Skopje, 18 December 2023 (MIA) – It isn’t very important if Bulgaria will have new demands in the future, what is important is that we have raised a wall towards any Bulgarian demands, and that’s the negotiating framework, and the protocols aren’t a part of it. The constitutional amendments are a much greater obstacle to the continuation of the European path, and there is a chance that we see a repeat of Bucharest 2008, said Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani in answer to a journalist’s question Monday.

Asked to respond to the statement of his Bulgarian counterpart Mariya Gabriel, who said the constitutional amendments are not the only requirement Bulgaria has for North Macedonia on its path to the EU, Osmani said he wouldn’t want to raise such a topic ahead of the elections since, according to him, it is later abused by political factors.

The FM clarified that on December 15 and 16, when the EU held its Summit in Brussels, one of the draft-conclusions for North Macedonia stated that the country must implement the protocols in addition to the agreements with Prespa and Bulgaria, however, he said, the conclusion that was adopted at the Summit, doesn’t refer to the protocols.

“Only what is outlined in the negotiating framework can pass through its pores, and it’s a fact that the benchmarks for the opening and closing of chapters don’t include questions related to issues of identity and history. Yes, there are questions related to minority issues, to human rights, because we sought to move away the focus from the trajectory of identity and history to the trajectory of minority issues and human rights. So, this is the best answer to Minister Gabriel too, who, according to the media, said there are new requests. The requests will be only those that pass through the negotiating framework and nothing more. And that’s the greatest protection for us, for the process,” said Osmani at a joint press conference with his Albanian counterpart, Igli Hasani.

Asked if the country risks not receiving aid from the EU’s Western Balkans Growth Plan if it fails to adopt the constitutional amendments, Osmani said all stakeholders have confirmed that the European Commission will adopt a decision on the basis of whether the country has fulfilled the necessary reforms.

“The decision won’t be by the member states, so Bulgaria won’t be able to exert its influence. So, I think that we need to carry out the reforms, but the constitutional amendments are a much greater obstacle. In an interview today, I said I fear that we could see a repeat of Bucharest 2008. Back then we were together with Albania and Croatia, we had a more favorable offer for the name dispute compared to the one we had as the final offer in 2018, we didn’t accept it because we lacked courage. Due to the actions of the same actors we wasted 15 years, Albania and Croatia became NATO member states. We lost 500.000 citizens who left the country due to the lack of perspective, and in the end we solved the dispute. The same can happen now due to the lack of courage or as a result of this wave of dark nationalist forces that want to kidnap the future of the citizens,” said Osmani.

Фото: МИА