Skopje, 12 December 2024 (MIA) - Nobody is naive enough to get involved in Bulgaria's game of endless conditions and vetoes, but the issue is a bit more complex than what is being presented to the public. The real problem is the strategic decision of the major member states, which has been to halt enlargement for more than ten years, said Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Transport, and Vice President of VMRO-DPMNE, Aleksandar Nikoloski.

“The benefit of waiting is the preservation of national pride. No one is naive enough to get involved in Bulgaria's game of endless conditions and endless vetoes. If this is the last time we talk about it, fine, but if it’s not the last time, we are not naive to suffer again and face problems. I believe I have spoken about this publicly many times, and I stand behind the fact that the issue is a bit bigger than what is being presented to the public. The problem is the strategic decision of the major member states, which, unfortunately, has been to halt enlargement for more than ten years. The last politician who was honest about the process was the one who, among all the others who were dishonest, was principled. That politician was Jean-Claude Juncker, the former President of the European Commission. He was honest enough to tell us all that there would be no enlargement,” Nikoloski told Kanal 5 TV, when asked what the country gains by not currently entering formal negotiations with the EU.

He pointed out the situation with other countries that are in the process of EU accession.

“Look at what is happening to Serbia. Serbia got a veto. Albania, Greece, is already announcing a veto. Montenegro is negotiating, we’ve forgotten for how long. Turkey is negotiating, we’ve forgotten for how long. Everything is clear,” Nikoloski said.

In the mandates of the last two European Commissioners for Enlargement, no new countries were admitted, and he is not convinced by the promises of the new European Commissioner, Marta Kos, that the EU now has a concrete approach that could lead to the accession of one or more candidate countries before the current European Commission's mandate concludes.

"I don’t see that. I don’t see it because there are no actions being taken. Our hope is for a fair approach, and if this really is the last time, as we’re being told, let’s make it the last time," said Nikoloski, commenting on the government’s proposal for delayed implementation of constitutional amendments.

He emphasized that the focus is on implementing the reform agenda and the Growth Plan, specifically on infrastructure projects in road and railway infrastructure.

Nikoloski described DUI’s protests in front of the Constitutional Court as an apparent political game. He noted the timing, highlighting that after five years, the judges are reviewing the Law on the Use of Languages, precisely when SDSM and DUI are in opposition.

"This is an apparent political game. Those of us with more experience in politics can easily see through it. DUI aims to create problems on one side while resolving them on the other, attempting to portray themselves as saviors of Albanians on one hand and guarantors of the country's stability on the other," Nikoloski told Kanal 5 TV on Thursday.

Nikoloski stated that DUI would prefer the issue with the Constitutional Court to drag on for four years, as that would suit them best. He noted that their green agenda has failed and that they are not focused on actual work but on filling their own pockets. 

“The only issue they have left to discuss is ethnic tensions, which, based on their philosophy, they would both create and resolve,” Nikoloski added.

He stated that Ahmeti’s myth was built on three pillars, but it collapsed in just a few months in opposition.

“The first pillar was that he is honest, but with the recent events over the past year and a half to two years, and the scandals mostly revealed by the public and VMRO-DPMNE, that myth has fallen. The second myth was that no matter what he does, he is always in government, but now he’s not,” Nikoloski stressed.

“The third myth, which started to fall apart yesterday, is that no matter what he does, he protects his people. After Artan Grubi’s statement yesterday, it is clear that this myth will also collapse. Therefore, the three pillars on which he built his politics, and the myth he created around himself, are collapsing,” Nikoloski explained in relation to Grubi’s announcement of withdrawing from public life following his inclusion on the US 'blacklist.'

He believes that the behavior of the leader of DUI, Ahmeti, is completely irresponsible.

Photo: MIA archive