Skopje, 17 April 2024 (MIA) — President Stevo Pendarovski, who is running for a second term, said in a Telma TV appearance that there was a new political realism in the relations between North Macedonia and the European Union and that the country had blocked itself on the road to the EU.

"Unfortunately, we have been blocked and we know why. The main opposition party said no way would they vote for it under Bulgarian dictation, etc.," President Pendarovski said.

"If this is the new realism, then we have been self-blocked. Let's then make the most of this ambitiously announced Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, in which there are far more funds available, until the opposition realizes that without changing the Constitution there is no membership in the EU. Until that happens, let's at least use a lot of these funds intended for the countries that are self-blocked, like us."

He said "Bulgarian dictations" and "only as Bulgarians will we enter the EU" could be rally buzzwords but "this is just a political mantra to fool people until you come to power."

"Afterward, you will face the demands of the potential Albanian factor who will tell you about constitutional changes in three, six months. Then you will go to Brussels and they will tell you there is no changing the negotiation framework," Pendarovski said.

Commenting on VMRO-DPMNE's position on amending the Constitution, Pendarovski said they were blocking the EU integration process only to score political points.

"The other day, there was an interview with a person from the German CDU, a sister party of VMRO-DPMNE, who came here to help them and told them: This is the way."

"I'd like to tell them [...] I understand why you are doing this. This is where you score your political points," he said. "But let's face this new political realism. It is a shame that now — when Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia and Bosnia and Herzegovina have become candidates — for us, having made some progress, to be going back because of your attitude that only as Bulgarians we will enter the EU, which is absolute nonsense," he said.

According to the President, EU membership should be a non-partisan issue, given that it was the country's strategic goal, much like NATO membership. mr/