Several key goals achieved for start of EU negotiations with clear Macedonian language and identity, Kovachevski tells BBC
Skopje, 31 October 2022 (MIA) – In an interview with the BBC's HARDtalk, Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski points out that several key goals have been achieved for the start of negotiations with the European Union – clear Macedonian language, Macedonian identity and historical issues not being included in the negotiating framework.
“If you want to be a leader, then you have to make tough decisions. In these negotiations we had several goals in front of us, and we achieved them. Number one: clear Macedonian language in the European Union. Number two: clear Macedonian identity, of the Macedonians in the European Union and start of the negotiations with the European Union, which happened on 19 July. And, historical questions to be out of the negotiating framework. You mentioned the work of the history commission – it works with fourteen members, seven from the Bulgarian side, seven from the Macedonian side, who can make decisions only with full consensus, which can only be implemented on a reciprocal basis in the two countries. So, this is actually the agreement, where they, the historians, will deal with history questions,” Kovachevski said, adding that the goal is to build a rhetoric between neighbors that looks forward to the future.
As regards European integration, PM Kovachevski stressed that the process of joining the European Union has been stuck for eleven years of the previous government because “they were not ready to move one millimeter”, the Government said in a press release.
“They didn’t make any decision. We have two concepts in this country. One concept is, the one which I am leading, and this is that Macedonians and all the other citizens of North Macedonia, with heads up, with dignity, to sit on the big table in Brussels, and give their standpoint on all the issues, to negotiate, and become members of the European Union. The other concept is, with a false dignity, to sit down at the small table here in North Macedonia, alone, isolated, in conflict with all the neighbors, without talks with the European Union. This sitting at the small table, with false dignity, we have seen for eleven years. It is the responsibility of all the political parties to make decisions which will make a better future for the future generations. Because at the end of the day, I know that this process will be hard, and this process of negotiations will be tough, and I am aware of this, and all our citizens are aware of this, but at the end of the day, the big prize is membership in the European Union, because the Macedonian citizens want to be part of the European Union, but they want to live in the European Union in their country here, and not to leave the country and work in the European Union countries,” Kovachevski told the BBC’s HARDtalk programme, adding that it is easiest to be a politician who talks about the past, because when you talk about the past you don’t promise anything, you only play with people’s emotions, but it is very hard to be a politician who talks about the future, because then you make promises.
