Brussels, 21 October 2021 (MIA) – For North Macedonia it is time Bulgaria showed willingness for solution, Defence Minister Radmila Shekerinska said during her visit to Brussels where she has met with EU officials, MIA’s Brussels correspondent reports. It is clear in the EU, she stated, that North Macedonia met all the required criteria and conditions and the mobilization of the bloc to close the bilateral issue with Bulgaria, which has been hindering North Macedonia’s EU integration process, is visible. “We’ve been hurt so many times, I wouldn’t want to speculate. But, it’s evident that the arguments, the reforms, they are to our advantage. It is also evident in all statements of EU officials. I stressed at the meeting that the process cannot and must not be delayed indefinitely,” Minister Shekerinska said speaking to MIA’s correspondent. She also noted that the Prespa Agreement implementation, which the EU considers it its own achievement, depends on North Macedonia’s EU progress. “The Prespa Agreement implementation involves the pace of our accession to the EU. Such behavior that is demonstrated in fact threatens the agreement the EU considers its own achievement. As you walk down the halls of the EU, you see photographs displayed on walls about the history of the EU. One of these photographs is the photo of our prime minister Zoran Zaev and the Greek former prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, alongside EU representatives. It is one of the Union’s achievements and the Union cannot afford to threaten its own achievement,” said Shekerinska after a meeting with European External Action Service Secretary General, Stefano Sannino. Sannino told Shkerinska the same message conveyed by the European Commission President during her recent visit to North Macedonia – that the country has delivered and it is time the EU delivered too. “The Republic of North Macedonia delivered a result that is visible for every objective observer. It is clearly noted in the European report which contains very positive remarks about literally all difficult areas for the first time, involving fundamental rights, fight against corruption, fight against organized crime and the functioning of institutions,” said the Minister. Asked whether North Macedonia is prepared to make concessions for Bulgaria to close the dispute, Shekerinska said that it is Sofia’s turn to make a move. “They have been preparing for elections for a whole year and the process unfortunately is deadlocked. We shouldn’t be naïve, it’s not us who should define everything in our positions, we have been explaining them in the past year. We have to see Bulgaria demonstrating real willingness to move forward. Otherwise, we might threaten our negotiating position,” Minister Shekerinska told MIA.