site.btaFrench Ambassador in Skopje: North Macedonia-EU Negotiating Framework and Skopje-Sofia Dialogue Are Two Separate Topics

France is offering expert and institutional support for the necessary reforms in North Macedonia, but the opening of negotiation chapters with the EU is contingent on constitutional changes, said French Ambassador in Skopje Christophe Le Rigoleur in an interview with Radio Free Europe on Sunday. 

When asked whether he sees political will between the governments of North Macedonia and Bulgaria for dialogue and truly overcoming the obstacles posed, he replied that it is important not to confuse the topics of Sofia-Skopje dialogue with the North Macedonia-EU negotiating framework, adopted in 2022, which provides for constitutional amendments.

The French Ambassador reiterated that the negotiating framework will not change because it is a fact, it has been accepted by all, and the process of North Macedonia's EU integration must take place within this framework. That process involves the adoption of the constitutional framework, he added. In his words, that is the first item; the second one is the dialogue between North Macedonia and Bulgaria. In his words, the idea is not to start a bilateral dialogue to renegotiate the 2022 compromise or anything else; these are two different things. He explained that the negotiating framework is a European document, not a bilateral one.

In his words, France believes  - and he thinks that applies to most of its European partners, too - that in the current context, it would be important to see an improvement in bilateral relations between Skopje and Sofia, because the last months and years have seen missed opportunities, and restoring trust in important.

According to him, the signing of the agreement on the construction of a cross-border tunnel for the section of Transport Corridor VII beyond North Macedonia's Kriva Palanka is a good example of what can be done in concrete terms in the area of cooperation between the two countries.

In his words, "in recent years or in recent months" there have been occasions for meetings where what unites the two countries is discussed more than what divides them, noting that there are certain issues that strain bilateral relations and, in a way, often seem to undermine the momentum that is beginning to take hold. In his view, this is something to watch out for, noting that authorities on both sides try to calm things down when incidents occur or certain statements are made, but the issue is never that simple and does not encourage the restoration of relations on a daily basis.

France notices that incidents are occurring. For example, someone walking past the Bulgarian Embassy and breaking a window, and other minor incidents that are inconvenient and do not make daily lives easier, the French Ambassador noted.

According to him, the negotiating framework for North Macedonia provides the predictability that the authorities in Skopje speak of, as it establishes or defines what the stages to be completed will be, and the first of these stages is amending the Constitution.