site.btaNorth Macedonia PM Mickoski Reveals Plan for Possible Inclusion of Bulgarians in Constitution

North Macedonia's Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski Thursday presented his plan for a possible inclusion of Bulgarians in the constitution, which should open the way for his country to join the EU. So far the ruling VMRO-DPMNE party has refused to support revisions of the Basic Law as required by the country's negotiating framework.

Skopje has proposed that constitutional revisions become effective after North Macedonia joins the EU.

Mickoski remains optimistic about unblocking his country's EU integration after talks in Brussels with Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos and European Council President Antonio Costa. 

In Mickoski's words, the government is implementing its plan, its first phase being to state Skopje's position and arguments through "intensive diplomatic action" and to show it is looking for a solution.

"To each of our arguments we expect a counterargument, and we have not had one so far, which means that we have already implemented the first part of the plan. (...) In the second part of the plan, it is important to find if the inclusion of several hundred citizens [according to the official census there are 3,504 Bulgarians in North Macedonia] in the constitution ends our problems or this is the first hurdle, the first 10 metres of the 110-metre race. And I think that with our strategy we will gradually bring out the real intention. I think it is becoming increasingly clear to everybody that this is not the only problem, that problems are yet to come. And that we are not going to go for any adventure if there is no clear plan that we can see the finish line," Mickoski told a news conference after announcing the country's Christmas consumer basket.

Mickoski also said there is "a new team in the EU that is slowly getting to know the problems" and his government "will continue to fight" because North Macedonia "is right and the real truth must be exposed".

"Because the real truth is not that we must change two articles of the preamble of the constitution. The real truth is different and it will surface very soon. This is the second phase of our plan. The third phase is to solve the problems within the country; to show that we are worthy to sit at this [EU] table because of what we do, not because of how many 11th-12th century issues we can solve as a condition for our development in the 21st and the 22nd century," said Mickoski.

He noted that the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Timcho Mucunski, also held numerous bilateral meetings during the December 3-4 Meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs, and that these meetings would continue during the EU-Western Balkans Summit on December 17. Skopje will not allow "a millimetre of Macedonian identity to be lost".

"Because we all deserve a guaranteed future, and this is what I have heard from everyone responsible for enlargement. We are not going to be naive, we have not promised anything, we only want an honest approach. We have not heard a counterargument to what we are saying. We will fight until we succeed," said Mickoski.