site.btaBulgarian MEP Lauds “Common Sense” in European Parliament Report on North Macedonia

After the European Parliament’s progress report on North Macedonia was adopted in Strasbourg on Wednesday, carrying no references to “Macedonian language and identity” that had been challenged by Bulgaria, Ivaylo Valchev, a Bulgarian MEP (ECR/There Is Such a People), told journalists: “This is not a football match, not a competition we've won to boast about. Anyone on the side of common sense can take satisfaction."

“We can be pleased that the chamber — and this Parliament — acted with reason and did not allow deep philosophical and ideological issues like identity to be included in what is supposed to be a pragmatic report, a snapshot of the situation in a given country,” Valchev added. He stressed that language and identity have no place in such a report.

“Nothing happening here, around the vote on this report, poses any threat to or seeks to undermine national identity or language. In the 21st century, it is completely natural for people to feel as they choose and to define their language however they see fit,” said Valchev.

“It’s more than clear that we in Bulgaria, as modern people in the 21st century, have no issue with the language spoken by our neighbour or with their identity. What we do have an issue with is politicians there who cling to the word ‘identity’ and stretch it back through the centuries, turning historical figures and events from our history — clearly part of our history — into elements of their own,” he said. “That opportunity was not given to them today.”

Regarding the content of the report, the Bulgarian MEP noted that it paints a “not very cheerful picture” of public and political life in North Macedonia, citing findings on corruption, media and civil freedoms, and the concentration of power. According to Valchev, these elements are not what one would expect from a country genuinely seeking to stand at the threshold of the European Union.

Valchev also commented that during the report's drafting process “it was absolutely clear there was an attempt to gift the current government [of Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski] a report that would provide a favourable launchpad for the upcoming local elections in North Macedonia” scheduled for this autumn.

The MEP said that, going forward, Skopje must read the report, understand its findings, and act in accordance with the agreements which North Macedonia has already signed — publishing the full texts so citizens can form their own opinions.

According to Valchev, there are indeed people in North Macedonia who truly want to be part of the European Union. “The gap between the current ruling party [VMRO-DPMNE] and the ordinary citizens of the Republic of North Macedonia is not only large, but it continues to grow. But these are decisions for the country’s citizens to make — they have elections, and such decisions are made at the ballot box,” he concluded.