site.btaAntonio Costa: Skopje Must Fulfill Its Commitments to Advance Toward the EU

“I understand the discontent of the Republic of North Macedonia, since they have amended their Constitution, changed their national flag, and even the name of their State. Naturally, they expect the EU accession process to move forward. But what has been approved is approved, what has been agreed is agreed, and they must fulfill it,” said European Council President Antonio Costa, responding to a question on whether Bulgaria can rely on the support of the European Council and the European Commission for the inclusion of Bulgarians in the Constitution of the Republic of North Macedonia.

Costa arrived in Sofia Thursday evening and held a joint briefing with Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov at the Boyana Residence.

He recalled that in 2022 the European Council approved the conditions for the Republic of North Macedonia’s EU accession, and the country must honor those commitments in order to advance in negotiations. “I am personally very engaged in this process; I have visited both Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia. I believe that after the elections in the Republic of North Macedonia, we can move forward. The Republic of North Macedonia has been working on this process for a long time,” Costa said.

At the same time, he stressed that it is very important to build trust and to guarantee the Republic of North Macedonia that no additional demands will be made afterwards. Costa welcomed the fact that most governments have worked on concrete issues that can improve the connectivity between the two peoples and the competitiveness of their economies.

“When I come to the region, I always say the same thing—that the accession process requires a lot, but the most important thing is to change attitudes. The key is that the region itself can overcome the conflicts of the past and focus on the shared future,” Costa stated.

He recalled that when doubts arise about whether this is possible, one must remember how the EU was born. “Our Union was born out of the ashes of World War II, when countries like France and Germany, after three dramatic wars, decided to say—enough,” he said, recalling the history of European integration. According to him, the EU’s success stems from the decision of countries like France and Germany to put the past behind them. “We overcome our past conflicts, and now it is time to work together to build a shared future,” Antonio Costa concluded.