site.btaPoliticians Comment on Parliament's Resolution on North Macedonia

Bulgaria's Foreign Minister and politicians Friday commented on Parliament's resolution on the progress of the Republic of North Macedonia in the process of accession to the European Union. Earlier in the day, the National Assembly voted unanimously, 194-0, to pass the resolution.

The resolution, moved by Toshko Yordanov MP of There Is Such a People (TISP) and a group of MPs, points out that Bulgaria remains fully committed to the July 2022 European consensus and called on the authorities in North Macedonia to respect strictly the understandings they have undertaken. The document describes as "unacceptable" any attempts to renegotiate, circumvent or ignore any elements of the understandings reached within the EU formats and institutions.

Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev told reporters that Bulgaria's European-style restrained diplomatic tone and behaviour, in absolute counterpoint to the sometimes very hysterical behaviour of other countries, should not be mistaken for lack of activity. "Not only in recent days, but also in general, Bulgaria's policy on the European integration of the Western Balkans and specifically of our western neighbour - the Republic of North Macedonia - is completely stable and firm," he said.

"Bulgaria will continue to respect the 2022 agreement. We will not budge an inch from it," the Foreign Minister said. He was referring to an agreement between Sofia and Skopje, with France playing a mediating role, to allow North Macedonia in the EU under certain conditions, including the incorporation of Bulgarians as a constituent people in the country's Constitution. "We will not stop reiterating that compliance with the European requirements is what is needed to make progress, and the membership criteria set in the 2022 EU-Skopje consensus must be met in order for this country to move further in its European integration process," Georgiev said.

Asked whether Bulgaria would veto North Macedonia's EU entry if the accession negotiations are launched before there is a change in the Constitution, Georgiev said that from all the talks he has had so far, including with his Austrian counterpart two days ago, there is no attitude in that direction. On the contrary, both the European Council President and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs said the same thing: no option B, no plan B. There is only one plan - to change the Constitution, to meet the cluster criteria, to get the process moving. In his words, his Austrian counterpart said the same: Skopje should use the toolbox to talk but also meet the accession criteria.

GERB leader Boyko Borissov told journalists: "We have a Treaty of [Friendship,] Good-Neighbourliness [and Cooperation], there is the so-called French Proposal, and we insist that everyone abide by the good-neighbourliness agreement. Any provocations that are being made are not in anyone's interest."

"The resolution reiterates that the fundamental document for modern history is the good-neighbourliness agreement," Borissov said. He said he had discussed the matter with European Council President Antonio Costa, the President of the European People's Party (EPP), Manfred Weber, and other colleagues from the EPP.

Borissov called "a provocation" the burning of Bulgarian cultural centres and the failure of the Republic of North Macedonia to recognize Bulgarians as a constituent people in its Constitution. "And we have issued over 100,000 [Bulgarian] passports to citizens of the Republic of North Macedonia," he added.

Stanislav Balabanov MP of TISP: "Nothing substantial will happen with the Republic of North Macedonia unless it fulfils all agreements". He commented that the Republic of North Macedonia "must fulfil absolutely all agreements in order to even consider moving toward the EU". In his view, North Macedonia's Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski is behaving arrogantly towards Bulgaria.

"Today's resolution of Parliament will oblige the Council of Ministers, specifically the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, to closely monitor the process and not allow even a centimetre of deviation from Bulgaria's position," Balabanov stressed, adding that the resolution also sends a message to all Bulgarian MEPs to stand united and defend Bulgaria's stance.

Kiril Petkov, Continue the Change Co-chair and MP of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria, told journalists: "Everyone finally understood that the only way to protect the interest of Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia is when the Bulgarian position becomes the European one."