There is no better way to accelerate the implementation of the Friendship Treaty than speeding up the region’s European prospects. Bilateral issues between North Macedonia and Bulgaria are part of the Treaty and we are not shunning away from our obligations, whereas the two processes could take place in parallel, said Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani at a joint press conference with Czech counterpart Tomas Petricek in Prague on Tuesday.
FM Osmani said all other 26 member-states opposed the attempt to incorporate bilateral issues in the negotiating process.
“This is not only in the interest of North Macedonia, but the negotiating process itself and its role in the region’s European transformation,” said Osmani.
He added that the European process should not be held hostage to bilateral issues with North Macedonia or any other country of the Western Balkans.
“Unfortunately, despite the fact that the European Council decided by consensus to start the accession negotiations with North Macedonia in March, and despite the expectations that the next step in holding the first intergovernmental conference is only a technical aspect related to the political decision, the European Commission failed to align the negotiating framework, thus damaging the European prospects of the region and not validating the country’s success,” noted Osmani.
The FM said this would not discourage North Macedonia, but continue to find solutions for bilateral disputes “that have regretfully again taken ownership of the European process,” but also work on bringing Europe at home by continued efforts on the European agenda.
Czech FM Petricek expressed hope there is still room for a decision on the intergovernmental conference and finding a compromise.
“The Czech Republic supports the German Presidency’s efforts to reach an agreement and for Bulgaria to give up on its demands, in a way, by compromise. I hope the intergovernmental conference will take place, but this depends on tomorrow’s meeting in Brussels,” said Petricek.
He said Prague also had bilateral issues with neighbors that were solved with the support of historians and civil society organizations, expressing readiness to share this experience with their Bulgarian and Macedonian counterparts.
