At the TV program “Speak Now” on BNT, the former negotiator of the Macedonian Government, Vlado Buckovski commented that he still believes that the key to progress between Bulgaria and North Macedonia is the 2017 agreement, MIA reports.

As the MIA correspondent from Sofia reported, according to Buckovski, the statement of the previous Bulgarian parliament caused problems in the relations between the two countries, on the other hand, Bulgaria believes that North Macedonia does not fulfill the agreement. However, Skopje believes that the declaration can not have a greater value than the agreement, because it has been ratified by the parliaments of both countries.

In terms of infrastructure, according to Buckovski, Skopje has done twice as much as Sofia, giving an example with the financing of the railway to Kriva Palanka for which 400 million euros have been provided. Then, in 45 minutes less travel from Skopje to Sofia on the road from Rankovce to Kriva Palanka, and the part from Kriva Palanka to Deve Bair will be ready by the end of 2022. At the same time, he says, a connection should be made with the highway to Stip, which through Delchevo and Blagoevrad should have a connection with Bulgaria.

According to him, none of the Macedonian Bulgarians signaled to the Ombudsman of North Macedonia or the Commission for Discrimination that his rights were restricted on a national basis. In order to change the Constitution of North Macedonia and to include the Bulgarians in it, he explains that there must be 2/3 or 81 MPs. The opposition in the Macedonian Parliament, represented by VMRO-DPMNE, opposes this to happen, but at the same time signals that it wants reciprocity, despite the fact that the Bulgarian Constitution does not have such an element. The issue of human rights and the common history that unites nations through common personalities will have to continue, as it is written in the Treaty.

In the interview, Buckovski addressed the Bulgarian citizens, asking them what was the effect of the blockade of North Macedonia and whether Bulgaria achieved the goal or increased the level of hate speech, and the answer according to him was the second.

– The solution is in the Agreement, the two governments must restore trust. The problem was that there was no government in Bulgaria for eight months”, which according to him affected the overall dynamics of seeking a solution to the problem.

For the former Macedonian negotiator, the key question is why the blockade came from the Bulgarian side, which was a big enigma for him.

Source: MIA