There’s no plan B, no alternative to EU membership. We want to join to Europeanize the country, to bring Europe in North Macedonia, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev tells MIA in an interview.
Speaking to MIA’s correspondent after the NATO Summit on Monday, Zaev says he wishes there was no veto from Sofia on June 22 and the EU General Affairs Council reached a decision approving the formal opening of negotiations. “If no solution is reached, I hope we could at least conclude the discussions and wait Bulgaria to form political government,” he states.
Bulgaria will hold parliamentary elections on July 11.
Zaev says efforts are made for organizing an official visit to Sofia by the end of the week for talks with Bulgarian top officials on the issue.
In the interview, PM Zaev also talks about the main topics discussed at yesterday’s NATO summit, the first for North Macedonia as a full-fledged member.
How was your first NATO summit representing the country as full-fledged member?
It’s a wonderful feeling because it was the first time that we took part in a NATO summit as full-fledged member and also because NATO for the first time held a summit with 30 member countries. They concluded a special chapter for us, and I believe for the entire Western Balkans. In the preparation of this summit, our ministers of defence and foreign affairs and our Ambassador Dane Taleski had taken active part and in drafting the conclusions. It’s important that NATO sent a message of unity, which wasn’t the case few years ago. Today, [US] President [Joe] Biden as well as many EU leaders, including [French] President Emmanuel Macron, [German] Chancellor [Angela] Merkel and the Italian Prime Minister [Mario Draghi], demonstrated that unity sending a message that NATO knows where it is going. It’s not only combat readiness, it is at the top, but it is also the most powerful and strongest alliance in the world.
21st-century modern challenges include fake news, cyber security, security in communications, building of strategies as well as autocratism from parts of the East, which is penetrating parts of the Alliance, because it doesn’t foster democratic values. Democracy means competitiveness, freedom, it’s not a value for a lot of eastern countries such as Russia, China and many other Asian countries. NATO acts adequately, we built strategies in relation to this issue, which are being upgraded. Everything is included in the NATO 2030 agenda. It requires additional financing as part of the two percent for additional activities of NATO to address 21st-century challenges.
I’m glad that NATO at a summit with North Macedonia participating for the first time developed a modern, 21st-century strategy serving as guarantee of all NATO member countries and as a guarantee as well for world peace.
What is the amount of financing we’ll be setting aside and what would it mean for our citizens and taxpayers?
It means nothing. NATO has a budget of some EUR 2.6 billion, all of our national budgets are part of the NATO budgets, which is estimated to trillions. If we’ve been paying some 30,000, 50,000, 70,000 euros – which is 20%-30% – it’s not that significant. It is, however, significant for Great Britain, Germany, France. We will keep paying as envisaged in our budget, because the strategy of 2 percent of the GDP until 2024 remains.
Even during the coronavirus crisis, our country didn’t abandon this strategy. Our budget is growing every year and until it is required, we’ll keep allocating 2%. Although small, it ends up being serious funding at a level of 30 countries with the GDP the allies have. We all feel the benefits equally – more security, more stability, more democracy and more values we’re committed to.
China was one of the main topics at NATO summit discussions. We have special relations with China, including the vaccines as well as other types of investments. Is this privileged relationship we have with China in line with the pledges you made today regarding China’s security risk to NATO?
North Macedonia is fully in line with developed democracies, I’m not comparing us with the Western Balkan countries, but I’m talking about the cooperation the US has with China, as well as Germany or France. Unlike our neighbors in the Western Balkans, there have been no tête-à-tête contracts.
Adhering to fulfilment of conditions and complete competitiveness and accountability within, applies to everyone, including Chinese companies. That’s why they don’t participate in some tender processes. Competitiveness and European legislation is an imperative to us. A Chinese company can work only after being selected at a tender, tête-à-tête contract are out of the question. We went through a dramatic process that made us realize it’s impermissible.
Competitiveness is a must. As a small country, we want to be friends with everyone. When our partners are building friendship and cooperation with China and Russia, our goal is to also build friendship bearing in mind we’re in NATO and that NATO principles should be fully observed. China is awarding serious subsidies to many Chinese companies, which gives them advantage ahead of many European companies. Both NATO and the EU are aware about it, which is why they are seeking adequate mechanism because transparency and accountability always guarantee quality and competitiveness.
I believe that serious mechanisms for all modern threats to NATO’s values will be found, namely rule of law, democracy, competitiveness, freedom, etc.
Would you approve China to build the 5G network in North Macedonia?
For a NATO member, it’s impermissible.
In addition to holding a bilateral meeting with [Bulgarian President Rumen] Radev, did you have any other talks?
I met with almost all leaders attending the summit. I met again with President Macron after he conferred with President Radev. I met Chancellor Merker, [Dutch] PM [Mark] Rutte, [British] PM Boris Johnson. I also had the chance to talk to US President Joe Biden, to talk about energy ties through the Alexandroupoli project, a joint US-Greek-Macedonian project, but we also discussed his visit to the Western Balkans. I took the opportunity to invite him for a visit, of course he responded positively, saying he is familiar with the region, has worked in the Western Balkans, and a visit to the area would be on his agenda. He also congratulated North Macedonia on its NATO membership.
Our meeting was pleasant as strategic partners talking about values, democracy, improvement of the living standards in North Macedonia. The United States has been really here to support us in these past 30 years since the declaration of independence. This support to resume is of great importance to me and to the people.
The United States was the only one that reacted to Bulgaria’s blockade. Did you discuss Bulgaria’s blockade to the EU integration process with Biden?
I just said that we’re thankful [US Secretary of State Antony] Blinken called President Radev to discuss this issue. And that it matters to us that the country is encouraging the two sides to find a solution. US support has always positively impacted efforts to find solutions through diplomacy. It’s important to us that the country alongside EU countries is also engaged. As you can see, all 26 member countries are focused on us in a positive way and they should since they owe it to us. The US being also engaged gives me hope that we’re doing everything we can to reach a solution. But, we have to take into consideration that Bulgaria has no parliament, it has caretaker government and that it’s possible a decision not to be made. It’s important not to raise expectations.
Our citizens should know that our job is to do everything in our power. At the meeting, we agreed a visit to Sofia to be organized by the end of this week. If we don’t reach a solution, then at least let us make breakthrough allowing a solution to be found with the political government. We’re making efforts by the end of this week to organize official visit to Sofia where we could discuss all details with the President, the Prime Ministers and government ministers.
What might be the breakthrough? Could it mean that Sofia might lift the veto on June 22?
That’s the desired breakthrough, no veto from Sofia on June 22, i.e. the EU General Affairs Council to reach a decision. If there’s no solution, by breakthrough I mean seeking ways to make sure the Macedonian language and identity are not part of the negotiation, to define sectorial cooperation between the two countries as part of the roadmap, the intensity of meetings of the joint commission and a solution to be found through the Portuguese proposal, which definitively protects the Macedonian language and the identity because it’s good basis to move forward. If we don’t achieve this on June 22, let’s at least conclude these discussions and wait for Bulgaria to form political government.
Bulgaria will hold elections on July 11 before forming a government, a political government to continue the negotiations aimed at seeking solutions. It could be done in September, October, December. It’s important that the citizens know what the reality is. Really, we are not that far away from solution nor the issue is something special, I’ve already said it is ridiculous. The problem is that they have no parliament, no political government, which makes it difficult in terms of decision-making.
But, there are no guarantees with a political government either, we saw what happened with the previous political government.
I agree. There are no guarantees with a political government either, but our job is to do everything we can at a time when the whole democratic world is supporting us, when everyone has called North Macedonia and Bulgaria to encourage us, to offer solution that protests the interests of the two sides though the Portuguese presidency.
Do we have plan B or alternative to EU membership?
There’s no plan B, no alternative to the EU. I’ve heard all the debates about joining the European Economic Area. We’re trading like EU member, but we don’t have funds, what we are entitled to when chapters are being opened. According to the new methodology [of negotiations], closing of every cluster of chapters means access to funds – either economy-related, healthcare-related or environment-related. We don’t have that now. We need to close these chapters in order to be awarded these funds, there’s nothing else we can do while waiting. It’s the path to the EU and you know that the process of EU accession is also of process to Europeanize North Macedonia, which requires opening and closing of chapters, boosting productivity and rule of law, improving healthcare, education, European way of life. Let’s bring Europe in North Macedonia.
