Prime Minister ZoranZaev believes that North Macedonia will manage to solve the dispute with Bulgaria and urges Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and the country’s caretaker government to demonstrate European magnanimity towards its neighbor, North Macedonia, and give it a chance to resume the EU accession process.
In an interview with Macedonia’s national broadcaster, Zaev called on all 27 EU members, including Bulgaria, to unanimously decide that North Macedonia has met all preconditions for starting talks. He added expectations for convening the first intergovernmental conference after the meeting of the Council of Ministers and called on Bulgaria to show European manners and return EU’s focus on the region.
“Let’s continue to build friendships. The history we’re currently writing is what’s important, our youth wants us to open doors and opportunities for cooperation, not be stuck in the past,” Zaev noted.
He underlined that his visit to Brussels last week confirmed to EU institutions that North Macedonia won’t negotiate while the Macedonian language and identity are on the table.
“Identity and language are non-negotiable. All our people need to know is that Europe owes us. We’ve delivered. North Macedonia has waited more than anyone else to join the EU. Of all candidate countries, that have already jointed the Union or are still candidates, we’ve been waiting the longest – 16 years,” Prime Minister Zaev said.
According to him, EU enlargement, declared strategic priority by the organization itself, is in danger without Macedonia.
