Former President Branko Crvenkovski in Monday’s speech at MANU gave some kind of transitional assessment of the Prespa Agreement, but condemned the agreement with Bulgaria.
We were informed and even guaranteed that the Prespa Agreement is the key that will open both doors (to NATO and the EU). Unfortunately, it turned out not to be so. We became a member of NATO, but due to the positions of Bulgaria we cannot start negotiations with the EU.
“However, I would not equate the Prespa Agreement with Greece with the Friendship and Cooperation Agreement with Bulgaria for at least one reason. The Prespa Agreement with Greece, which I do not consider good, much less ideal, but a choice of lesser evil, still closed a difficult open question. The agreement with Bulgaria not only did not close any issue, but on the contrary, opened the Pandora’s Box and created the basis for a whole series of demands by Bulgaria, which to such an extent penetrate our national identity and history that a compromise is simply not possible.” said Crvenkovski.
