The dialogue that is currently being led over the open issues between Skopje and Sofia has the support of European institutions and member states of the European Union, and the Macedonian positions are clear and principled, said Macedonian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade TimchoMucunski on Friday.
Responding to a reporter’s question during a joint press conference with Swiss Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ignazio Cassis regarding a statement by European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos that work is being done on the dialogue between Macedonia and Bulgaria, Mucunski notes that the process is also taking place at the European level, with support from member states.
“Regarding the issue with Bulgaria, I believe we have stated quite clearly that we are currently working on a dialogue, a dialogue for which, as you have heard from European Union representatives, we have the support of both European institutions and member states,” Mucunski said.
The FM reiterates that the Macedonian side’s positions are clear and principled, and that all current discussions, as well as those held over the past two years, are based on stances that have been clearly presented to European partners.
“I will reiterate that our positions are clear and principled; all the discussions we are currently holding, as well as those we have held over the past year or two, are based on positions that we have presented quite clearly to our European partners,” said Mucunski.
At a press conference in Brussels on November 4, following the presentation of the Enlargement Package, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos was asked by a journalist about the European Commission’s involvement in resolving outstanding issues between Skopje and Sofia. She replied that the EC is doing a great deal regarding relations between the two countries, but that it does not disclose everything.