„The instillation of hatred towards Bulgaria in the Republic of North Macedonia is a direct result of the policy of the ruling party in Skopje.“ This was stated by MEP from the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, Christian Vigenin, in an interview for the special studio of Darik Radio in Strasbourg. The occasion for the comment was the incident with the burned cars of the Bulgarian embassy in Skopje.
„I fully support the president's position, because this act, although it will be presented as a random occurrence of a criminal individual, is the result of the policy of a series of leaderships in the Republic of North Macedonia, which systematically instill hatred, directly or indirectly. The fact that the perpetrator has been caught is not enough. Systematic actions are needed“, Vigenin said. He noted that it will also be important for the Parliament of North Macedonia to clearly condemn such acts.
The MEP announced that the Bulgarian representatives in the European Parliament are preparing a common position on the case. According to him, the unanimity of all 17 Bulgarian MEPs shows that this is a national, not a party position.
“We have been trying to find the right path towards the Republic of North Macedonia for many years. We have made many compromises, we hoped that the French proposal, which is already European and part of the negotiating framework, would allow for constructive steps on their part. So far, nothing has happened. Our neighbors do not want to take any path towards the European Union. They are only looking for excuses and justifications“, said Vigenin.
According to him, Bulgaria remains a consistent supporter of the European perspective of North Macedonia, but it cannot support the membership of a country that maintains a hostile attitude towards it.
“We want to see North Macedonia in the European Union, but we cannot allow a country that is hostile towards us to enter. They must win Bulgaria, because without Bulgaria's vote, the Republic of North Macedonia cannot become a member of the European Union“, he stressed. Vigenin said that perhaps it is time to change the approach and declare that the membership of the Republic of North Macedonia in the EU will be subject to a referendum. This will force the neighbors to change their policy towards Bulgaria, because they will have to give arguments to Bulgarian citizens in favor of their candidacy.
Commenting on economic issues, the MEP called for more active action against the unjustified retention of high prices for fuels and goods.
“When the price starts to rise, it immediately flies up, and the fall is not as fast for gasoline and diesel. The government must step into its functions and see what is happening on this issue“, said Vigenin. According to him, the reduction in energy prices should also affect the prices of products that have risen in price in recent months.
On the topic of the budget and social policy, he warned that limiting the deficit should not be at the expense of people with low and middle incomes.
“We constantly hear from the ruling party that the budget deficit will be limited by cutting social spending. This is the wrong policy. The BSP is clear in this regard. There are steps and ways. A deficit is overcome not only by cutting spending, but also by increasing revenues. Let the price not be paid by people with the lowest and middle incomes“, said Vigenin.
In the interview, he also commented on the upcoming presidential elections. “The presidential elections are important because they will largely finalize the cycle of political instability that we have been observing in recent years“, he said.
According to Vigenin, if Iliana Yotova officially announced her candidacy, she would be the natural candidate for support from the BSP. “She stands solid and stable. Bulgarians have generally finished with the experiments and at this point I do not see a serious alternative to her candidacy“, said Christian Vigenin.
For contact with the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the EP: https://www.socialistsanddemocrats.eu/