The dialogue between North Macedonia and Bulgaria has begun and must continue in order to reach a solution on the disputed issues. This was stated by North Macedonia's Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski to local journalists.
„I am glad that the dialogue has begun and that our international partners are familiar with the dialogue. This is the beauty of democracy - to talk when you have different positions, and the skill in democracy is when you bring these different positions closer together and finally reach a compromise“, said Mickoski.
He added: „I expect the dialogue to continue and at some point we will reach a solution.“ The Prime Minister did not confirm whether new talks will take place during the December summit of the European Union. According to him, the process should develop naturally, and the public will be informed in due time about the results.
Meeting in Sofia on Corridor VIII
His comment came after the meeting between the Foreign Ministers of Bulgaria and North Macedonia, Velislava Petrova and Timcho Mucunski, in Sofia. The conversation took place within the framework of the International Ministerial Conference on Corridor VIII on October 8.
The forum was dedicated to the development of transport and energy connectivity between the Adriatic and Black Seas, as well as the importance of the corridor for European integration, economy, security and military mobility. The Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Velislava Petrova confirmed Bulgaria's support for North Macedonia's European perspective while respecting the principle of its own merits.
After the meeting, Mucunski said that the two ministers had a positive discussion about the development of the dialogue between the two countries in the coming period.
Constitutional changes remain the key condition
The main dispute related to North Macedonia's European integration is the inclusion of Bulgarians as a community in the country's constitution. This is part of the agreed negotiating framework and a condition for opening the first cluster of EU membership negotiations. The European Commission states that North Macedonia must adopt the necessary constitutional changes in order for the process to continue.
The VMRO-DPMNE government refuses to implement the changes at this stage and proposes that they enter into force with deferred effect – after the country's accession to the EU. Bulgaria maintains the position that the condition should not be renegotiated or postponed.
Among the remaining unresolved issues are differences in the interpretation of historical events and personalities, discussed by the joint historical commission established in 2018. Sofia and Skopje also have differences on the issue of the status and origin of the Macedonian language.
Mickoski said that the talks began on the advice of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. He expects progress in the next period, but did not specify a specific deadline for a new agreement or a high-level meeting.
Sources: dariknews.bg