Bulgaria says North Macedonia risks EU accession over recent statements

6 months ago 22

Bulgaria does not accept Skopje’s statements contradicting the Neighbourhood Treaty, Bulgarian authorities said following the swearing-in of North Macedonia’s new President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova on Sunday, reminding the nationalist VMRO-DPMNE party that the country’s EU integration path depends on respect for the treaties.

But Siljanovska-Davkova’s sparked controversy when she said she would “conscientiously and responsibly carry out the duties of the President of Macedonia” rather than using the internationally agreed term “Republic of North Macedonia” – angering Bulgaria and Greece, whose ambassador to Skopje walked out of the ceremony.

President Rumen Radev’s position, published on Monday, stated it could impact the country’s EU accession path.

“I am convinced that North Macedonia’s European perspective depends on the strict implementation of the international treaties to which it is a party, as well as the negotiating framework approved by the European Council in July 2022, which, for the information of the responsible institutions in the Republic of North Macedonia, will not be revised,” Radev added.

Bulgaria categorically refuses to remove its much-criticised condition for North Macedonia to start EU accession negotiations.

Two years ago, Sofia and Skopje reached a tough compromise brokered by France. Bulgaria agreed to limit all its claims against North Macedonia to granting rights to the Bulgarian minority. However, the VMRO-DPMNE blocked the constitutional changes and effectively halted the European integration of North Macedonia and Albania, which are moving forward as a package.

Caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev also reacted harshly to the statements made in Skopje.

“We are convinced that the European perspective of the Republic of North Macedonia will depend entirely on its comprehensive implementation of the July 2022 agreements approved by all,” he added.

VMRO-DPMNE leader Christian Mitkoski, the most likely new prime minister in Skopje, showed on 10 May that he would not give up his provocative tone towards Sofia.

He called for a new annexe to the Good Neighbourhood Agreement with Bulgaria, signed in 2017 but not implemented.

In response to Bulgarian Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev’s statement that Bulgaria would not make any new concessions to North Macedonia, Mitkoski said: “Then we will continue with our tasks here and wait for someone reasonable (in Sofia) with whom we can talk”.

(Krassen Nikolov | Euractiv.bg)