SKOPJE – The Prime Minister of North Macedonia Zoran Zaev, stated that Bulgaria imposed the first blockade on European integrations of North Macedonia, thus violating the Friendship Treaty, N1 reported.
“Today was the first COREPER (which discussed the negotiating framework for North Macedonia) and Article 2 of the agreement with Bulgaria was violated, i.e. the first blockade was given“, Zaev said.
According to Article 2 of the Friendship Treaty, Bulgaria must support North Macedonia on the path to EU integration.
“Bulgaria will share its experience to assist the Republic of North Macedonia in meeting the necessary criteria for membership in the European Union”, stated in Article 2.
The Prime Minister of North Macedonia explained that there is a second and a third COREPER before the GAC is held and that he believes that a solution will be found for North Macedonia to start negotiations with the EU in December.
According to Zaev, it should not be dramatized, although the message from the Bulgarian side is not positive.
He is optimistic that the positions could converge during the next two meetings of the working groups and hopes for a positive outcome from the meeting with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov on Monday.
Zaev recalled that there is an intense dialogue between two countries, particularly between the two foreign ministries, and expressed confidence that a solution will be found.
“We have a contract in which we have to use all the important and promising moments that exist in it. This is the model that we have a part of history that is common and part of it separate. We have to use the model of common Use history and through it find the paths we want to establish. If we are smart, what we signed in 2017 can be a great opportunity to find a solution. Historical problems need to be resolved by the Commission and we see that it works”, Zaev concluded.