High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell met today with Deputy Prime Minister Nikola Dimitrov and Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani of North Macedonia. [ Ссылка ] HR/VP Borrell reiterated North Macedonia’s clear and uncontested EU accession perspective. He had a frank and open discussion with Deputy Prime Minister Dimitrov and Foreign Minister Osmani on finding a solution to unblock accession negotiations.
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HR/VP Borrell, Deputy Prime Minister Dimitrov and Foreign Minister Osmani also discussed the privileged partnership between the EU and the Western Balkans in handling the challenges linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, including access to vaccines. The EU has made available EUR 70 million, out of which EUR 8 million will be allocated to North Macedonia, to cover the costs of some of the doses and purchase necessary equipment for vaccination.
Dimitrov: Slovakia one of strongest supporters of EU enlargement
Slovakia is one of the strongest supporters of the EU enlargement policy, in fact, completion of Europe, and promoter of the EU as a union of values, Deputy PM Nikola Dimitrov told Martin Klus, State Secretary at Slovakia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs at an online meeting.
Deputy Prime Minister of Northern Macedonia: "We Do Not Negotiate About Who We Are"
Nikola Dimitrov criticises the Bulgarian veto against the start of EU accession talks – and refuses to negotiate on historical issues.
The Bulgarian government is blocking the start of EU accession negotiations for the neighbouring country of Northern Macedonia, even though its government is considered to be an outstanding force for reform in the Balkans. Sofia wants to force Skopje to stop using the adjective "Macedonian" for its own language, which Northern Macedonia rejects. If Bulgaria does not give in, it will Europeanise itself without the EU enlargement process, the Deputy Prime Minister of Northern Macedonia Nikola Dimitrov announced in the STANDARD interview.
STANDARD: What do you think about the Bulgarian veto on Tuesday against the start of EU accession negotiations with Northern Macedonia?
Dimitrov: That was not a good day for Europe, not a good day for the European perspective of our region, and definitely not a good day for us. But now we want to prevent despair and nationalism and, therefore, we are turning to friendly EU states so that we can achieve the EU standards even without the EU accession process if Bulgaria does not withdraw the veto. If our accession process is reduced to a bilateral problem, to such an extent that discussions about history are more important than those about the fight against corruption, the independence of the judiciary, the functioning of democratic institutions, media freedom, the environment, and energy, then this is not a process that "Europeanises", but one that "Balkanises". We, therefore, need a reform agenda with a network of friends who are already there to help us, and we need to set clear objectives and work on them – we should not waste time.
Does this mean that you will not hold talks with the Bulgarian government on these historical issues and simply wait until the government in Sofia changes?
We will continue to talk to Sofia, but we will not negotiate about who we are and what language we speak. After all, this is part of a historical process and not a political decision. We owe it to our people that we protect their dignity and identity. And if Sofia does not move, then we must find other ways of Europeanising our country.
Do you think Bulgaria will remain tough?
It is difficult to say. We still have a few days left. But for our region, it sends a very bad signal, because we were the first country here to sign a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU. We had candidate status for 15 years. First, we were blocked by Greece, then we solved this problem. Then France initiated a new enlargement methodology, and now there is this new problem with Bulgaria. It is very difficult for us to see if the EU is serious about us. In March of this year, the EU Council gave the green light – Bulgaria was part of this consensus. Then we received a very positive report from the EU Commission in October. And as far as the political criteria are concerned, we are quite advanced, comparable even with those states that have been negotiating for a few years. Over the last three and a half years we have solved problems with neighbours, we have taken great steps towards an open, democratic, multi-ethnic society and reforms of the rule of law. So what kind of message is that to the region if it is not recognised by the EU?
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