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© Velko Angelov
Bulgaria supports the negotiating framework for the accession of Albania, but not for North Macedonia, to the European Union.
This was announced by Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva in a briefing after a videoconference of the ministers of European Affairs and Foreign Affairs, BNR reported. With this step, Sofia vetoed the first intergovernmental conference and delayed its European integration; there will be an opportunity to discuss the negotiating framework in the coming months. Today’s “no”, however, is loaded with symbolism, as it was the deadline set by Bulgaria to find a compromise for the country to accept the intergovernmental conference.
Zaharieva’s words, according to which the three conditions set for Skopje by Sofia have not been met, confirm Bulgaria’s decision to be the only EU member not to schedule the first intergovernmental conference with North Macedonia. As of a month and a half ago, it is not known whether another country has supported Bulgaria’s position in the General Affairs Council.
“Consideration of the ‘Enlargement’ issue has just ended,” Focus quoted her as saying. I emphasize that at this point in today’s advice can not be taken. The German Presidency included it as an update provision and discussion on the status of the negotiating framework for the Republic of North Macedonia and Albania.
For Albania, on the contrary, Bulgaria believes that “they have fulfilled most of the conditions that they had established in the March decision.” Zaharieva is referring to the March decision by European leaders (backed by Bulgaria) to formally approve talks with North Macedonia without setting a date.
Bilateral disputes with North Macedonia are not part of the criteria for joining the EU or starting the negotiation process. Bulgaria wanted this to change, at least at the level of a negotiating framework. However, several EU countries objected.
Zaharieva stressed that the draft negotiating framework “does not reflect the demands of Bulgaria.” Since the European Commission proposed a negotiating framework in July, Sofia has been trying to negotiate a compromise at the bilateral level and include her concerns in the European negotiating framework.
Why did you come here?
Until recently, there was hope in Skopje that Sofia would change her position, but the arguments put forward by Bulgaria in recent weeks have been piling up. Bulgaria first accused the country of not complying with the 2017 Neighborhood Agreement and the terms of the Framework Position adopted by the Bulgarian parliament last October (but not by North Macedonia). He later demanded recognition that the language and people of North Macedonia have Bulgarian roots.
In interviews, in bilateral talks with Macedonian representatives and at the European level, Bulgaria has been defending this position since September, despite Germany’s insistence that an intergovernmental conference be held this year, during the German presidency of the EU. With today’s move, this seems less and less likely, despite Berlin’s attempts to compromise.
Today, Zaharieva announced that North Macedonia is not ready for the EU at this time, although scheduling the first intergovernmental conference is just the beginning of negotiations, a first step in a long process that will surely take years.
In the days leading up to this decision, the atmosphere in Skopje is heating up and the tone towards Bulgaria, much friendlier in the last three years than during the time of Nikola Gruevski or earlier, is changing significantly. Read more here.
More details are expected later at www.dnevnik.bg.
