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Roadmap to accelerate the implementation of the 2017 Neighborhood Agreement. Skopje and Sofia are negotiating this, but it is not yet clear when this document can be signed.
Signs from Bulgaria are that this is unlikely to happen under the German rotating EU presidency, which expires at the end of the year.
“We are talking about a practical roadmap for the implementation of the points of the Neighborhood Agreement with Bulgaria”, said Zoran Popov, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of North Macedonia, who is part of the negotiating team with neighboring Bulgaria, reports Nezavisen Vesnik.
For the moment, Bulgaria is silent on the negotiations.
“There are no secret negotiations”, Popov said, highlighting that there are ongoing talks with the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry.
Popov explained that a document was being discussed and it was clarified: “We will see if this will be a memorandum or a protocol for the implementation of the contract.”
It points to accusations by the main opposition party, VMRO-DPMNE, that it claims that the Zoran Zaev government is in secret talks with Sofia about “the fragmentation of North Macedonia.”
“I can say that the roadmap refers to the accelerated implementation of the Good Neighbor and Cooperation Treaty in various areas: economy, education, defense, culture, environment”, Popov explained to Thelma TV, as quoted by BTA.
As a negotiating team led by the prime minister, no one has ever accepted conversations about the Macedonian language and identity, Popov stressed.
To lift her blockade, Sofía insists that a new document be signed with the Neighborhood Agreement as of 2017 with specific commitments and guarantees for its implementation. Skopje has indicated that it is willing to take such steps, but negotiations are ongoing. The other EU member states did not comply with the Bulgarian requirements and refused to include them in the North Macedonia negotiating framework. This, as well as Skopje’s refusal to make concessions, caused Sofia to veto it.
Bulgaria has accused North Macedonia of not implementing the Neighborhood Agreement and is sabotaging the work of the joint historical commission to clear up the dispute. Furthermore, hate speech against Sofia continues in North Macedonia.
However, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev has shown that he is willing to make concessions to move his country to the EU and faces strong internal political pressure.
Buckovski: I am not a miracle worker
A day ago, the government appointed former Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski as special envoy for relations with Bulgaria, and Popov commented that this was a clear and unequivocal sign of the government’s seriousness and commitment to investing in good neighborly relations with Bulgaria.
Buckovski himself said that he was not a miracle worker, but that he would try to help find a solution.
I am not a miracle worker, I am not someone’s ace up his sleeve, I am not someone’s prankster. I am Vlado Buckovski, a former Prime Minister who has gained confidence in Bulgarian society for the past 15 years.
I believe this will be an added value in our government’s efforts to succeed and find a solution in the spirit of European values, the newly appointed Special Representative for the Dispute with Bulgaria, Vlado Buckovski, said last night. quoted by “Nezavisen Vesnik”.
Buckovski announced that he would coordinate his first visits to Bulgaria with the government.
We, as true friends, as responsible politicians, believe that we can find a common language. Common history must be our contribution to the common future, Buckovski said of expectations for his mission.
After Lyubcho Georgievski, Buckovski is the second former prime minister and influential politician chosen by the government to try to melt the ice with Sofia, the Skopje daily reported.
VMRO-DPMNE continues with road blocks
Prime Minister Zoran Zaev assessed on Facebook yesterday that the opposition’s attempts to block the work of parliament in a global pandemic are dangerous, shameful and irresponsible. Zaev called on opposition lawmakers to reconsider their position.
Zoran Zaev sent a message to the VMRO-DPMNE deputies to reject obedience to Mickoski, writes Nezavisen.
The prime minister accused the opposition of trying to block the passage of laws during the coronavirus pandemic, including 6,000 dinars in vouchers, aid for retirees, single parents, self-employed artists and filmmakers.
Zaev sent a message to the VMRO-DPMNE deputies to decide if obedience to their leader Mickoski is more important to them than citizens.
VMRO-DPMNE announced that it continues with protests against Zaev and possible concessions to Bulgaria in many cities.
Macedonian – a separate language from the group of South Slavs
In this context, the University of Skopje “Saint Cyril and Methodius” presented a position on the Macedonian language as a separate language from the group of South Slavs.
According to the university, “the Macedonian language and its dialect diversity have a spatial and temporal continuity.”
“Macedonian is a separate language from the South Slavic language group, taught in university centers around the world,” the university said.
However, according to BAS, the official language of Skopje is “North Macedonian Bulgarian”.
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