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I encourage Skopje and Sofia to redouble their efforts to reach a mutually acceptable solution to the outstanding issues. This was stated today before the European Parliament by the EU Neighborhood and Enlargement Commissioner, Oliver Warhey.
I call for refraining from statements and actions that violate the broader European interests, he added, BTA reported.
North Macedonia’s (PCM) bilateral agreements with Greece and Bulgaria must be implemented in good faith by all, the commissioner said. He expressed hope that accession talks with PCM will start in July.
According to him, the reforms in the PCM must continue. Good neighborly relations are a key part of the path to the EU, Warhey said. He added that Skopje still has a lot of work to do to combat corruption and organized crime, and enforce the rule of law.
MEP Ilhan Kyuchyuk (Renew Europe / MRF), RSM’s Progress Rapporteur, highlighted the long and difficult track record of reforms and concessions on the way to the EU. He noted that the EP report on the country called on the RSM parties to refrain from provocative and nationalist rhetoric, and insisted on additional, deeper and faster reforms. We hope that RSM and Bulgaria will resume constructive dialogue to achieve sustainable progress, Kyuchyuk said. According to him, it is necessary to reach concessions on a plan of measures, which will be constantly evaluated in accordance with the bilateral agreement and this will allow accession negotiations to begin as soon as possible. When trust is broken, it must be restored, and the best way is to return to the foundations of the treaty, he said.
Andrei Kovachev (PPE / GERB) noted that joining the EU is the fastest way to overcome the effects of communism. All those who have publicly declared their Bulgarian origin continue to be discriminated against in the PCM. Historical truth is taboo and whoever shares it is subjected to pressure and insults. The problem is not a historical-cultural dispute, but the trampling of democratic rights, such as the right to free expression, explained Kovachev. He said that more than 130,000 Bulgarian citizens were of RSM origin, as part of the Bulgarian historical community, which until Tito’s regime represented a majority there. These people live in fear and are pressured not to write as Bulgarians in the next census. The latest example is the Eurovision contestant, whose only sin was sharing his Bulgarian origin and a wave of threats followed, Kovachev added.
Angel Djambazki (EKR / IMRO) pointed out that the PCM is a drastic violation of basic human right: self-determination. He gave examples of threats and pressure against people who openly declared their Bulgarian ethnic origin. The Bulgarian flags are burning in RSM, this is North Korea. The Bulgarian government is defending the historical truth, he concluded. Alexander Yordanov (EPP / UDF) stated that RSM is not complying with the agreement with Bulgaria and the anti-Bulgarian campaign continues. The genocide of the Bulgarians under the communist regime continued without being condemned, the policy of changing the identity of the deceased Bulgarians and the theft of the Bulgarian cultural and historical heritage continued. These are crimes, not a historical dispute. Skopje does not speak “Macedonian”, but hate speech against Bulgarians and Bulgaria, he added. Bulgaria wants us to accept PCM in the EU, but after this country is vaccinated against the communist virus of the past, Yordanov added.
Petar Vitanov (SD / BSP) pointed out that the escalating confrontation on the RSM issue is being used in Bulgaria by extremely fascist nationalist parties in the election campaign. According to him, at RSM this puts additional pressure on people with a Bulgarian identity. We are in favor of RSM’s progress, but it goes through good neighborly relations, Vitanov added. The representatives of the parliamentary groups of the Socialists and Democrats (SD) and the Greens called for accession negotiations to begin. According to the Board of Directors, the Bulgarian veto is irresponsible and must be revoked. MEPs are expected to vote later on reports on the progress of the PCM and other Western Balkan countries on the way to the EU.
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