Skopje, 15 July 2021 (MIA) - Slovenia’s EU presidency is very motivated to solve the dispute between North Macedonia and Bulgaria. There’s already intensive communication between our presidency and Sofia, with Brussels as well and other EU member countries. We’d like to get a clearer picture as soon as possible on certain positions and we wouldn’t wait until December, we’d like to see this issue solved sooner if possible, Slovenian Ambassador Milan Predan said. On Thursday, he presented the priorities of the Slovenian presidency of the Council of the EU at a joint session of the National EU Integration Council and the EU Affairs Committee in Parliament. According to the Slovenian diplomat, political will and pragmatism from both parties is needed. Predan said the Slovenian presidency cannot promise political miracles. “What can be promised in international politics is hard work, quiet diplomacy,” he noted. The Ambassador announced that one of the top priorites of the Slovenian presidency is EU enlargement with Western Balkan countries. “It will be high on our agenda,” said Predan. Slovenia’s presidency, he said, sincerely hopes that by the EU-Western Balkans summit in October there will, if not a decision, at least a clear perspective on how the Sofia-Skopje issue could be solved. Slovenia, said the Ambassador, following the attempts of the two previous presidencies of Germany and Portugal will make third attempt to solve the Skopje-Sofia dispute. According to Predan, the proposal of the Portuguese presidency, which has become a proposal of the EU Presidency, is well-balanced taking into consideration the two parties. He said he believes that the document could prove to be the basis for finding a reasonable solution. If we succeed in unblocking the process, said the Slovenian diplomat, it will be a positive signal for the whole region. “Also, we rely on the two parties that they will be able to calm down their emotions because we need a certain level of mutual trust to come to an agreement. In this case, I believe that with all these prepared documents perhaps we have the chance to come, to reach a solution until the EU-Western Balkans summit in October,” Predan told the session in Parliament. He also voiced optimism that some kind of agreement could be reached in the joint commission on historical issues. “EU thinks that bilateral issues shouldn’t be included in the integration process and we have to work on it, on how to adjust certain demands of the neighboring countries,” Ambassador Predan stressed. Addressing the session, EU Ambassador David Geer said he understands the disappointment of the public in recent months after the opening of negotiations with North Macedonia wasn’t approved. “The EU supports you and we encourage you. We are here for North Macedonia, we were with you during the pandemic and we will keep providing assistance in all possible ways, from both economic and investment point of view,” said Geer. The diplomat said they welcomed the efforts of previous presidencies regarding the opening of negotiations. “We will support Slovenia for a decision to be made as soon as possible. The European perspective of North Macedonia hasn’t been brought into question, Geer stressed adding that all EU leaders have confirmed that there’s no other alternative but EU accession for North Macedonia. “Together, we all need to work to close outstanding issues and to launch negotiations as soon as possible,” Geer said. Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani said Slovenia has taken over the presidency of the Council of the EU at a crucial time for the bloc itself as it is facing numerous challenges, including impasse of the enlargement policy and the necessity to reaffirm the European perspective of the Western Balkan countries. Slovenia, he said, as immediate neighbor in the region, not only knows the region, but it also has its own interest and wants to help the region. “What was a strong political engagement by Germany had turned into a Portuguese proposal to settle the differences, which is now considered as proposal of the presidency managed by Slovenia. Amid these complex political relations, it could be called a small political benefit – to provide a constant as part of the EU presidency, which will hold our European dossier high on EU’s agenda with an accent on removing Bulgaria’s blockade. It is a vital message that the Union hasn’t given up on the country and the region and that it is actively engaged in solving the challenges in the countries,” Osmani stated. North Macedonia in the coming period, he added, will keep producing results in implementing EU-oriented reforms in the interest of our citizens and investing in good neighborly relations. Launched on July 1, the Slovenian presidency of the Council of the EU is based on four priorities, namely resilience, recovery and EU strategic autonomy; the Conference on the Future of EU; European way of life, rule of law and equal criteria for all; credible and secure EU capable of providing security and stability in its neighborhood.