Skopje, 20 January 2023 (MIA) – The whole question about the Constitution should not be used as an excuse not to do the reforms. The reforms could have been implemented already earlier, but it is now a crunch time. The screening has started, we cannot have this process disrupted anymore, Ambassador of the Netherlands to North Macedonia Dirk Jan Kop said.

The major problem in the country, according to the Dutch Ambassador Kop, is that the government and the parliament are not fully functional, and to get into the EU, that is highly necessary.

In regard to the constitutional changes on the path to the EU, Kop in the interview with Triling show, said that in his view the logic and reason are on the side of North Macedonia, but also that North Macedonia wants to enter the Europe Union and have to meet the criteria.

“North Macedonia agreed to change the Constitution, as a condition for opening the second phase of intergovernmental conference. In my view, that is only relatively important, because your relations with Bulgaria will not end there. Until you are a member of the EU and sit at the same table, all kinds of member states can put all kinds of obstacles in the way, as history has shown,” Kop said.