Kumanovo, 18 December 2023 (MIA) — EU's only condition for opening the first cluster of the negotiation chapters with North Macedonia is for the country to adopt the required constitutional amendments; any statements otherwise are political opinions, Deputy Prime Minister Bojan Marichikj said in response to a reporter's question about Bulgaria's Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel's recent comments on the country's EU integration progress.

Regarding Gabriel's comment that North Macedonia was required not only to adopt the constitutional amendments but also to abide by the Friendship Treaty and the two protocols signed with Bulgaria, Marichikj said that both the Frendship Treaty and the Prespa Agreement had been included in the negotiation framework as part of maintaining good neighborly relations with Bulgaria and Greece respectively and the state would honor them.

He added that "the signed protocols are being implemented and should be implemented." However, he added, their immediate implementation was not a condition to open the first cluster.

"Statements have been given before and will be given again," Deputy PM Marichikj said. "What is important to us is what is written in the European Council conclusions."

He recalled that the conclusions had said the second intergovernmental conference would be held between the EU and North Macedonia — and the first cluster would be opened — as soon as the constitutional changes were made. "Immediately, without any further delay, without any new political decisions, which is very important," Marichikj pointed out.

"The sole condition for opening the first cluster is the constitutional amendments, which is what the European Council conclusions clearly say. Any other statements I view only as political, they are political opinions," Marichikj said.

Asked what if Albania continued on the EU path alone, he said any country making progress toward EU membership was good news and North Macedonia should focus on its own progress. "We need to take care of our own obligations and do our work so we can move forward," he said.

He added that the country's problems with corruption and the rule of law could be solved if institutions were strengthened. He pointed to Croatia as an example of how corruption could be overcome in four to five years.

Asked about SDSM potentially forming a coalition with DUI ahead of the general election, Marichikj said his party had given a clear signal that it would be forming a European coalition of parties, regardless of ideology or ethnicity, that are in favor of EU membership by 2030.

"There are two blocs in North Macedonia: One that wants the country to join the EU soon by overcoming all problems, and another that wants us to stay in the waiting room and have waiting be our strategy," he said. mr/

Фото: МИА