Skopje, 1 July 2024 (MIA) – Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said Monday that the Prespa Agreement is a reality that is part of the constitutional and legal order of the country noting that the Friendship Treaty has already been renegotiated by adding the so called “French Proposal”, which proposes constitutional changes.

I don’t see why some other proposals including the demands of the Macedonian people cannot be annexed, said Mickoski when asked to comment on remarks by the U.S. Ambassador Angela Aggeler given in an interview with Radio Free Europe, saying the neither the Prespa Agreement nor the deal with Bulgaria will be renegotiated as a way for the country to join the European Union.

“As regards the Prespa [Agreement], we have already revealed our position saying this agreement is a reality that is part of the constitutional and legal order of Macedonia and there should be no dilemma. As regards the constitutional changes that are proposed as part of the so called ‘French proposal’, which is a supplement to the Good Neighborly Treaty, in fact a renegotiation of the Good Neighborly Treaty, you also know our position that we will not negotiate dictates and ultimatums. If the Good Neighborly Treaty can be renegotiated to include the so called “French Proposal”, I don’t see why another proposal cannot be added that will include the demands of the Macedonian people, of the Macedonians in Bulgaria,” Mickoski stated speaking to members of the media at a groundbreaking ceremony for a new kindergarten in Skopje’s Butel settlement. 

A policy of double standards is unacceptable, he stressed.

“We cannot implement a policy of double standards, if we demand changes to the Constitution in Macedonia for several hundred citizens, who declare themselves as being part of the Bulgarian community, then we need to see what’s happening with the citizens in our eastern neighbor who say they are part of the Macedonian community,” Mickoski stated emphasizing that the European Court of Human Rights had delivered 14 verdicts in favor of the Macedonian community in Bulgaria for their rights being restricted, whereas there were none for the Bulgarian community in Macedonia. 

Also, Mickoski called statements by official Sofia, especially those by President Rumen Radev, as befitting the middle ages.

“A man, who calls himself a European politician in the 21st century all the while annulling the human tights of a community, has been saying that we are against the Bulgarian community. No one is against the Bulgarian community, we respect the several hundred people that declare themselves as being part of the Bulgarian community, who are our fellow countrymen. But we also ask the president of Bulgaria to respect the minority and human rights of the Macedonian community,” said Mickoski.