Skopje, 25 July 2023 (MIA) – The future of the country is not only the responsibility of the Government, but of all who agree that the country should be a part of the European Union. The country finds itself at a critical point, and all who want to see progress should take responsibility, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bujar Osmani told TV21, according to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday.

To that end, added Osmani, it is necessary to establish a European front that will take the lead role on that path and will be more than just daily politics.

“Now is the time when we need to take responsibility for the people, responsibility for this country, because at the end of the day politics is above all a service, a kind of responsibility to the people who gave you their trust. Now is a time for a front for Europe. To maintain this course, to reach this point, and as soon as we pass this point, then the parties on the political scene are free to organize themselves as they want, this is less important at this moment,” said Osmani.

In that context, Osmani said it would be fairer for the opposition to clearly express their positions by saying whether they are in favor or against the EU, and state what other alternatives they propose. 

“What is the opposition proposing? Is it a Eurasian Association, for example? This is the only way for them to be fair towards the citizens. But, if you claim that you want a European future for the country, then this is the path to Europe. This path doesn’t only apply to us, this was the case for every country,” said Osmani.

Commenting on the statements of VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski and the party’s position that they won’t support the amendments, Osmani said “That’s only populism. Not amending the Constitution favors the cause of the Bulgarian extremists in two ways. First, every day we are delaying our EU membership, while the Macedonians are taking out Bulgarian passports, in order to get a Bulgarian passport you have to state in Sofia that you are descended from Bulgarians. There is no great Bulgarization than getting Bulgarian passports, the figure is reaching 100.000, as a result of the delay to the integrations. And second, the adding of the Bulgarians to the Constitution is just a formalization of the fact that we are talking about two different people. For the first time in the Constitution we will have the Macedonian people as a majority, and a part of the Bulgarian people as a minority.”

Photo: MIA Archive