Skopje, 6 June 2023 (MIA) - This is the decade of EU membership of the Western Balkans, namely certain countries including North Macedonia. That means plus, minus flexibility depending on internal, regional and geopolitical dynamics, Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani said Tuesday.

Commenting on yesterday's statement by the leader of DUI Ali Ahmeti that North Macedonia will become a member of the EU in three to four years, Osmani told Top Tema political show on Telma TV that the candidate countries would have all the benefits of EU membership even prior to accession, and the new approach and fast-track procedure, according to him, gives a solid basis to what Ahmeti is saying.

“I think that Mr. Ahmeti has an excellent understanding of the geopolitical context and regional dynamics, hence his predictions should be taken seriously,” Osmani said.

Regarding the proposed constitutional amendments, Osmani said that this proposed constitutional amendment showed that our positions are protected in the best way in relation to the minority Bulgarian community in the country in relation to other communities.

“We have a majority of Macedonian people, and we have parts of other peoples who live here in equal conditions, including the Bulgarian community, Osmani said.

When asked whether they will wait for the outcome of tomorrow's leaders’ meeting for the constitutional amendments to be passed by the government and then sent to the Parliament, he said that it would be good if that meeting to have a positive outcome, otherwise, he said, “the opposition would miss a historic opportunity at least once in the recent history of this country to contribute to important state processes that bring stability and future.”

He pointed out that for the first time he heard the idea of including Bulgarians in the Constitution from a high VMRO - DPMNE official and "that's how the idea of resolving relations with Bulgaria was born", without revealing who it was.

He said that the proposal is still on the table, if the opposition approves the constitutional amendments on the same day, early parliamentary elections will be called.

Osmani also added that Bulgaria cannot add conditions to the negotiating framework because, as he said, “no one can negotiate a negotiating framework.”

“I guarantee that Bulgaria will not be able to add any other request than what is in the negotiating framework,” Osmani noted.

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