Skopje, 22 October 2021 (MIA) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs never put any pressure on the talks and decisions of the joint Macedonian-Bulgarian commission on historical issues. The commission started a two day-meeting on Thursday and I’m hoping for progress. Commission members are free to resign, some have done so in the past due to various reasons, but the process resumes and I encourage them to try and find a solution to advance talks, FM Bujar Osmani told reporters on Friday. He discussed further the commission member’s resignation, who according to media citing his press release quit due to “political influence over the commission by a top Foreign Ministry official.” “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinates the process of talks with Bulgaria and is the institution in charge of implementing the 2017 Treaty. In regard to the commission on historical and education issues, the Ministry supports the commission in line with an agreement signed by the two. However, it has no authority over its activities,” Osmani stressed. He added that the Ministry provides logistical support for commission activities. “I hope commission members make progress today, they have the right to step down, some have done so in the past due to various reasons, but the process resumes. I encourage commission members to try and find a solution and advance talks, agree on joint celebration matters, as well as on recommendations regarding textbooks. As far as I know, they discussed yesterday Tsar Samuil, the text on whom was agreed on a year ago, but the issue remains whether the text should be used as a guideline for textbooks. So, they discussed an issue which was resolved last year, but nothing new that would require the need for political pressure or politicization of the commission at this pre-election period,” Osmani said. In regard to whether the commission resumed activities on Friday, Osmani said that it’s currently in session. “I don’t know what’s going on there right now. But, I want to make it clear that the commission should resume activities regardless of whether a member has resigned or not. The government is in charge of naming commission members, but I think that it’s very important that the process resumes and produces concrete results,” Osmani underlined. Unfortunately, he added, commission members failed to reach an agreement on Thursday, which, he stressed, “is far more disturbing than the fact that a member has stepped down for whatever reasons.” “No progress was made yesterday or today. On several occasions, I’ve expressed public concern over commission activities. However, we have no other instruments for the implementation of the Treaty other than the commission,” the FM said. He reiterated that the resignation will be looked into and that the Foreign Ministry will continue to offer logistical support to the commission but won’t meddle in its activities and decisions. “I’m disappointed that they have failed to meet in person, but insisted holding an online meeting, and I am planning on taking measures in regard to the dynamic of the process. Moreover, I will never allow anyone from the Ministry to measure in commission activities, but I’ll react to every attempt at opportunism or lack of enthusiasm to resume the process,” the Foreign Minister said at a press conference with OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid.