Debar, 15 April 2024 (MIA) — DUI-led European Front coalition's presidential candidate Bujar Osmani at a Debar election rally on Monday evening pledged that, if elected President, North Macedonia would become a member of the EU in five years and that no government would be formed without vetting.

"My first promise is the country's EU membership by 2030. If I rose to the challenge, as Minister of Foreign Affairs, to open negotiations with the EU after a 17-year wait, believe me that as President I can complete our EU membership process in the next five years," Osmani said.

"I will use all the potential of the European Front, all my knowledge, the knowledge of the processes I have led, my experience, my contacts around the world, to complete this process in the next five years," he added.

His second promise, Osmani said, was to maintain the partnership with the United States, because, as he said, there was no greater harm, no greater betrayal to your own people than worsening relations with the US.

His third promise was vetting, stressing that without a full agreement on vetting, there would be no government. He said anyone with the ambitions of becoming minister, director, judge or prosecutor would will first have to get certificates issued by the USA, NATO, and the EU. "Only this way will our scene be cleared of Russian influence and corruption," he said.

His fourth promise, he said, was an economic framework agreement and his fifth was quality education.

He highlighted that the European Front coalition was focused on European integration, adding that the elections put "our country, our destiny, our families, our children between two alternatives: either integration or isolation."

"That's why I invite my opponent Gordana Davkova, as a representative of the isolation alternative, to debate with me.

"I have been inviting her for a debate over the past three days. I publicly invite her to come to a debate with me, if she has any arguments to convince me that isolation is better than integration," Osmani said, asking his opponent whether "forcing citizens to leave the country by getting Bulgarian passports is better than people having European passports?" mr/