Skopje, 31 July 2022 (MIA) – I have no understanding for the VMRO-DPMNE demand over a referendum, it is a manipulation that Hristijan Mickoski is doing quite unexpectedly, says President Stevo Pendarovski. In an interview with Kanal 5 TV, President Pendarovski says what Mickoski is doing is political mobilization of the party members. “They are struggling with the phrasing, challenging item 4, point 5 of the negotiating framework, namely the Prespa Agreement and the Bulgaria Friendship Treaty. A country cannot join Europe or NATO if it does not have agreements with neighbors. I say, go ahead and ask, but it is fair to say you are against. Only one question is relevant for me – Do you want the Republic of North Macedonia to join the EU? – that’s it,” says Pendarovski. I am certain, he adds, that the pro-European coalition will beat the anti-European coalition led by VMRO-DPMNE and Levica if such a clear question is phrased. “If not, then all of us will step back and say – go ahead, there is a variety of other options out there: the unaligned movement, Asia, Russia…” notes Pendarovski. Asked why was there a rush with the acceptance of the French proposal, the President says he admits his part of the guilt regarding the poor management with the public’s expectations. “Mediators in Brussels and Paris said ‘nothing is considered agreed until everything is agreed, and nothing should go public’. Unfortunately, we respected this but our friends and colleagues from Sofia didn’t,” adds Pendarovski. According to him, the damage made by speculations in the public was already made and a portion of the people was manipulated. “We published the protocol too late, the proposal was released too late. But this is now available on the internet, so please tell me where does it say that we will join the EU as Bulgarians? Nowhere,” says Pendarovski. He says North Macedonia expects reasonable behavior from the other side, but unreasonable demands might come again. “There are guarantees that the European framework contains no humiliating positions for the Macedonian people,” stresses Pendarovski. The President also said he has full confidence in the Macedonian members-experts who are part of the historical commission.