Skopje, 30 September 2025 (MIA) - I do not favor new red lines but a deal at home. We will be respected if we demonstrate consensus abroad, says President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova in response to the SDSM resolution on the country's European integration.

"There are no more red lines, they have already been trampled or erased. This is not a new proposal, because several declarations have preceded it. I hoped for a short while that party leaders would sit down, which they did. I thought this was the moment when they go together in Brussels and say that the constitutional change is not the solution because we have done it on several occasions. The Constitution is changed but the policy of our neighbors remains the same. Therefore, we should maybe apply the model of Bulgarian or Greek politicians - not change the Constitution but sit down and build a platform of negotiations. It seemed that things started to move forward, but then I see the SDSM leader going to Brussels and saying that he is willing to sacrifice his position only for the country to make a breakthrough. If the step is to make a constitutional change and then face an obstacle, you have done nothing - this is not a red line. I am not in favor of lines, but a deal at home," President Siljanovska Davkova told Sitel.

According to her, nationalism took place where it shouldn't have - in the European Parliament.

"This was not freedom of speech but hate speech. The centre-right parties were not the only proponents but all those who united behind this and toppled our proposal. They will respect us only if we demonstrate consensus. These are not partisan issues but national ones, matters that require consensus," says Siljanovska Davkova.

On the possibility of making progress despite all these events, the President says nothing can change overnight due to the EU consensus requirement, while adding that the Union philosophy is the pulling factor - unity in diversities and respect of the national and cultural identity in the political system of states and nations.

"However, you cannot expect any breakthrough in meeting irrational demands because the irrational has no foundation - it gives birth to another irrational demand," notes Siljanovska Davkova.

Regarding the idea of delayed implementation of the constitutional revision, she says the restriction of rights of Bulgarians in Macedonia is not in question.

"Their rights, whether mentioned or not in the Preamble, are protected because the Constitution includes provisions for protection of minority rights. I find it problematic that one one demands something that you don't even think of doing yourself. The Bulgarian constitution does not include provisions for protection of minorities but there are ones related to the protection of Bulgarians abroad. We are the only ones who self-restrict in the Constitution. If someone denies your existence and says there is no Macedonian nation or a Macedonian language, and you say this is guaranteed, then it is not right when you are required to change the constitution in order to include the Bulgarians, while they continue to deny your right to join the Bulgarian Council of Minorities or the right of association despite the Strasbourg court rulings. This is not our problem, this is a problem for the Council of Europe," underlines Siljanovska Davkova.

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