Skopje, 26 June 2025 (MIA) – Minister of European Affairs Orhan Murtezani said Thursday it is necessary a difference to be made between the positions of Bulgaria and that of the remaining EU member countries that recognize the Macedonian identity and language when it comes to bilateral issues.

According to him, the country welcomes everything that differentiates between Bulgaria’s bilateral position and the joint position of all EU member countries by setting apart what is an issue from a bilateral identity point of view and an issue of EU accession.

“If we listen to all the other 26 countries separately, they all recognize the Macedonian identity and Macedonian language. It’s without a doubt. However, with the resolution, their willingness will be further reaffirmed. That’s why we insist on separating the positions of the other member countries from the position of Bulgaria as regards the bilateral issue,” said Murtezani following today’s roundtable at the Macedonian Academy of Arts and Sciences, titled “Geopolitical landscape and EU enlargement: the perspectives of North Macedonia and other Western Balkans candidate countries.”

Regarding reform implementation and the constitutional change, the Minister said the process is under way stressing that, however, the inclusion of Bulgarians in the Constitution requires a wider political agreement. 

“As regards reforms, it is a continuous process. Some reforms are being implemented faster and some are not. Nevertheless, it is an ongoing process. As regards the inclusion of Bulgarians in the Constitution’s preamble, it is a matter that requires a wider political consensus and a two-third majority in Parliament. Without a wide political consensus and a two-third majority in Parliament, there is no political space to make a move forward,” stated Murtezani.

On the prospect of the adjective “modern” being put before “Macedonian language and identity” in the European Parliament report, he called for patience and restraint. 

“Firstly, we should see how the process ends. We hope that what passed in the first stage should be also passed in the second. However, it is a matter of internal political consensus within the EP. We would like the identity to remain as we think it should, however, we have to wait for a final decision to be made,” the EU Minister said. 

On Tuesday, the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) adopted the draft-report on the country prepared by Austrian MEP Thomas Waitz with 40 votes in favor, 19 against and 10 abstentions.

After the vote, a Bulgarian MEP said they would propose supplementing the report with a “minority opinion”.

The parliamentary group of the European People’s Party previously submitted a fast-tracked amendment to insert the word “present-day” before “Macedonian language and identity” in the report. However, based on the rules of procedure, the amendment was not put to a vote because at least six MEPs from the AFET committee opposed the proposal. The rules state that an amendment will not be put to a vote if at least five MEPs object to it.

Ahead of the vote, AFET members rejected several amendments submitted by Bulgarian MEPs.

MIA file photo