site.btaProposed Deferred Constitutional Changes Aim at EU Integration Predictability - North Macedonia Foreign Minister

North Macedonia is in constant dialogue with the institutions in Brussels and the EU member states regarding the country's European integration, which is currently stalled because of the unfulfilled condition for changes in the constitution, and the goal is "to find a solution that will make the process of European integration predictable", said North Macedonia's Foreign Minister Timco Mucunski Wednesday.

"We think that the most certain way to implement this predictability is to postpone the changes in the constitution, but we have said that if the EU has another solution, we are ready to talk, to consult with the opposition and the public", Mucunski said, adding that if North Macedonia continues on the path outlined by the French proposal (the negotiating framework) it would be a serious challenge for the country "and we have no doubt that we may soon find ourselves at a starting point". Mucunski defined the changes in the constitution as a compromise, which, in his opinion is not North Macedonia's ultimate goal.

Mucunski stressed that North Macedonia is "well above" the European criteria for human rights and when the EU insists Bulgarians to be included in the constitution, in the context of human rights, North Macedonia's argument, in his words, is that "the neighbour that expects this itself does not meet the minimum threshold of rights expected from a country that has ratified the European Convention on Human Rights". Mucunski said that a compromise solution on the issue of constitutional changes should be reached with a political government in Bulgaria "which will have full political legitimacy" to implement what will be agreed upon.

The Foreign Minister stressed that the EU should convince Sofia on a compromise, since Bulgaria had interest in North Macedonia's EU integration. He equated the constitutional changes to North Macedonia renouncing its history and identity.