site.btaNorth Macedonia’s PM: No Constitutional Changes Without Guarantees from EU

North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski has stated that he will not consider any constitutional amendments unless the European Union provides clear guarantees.

Responding to a journalist's question on Friday following his visit to the University Clinic for Cardiac Surgery in Skopje, Mickoski commented on a draft parliamentary resolution proposed by opposition SDSM leader Venko Filipce regarding so-called “red lines” in the country's EU accession process.

Referring to “the guarantees mentioned by the President of the European Council”, PM Mickoski stated: “The Macedonian people and the citizens of (North) Macedonia, regardless of their ethnic background, have sacrificed a great deal in the name of the country's European future. More than any other nation in Europe. Without such guarantees, I won’t even consider any constitutional changes.”

He accused the SDSM leadership of continuing the practices of previous party leaderships — undermining the positions of North Macedonia’s government and state, selling off identity and national priorities. He also claimed that the draft parliamentary resolution presented by the opposition contains “historical falsifications,” and made it clear he does not accept the “red lines” outlined in the document. Mickoski said that after the local elections, the ruling party would state its position on the intended resolution.

“We are not ignoring the obligations unfortunately undertaken by the [former SDSM] government. But at the same time, we see no action from our eastern neighbour towards fulfilling its own obligations, and we expect more decisive steps from the European Commission and the EU regarding our eastern neighbour [Bulgaria] — their partner in the European family. Because we’ve seen many times in the past that where there is political will, anything is possible... What can we say about the Macedonians on the other side of the border? Will our governments always abandon the Macedonian people living next door or anywhere else in the world? I won’t do that. Ever."

He added: “And as for them [Bulgaria], they only need to implement the decisions of the Strasbourg court. Nothing more. This is international law. Bulgaria is a party to those conventions. They simply need to apply the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg — a fundamental European value — so that OMO Ilinden–Pirin can function as an association of Macedonians in Bulgaria. And with that, OMO Ilinden–Pirin should have the right to nominate its own representative to Bulgaria’s Council for Minorities — as Jews, Armenians, Turks, Roma, and others have done. Macedonians, who according to the 1956 census were a majority in Western Bulgaria, and whose 200,000 ‘disappeared’ like magic by 1965, deserve to have their own representative there... That’s what we’re asking. These are all facts. When we see readiness from the other side, we’re ready to sit and talk. As for this [proposed] resolution, whatever little we have to say about it, we will say after the elections,” Mickoski said.

At a press conference on Thursday, SDSM leader Venko Filipce presented a draft resolution to be debated in North Macedonia’s Parliament after the elections, setting out a timeline and so-called “red lines” regarding the country’s EU integration process. The draft defines “shared national and state positions” for continuing North Macedonia’s accession to the European Union.