site.btaNorth Macedonia PM on Joint Historical Commission with Bulgaria

Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia Hristijan Mickoski said on Monday that he expects the talks in the Joint Multidisciplinary Commission of Experts on Historical and Educational Issues between Bulgaria and North Macedonia to continue objectively and in the spirit of friendship and good neighbourliness. He added that these processes have been ongoing for decades and should not be rushed, as this could lead to wrong decisions.

These remarks come after Mickoski accused the outgoing Commission chair, Dragi Georgiev, of not protecting the national interests of North Macedonia enough. At a closed Government meeting, some of the Commission members were replaced. Local media reports indicate that only two representatives remain on the commission from the previous members of North Macedonia.

The members of the previous committee issued an open letter, which described Mickoski's statements as unfounded and insulting.  The letter alleged that the Prime Minister divides his own people into "defenders" and "non-defenders" of national interests according to his own personal views, which "deliberately sends an authoritarian and threatening message that anyone who does not live up to expectations will be labelled as a non-defender of national interests". The Commission is expert, not political, the letter said.

In an interview for Lokalno.mk, historian Prof. Todor Cepreganov who is not a member of the Commission said that the very fact that the it was established by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is an argument for its political goal of implementing the political idea of joint commemoration of common historical events and personalities aimed at strengthening goodneighbourly relations in the spirit of European values. Cepreganov believes that the Commission should be dissolved, and the Treaty of Friendship, Goodneighbourliness and Cooperation between Bulgaria and North Macedonia should be terminated, as a new treaty in the interest of the people of North Macedonia is necessary.

In an interview for Sitel TV, the US Ambassador to North Macedonia, Angela Aggeler, said that she is hopeful that while talking about the shared history that North Macedonia has with its neighbours, especially Bulgaria, the country's Government will also hold talks about the future.

The next meeting of the Joint Multidisciplinary Commission is scheduled to take place in Skopje later September.