“Our path began more than 25 years ago, but due to artificially created reasons we still cannot become part of the European family,” Mickoski said.
North Macedonia has deserved integration into the European Union for a long time, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said ahead of the EU–Western Balkans summit held in Brussels on December 17, BGNES reported.
“Our path began more than 25 years ago, but due to artificially created reasons we still cannot become part of the European family,” Mickoski said.
He stressed that it is encouraging for citizens when the Western Balkans remain in the European Union’s focus. “As a government, we are committed to delivering everything that is necessary in this process, not because of the process itself, but because of the Macedonian citizens,” the prime minister underlined. He also expressed the expectation that bilateral issues would not become an obstacle, adding that support would instead come from neighboring countries for North Macedonia’s ambition to join the EU.
“The most important thing is to be assessed based on achieved results, not on bilateral issues,” Mickoski added.
A declaration adopted at the summit states that the European Union’s enlargement to the Western Balkans will proceed on a merit-based principle and in full compliance with undertaken international commitments, including the Treaty of Friendship, Good-Neighbourliness and Cooperation between Bulgaria and North Macedonia.
“North Macedonia’s authorities know what they need to do. We hope for real progress in 2026,” European Council President António Costa said later.
BGNES recalls that, under the Negotiating Framework approved by all EU member states and by the North Macedonian parliament – and not on a “bilateral basis” – North Macedonia must amend its Constitution in order to begin accession negotiations, which includes the explicit inclusion of Bulgarians as a state-forming people. This condition has been repeatedly reiterated by all EU officials, including Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos. The declaration of 17 December following the EU–Western Balkans summit also explicitly underlines the need for Skopje to comply with the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation with Bulgaria. | BGNES