English
In a TV interview, Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Nikoloski said that he hopes to see the increased optimism and readiness toward enlargement in the EU spread in the direction of pushing Bulgaria to stop its blockade of Macedonia. Nikoloski said that the Government remains on the position that it will not amend the Constitution under Bulgarian pressure.
We said that we will not accept constitutional changes under Bulgarian dictate. We clearly said what are our expectations tied to the historic and political continuity of the Macedonian people, the uniqueness of the Macedonian language and we clearly said that Bulgaria does not respect the verdicts of the European Court for Human Rights in the recognition of the Macecdonian minority, Nikoloski said.
I hope that, since now there is this new wave of optimisim being spread toward enlargement, and I hope that several larger and more powerful EU countries will agree to enlargement, and to exert pressure on Bulgaria to stop blocking us, Nikoloski added. The Deputy Prime Minister, who is also Transportation Minister, expressed hope that work will begin in the next season on the final sections of the railroad to Bulgaria, which was recently agreed as a priority project between the two countries.
In his Kanal 5 interview, Nikoloski also discussed the situation in the judiciary, saying that, while in opposition, he personally revealed details about numerous major corruption scandals. “The problem is that these cases are not being worked on or are swept under the carpet. If something gets done, it’s usually a strike against some businessman. That is what the judiciary and the prosecution in Macedonia are reduced to, that and sitting in coffee shops all day”, Nikoloski said, reiterating the position of Prime Minister Mickoski that the top judicial official are already receiving salaries far higher than what they deserve.
