English
Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski spoke at a panel on Balkan integration that was held today at the Munich Security Conference. According to the Prime Minister, the process for Macedonia “has turned into a moving target, making us a victim of the ‘bilateralization’ of the process”.
Instead of bringing Europe to the Balkans, we brought the Balkans to Europe. Sadly, there are EU member states that come from the Balkans who brought their bilateral disputes into Brussels – instead of helping bring the European values to the Balkans, Mickoski said.
Prime Minister Mickoski addressed the complaints from European leaders that US Vice President JD Vance is interfering in European politics with his endorsement of right wing parties, and compared it to the constant pressure on Macedonia to make changes to its historical narrative and symbols. “The change of the name, flag, currency. What is it if not interference in internal affairs? How long must we suffer these double standards? We are not talking about a merit based process, we are talking about bilateral disputes that have nothing in common with the European values”, Mickoski added.
Mickoski pointed out that Macedonia has fully aligned its foreign and security policy with the EU, including on issues such as Ukraine. “But I have to emphasize that, when Russia attacks and denies the Ukrainian identity, we are loud critics, we fight for the rights of the Ukrainian people against this unprecedented aggression. But when the Parliament of an EU member state attacks and denies the Macedonian identity, my native Macedonian language, then everyone is silent”, said Mickoski.
