Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski today said that he was able to raise all the necessary issues that relate to Macedonia’s EU accession talks with European Union leaders and with the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who was in Skopje on Thursday. According to Mickoski this means there is no need at the moment for the Government to issue a letter outlining its positions, that Mickoski announced weeks ago, as he was able to present his positions in person.

In order for the process of constitutional changes to begin, we need to have our proposal accepted, and that is for the Bulgarian Parliament to ratify our accession treaty to the European Union. I think that is a fair solution, considering the situation we were brought into by the Government where these talks were led by Bujar Osmani, ahead of Maricic and Kovacevski. It is shocking to realize everything that was happening in this period, Mickoski said.

Macedonia insists on guarantees from the European Union that, if it accepts the current Bulgarian demand to change its Constitution, it would not lead to additional historic demands from Bulgaria. Mickoski’s proposal is that this is ensured by gradual implementation of the constitutional changes, that would enter into force only as Macedonia finishes its accession talks and Bulgaria accepts Macedonia’s EU accession.

Bulgarians go to the polls tomorrow. Mickoski said that he still hopes that the GERB party led by Boyko Borisov, which is part of the EPP group of parties along with VMRO-DPMNE, wins. “I can’t pick who would be a better interlocutor for us, but we are part of the same EPP family with Boyko Borisov’s GERB and it is logical that I wish that the party that comes from our family wins”.