I would like to refer to just two things, first of all, there was a lot of talk about the rule of law and the fight against organized crime and corruption, and unfortunately, I think that this is a topic that has been discussed for three decades both here in the Parliament and in the Macedonian society but the results are missing. If something currently worries the citizens and something is a reason for the citizens to think and leave the country, I think that at the moment the most significant reason is the highly widespread corruption and crime, which is not only at a high level, but unfortunately has also been lowered to the lowest possible level. There is no institution, there is no sector where instead of the rules governing or the laws governing, or the good practices governing, there are standards that are related to the personal benefit of certain officials who work there, explained Aleksandar Nikoloski, MP and President of the National Council. for European integration at today’s session.

Nikoloski added that this is a reason for a sufficient number of people to consider leaving the country. Today, citizens do not leave Macedonia for economic reasons, but also because of the high level of corruption and crime.

I also have to express my concern about the latest decisions of certain EU member states, first of all here I mean Germany, which strongly liberalizes the policy for issuing their own citizenships, which I think will further initiate a process of emigration not only from Macedonia but from the entire region. And the region stuck in this idea of expansion and in the desire for progress, instead of progressing it becomes a good exporter of educated workforce. It is a challenge that Macedonia and the region will face in the coming period, he said.

The second thing that I want to mention, which we all know very well, it is in relation to the additional conditions that are always set for Macedonia, are we talking about the name change here, are we talking about the conditions on the part of Bulgaria, there is a feeling that it is a process that never stops. I will use a parallel, even if it is not entirely appropriate, Sweden is trying to become a member of the NATO alliance and there is a conditionality by another member country of the NATO alliance, which is in the case of Turkey. And I think the Prime Minister of Sweden had a very useful statement these days when he said there are things they can do, but there are things they can’t do because they are against their values. And in that direction, I think that the opinion of the majority, above all of the Macedonian people, should be respected because the issues that are related to Bulgaria directly affect the self-determination of the Macedonian people, where there are things that the people simply think should not be accepted, concluded Nikoloski.