The Macedonian Parliament adopted the resolution that sets red lines in the negotiations with Bulgaria, with 95 votes in favor and one abstained. Before the vote, the ruling majorities amended the resolution by introducing the imposed name “North Macedonia” in it.

VMRO-DPMNE proposed the resolution after the Bulgarian veto of Macedonia’s EU accession, and Zoran Zaev showed clear readiness to negotiate away Macedonian national identity and history. VMRO member of Parliament Timco Mucunski said that the country needs to create consensus and to show unity during the negotiations.

The Macedonian identity and language are undeniable reality of our people. They were inherited from former generations and we will leave them as legacy for the future generations. With this resolution we put an end to the constant attempts to negate the will of the people and for endless negotiations on issues that belong to our distant past, Mucunski said.

SDSM representative Jovan Mitreski insisted that the Zaev Government is not negotiating on the “identity issues” but that it agreed to accept the resolution anyway. “We are Macedonians who speak Macedonian and now that is accepted by the entire world”, Mitreski claimed.

The Albanian parties also supported the resolution as did the populist Levica party. It’s leader Dimitar Apasiev said that the resolution does not go far enough since it doesn’t raise the issue of the Macedonian minority in Bulgaria.