After an attempt from Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski – Kovacevski comes with a novel spin on Macron’s announcement of a “multi-speed Europe” – today President Stevo Pendarovski also tried to explain what French President Emmanuel Macron meant when he recently announced that he wants a multi-speed Europe.

This would mean that Macedonia and other Balkan and eastern European candidate countries may be allowed to join, but without the political powers held by the existing member states. The members will have different levels of integration within the EU and Macedonia would likely be in a looser, more trade oriented group, which may not be too different from its current relationship with the EU – but in the meantime the country was forced and is being forced to accept numerous humiliating national concessions.

According to Pendarovski “Macron specifically said that his remarks are not a new proposal, but the same old idea which he presented five years ago”. He also insisted that, according to Macron, reforming the EU into this multi-speed model is not a precondition for admitting new member states. Pendarovski cited the French Foreign Minister and Charles Michel – President of the European Council – as authorities who have softened Macron’s remarks.

But if you (the opposition) want an excuse not to vote for the continuing of Macedonia’s EU path based on your political needs, and you want to say that “Macron does not want us”, then it’s your issue, Pendarovski said.

He again urged the members of Parliament from the opposition VMRO-DPMNE party to vote of the Bulgarian amendments to the Constitution, saying that since Macedonia already has 7 constituent nations, it’s not a big issue if six more are added to the list.