VMRO-DPMNE President Hristijan Mickoski said that the new approach from Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov will amount to just adding more conditions on Macedonia. Petkov, who was recently elected and immediately went on a tour of international media outlets to discuss his new plan for the dispute with Macedonia, wants to expand the negotiations into several new areas beside history – economy, infrastructure, culture.. He initially set out a deadline of six months for results to be delivered, indicating he may lift the Bulgarian veto after this period, but has since stopped promising this outcome.

This amounts to an ultra hardline position, and our politicians are welcoming this new approach, Mickoski said.

Mickoski pointed ot the tone change from Petkov. In his latest international interview, with Politico, Petkov said that there is no politician in Bulgaria who would sign a quick deal with Macedonia. ““I don’t think any government, right now, can just go to their population and say, ‘OK, forget about all the problems, let’s just sign the agreement,’ — because this government will be quickly out of power”, Petkov told Politico.

Mickoski described this position as “lack of courage”. But the main problem, Mickoski said, is the lack of any red lines on the side of the Macedonian Government.

If we have politicians who undermine our own position every day then we won’t accomplish anything. Our main problem is the lack of consistency in our state leadership. Their positions are like playdough, and the people keep losing out, Mickoski said.