Former US Ambassador to Macedonia James Pardew asked the country to withdraw its veto from the opening of EU accession talks with Macedonia. Pardew, who is now a Democratic Party and Joe Biden supporter, was US envoy during the 2001 civil war and is to a large degree responsible for pushing Macedonian politicians to accept the Ohrid treaty.

I know it is tempting for Bulgaria to try and use its position as member of the EU, while (North) Macedonia is trying to assume membership. But I’m not sure it is worth creating hostility between the Governments of the two countries and their peoples, Pardew said in an interview with Bulgarian media.

Pardew praised Prime Minister Zoran Zaev as progressive for accepting the Prespa treaty, just as he praised politicians who accepted the Ohrid treaty, that put Macedonia on the track of weakening the Macedonian nation state character of the country. “I’m very impressed by him, he did many good things for his country. It would be a shame if Bulgaria stopped the process of EU accession because of its history and language”, Pardew said, before insisting that Americans and English speak the same language but that doesn’t create issues.