US diplomat Gabriel Escobar said that US officials devoted a lot of time discussing corruption in Macedonia with Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski, who was in Washington. Escobar also said that Washington is urging the opposition VMRO-DPMNE party to support the Bulgarian demands to amend the Constitution and include the Bulgarian nation in the preamble.

In an interview, Escobar discussed the aftermath of Kovacevski’s visit. He avoided discussing the major Bechtel highway project, which is causing serious concerns about likely corruption, but is strongly supported by the US Embassy. Kovacevski asked that reforms that are meant to improve the rule of law and to reduce corruption are strengthened. This was a major topic of discussion between Kovacevski and Secretary of State Blinken, Escobar revealed.

Regarding the Bulgarian demands, Escobar said that the opposition parties should see their vote not as something that would support the Government, but a vote in favor of Macedonia’s EU integration, adding that the current proposal is good. He warned that credibility of EU enlargement is at stake in Macedonia, given that the Bulgarian veto came after Macedonia accepted humiliating demands from Greece. He added that he is in talks with VMRO-DPMNE but would not reveal details about their positions.