VMRO-DPMNE offered a victorious option – Macedonia in EU with a preserved identity – but it is much more important to Kovacevski to prevent DUI loosing power, than for Macedonia to progress, VMRO-DPMNE reacted to the Wednesday leadership meeting.

“Chairman Mickoski offered three possible dates for early election in the Autumn, after which VMRO-DPMNE, as a certain winner, is prepared to form a broad government of national unity with all political parties, except DUI. That government’s goal will be to preserve the Macedonian identity and integrate the country into the EU. The idea is for the Chairman Mickoski to meet with several PMs of EU member countries, and explain to them the necessity of some kind of a document or declaration, adopted by the European Commission, which would acknowledge the Macedonian identity, language, and culture and prevent further Bulgarian demands during the pre-accession negotiations. In that manner, we could tell the people that the EU will finally offer protection to our perennial history, culture, and language. We will additionally require from the Commission to design an aid package for the Macedonian citizens and businesses during the process of negotiations, aiming to improve the competitiveness on the European markets prior to the full integration”, the party statement reads.

Explaining the third point of his plan, Chairman Mickoski stressed that the good neighborly relations should be a two-way street. Hence, the EU should offer to Bulgaria to select three of the six valid European Court on Human Rights’ decisions against Bulgaria regarding the Macedonian ethnic minority in the country (out of 13 submitted) and implement them. By doing that, Bulgaria will prove that it genuinely respects the European values, that it genuinely stands for good neighborly relations, and that the Macedonians in Bulgaria are fully protected.

“In order to apply the plan for protection of the Macedonian identity and integration into the EU, early elections are necessary, because SDSM and DUI do not have the 2/3 Parliamentary majority to pass the constitutional amendments”, the statement concludes.