Following the failure at the latest European Council, where Macedonia, and other Balkan countries, were snubbed in their integration expectations, VMRO-DPMNE called out the SDSM-DUI Government for failing to use its alleged international support to advance Macedonia’s cause. Macedonia’s pre-negotiations process ended and the Council did not allow the opening of the actual accession talks, because of Bulgaria’s veto. Bulgaria demands that Macedonia adds the Bulgarian minority in its Constitution – VMRO blocks this move because of the absolute lack of reciprocity on Bulgaria’s part and its clear intent to raise new historic and identity issues in the course of the negotiations.

SDS and DUI insist that they have forged strong international friendships and connections. If that is the case, why did they not ask Bulgaria to walk out before the vote and with that avoid the veto?, VMRO-DPMNE asks in a statement, alluding to the process in which Hungary did not veto the opening of accession talks with Ukraine.

“It is a fact that Macedonia is blocked precisely because of the poor foreign policies of the Government. Macedonia accepts dictates because Kovacevski’s and Osmani’s incompetence. The actual reason that no country stood up for Macedonia, like they did for Ukraine and Moldova, is the high level of corruption and crime in the Government, VMRO-DPMNE said, citing increasingly harsh statements from international officials about the “corruption epidemic”.

Kovacevski and Osmani are formally not trying to secure a better deal for Macedonia in Brussels or Sofia, and have declared the deal on the table as “the best we can achieve”. They demanded that the international pressure is placed on VMRO to secure the votes to amend the Constitution, an attempt that apparently failed with the country now moving toward elections.