Zoran Zaev said that he excepts a solution to the dispute with Bulgaria to be found in May or June, after the Bulgarian elections, and that Macedonia will begin its EU accession talks by the end of the year. In a TV interview, Zaev insisted that he will not accept negotiations with the Macedonian national identity.

I sense that there is a window for a solution in that they affirm our Macedonian nation and Macedonian language and we need to be sure of that. Otherwise there is no point. They can bring us to Mars, if we are a speck of dust, it will be worthless.Who will enter the EU if not the Macedonian people. With what language if not with the Macedonian language, Zaev said in his typical style.

Bulgaria generally agrees to refer to the Macedonian nation as such, and even to the Macedonian language, but demands that Macedonia agrees to the Bulgarian reading of history, under which both our nation and language are recent developments and were derived from the Bulgarian nation and language.