I’ve never seen Merkel and Macron so determined, said Zoran Zaev after the failed EU – Balkans summit, where Bulgaria not only refused to allow Macedonia to open its accession talks, but actually added hardline demands against the country.

I’ve never seen Chancellor Merkel and President Macron so clear, when talking to me and President Radev, toward the next step forward in this direction, Zaev insisted.

After Radev left the meeting, he gave a lengthy interview to the Bulgarian press outlining serious short and long term demands from Macedonia. Zaev promptly accepted one of them – to have the Bulgarians named in the Macedonian Constitution, but at a much later date, and it’s unclear whether this will be enough for Bulgaria to lift its veto.