The only way forward for the Republic of North Macedonia is to fully implement the agreements of the European Consensus of July 2022, without the possibility of their revision.

This was stated by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov at a joint briefing with European Council President Antonio Costa, BGNES reports.

"As far as the Republic of North Macedonia is concerned, our position remains unchanged. The only way forward is the full implementation of the agreements from the European Consensus of July 2022, without the possibility of their revision," Prime Minister Zhelyazkov said categorically.

He reminded that the Bulgarian governments of Boyko Borisov worked well with the governments of Zoran Zaev and Dimitar Kovachevski of the Republic of North Macedonia, and a Good Neighbourliness Agreement was signed.

"A modus operandi was found that would enable the Republic of Macedonia, as well as the other Balkan countries, to advance in the accession process on the basis of their own merits. The compromise proposal during the French Presidency was approved by the Council, received the approval of the Bulgarian Parliament, and nothing has changed since then, either in terms of principles or in terms of approach, which would give our colleagues in Skopje grounds to claim that there is Bulgarian dictatorship," Prime Minister Zhelyazkov emphasized.

He stated that with this year's decision of the National Assembly, we have reaffirmed our position:

"We have explicitly stated that we will not make any further demands for commitments from our neighbors."

Prime Minister Zhelyazkov considers "the appeal to the Constitutional Court of the Republic of North Macedonia against the protocol signed under the Good Neighbourliness Agreement to be completely unjustified and unnecessary”. The protocol provides for an annual review of the implementation of agreements, which is part of the Good Neighbourliness Agreement and part of the 2022 consensus.

"We have never sought arguments in the internal political debates in North Macedonia, but we hope that the language of hatred and respect for the rights of the Bulgarian minority, including the commitment to include it in the Constitution of the Republic of North Macedonia, will be fulfilled, because this is a prerequisite for them to continue on the path of full-fledged neighborliness," Prime Minister Zhelyazkov said categorically.

He reminded that Bulgaria, since its presidency of the EU, has made it very clear that EU enlargement, especially in the Western Balkans, is a priority for us.

"This guarantees a higher degree of security and prosperity for the countries of the Western Balkans, which border us or are in close proximity to us," said the Bulgarian prime minister.

The Bulgarian prime minister emphasized that the European Union is strong when it is united.

"Decision-making by qualified majority on enlargement and foreign policy issues will weaken the EU. Bulgaria has consistently opposed the introduction of qualified majority voting. Only through consensus can we maintain confidence in the effectiveness of decisions," the Bulgarian prime minister stressed.

European Council President Antonio Costa said that in 2022, the EU approved the conditions for the accession of the Republic of North Macedonia to the EU.

"The Republic of North Macedonia must, of course, fulfill these commitments in order to move forward in these negotiations," Costa said. І BGNES