Mucunski: Signs of hope for unblocking the EU path, but no compromise on identity issues

In a media appearance, North Macedonia’s Foreign Minister Timco Mucunski announced that talks with EU member states, the bloc’s institutions, and official Sofia are ongoing. However, he stressed that the details of these contacts are kept away from public attention to avoid jeopardizing progress, underlining that open debates would not yield the desired outcome.

The minister was categorical that Skopje will not accept any compromise that infringes on Macedonian history and national identity. He drew a clear distinction between fulfilling obligations under international law and situations where bilateral disputes are instrumentalized to erect unjustified barriers in the accession process, based on personal perceptions.

“We have mutual commitments that extend beyond the political sphere, including economic and social ones, which we are obliged to honor under public international law. The matter changes entirely when someone uses this context of bilateral agreements to unfairly obstruct our path,” Mucunski explained.

He reaffirmed that the protocols are not part of the negotiating framework and expressed full alignment with the position of President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova. According to this view, the text of the negotiating framework contains no provisions, either explicit or implicit, that determine when constitutional amendments would enter into force.

Focusing on the formal aspect, the minister pointed out a fundamental difference from a legal and nomotechnical perspective between what is stated in the European Council conclusions and the negotiating framework, and the content of the Second Protocol.

“Our only path is to aim for a solution. But I guarantee the Macedonian people that whatever variant emerges, it will be in line with the principles and pillars that the Government has made public. Are we working on a way out of this situation? Indeed we are. And our efforts for an honest and sustainable solution have not ceased throughout these years. I believe there is an encouraging momentum to overcome the deadlock, but there is still no formula we can make public. Until all parties involved give their consent, we are only talking about consultations. For now, I do not want to play judge on whether we are close to or far from an agreement,” Mucunski said.

Regarding the unofficial documents that circulated in recent months, Mucunski noted that in-depth discussions on the future of enlargement policy are already taking place within the European Union. According to him, the existing mechanism is seen as outdated and in need of a fundamental overhaul, especially after Russia’s attack on Ukraine, a development that has made enlargement one of the top priorities on the European agenda.