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Mickoski from Munich: In the EU accession process, instead of a merit system, there are double standards and bilateral disputes

by AI | 17.Feb 2025 | Europe in brief AI

There are EU member countries that come from the Balkans and who brought bilateral disputes to Brussels together, instead of bringing Brussels values to the Balkans, said Mickoski.

Address by Prime Minister Christian Mickoski at the 61st Munich Security Conference. Photo: Government of the Republic of North Macedonia

Skopje – The Macedonian path to the EU began long before the Euro-integration process of Albania, even of Croatia, but for us, the merit system is a fairy tale, said Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski during the panel dedicated to the Western Balkans’ approach to the European Union, held as part of the 61st Munich Security Conference.

– For us, the fairy tale has become a moving target. We are victims of bilateralization, or to be more precise, our movement towards the EU is very complex. Instead of bringing Europe to the Balkans, we brought the Balkans to Europe. Unfortunately, there are EU member states that come from the Balkans and together in Brussels, they have brought bilateral disputes instead of bringing Brussels values to the Balkans, said Mickoski, adding that without a doubt, “our marker remains to become part of the EU.”

As informed by the Government Press Service, the Prime Minister in his address said he heard some comments that the speech of US Vice President J.D. Vance on the first day of the Munich Security Conference represented a great interference in internal affairs. – The change of the name, the change of the flag, the change of the currency, what are they? They are not an interference in internal affairs. How long do we have to suffer from double standards? We are not talking here about a process based on a merit system; we are talking about bilateral disputes that should have nothing in common with European values, emphasized Mickoski.

He pointed out that our country is fully aligned with foreign and defense policy with the EU, that we are among the top five largest donors to Ukraine per capita, and we have met the condition of allocating two percent of GDP for defense expenses annually.

– I must highlight this issue when Russia attacks and denies the Ukrainian identity, we are all loud, we criticize, we fight for the rights of the Ukrainian people and against this unprecedented aggression, but when the Parliament of an EU member state attacks and denies the Macedonian identity and my Macedonian mother tongue, then everyone is silent, highlighted Mickoski, stating that Europe will not be united without all European countries and that “this process will last until all aspiring countries become part of the common table with the other members of the European Union.” (February 16)