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Mucunski: Baerbock did not rule out the possibility for dialogue on initiatives

by AI | 21.Oct 2024 | Europe in brief AI

According to him, we want to move forward on the European path, but we also want an approach that protects us while also protecting the EU.

Interview with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of North Macedonia, Timcho Mucunski for the newspaper "Vecher". Photo: MIA

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Skopje – The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Timcho Mutsunski stated that during their recent meeting in Berlin, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock not only highlighted the constitutional changes, which are currently set as a condition for the continuation of the Euro-integration process, but nowhere did she reject the possibility for dialogue on initiatives, as the spirit of European values is to communicate with each other, to discuss, and to ensure that we are strategically aligned in the same direction.

– I do not want to engage in a dialogue about what exactly the minister said. She said that at the moment unanimity is the rule that Germany publicly stated it wants to change in the area of enlargement. And Germany also has an active initiative to change it in the area of enlargement, which is supported by several member states. The minister also said that at the moment the process of constitutional changes is set as a condition for us, but at the same time, at least from what I followed, nowhere did she reject the possibility for dialogue on initiatives because the spirit of European values is to communicate with each other, to discuss, and to ensure that we are strategically aligned in the same direction. I really appreciate that such a large member state like Germany, I would say, sends a strong message, said Mutsunski.

Regarding when constitutional changes will occur and whether they will occur, he says, the final answer to that question will be given by two-thirds of the deputies and that the current ruling majority has almost two-thirds of the 120 deputies. – I cannot specifically answer that at the moment. But what I can tell you is that first, we as a government are aware that the constitutional changes are a condition for starting negotiations. Let it not be the case that the minister in Germany says one thing, and we say another. We all are aware that this is a condition, very wrongly set, but that is the condition at the moment, said Mutsunski.

According to him, we want to advance on the European path, but we also want an approach that protects us and the EU. Asked whether we will wait for the EU to change the unanimity principle to continue the Euro-integration path and what the government’s plans are if a government is not formed in Bulgaria after the elections and there is no relevant partner for talks there, Mutsunski says the state does not have time to wait and needs to have an open dialogue. (October 21)

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