President Gordana Siljanovska-Dashkova estimates that the issue about Macedonia’s European integration and the provisions related to Bulgaria cannot qualify either exclusively as bilateral issues, nor only as a problem between the country and the European Union.

In an interview for Sitel, Siljanovska-Davidkova focused on the latest meeting with European Commission Chairman Ursula von Lajeen and the possibility for the EU to mediate in talks with Bulgaria.

Regarding messages from Brussels for continuing talks with Sofia, she recalled that the question was previously raised whether the dispute was bilateral or is about issues within EU relations.

When we said that the issue was of bilateral nature, since neither in the Action Plan nor before, there is no remark from other countries, no one is vetoing, but the need for merit systems at the interval is stressed… Bulgaria said the issue is not bilateral, but that it concerns the European Union. I’ve said many times that if so, then let’s negotiate with the European Union, Siljanovska-Davidkova said.

According to her, mechanisms exist in such situations in European law, including Article 7 of the European Union Agreement, which envisions the possibility of limiting the specific rights of a member state if serious violations of EU principles and values are proven.

However, the president stressed that dialogue and exchange of views are needed, but that the problem or process cannot be described as exclusively bilateral, or as a problem we have with the European Union.

Regarding the European representatives’ stances on the obligations undertaken, Siljanovska-Davidkova focused on European constitutional right and fundamental EU documents.

I’m not just president, I’m also a professor. I know the European constitutional right. And what these days refer to, Yotova, Bulgaria’s president, when she says that we should respect the principles and values of the European Union, are the very issues I am talking about. It was written very clearly in the EU Agreement, the Lisbon Agreement, on the Charter for Final Rights, that the EU will respect national and cultural identity, not only of EU members, but of all nations and states, Siljanovska-David said.

She added that European documents also envision respect for the constitutional and political structures of states.
Siljanovska-Davidkova estimated that these very principles should be taken into account in the country’s European integration process, especially when it comes to issues related to national and cultural identity.

Regarding the requirement for constitutional changes, the president said she could not guarantee they would be approved.

What do I say when they ask me if we’re going to change the Constitution? I can’t give such a guarantee. MPs do not represent me, represent citizens, and, as in any European parliament, they vote according to their beliefs, Siljanovska-David said.

She asked what would happen if constitutional changes were resumed, and MPs did not secure the two-thirds majority, as well as the necessary majority of MPs from communities that are not majority.