"It is becoming clear to the VMRO-DPMNE party leadership that North Macedonia has no alternative to European Union membership," US diplomat Gabriel Escobar said.
"We have received assurances from all levels of the party leadership of the main party (VMRO-DPMNE) that won the elections that they will remain committed to the European path. There is a growing realism that there is no alternative," Escobar was quoted as saying by Voice of America.
The diplomat stressed that Europe and the United States have expressed a clear position towards the new RSM President, Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, who violated the Prespa Agreement with Greece when she took office.
"We expect the country to continue on its European path, to continue to be a strong member of NATO. I hope this path will be the main political goal of the new government," added Escobar, who leaves his post as US "special envoy" for the Western Balkans at the end of the month.
BGNES reminds that on May 12, President-elect Siljanovska sparked a diplomatic row between Skopje and Athens after she called her country "Macedonia" and not North Macedonia during her swearing-in, in violation of the 2018 Prespa Treaty signed between Athens and Skopje, which settled the name dispute.
VMRO-DPMNE leader Christian Mickoski defended the state chapter and called on Greece to go to the International Court of Justice if it sees a violation of the treaty. Mickoski said he would use the terms "Macedonia" and "Macedonian" and insisted that Siljanovska do the same.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stressed that Skopje's path to the EU would be blocked if international agreements were violated. / BGNES
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