Skopje has not lived up to the hopes for constitutional changes - a key condition in the Negotiating Framework for starting negotiations with the EU.
We are united in the conviction that the Bulgarian population in North Macedonia will be included in the Constitution. Corridor 8 is of strategic importance for the region.
This is what Manuel Sarrazin, Special Representative of the Federal Republic of Germany for the Western Balkans, said in an interview with Bulgarian National Radio.
"Despite the war in Ukraine, the Western Balkans remain in Brussels' sights," the diplomat is adamant. He admitted, however, that the enlargement of the Union is not being implemented at the desired pace - neither with Albania and North Macedonia, nor with Kosovo and Serbia.
"This change (of the Macedonian constitution) is the main condition of the EU Council for granting the Negotiating Framework to Skopje. Last year's Bundestag declaration was an attempt to provide a bridge for North Macedonia's state leadership to cross... but it turned out that the Macedonian side still cannot cross it. We hope that the possibilities have not been exhausted and that the new government in Skopje will walk this path," Sarrazin emphasized, adding:
"(North Macedonian Prime Minister) Mickoski stressed how important North Macedonia's Euro-Atlantic orientation is for him - its path towards the European Union and NATO membership. And I believe him. It is too early to say whether he and his government are really ready to go down this path. We have to judge by the deeds of this government."
Sarrazin commented on Skopje's reluctance to implement the strategic transport corridor No. 8, which links Bulgaria, northern Macedonia, Albania and Italy.
"It is not right for me to give an assessment. Transport corridors in Europe are the competence of Brussels. It is not for an individual country to change European transport policy priorities. In Sofia, I understood that Bulgaria was puzzled and worried by this statement from Skopje. The construction of Corridor 8 is certainly of strategic importance."
The German diplomat recalled the key role of the Berlin Process in the enlargement of the European Union to the six candidate member states of the Western Balkans:
"So far I have not come across a more convincing model than the current one. It only makes sense to discuss changes within the enlargement model to help solve problems and make EU membership more attractive. The EU and Germany are working towards this in the framework of the Berlin process."
Manuel Sarrazin urged Brussels to do its own job well, regardless of whether Donald Trump returns to the White House. The diplomat stressed that any idea of territory swaps between Pristina and Belgrade should be rejected.
"In the past, people from Trump's entourage - and I'm not talking at all about Richard Grenell, the special envoy for the Western Balkans - have often adopted bad European ideas that have done serious damage. A bad example is the idea of an exchange of territories between Serbia and Kosovo. We Europeans must not allow such ideas to emerge at all."
On the controversial lithium mining deal between the EU and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Sarrazin said:
"German companies will not only use the lithium mined in Serbia, but they have also committed to comply with all European requirements in its extraction - both in terms of compliance with laws and environmental standards. And this will benefit both countries. Everyone is aware of the geopolitical need to extract this raw material in Europe. This is about European sovereignty. The implementation of this project must necessarily comply with European legislation... I fully understand the concerns and the suspicious attitude towards this project."
Sarrazin expects Bulgaria to play a key role at the upcoming October Berlin Process summit on rapprochement of the Western Balkan countries to be held in Berlin.
"Bulgaria will be able to show that it is a constructive partner and that as a neighbour it is a strong supporter and advocate of the Western Balkans in the accession process. The European integration of the region is of political and economic interest for Bulgaria. In recent years, Bulgaria has been looking at the integration process through the prism of North Macedonia's future membership. Here I see the potential for Bulgaria to remain a constructive partner in the spirit of the agreement reached two years ago to start negotiations with Skopje. Bulgaria has many opportunities through its commitment to the European integration of the Western Balkans to earn even more respect from other EU members", he said.
The German politician underlined that Sofia has made significant progress since joining the EU in 2007.
"In my opinion, Bulgaria's progress is not sufficiently appreciated in Germany. But I also want to say that we often hear from Bulgaria advice to Germany about our policy - about bilateral relations or about regional issues - about what Bulgarians would like to hear from us or what we would like to do," he added. BGNES
