Belgrade has a strategy to keep Macedonia close to itself and make it a Serbian palanca. Bulgaria and North Macedonia cannot be enemies, we must build friendship.
This is what the Macedonian public figure and university lecturer prof. Filip Petrovski said. He is also a Former director of the State Archive of Northern Macedonia and a governmental representative.
BGNES: How do you explain Alexander Nikoloski's aggression against Bulgaria and who is behind it?
Petrovski: Nikoloski's aggressive attitude caused surprise in many circles in (North) Macedonia. He is a very close associate of Mickoski and this was agreed between the two of them. They are dictating in VMRO-DPMNE and they are doing very wrong. Mickoski tried to make himself a victim in Brussels in terms of European integration. However, there is no sympathy for this in Brussels. The negotiations are what they are. The negotiating framework is clear. Instead of making enemies, friendships should be made. The two countries should be more open, closer and with a special relationship. As someone who knows history, I know that Bulgaria was the first to recognise the independence of the Republic of Macedonia. Bulgaria helped us during the war of 2001. In critical moments, Bulgaria showed its friendship. I cannot understand at all the forcing of relations with Belgrade and the confrontation with Sofia.
BGNES: What is the goal of Christian Mickoski?
Petrovski. He built his position on the false campaign that we should say "No!" to Bulgaria. Building this negative attitude creates a false impression that he is fighting for Macedonian national interests. His position is very wrong. This party is called VMRO(-DPMNE). Historically, VMRO was active on the territory of today's Bulgaria. VMRO should be used as something that unites the two countries, not divide them. Mickoski and company use VMRO only for marketing purposes, but they are pseudo patriots. They don't care about Macedonia, they don't care about the citizens, they only came to power and now they want to keep it. They have a big machine of websites, radios, televisions. Propaganda is brought to perfection and a lot of money is given for it. It is very difficult to hear a different opinion in the country, especially from people who think that relations between Macedonia and Bulgaria should develop and get closer.
BGNES: Are Serbia and Hungary encouraging Mickoski in blocking the rapprochement between Sofia and Skopje?
I am not sure about Hungary. But Serbia has a strategy to keep Macedonia close to itself and make it a Serbian palanca. This is evident from the invasion of Serbian turbo-folk and kitsch on Serbian programmes on Macedonian TV. Instead, we have no opportunity to get information from Bulgaria, to watch TV, to compare.
It is about a modern occupation, which is carried out through Serbian turbofolk. In fact, this is the hand of Belgrade's political strategists.We must recognise this, otherwise Macedonia will fall into Belgrade's abyss.Serbia is the only country outside the Euro-Atlantic strategic structures in the Balkans.These structures guarantee our common security and common future. Macedonia's turn towards Belgrade carries serious security risks.Threatening Corridor 8, which is one of the most important military corridors in NATO's southern flank, is an even greater problem. Macedonia has come into conflict with NATO's strategic concept.We have entered a very dangerous area, and in a very short time, since VMRO-DPMNE has been in power. But I repeat again, this is not VMRO, but a private group that is abusing and hiding behind the name.
BGNES: In practice, Mickoski is bringing the "Serbian world" into North Macedonia?
"Yes. Promoting a "Serbian world" is very dangerous for Macedonia because it implies a redrawing of borders or territorial partition. It is also dangerous for Bosnia and Herzegovina if some countries want to become big again.The Greater Serbia and Greater Albania projects are dangerous for Macedonia.We have representatives from the Serbian World in the government - Deputy Prime Minister Ivan Stoilkovic, who is shoulder to shoulder with Mickoski.This is literally a signal that these structures have their own man in the state leadership of Macedonia. I do not know why the political structures around Mickoski are functioning in this way, unless it is an agreement with Belgrade.
For the rapprochement between Bulgaria and North Macedonia, politicians in both countries need to lower the heat, to lower the level of aggression. We need talks and friendship. Whenever I have been to Bulgaria, I have felt friendship. I knew the first Bulgarian president, Zhelyo Zhelev, I sat at the same table with him. There are many things that bring us closer.We should focus on exchanges in sport, in culture. Europe means sharing. We cannot be enemies when we are side by side. Many Macedonians have relatives in Bulgaria - the basis for rapprochement. We are historically connected and close, we need to build friendship.| BGNES
