Today, the Minister of Foriegn Affairs, Nikola Dimitrov, did not want comment on exactly what was said at this morning’s meeting with his Greek counterpart, Nikos Kotzias. He said it would not be correct to comment that they would only discuss confidence building measures, taking into account that trust is crucial to good relations.
“It’s necessary to determine what is most important for Greece in this matter, to explain what is most important for the Republic of Macedonia. It is clear that the process, both formally and substantially, is under the auspices of the United Nations. The negotiation process has begun, after Nimetz’s visit and after his meeting with Kotzias in Brussels, and we will see how long it will last and how intensive it will be”, said Dimitrov.
He emphasized that the new government has begun a series of serious corrective measures in accordance with the Interim Accord.
“This ministry and this government take seriously the obligations that we have undertaken. We seriously understand the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia and we will be very principled and very firm in regards to the excursion that happened in Canada”, said Dimitrov, pointing out that Macedonia does not like maps of big countries, but a map of a Greater Europe.
When asked if there was still optimism about joining NATO by the end of the year, he said enthusiasm builds high expectations and pushes us forward, however, that membership does not only depend on us, but also on Greece. It also depends on how fast we will manage to take the criticism from the Warsaw Summit, which relates to accountability, the rule of law and freedom of the media.
“The key issue is not when, but whether we want to strengthen our future as a society and a nation, so that we do not wonder every other day whether it will be and what will happen to Macedonia. In conditions when the region is overwhelmed, it is important for us to take our fate into our own hands and to do everything we can”, said Dimitrov.
