SkopjeDiem Macedonia in English
Foreign Ministry sources have said the country will not be sending soldiers to Ukraine if the EU requests that as a security guarantee. North Macedonia, according to the sources, will adhere to its strategic orientation with regards to full-fledged EU membership, but also aligned with the strategic partner, the US, and national interests.
That, according to the institution, will not additionally endanger the positions on a formal start of EU membership talks. That stand has been confirmed by PM Hristijan Mickoski, too.
“Full-fledged EU membership is our strategic goal, but, at the same time, the US, too, is a strategic partner of ours. In this regard, nobody should have dilemmas. As a country, we should position ourselves together with our strategic partner. As a cabinet, we’re convinced that that’s the direction in which we should move as a country”, he stated on Friday.
Regarding the Ukraine resolutions, he stated that the Security Council’s vote had confirmed the country had the right position. Asked whether the US would be able to influence in terms of the EU path and Bulgaria dispute being unblocked, the PM told the journalist he should perhaps refer that to the US.
However, SDSM leader Venko Filipce had previously said that the vote at the UN had set a serious precedent. As he pointed out, though the strategic partnership with the US is welcome, the country’s goal should be EU membership, which is why talks should start as soon as possible.
“I honestly hope that there will be a result of those visits to America, that they will really produce a result”, he stated.
Filipce asked whether if the new cabinet was told that nothing could be changed regarding the Bulgaria dispute, that would constitute “treason” with regards to the announcements with which it had come to power and “let citizens down”.
