Dimitrov: Some Things are Not Negotiable in Bilateral Disputes

Deputy PM for European Affairs Nikola Dimitrov said in an interview for MIA that the government is investing all efforts in overcoming the bilateral issues with Bulgaria which may ultimately prevent Macedonia from starting the membership negotiations with the EU by the end of 2020. “For the past few days, we’ve done literally everything to overcome these challenges. True, both Skopje and Sofia have the right and obligation to defend their positions and interests, but we also must pay attention to maintain the friendship and good bilateral relations. There are things that we can negotiate about, but there are also things that are simply not negotiable, like our identity or language. The right of self-determination is a universal human right, incorporated in the principles and standards of the EU, and there cannot be negotiations about that,” Dimitrov said.