Kop: Constitutional Amendments – Guarantee for Start of Negotiations

“Changing the Preamble of the Macedonian Constitution is a guarantee for the beginning of the new phase of the negotiation process between North Macedonia and the European Union,” assures the Ambassador of Netherlands in the country, Dirk Jan Kop. “The second phase will begin when North Macedonia changes the Preamble to the Constitution to include the Bulgarian minority, along with the seven ethnic communities already mentioned in the Constitution. The second phase will begin immediately and without any other political decision. So, yes, changing the Preamble in the Constitution guarantees the beginning of a new phase. It is automatic,” says Ambassador Kop in an interview with Radio Free Europe. Despite threats from Bulgaria for a new veto, Ambassador Kop assures that this will not happen, but still adds that the bilateral issue should not be used as an excuse for not completing the reforms.