2024-03-18 00:17:34
Gordana Siljanovska makes harsh accusations that Sofia violates the Treaty of Good Neighborhood, wants Brussels to cut off her right to rule on North Macedonia’s membership in the EU
In two interviews in recent days, Gordana Siljanovska, the candidate for president of the Republic of North Macedonia, nominated by VMRO-DPMNE, developed her thesis that through a resolution, agreement, annex or other act regarding the Treaty of Friendship and Good Neighborliness between the Republic of North Macedonia and Bulgaria can reach a common position that the veto will be used only in connection with the fulfillment of the Copenhagen criteria, reports BTA.
“A different interpretation of the Treaty of Friendship and Good Neighborliness in Bulgaria, which is present in the negotiation framework, is possible. When you say that the negotiation framework is a “holy book”, it should be clear that there is a “holier book” than it and that is The Treaty of Lisbon in its human rights part. All treaties, including the negotiating framework, must be based on this treaty. It says that there are things that cannot be negotiated and are the right of every state – non-interference in internal affairs , respect for national and cultural identity. Negotiations can be held with Bulgaria, but the veto should not be used in relation to these principles. Because Article 7 of the Lisbon Treaty says that if any country violates these principles, two-thirds from the EP or the EC can propose limiting the voting rights of the respective country, which was implemented for Hungary,” said Siljanovska in an interview with TV 24.
According to her, Bulgaria, not North Macedonia, violates the Treaty of Friendship and Good Neighborliness, and the fact that with the adoption of the changes in the constitution, North Macedonia will start negotiations with the EU is an illusion.
“How many times have we changed the constitution? And this illusion that now we have to change it again because it is (a condition) in the negotiating framework to start negotiations, because otherwise we are pro-Russian, is absolutely unsustainable. They will impose a veto on us and we will get vetoes for not meeting the Copenhagen criteria, we will be at the (European) level if we are a rule of law, if we destroy monopolies, if freedoms and rights are most important to us, if we have an independent judiciary, if we manage with corruption and crime, if we have European education, and not 24-30 law faculties that are “paper factories” and more doctors and professors (of law) per capita than Great Britain,” he said in another interview, for TV Thelma, Gordana Silyanovska.
According to her, “neighbors should be talked to in a reasoned manner”, i.e. “they must also recognize European values”.
“Isn’t it a European value to respect the judgments of the (Human Rights Court in) Strasbourg? What kind of country is the one whose judge judges in Strasbourg and it does not recognize the decisions that apply to it? What is so terrible about that friendship building on the principle of reciprocity enshrined in Article 8 of the Treaty of Lisbon, which states that the EU will encourage the conclusion of treaties with EU candidate countries with their neighbors on a reciprocal basis.If you have a whole a section in the Treaty of Friendship and Good Neighborhood, which says that Bulgaria will promote our path to the EU, will help us, is the veto such a tool? These are processes. The veto is problematic. I’m not saying it will disappear tomorrow, but I say that in this situation with Bulgaria, whether through an annex, whether through a resolution, whether through a mutual agreement, we can really stand together in the spirit of the preamble (of the Good Neighbor Treaty), that they (Bulgaria) will be our patrons, our defenders and in an hour, our relations will change,” Siljanovska believes.
In her words, if elected president, she would pursue a “Scandinavian policy” towards North Macedonia’s neighbors, meaning “mutually supportive relations” following the example of Sweden, Finland and Denmark, which have helped Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania on their way to democratization “despite their worse starting position than the countries of the former Yugoslavia”.
“If we don’t unite and support each other regionally, we can’t expect support from other countries,” Siljanovska said in the TV 24 interview, adding that as head of state she will make her first official visit to a country in the region, probably Slovenia or Croatia as members of the EU.
When asked if she would invite the President of Bulgaria Rumen Radev to a meeting, she replied that she would talk to him because “geography and geopolitics cannot be avoided”.
“Of course I’ll talk about anything. Of course, you must have friends in Bulgaria who appreciate you to show that you know the right path. To be respected, you have to lead by example. If I have published books with (colleagues from) Bulgaria, if I have become friends with colleagues from Bulgaria in the Venice Commission, I will tell (him) that (…) we can achieve other perceptions – of politics as an art to achieve opportunity, as a search for agreement, compromise, understanding and help,” said Siljanovska in the interview on TV 24.