The uniqueness of the Macedonian language is generally recognized and confirmed at the UN, says the former mediator in the dispute between Greece and the Republic of Northern Macedonia over the country’s name Matthew Nimetz. In an interview with Channel 5, when asked about the relations between Sofia and Skopje, he explained that for the Greek side the problem was not in the identity, but in the name, and this is already a different dispute.
“These problems are unique, there have been situations that have been similar, but not so similar. You know The Prespa Agreement refers to language, it does not use the word identity because it is not a legitimate word. The Macedonian language has long been accepted and people all over the world know that the Macedonian language exists. “
Nikola Dimitrov: We cannot negotiate for the Macedonian language and identity
We do not intend to give up and give up our European future
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The dispute with Greece was not about language at all, but for the name of the language. In other words, the Greek side had no problem having a special language. But their problem was that if it was called Macedonian, it could give the impression that it had a connection with the ancient Macedonians, Nimetz explains. The dispute with Bulgaria is different – regarding the origin of the languages. “I’m not an expert on this, it wasn’t an issue in the Prespa Agreement, but it’s an issue they want to discuss, so it’s a matter of discussion,” Nimetz said.
Asked if one can speak of one’s identity, which is an inner sense of belonging, Nimetz was adamant that identity could not be negotiated. He believes that mediation is not necessary, and both sides must resolve the issue themselves.
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PCM’s short path to the EU is a conversation with Bulgaria
How sincere are our neighbors to fulfill their commitments, Stoev asked
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Mediation or a decision with Bulgaria should not last 20 years, it should not last even 20 months, in my opinion. But both sides must decide for themselves. “Whether they need a mediator or not, they have to decide for themselves, not someone outside instead,” Nimetz said.
We remind you that a week ago, when asked whether Bulgaria will lift the blockade, President Rumen Radev answered that “our friends from Northern Macedonia and the country’s leadership they have to lift the blockade themselves. “It is not Bulgarian, we need real, sustainable results for EU membership, to change textbooks, monuments with their inscriptions, museums, public media, to eradicate hate speech – when the border falls, our young people should not be hated“, he added.
Bulgaria confirmed its position withand the European perspective of Northern Macedonia during the regular General Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg.
On June 11, 2021, after the last meeting of the Joint Multidisciplinary Expert Commission on Historical and Educational Issues with the Republic of Northern Macedonia, its chairman from the Bulgarian side Prof. Angel Dimitrov announced another failure. “The last few hours have shown that it is difficult to understand a text for Gotse Delchev“, said Angel Dimitrov.
Generally negative findings of failure are repeated after each of the meetings, with talks interrupted ahead of last year’s elections in the Republic of Northern Macedonia. At the same time, both the ruling party and the opposition in northern Macedonia expressed a number of hopes that after the change of power in our country there would be a change in our position and the veto imposed by Bulgaria, on the negotiating framework for EU membership of the PCM and Albania to fall.
In parallel with this attempts at influence by a number of Member States of the EU are increasing, with the start of negotiations and the German Foreign Minister Heiko Maawith a virtual meeting of the Foreign Minister of the Berlin Process.
