Mickoski: I am not satisfied with von der Leyen’s messages — “The constitutional amendment is on the table”

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said today that he expects talks with Bulgaria to begin next week, after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade submitted the official request for a bilateral meeting, as the portal Sakam da kazam reports.

Mickoski described yesterday’s meeting with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, as “extremely friendly, useful and substantive”, stressing that it could be key for future processes.

“I cannot say that I am satisfied with the messages the President sent. She said clearly that the constitutional amendment is on the table — a task accepted by the previous government,” Mickoski said, answering journalists’ questions after inspecting works on the “Ljubljanska” street bridge in Skopje’s Karposh municipality, the same portal writes.

He added that talks that were previously impossible are now under way, and that with patience and time, results will be achieved that his predecessors could not have imagined. As encouragement, he mentioned the positive assessments of the government’s engagement and the implementation of reforms, which have been rated the best in the region.

According to Mickoski, gradual integration represents an opportunity for the country and additional motivation to continue the reform process. The prime minister also announced two trips to Brussels in November: first a meeting with the Commissioner for Enlargement and Good Neighbourhood Policy, and then the regional EU–Western Balkans summit. Meanwhile, according to the portal 4NEWS, the process to resolve the dispute has begun and Foreign Minister Mucunski travels to Sofia on Tuesday.