Dimitrov: There is no plan B for us

We have sufficiently matured as a society to face reality – the road to EU and NATO goes through the name agreement, this is the reality. All world leaders, starting from NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg up to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, have said there is no Plan B for us to sit on their table, and they want to see us there, said Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov on Monday.

FM Dimitrov held a press conference related to all aspects of the Agreement with Greece.

Dimitrov said there are firm guarantees regarding Macedonia’s NATO accession, because the agreement cannot enter into force if Greece fails to ratify the NATO accession protocols in its parliament.

“The agreement will not be enforced if this does not materialize,” he repeated.

Dimitrov elaborated all aspects of the deal, because as he said, “I saw over the past few weeks of touring across the country that many people as misinformed.”

He said geographic qualifier North is added to the name Macedonia.

“The nationality will be Macedonian/citizen of North Macedonia, listed in all passports. The official language will be ‘Macedonian language’. International codes remain as MK and MKD, with the exception of the register plates,” added Dimitrov.

He reiterated, “for us, terms Macedonia and Macedonian denote our territory, our people, the Macedonian people, including all attributes of our history, culture and our heritage.”

“These are the identity issues. Our right to self-determination and self-identification, a fact that this peace of land is part of the geographically broader region of Macedonia, with the other parts in Greece and Bulgaria. Macedonia refers to our territory, the people is Macedonian,” stressed Dimitrov.

According to him, the Parliament will formulate the constitutional amendments after the referendum, set to be adopted by a two-third majority, following a public debate, discussions in parliamentary committees, in line with the Rules of Procedures.