Monday, 4 November 2019, Budapest, Hungary
Address of the President of the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia at the 9th Meeting of Speakers of Parliaments of Southeast European Countries on the EU Enlargement
Distinguished Speaker of the National Assembly of Hungary,
President Kövér,
Distinguished Prime Minister of Hungary, Mr. Orban,
Dear colleagues,
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen
I am pleased to have the opportunity, on behalf of the Members of the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia and on my own behalf, to deliver my address at this Conference before my colleagues, Presidents of Parliaments of the South East European countries and the Visegrad Group, and express my deep respect for your constant support and sincere friendship, as evidenced by your presence here and the Joint Declaration, a product of this forum. I am convinced that the Declaration will be forwarded and accepted with the best of intentions, as intended.
Dear friends,
The latest developments regarding our expectations for receiving a date to open accession negotiations with the European Union unfortunately disappointed us, as what was expected failed to happen, despite the 10 recommendations of the European Union and the optimistic conclusions of the EU Council in 2018 and 2019, whereupon we expected recognition for the reforms and the country's serious political decisions made to meet those preconditions. We believed that a positive decision to open negotiations would mean both support and encouragement for our country's reform process, and at the same time send a strong message to everyone in the region that difficult decisions are valued and that they are an investment in a better future for the current and future generations. The same was confirmed by the EU Member States during the EU Summit, that is, that we had consistently done our homework, but we could not do anything more at that 
given moment. We are familiar with the principle of decision-making in the EU, that is, it has to be by consensus of all member states and we respect that, although, in our case it has already become a stumbling block. Namely, if we follow the strong words of support from the European Union's high officials and all our international friends, that we have been wronged by not getting a date to start negotiations, then it goes without saying that the answer lies behind some other motive.
Dear colleagues,
If it is the unresolved internal issues of the Union itself and the need to revise the methodology of accession negotiations, we understand and encourage finding a common language among the leaders of the Member States as soon as possible, however, changing the rules or setting new conditions for the players in a long-running game or application, after overcoming unimaginable obstacles, after making extremely difficult state decisions that have profoundly divided our society, we can neither agree nor seek the consent of our citizens thereto. Because, driven solely by the fact that we are geographically and civilizationally part of Europe, and the basic documents of the European Union provide that any country on the continent can apply and become a member of the Union if it meets the criteria, which we undoubtedly did, were our citizens with us and supported us in achieving our strategic goals set since the country's independence, and at no time, no matter the struggles we were going through as a state, did the enthusiasm for EU and NATO membership diminish. Therefore, any potential alternatives to the accession process, such as some considerations at the meetings in Brussels and Luxembourg, that we may need to be placed in some category of European Union neighbourhood, are unacceptable to us. Moreover, to gain additional legitimacy in their further action, political leaders have decided to return the mandate to citizens and invite them to vote in snap parliamentary elections for the country's future path, although I can responsibly and confidently tell you - for us there is no other alternative but the one set forth since the country's independence, and that is full membership in the EU and NATO, more diligent continuation of the reforms, for the benefit of our citizens, for the progress and development of our country, for Europe in the Republic of North Macedonia.
Dear colleagues, thank you for your support and your attention!