The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has assured the North Macedonian Parliament that the future of this country lies in the European Union and has encouraged Skopje to move forward in its accession through the French proposal.

“They have shown their determination to the values of the EU. They deserve to move forward on the road to membership. Their decisive step forward is now theirs to take,” Von der Leyen has stressed, adding that “Europe is not complete without North Macedonia.”

North Macedonia’s European perspective has been obstructed by Bulgaria, which cited historical and linguistic differences to block the official opening of talks after the EU-27 already gave the green light to negotiate its entry into the club two years ago.

In this sense, Von der Leyen has focused on the multi-ethnic character of the country, ensuring that the new proposal respects its national identity, as well as the Macedonian language, as stated in a statement by the Commission.

“They have demonstrated commitment to the rule of law, the protection of human rights and the rights of all communities. These are values we all share. Amending their Constitution to further promote fundamental rights will reinforce their commitment to these values,” he stressed.

Von der Leyen has stressed during her speech that these efforts to fight corruption and strengthen the rule of law are “commendable.” “You have a vibrant civil society. You have a successful model of a diverse and multi-ethnic society, forged in the historic Ohrid Framework Agreement,” she reiterated.

The fruit of negotiations following the summit of European leaders in which Sofia finally lifted its veto on the neighboring country, through a parliamentary vote, France put on the table a “compromise” proposal that, according to Paris, “responds to the sensitivities of the two parties and fully respects their mandates.”

Specifically, the French President, Emmanuel Macron, presented a “compromise solution” for Bulgaria to unblock the opening of negotiations for accession of North Macedonia to the European Union, hoping that the Macedonian authorities will accept it and, in this way, progress will be made on the Community path of Macedonia and Albania.

Now all the pressure is on Skopje to accept the French formula for resolving the disputes with Bulgaria. In fact, Von der Leyen, as the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, did a week ago, has encouraged North Macedonia not to miss the opportunity.

Michel assured that this initiative raises a recognition of the Macedonian language, which will be respected and all legislation translated when it joins the EU. “Macedonians you have the historic opportunity to say yes: yes to the beginning of negotiations, yes to the EU, yes for our children. Your country can once again be at the forefront of European integration,” he said.

In this sense, Von der Leyen referred to the French formula in similar terms. “All of us together, I think we share the same dream, that one day our children and our grandchildren will all be part of the same European Union,” he said Thursday.