French proposal goes to Macedonia Convention V

But, between power and opposition, clashes continue over the content of the French proposal, which should end the differences Skopje has with official Sofia and unblock the process of European integrations.

Maja Moracanin, deputy of Macedonia's Democratic Renewal Party, part of the ruling coalition, for Radio Free Europe, suggests that during the last evening with Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski and Minister for Integration Bojan Maric, they have agreed that through a debate in the Assembly, all dilemmas about the proposal are clarified.

The negotiating process with the European Union should be based on meeting the Copenhagen criteria, rather than on the bilateral issues to become part of these talks. If we enter this path, it will be endless. This should be clearly defined through the conclusions that the Parliament would approve after the debate on the matter”, Moracanin says.

But, the Macedonian opposition, V MRO DPMNE, does not believe the debate on the French proposal will pass to the Assembly.

I think everything that is possible will be done to bypass the Assembly because there are things they hide (government leaders) and they don't want to issue debate with the legislature in this institution, where all citizens' representatives could reveal good things and bad things about the French proposal”, says Bojan Stojanovski, V deputy MRO DPMNE's.

Experts: French proposal must have support for relevant parties

In this direction, Marko Troshanovski of the Institute for Democracy tells Radio Free Europe that the Parliament as the last instance should be the institution, which would express itself towards the French proposal after it has been adopted as a proposal by the Government of Northern Macedonia.

I think that for such a document, which is one of the most important in history since our independence as a state, the Parliament should absolutely have the last word”, Troshanovski says. He adds that since it comes to issues affecting the interests of Macedonian citizens, as such this proposal should receive and the support of most of the deputies with Macedonian affiliations, rather than the support of plain majority deputies.

What does the French proposal contain?

The French proposal consists of seven points. The most controversial part is the question of language and historical past, which is part of the good neighbourly agreement with Bulgaria, and as such, this agreement is involved in the French proposal.

At the third point, the third point points out, “on the North Macedonia road towards membership in the European Union, the Council recalls the importance of achieving tangible results and the trustful implementation of bilateral agreements, including the Prespa Agreement with Greece and the (continent) good neighbourly agreement with Bulgaria”.

In this regard, Xhelal Neziri, a political expert from the SCOOP Investigative Centre, tells Radio Free Europe that the inclusion of the Prespa and the good neighbourly agreement with Bulgaria is due to the impasses that have had these agreements during implementation.

The “cause of politicalisation and daily policy, implementation of these agreements has had procrastination. This led to these agreements becoming part of the negotiating framework. But, I don't believe that the inclusion of these two agreements in the negotiating framework will violate Macedonian ethnic identity, but it may be better defined by”, Neziri estimates.

Macedonian language defines as such without input

In the French proposal, the Macedonian language is defined as such -- that is, Macedonian language without additional or intangible clarifications -- while it is said that the European Union will swim the statements of two states -- Northern Macedonia and Bulgaria -- in terms of language.

In this direction, diplomatic representatives in northern Macedonia have stressed the invisibility of Macedonian language and identity.

The US “United States supports the North Macedonia discussion of the EU's revised proposal for the start of membership negotiations, recognising the importance of Macedonian language and identity. We have long supported the future of Northern Macedonia into the EU and now see a road leading forward to”, American Ambassador to Skopje Kate Byrne wrote on Twitter.

European Union Ambassador to Skopje David Geer, on a Twitter post, has stressed that in the negotiating framework under the French proposal, the Macedonian language has no additional qualifications.

“Hopefully the whole process will be fruitful, paving the way for opening EU membership negotiations with Macedonia. It is clear: reference to the Macedonian language in the framework of negotiations is without qualification”, Geer wrote.

Joining Bulgarians in Constitution Required

At point 4 of the French proposal, along with the obligation to implement reforms, points out that, “Council in this direction welcomes the goal of North Macedonia to begin and achieve constitutional changes as a priority issue, aimed at involvement in the Constitutions of citizens living within the borders of the state and who are part of other people, such as Bulgarians”.

Bulgarians' entry into Constitution by Albanian opposition conditioned with Albanian definition as official language

The opposition Albanian political parties, the Movement Besa and the Alliance for Albanians, who support the French proposal, stress that with the opening of the Constitution of State, the impressive demand of Albanians that the Albanian language, rather than the definition “age spoken by more than 20 per cent of the population, should be included.

“The definition of language that speaks more than 20% of citizens, and which is different from Macedonian, I think for Albanians it is derogatory and should not be used such a definition, so I hope that the reason for” will prevail, has highlighted Zijadin Sela, leader of the Alliance for Albanians after meeting with Macedonian Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski.

While, a group of citizens, supported by the Macedonian opposition, V MRO DPMNE, in front of the Government building, has placed tents.

They spent the night in the open sky with the charters saying they expect 19 to protest the French proposal.