Pendarovski: Time has passed when Albania was viewed as an enemy of Macedonians

Northern Macedonia's president, Stevo Pendarovski, has named “unnecessary” and “-year-old” reactions regarding the meeting in Tirana of Prime Minister Edi Rama with leaders of Albanian political parties in Northern Macedonia.

Regarding this meeting, at which participants have been discussed mainly on issues related to the acceleration of European integration of the two countries, there have been numerous reactions in Skopje, in particular from the Macedonian opposition, which the Albanian prime minister's invitation has assessed as <x0-> efforts to save Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski<1>, but also as the “harmful to Macedonian state and national interests<3>.

The VMRO DPMNE has also reacted to the debate at this meeting on amending the Macedonian constitution as the condition issues with Sofia for the inclusion of Bulgarians in the constitution.

But, President Pendarovski in a press proposal has said that “is out of time when the political processes, events or meetings that take place in Tirana we should see as a threat to our security.

“Decades ago, the then Socialist Republic of Albania was a security threat to us. The time has long passed when political processes or events or meetings taking place in Tirana should be seen as a security threat to us. Remember, the Republic of Albania is a NATO member and has started negotiations with the EU with us. Albania is our friend and I have no doubt of any secret goal of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama. I know very well, and so do you. I don't think any anti-Macedonian scenarios are being created here”, Pendarovski declared.

Regarding comments that Albanian leaders have been called to Tirana to agree on constitutional changes, Pendarovski said that on this issue there has been no need to go to the meeting, as he said, all political leaders who have been in Tirana have already said they would support changing the Constitution for the inclusion of Bulgarians in Preambulla, as the necessary condition not to repeat Bulgarian veto of the North Macedonia European integration process.

The meeting party leaders from the Albanian bloc had with Albania's prime minister has been positively assessed by Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski, who said Wednesday “any meeting with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama is welcome” because according to Prime Minister Kovacevski, “Edi Rama is a witness friend of Northern Macedonia and a Euro-Atlantic witness testimony to”.

The meeting held Tuesday in Tirana was initiated by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, where leaders of all Albanian parties from Northern Macedonia attended, except the leader of the Besa movement, Bilal Kasami, who, although invited, refused to participate in the argument that he did not want to sit at a table with DUI chairman Ali Ahmeti. Kasami had praised the meeting as “efforts to rescue Ahmeti following divisions in his party”.

But, after the meeting, Albanian party leaders estimated that the meeting was relaxing and in the <x0 brotherly breath” and that the focus was on the common European future of Albania and Northern Macedonia. /rel/