MoFA: Neighboring countries should deal with their own issues, not with Macedonia

In Macedonia, citizens elect their representatives and they are the sole legitimate actors in the decision-making process. It would be a good thing for the neighboring countries to also apply the Macedonian concept of multicultural integration into society based on European values, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) says Friday reacting to recent comments of the Albanian PM Edi Rama and other politicians in the region as regards current political developments in the country.

"Politicians from our imminent neighborhood are attempting to divert attention from their internal issues by fueling the fires in neighboring countries, and by doing so they are violating the European values. Surely, it is pretty appealing to deal with neighboring countries in times when they are having hard time to solve the real issues of the citizens in their own countries. However, it would be best for everyone if they committed to their much needed reforms instead of fantasizing for leadership and creating divisions in the region," the MoFA says.

We, it adds, do not intend to yield to analyzing who is interfering and to what purpose.

"We urge all interested parties to respect Macedonia's sovereignty and the will of the citizens. They are the only ones with a responsibility to make decisions for the benefit of the country," reads the statement.

Macedonia, the MoFA notes, remains committed to its goals and principles.

"Practice has shown us that solid solutions for the country must stem from the interests of our citizens. This view also aligns with Macedonia's bid to join the EU. Only a sovereign, effective and efficient Macedonia could be part of the project, which enjoys overwhelming support of the citizens of Macedonia," reads the Ministry's statement.

Recently, Albanian PM Edi Rama has said that Macedonians should known that 'Macedonia cannot exist without its Albanian community.'

Referring to the platform of the Albanian parliamentary parties in Macedonia, he denied the document was a provocation. 

Furthermore, Rama denied interfering in the internal affairs of Macedonia stressing that it didn't matter who would form the new government in Macedonia (VMRO-DPMNE's Nikola Gruevski or SDSM's Zoran Zaev). 'What matters is the acceptance of the Albanian platform,' he has urged.

The joint platform was signed in January after being discussed with PM Rama in Tirana at a meeting with representatives of the Albanian parties in Macedonia following the December 11 elections.