Great disappointment, anger and growing Euroscepticism in Macedonia caused Bulgaria's decision not to remove the veto from the framework for negotiations for membership in the European Union yesterday at the meeting of the General Affairs Council (GAC) of the EU in Luxembourg. Although the blockade from Sofia was expected and announced, in Skopje until the last moment there was hope that strong pressure from major Western powers such as Germany or the United States will force the neighboring country to relinquish its blackmailing position. But things remained the same as in the first veto in December - Sofia insisted their bilateral demands to Skopje be part of the EU-wide negotiating framework, the Union did not want to hear about it, and the result was a blocked European integration for Macedonia, but and for Albania as collateral damage.

The second result of the veto is the turn of Macedonia towards America, which he hinted at President Stevo Pendarovski as an alternative because, as he put it, "at a time when EU enlargement is de facto frozen, we have two options, to bring Europe home and start reviving the 2008 Strategic Partnership Agreement with the United States." A similar statement was made yesterday Minister of Foreign Affairs Bujar Osmani that "as strategic partners with the United States, our intention is to revitalize and expand our cooperation as new allies."

Now everything is up to Sofia

- What if the dispute with Bulgaria is delayed for years? Maybe not 25, as with Greece, but we can not sit idly by and wait for good news from Brussels. There are at least four or five areas in the agreement with Washington in which we could specifically enter into cooperation with the United States. We will probably have meetings on this at the level of state leadership soon. This does not mean giving up European integration, on the contrary. But if the dispute with Bulgaria continues, we must look for alternatives - Pendarovski said at a panel discussion, and then explained to "Deutsche Welle" that it is his personal thinking, with a motive for the United States to help us in democratization, which will bring Europe home as soon as possible.

He added that the key problem of the EU is decision-making by consensus and without changes to that rule the Union can not be a key geopolitical player, which leads to a rise in Euroscepticism in the region.

According to analyst Petar Arsovski, the strategic partnership with the United States can not be a substitute for the EU. He explained that much of the co-operation envisaged by that security partnership has now been transferred to NATO and that the area of ​​economic co-operation, rule of law and democracy remains to be developed.

- Macedonia is geographically in Europe and should naturally be part of the EU. But such announcements by the president that we should develop alliances, alliances, new strategic partnerships, should show Europe that we will look for alternatives. - says Arsovski for "Free Press".

Regarding the veto, he said that at the moment it is difficult to assess the real reason, whether it is the technical government or a long-term strategy of Bulgaria, in which case Macedonia will remain stuck for a long time.

- I have no doubt that the pressure on Bulgaria in the next period will escalate, judging by the statements of the ministers at the GAK meeting. Sofia can not sustain its position in the long run and only that one can change the geostrategy of the whole EU, which envisages integration of the Western Balkans - says Arsovski.

He adds that Skopje no longer has anything to offer and give, and sees the visit of Prime Minister Zoran Zaev to Bulgaria as the last step on our part.

- Now everything is up to Sofia He concludes.

A difficult moment for Macedonia and Bulgaria

Portuguese Secretary of State Ana Paula Zakaria, who chaired the ministerial meeting in Luxembourg, yesterday encouraged Slovenia to continue seeking a solution to the negotiations with Northern Macedonia on the basis of the Portuguese proposal.

- This is a difficult political moment that Bulgaria and Northern Macedonia are experiencing. The Portuguese presidency did its best to find a compromise. We encourage Slovenia not to lose the moment, to use the proposals on the table and we hope for an intergovernmental conference with Albania and Northern Macedonia as soon as possible during the next semester Said Zakaria.

As reported by MIA, Germany, Slovakia and other countries insisted that Bulgaria lift the veto, and Bulgarian Deputy Foreign Minister Rumen Alexandrov accused his colleagues of not understanding the depth of the problem between Skopje and Sofia. He did not show flexibility, citing the upcoming July 11 elections, although no political government is a guarantee that the blockade will be lifted.

- We expect RS Macedonia to start in practice to implement the commitments undertaken at a high level on June 17, 2021 in Sofia, which will allow us to move in a positive direction. This includes the explicit renunciation of Northern Macedonia from territorial, minority and historical claims to Bulgaria, the change of inscriptions and monuments that create hatred towards Bulgaria, the activation of a process of rehabilitation of the victims of Yugoslav communism due to Bulgarian self-awareness. - said Alexandrov.

After the GAK meeting, EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelji said that the start of negotiations with Macedonia and Albania remains a priority.

- Regarding the situation with Albania and Northern Macedonia during the past months, a lot has been done and significant progress has been made. We are in the final stage and will continue to work with the Slovenian EU Presidency to conclude the process - Varhelji wrote on Twitter.

Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Nikola Dimitrov said that "we do not raise our hands and do everything we can within a European dignified solution."

- Our positions are based on crystal clear principles and more and more member states say you have delivered, we must find a way for us as the EU to deliver. The stakes are huge and now the big question is whether we in the Balkans can believe the words of the EU. If the price for our path to the EU is depersonalization, then we will not need such an EU. If we can not open the doors because of the Macedonian language, okay, we will not open them. But that raises the crucial question of what kind of union the EU is - said Dimitrov.

Burns: We are disappointed, the United States will be with you every step of the way

We are disappointed that the EU member states have failed to adopt the negotiating framework for Northern Macedonia, but there is no doubt that the country has fulfilled the necessary tasks to open accession negotiations with the EU and this is a step we believe will increase regional stability and improve political and economic activity, said yesterday the US Ambassador Kate Mary Burns at the first Skopje Economic Forum.

The United States, Burns stressed, will be with Northern Macedonia at every step of this journey, "because it is in the interest of our common strategic goals."

- Northern Macedonia has overcome political instability and is undertaking important democratic reforms. It has become a stable partner for the security and progress of the whole region and has shown that it is ready to complete the difficult tasks necessary to achieve the strategic goals. The signing of the Prespa Agreement, NATO membership and the opening of the road to the EU are just some of the more significant successes, and now is the time for investment and trade to begin to reap the economic benefits of these political victories. It is time for economic growth to increase - pointed out Burns.