The agreement with Bulgaria, not only did he not close any issue, but on the contrary, he opened the Pandora's box and created the basis for a whole series of demands from Bulgaria, which to such an extent penetrate into our national identity and history that a compromise is simply not possible - said the former President Branko Crvenkovski at yesterday's debate organized by the Council of Ambassadors on "Challenges of Macedonian Foreign Policy"

- Relations with Greece after the signing of the Prespa Agreement are incomparably better than before the agreement. Quite the contrary, relations with Bulgaria are incomparably worse after than before the signing of the agreement. Or to be direct. "Signing a friendship and co-operation agreement with Bulgaria with such content, especially the wording of a 'common history' and the formation of a mixed historical commission with a mandate to arbitrate historical events and personalities, was a big mistake," Crvenkovski said.

He believes that the Macedonian public and the Macedonian society as a whole should be prepared, both by the government and the opposition, that the blockade by Bulgaria may last for a long time and that therefore we will not start negotiations with the European Union.

- Of course, that is not good for Macedonia, but it must not be experienced as a national tragedy that will paralyze us. On the contrary, it should be an incentive for us to start arranging things more seriously and responsibly at home. The negotiation process is just as important, if not more important than the very act of gaining full membership in the EU, because in the past 30 years of Macedonia's independence it has been shown that, unfortunately, there is not enough strong political will (meaning no capacity, not potential, but will) to carry out any substantial reform if there is no incentive or pressure from outside.

In other words, the process "would force us" to reform our society faster and better in all areas. But if this is not possible for reasons that we can not influence, as in the case of the Bulgarian veto, then we will have to find our own strength and clearly consensual political will and determination to implement those same changes, not because Brussels demands it of us, but because we, our citizens, need it to live better, in a more democratic, economically more successful, more legally secure, more just country. "Nobody is preventing us from implementing the necessary reforms without negotiations, from waging an uncompromising fight against crime and corruption, from creating an independent and efficient judiciary that will be trusted, from raising the standards in ecology, education and health," Crvenkovski said.

According to the former president the Russian invasion of Ukraine deserves the strongest condemnation, because for such bloodshed, terrible destruction and complete destruction no justification can be found in any security, historical or geostrategic arguments.

- It is good that Macedonia did it without any dilemmas and calculations. "Not only because of our obligation as a NATO member and aspirant for EU membership, but even more because of respect for the basic values ​​and principles of civilization and our own place in history," Crvenkovski said.

He also stressed the importance of regional cooperation.

- The problems in terms of security, energy crisis, food shortages and disrupted economic flows, will be easier to deal with and the consequences will be smaller if the countries in our region improve mutual regional cooperation. Vanity must be set aside. It does not matter through which or whose initiative that cooperation will be realized. (Berlin Process, Open Balkans or something else). "Personally, my sympathies are focused on the 'Open Balkans', not because Macedonia was one of the initiators, but above all because that initiative originated from the region itself and thus deserves additional respect and support," Crvenkovski said in his address to the forum.