The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Timcho Mutsunski, stated today before the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs that he fully supports the position of the Prime Minister that the country cannot approach constitutional amendments without clear guarantees and predictability for its European path, reported MIA.
He recalled messages from representatives of the European Union, including the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium, who, according to him, indicated that the country needs additional guarantees and assurances in the expansion process.
Mutsunski assessed that the previous practice with European integration shows long-term concessions without sufficient predictability, which, as he said, led to the reopening of already closed issues.
Regarding the relations with Bulgaria, the minister said that there are serious challenges, not only in relation to the constitutional amendments, but also in the context of other open issues, among which he mentioned the Action Plan for minorities and the blocking of regional initiatives.
He emphasized that the state is committed to dialogue and building trust, but that this does not mean accepting new conditions without clear guarantees. According to him, national issues related to identity, language and history should not be subject to negotiations in the EU accession process.
Mutsunski said that European integration remains a strategic goal, but that it must be based on fair and meritocratic criteria, without bilateral conditions that change over time.
He assessed that the country is closer to the European Union in terms of the reform process, but that political obstacles and bilateral disputes remain a key challenge. As a positive example, he pointed to the reform agenda as an instrument that facilitates the approach to the EU.
In response to parliamentary questions, Mutsunski also referred to the issue of dual citizenship among officials, expressing support for a public debate on this issue.
He emphasized that the future dialogue with the new government in Bulgaria should be based on respect and mutual trust, in order to overcome the open issues and promote regional cooperation.
