Page 39 - bne IntelliNews monthly magazine November 2024

bne November 2024 Southeast Europe I 39
Bakar’s role as a co-sponsor at the defence fair "can only be a source of pride", he was reported as saying.
"We are determined not to let our nation's national achievements fall victim to social media operations. The dominant role of Turkish companies and their presence as major sponsors at the ADEX International Defense Fair in Azerbaijan is the most tangible proof of this success. This is something we can only be proud of," he was further cited as saying.
In a post on social media platform X, Haluk Bayraktar claimed the criticism was part of a “false flag” operation.
Secretary of the state’s Turkish Defence Industries Directorate (SSB) Haluk Gorgun also addressed the criticism
on social media, stating: "These types
of provocations are part of efforts to discredit the global successes of our defence industry. These ugly campaigns, conducted by ignoring the facts, cannot harm our national goals nor shake the determination of our people."
Turkey, meanwhile, remains under fire for continuing to facilitate the export of Azerbaijani oil to Israel via its port
of Ceyhan on the Mediterranean coast, despite its stated abhorrence over Israel’s actions against the Palestinians.
Erdogan’s criticisms of Israel have included calls for the United Nations to arrange a military intervention against Israeli forces and a warning to Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu that
“like Hitler”, he will be stopped sooner or later.
Hungarian PM Orban says he has a plan to unblock North Macedonia’s EU path
Valentina Dimitrievska in Skopje
Hungarian right-wing PM Viktor Orban, during his visit to North Macedonia, announced a plan aimed at resolving the ongoing dispute between Skopje and Sofia, aiming to unblock North Macedonia’s EU accession by the end of the year.
Orban did not disclose specific details about the plan, but he announced his willingness to act as a mediator to facilitate discussions between the two countries.
The initiative was announced during a news conference with North Macedonia’s PM Hristijan Mickoski in Ohrid on Sep- tember 27, where the governments of the two countries held a joint meeting.
Orban arrived in the tiny Balkan country on September 26 for a two-day visit focused on enhancing economic and cultural relations, as the country navi- gates various hurdles on its path to EU membership.
Leading Hungary's right-wing populist Fidesz party, Orban is viewed as one of Europe's most pro-Russian leaders and has established strong connections with North Macedonia’s ruling right-wing party, VMRO-DPMNE.
Speaking in Ohrid, Orban emphasised the significance of addressing the dis- pute with Bulgaria. "One of the reasons why I am here in Ohrid is to seek a solu- tion to the dispute with Bulgaria."
Bulgaria's demands have posed a sig- nificant hurdle to North Macedonia's EU accession, as Sofia blocked its progress in 2020 due to historical and cultural dis- putes, particularly concerning language and identity issues. The blockade was lifted in 2022 following an EU-brokered compromise, which required North Macedonia to amend its constitution to recognise Bulgarians as a minority.
Despite this unblocking, tensions between the two countries persist. North Macedonia faces challenges in imple- menting the constitutional changes, largely due to opposition from the rightwing VMRO-DPMNE party, which perceives these amendments as a bow- ing to Bulgaria's diktat.
Following VMRO-DPMNE's victory in May general elections, the stalemate continues to obstruct North Macedonia's EU aspirations, further delaying mem- bership negotiations.
Despite Orban’s optimistic outlook,
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrived in North Macedonia on September 26 for a two-day visit focused on enhancing economic and cultural relations. / vlada.mk
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