Responding to US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis’ statements regarding Russian intervention in the 30 September referendum on the Greece-FYROM naming agreement, PM Zoran Zaev said he has no evidence that would confirm that.
Zaev said that Russia is a “friend of Macedonia”.
“I have no evidence or indication of Russian involvement,” Zaev told journalists when asked about Mattis’ remarks.
“I have no proof of Russian intervention. The Russian Federation is a friend of Macedonia, and has nothing against Macedonia’s accession to the European Union. They are against our participation in Nato, and they say that clearly,” Zaev said.
“We are trying to explain that for us there is no alternative to full membership in the EU and Nato. We want to build friendly relations with all countries, including the Russian Federation, and I think it will be understood by our Russian friends that our citizens will remain dedicated to this orientation,” said Zaev.
