Macedonian political rhetoric is once again escalating to its classic terrain - "national treason." VMRO-DPMNE accused the opposition SDSM and its leader Venko Filipče of hypocrisy regarding relations with Bulgaria. The trigger: SDSM statements blaming the current government for blocking European aspirations.

"There is no end to the hypocrisy of SDSM and Venko Filipče," the ruling party announced. "While they talk about the country's European path, they obstruct it and do not back the laws from the reform agenda in parliament." A classic PR strike - instead of a debate about policy differences, the discussion is about motives.

From VMRO-DPMNE the symbolic strike came too: "SDSM and Filipče are pandering to Bulgaria and signalling they are ready for a new national treason." The word "treason" in Macedonian political language is not rhetoric - it is a weapon. Politicians use it to delegitimise the opposition, not to open a debate.

The context is clear. Bulgaria continues to block Macedonia's European path over identity questions - language, history, nationality. VMRO-DPMNE attacks anyone trying to negotiate with Sofia as a "traitor of interests." At the same time, the government itself has to negotiate with Bulgaria if it wants to open the European chapter. Paradox: those who shout "treason" are the same ones who have to do that negotiation with Bulgaria.

SDSM, meanwhile, insists it is using a rhetorical sliver to do real politics. "As long as Filipče had not heard that Bulgaria denies the Macedonian identity, despite numerous statements from Bulgarian officials openly denying that identity, Goce Delchev, despite Bulgaria's demands to change school textbooks and despite the disputing of the language - we keep returning to the old question: who are we talking with?" - a paradigmatic response missing its logic.

For the citizen, the discussion is old and worn out. Macedonia has been in the European process for more than two decades. Every government has its reasons to claim the previous one "betrayed" the process. And every government, once in power, must negotiate under the same conditions. The question for the reader is not "who is the traitor," but - does the political vocabulary of Macedonian politics have any capacity for something beyond "treason"? So far it looks like it does not.