Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and Deputy Minister for Economic Diplomacy and Openness Kostas Fragogiannis will pay a visit to Skopje on Tuesday, November 26th. At a press briefing on Thursday, Greece’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexandros Gennimatas told MIA’s correspondent that the agenda for the visit to Skopje is yet to be finalized, but given […]
France’s National Assembly ratified North Macedonia’s NATO Accession Protocol at a plenary session on Thursday. The bill to approve the ratification of North Macedonia’s NATO accession protocol, presented by the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, was on top of the agenda at Thursday’s plenary session. Following a debate attended by representatives from all political […]
The newly elected EC President Ursula von der Leyen said yesterday in Zagreb that nationalists and populists would not destroy the European way of life, which is also the name of one of the portfolios in the new Commission. That name has elicited criticisms, notably from European Liberals and Greens. They believe it has too […]
Outgoing Prime Minister of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj, addressed yesterday journalists about the Balkan mini-Schengen, which he called a “Belgrade-based Russian and Chinese influence”. He said that the mini-Schengen is not in Kosovo’s interest and has nothing to do with the visa liberalization process. Haradinaj said that mini-Schengen is just an expansion, to which Serbian President […]
Today, North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Zoran Zaev reiterated that the judiciary, namely courts and prosecutions, would undergo vetting, calling it ‘a necessary process.’ According to him, the whole process needs to be organized well. “Vetting is our obligation as a society. In the future, the society will undergo a transformation as we open the (EU) […]
The Appellate Court in Skopje accepted the appeal by former Special Prosecutor Katica Janeva and replaced detention order with house arrest. “The first-instance decision has been altered and house arrest has been ordered, accompanied by precautionary measures,” informs the court. Katica Janeva is a defendant in money extortion case, commonly referred to as the Racket […]
North Macedonia produced solid results in the fight against corruption. However, the judiciary needs to be transformed to be made more efficient in line with the European standards and values, concluded Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and EU Commissioner Věra Jourova at a meeting in Skopje. A sustainable solution is needed, in a transparent and professional […]
France first expects non-paper reactions from member states, but will also pay close attention to the remarks from the Macedonian side as well, French Ambassador in Skopje, Christian Timonie, said today, answering a press question after meeting with Constitutional Court President Sali Murati. Ambassador Timonie said that the French non-paper, dedicated to the new methodology […]
Tytti Tuppurainen, Finnish Minister for European Affairs, said the French proposal for reforms in the enlargement process will not be discussed at today’s meeting of the General Affairs Council. “It is quite far reaching and today at General Affairs Council we will not discuss the French initiative. We will come back to the enlargement policy […]
For the first time after France’s veto in October, foreign ministers of EU member states will revisit the topic of enlargement to the Western Balkans and accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania. The General Affairs Council (GAC) is not to bring forward any conclusions today, but exchange of views among members states and an […]
The Government of the Republic of North Macedonia finds the renewed approach in the EU enlargement process promoted by France, in which rule of law and fundamental rights remain an integral requirement while reversibility of the negotiating process a key aspect, worth saluting since “any idea that contributes to the faster start of North Macedonia’s […]
United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian have expressed their support to North Macedonia’s EU accession. “Secretary Pompeo and Foreign Minister Le Drian exchanged views on the importance of EU accession for North Macedonia and Albania, on support for Ukraine, and on holding Iran accountable for its ongoing […]
Since yesterday, Kyriakos Mitsotakis has been walking in the former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’ footsteps regarding the Prespa Agreement. Following his meeting with the Prime Minister of North Macedonia, whom he addressed as dear Zoran, speaking at the Thessaloniki Summit 2019 Kyriakos Mitsotakis called for the normalization of the two countries’ relations and its European […]
North Macedonia’s President Stevo Pendarovski received guarantees from French counterpart Emmanuel Macron that the new negotiating methodology would be adopted by March at the latest, whereas subsequent developments depended on political decisions. “I am a moderate optimist, not a radical one. We did not get a 100-percent guarantee from President Macron that the Zagreb summit […]
There’s only one road for North Macedonia and Western Balkan countries, that is the road towards the EU. Regional EU integration began right here, with a resolution of the 2003 EU Summit. Bulgaria and Romania were the first of the countries to accede. Now is time to take a step further, so North Macedonia and […]
In an interview with Financial Times, outgoing EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn reiterated his disappointment that EU member states failed to agree that North Macedonia and Albania should be given the green light to start EU accession talks. According to Hahn, the failure came exactly at a time when the EU should have really reinforced its […]
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis endorsed North Macedonia’s EU accession prospects during his meetings with Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and with the Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, as part of the 4th Thessaloniki Summit, while he appeared ready to undertake appropriate initiatives in this direction. This is a turning point for Mr. Mitsotakis, who up […]
The leader of the Self-Determination Movement, the next Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, said that the Ochrid meeting for the Mini-Schengen should have been postponed until the formation of the Kosovo government. According to Kurti, participation in this project must focus on the principles of political and economic reciprocity. For Kurti, focusing on the […]
I want to believe that Europe will soon realize the mistake it made with North Macedonia and I want to believe that it will soon change the decision, says SYRIZA leader and former Prime Minister of Greece Alexis Tsipras in an interview with Flash TV. “I believe the decision was wrong and historically incorrect, but […]
Hungarian Olivér Várhely, who is the Commissioner-designate for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, for two an a half hours on Thursday was speaking at a hearing where MEPs had to test his general competences to do his job in the coming five years. In his opening remarks, Várhely said he would do his best to convince the […]
