Pendarovski: Macron guaranteed the new negotiating methodology would be adopted by March


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 […]

Pendarovski and Macron meet in Paris


After meeting his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday in Paris, North Macedonia’s President Pendarovski said that ‘open and dynamic’ talks took place, but Paris hasn’t yet provided any guarantees about a date for opening of EU negotiations. Macron is asking for more time for the EU to reform itself within. President Pendarovski presented his […]

Thaçi-Macron meeting: Kosovo is ready for a Peace Agreement


The President of the Republic of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, had a bilateral meeting with the President of the Republic of France, Emmanuel Macron, with whom he discussed about the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, as well as about the Euro-Atlantic perspective of Kosovo and the Western Balkans region. President Thaçi stated that Kosovo is willing […]

Pendarovski to meet Macron today


North Macedonia’s President Stevo Pendarovski who is paying a two-day visit to Paris, attended Monday evening a dinner for the heads of state and government organised by the French President Emmanuel Macron ahead of 2019 Paris Peace Forum. Today, the president will attend Paris Peace Forum and will deliver an address on regional security, his […]

Pendarovski will meet Macron on Tuesday


North Macedonia’s President Stevo Pendarovski will meet French President Emmanuel Macron November 12, the President’s office confirmed Tuesday. President Pendarovski is set to visit France November 11-13 and address the 2019 Paris Peace Forum on November 12. The event brings together more than 30 heads of state and government. Pendarovski stressed that in the coming […]

Financial Times: Emmanuel Macron’s EU accession veto is a historic mistake


You consider that French president Emmanuel Macron has made a “historic mistake” in vetoing the opening of EU accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania, but the French opposition to the opening of negotiations is in no way linked to the particular assessment of the candidate countries, but to a much more fundamental political problem […]

Kotzias: Greece should take initiative to organize meetings for stability in the Balkans


Greece should take initiative to organize meetings and coordinate with countries sharing the same position on stability in the Balkans regarding North Macedonia’s European perspective, former Greek foreign minister Nikos Kotzias told a conference on progressive foreign policy organized by ENA Institute for Alternative Policies. Participants in the conference discussed aspects of Greek foreign policy, […]

Macron to visit Skopje and Tirana next month


President of France Emmanuel Macron is set to meet with Zoran Zaev and Edi Rama next month in Skopje and Tirana, reports Exit.al. With his visit, Macron seems to be aiming to prove to Albania and Macedonia that the European perspective of these countries is still open and France will help them achieve it. A […]

Merkel: Chances for opening accession talks with N.Macedonia and Albania are not good


The chances of reaching a consensus at the EU Summit for opening accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania are not good, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told the Bundestag on Thursday, writes Deutsche Welle. “We have responsibility towards these countries. I think it’s worth giving a European perspective to North Macedonia and Albania,” said Merkel. […]

“No” from Brussels takes Zaev to the polls


“The Prespa Agreement is central to plans for the country’s future. It is also the essence of your youth ambitions and what we can do together in the years to come. It is a simple, clear and modest message that I want to send you. I cannot take your place because you vote independently in […]

Zaev remains optimistic about getting a date to start EU negotiations


North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Zoran Zaev remains optimistic about the country getting a date to start EU negotiations. According to him, the issue will be handed over to the EU leaders to decide. Whatever the outcome, there won’t be early elections, said Zaev. “French President Emmanuel Macron will like to elaborate the new methodology. It doesn’t […]

Zaev: France is not against us, I expect a positive decision


North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Zoran Zaev remains an optimist that the European Council will reach a positive decision over a date for the start of EU accession negotiations and believes there’ll be a definite answer on October 17 and 18. “I remain an optimist because we have all the arguments in the world to get […]

France ‘torpedoes’ EU accession negotiations with North Macedonia, Albania


France insists the EU should not, at this stage, greenlight the start of accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania, a French diplomatic source said, speaking to the state-run North Macedonian News Agency MIA. The decision on whether or not to start accession negotiations with these two countries is expected to be taken during the […]

Merkel’s last chance to convince Macron not to block N.Macedonia and Albania


German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the President of France Emmanuel Macron are set to meet on Sunday, which diplomats see as the last chance to convince Paris to change its position on blocking the start of EU accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania. “We hope Paris will reconsider its position and not allow being […]

The Prespa Agreement a millstone around Mitsotakis’ neck in Europe


Following New Democracy’s election victory and the assumption of power by Kyriakos Mitsotakis in July, the out-of-door narrative of the new government was delimited. Firstly, we inform Europeans of the government’s plan and then we go on to gain Greece’s lost credibility. From a semantic point of view, Paris and Berlin, as the dominant capitals […]

Thimonier: Support through the AFD for meeting EU standards


Through the new French Strategy for the Western Balkans countries unveiled by French President Emmanuel Macron in June in Berlin, our engagement would be specified so that you can as quickly and effectively as possible meet the European standards to which the nations of this region aspire. In this respect, the Prespa Agreement opened new […]

Paris summit will be postponed


The Paris summit, where top representatives of Serbia and Kosovo were supposed to meet, in the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, has been postponed. This was confirmed by the German government’s press service. “It is true that the meeting announced for July 1 will be postponed. Germany and France […]

Telegraph: Macron is ‘holding North Macedonia hostage’


According the UK daily newspaper Telegraph, diplomats in Brussels accuse Emmanuel Macron, who styles himself ardent Europhile, of blocking negotiations between Brussels and Skopje on north Macedonia joining the EU. Emmanuel Macron was accused of holding North Macedonia hostage to force through his dream of closer political integration among European Union countries on Wednesday. “The […]