Mogherini/Hahn: The more Skopje delivers on its people’s needs, the more quickly it will advance towards EU membership


The road ahead is clear. It leads towards your membership to the European Union. To accomplish that, all political forces share the responsibility to maintain a constructive dialogue and continue to deliver on the citizens’ aspirations, including notably through reforms in the rule of law, security services, public administration and a functioning market economy, say High […]

Second vote in Parliament on the name agreement on July 5 or 6


 The parliament session over a second vote of the law ratifying the name agreement will be scheduled on July 5 or 6, said Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi on Friday. Speaker Xhaferi said that if President Gjorge Ivanov failed to sign the decree for the law’s promulgation for the second time, the same solution would be used for both […]

Stoltenberg: NATO’s door is open, Macedonia is on the doorstep


At our Summit in two weeks, I expect that Allied Heads of State and Government will invite you to start accession talks, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Friday in Brussels at the joint press conference with the Macedonian PM Zoran Zaev. Stoltenberg welcomes the agreement reached between Macedonia and Greece, which sets an example for others across […]

Accountability for the wiretapping – EU condition


Accountability for the mass wiretapping in Macedonia and high-corruption verdicts entered into the recommendations of the European Council as conditions for starting negotiations with the European Union. The European Council set the stage for opening accession negotiations in June 2019, but European bureaucrats demand tangible, ie concrete results in the fight against corruption and judicial […]

Galloping representation expenses – Directors with the same appetites as ministers


The well-known European and world metropolies are high on the officials’ agenda. As official trips, the first people in public institutions have spent huge amounts of money on “representation” and presentation of their institution, despite the efforts of the new government for economic spending of citizens’ funds. Only two out of a total of nine […]

Bakiu: The EU wants us to be like Norway or Switzerland


Expert political leaders in the country have divided views on what the future of Macedonia will be in or outside the Euro-Atlantic institutions. Analyst Bashkim Bakiu believes that the European Commission asks Macedonia to have the development that Norway and Switzerland had in terms of fulfilling the reforms. “To be precise, the EU does not […]

Zaev-Hahn: Intensive work ahead of Macedonia


Prime Minister Zoran Zaev had a meeting Thursday in Brussels with EU Enlargement Negotiations Commissioner Johannes Hahn, which in practice kicked off the preparations for the screening process for Macedonia, which is given a conditional green light to open EU accession talks in June 2019. The meeting was also attended by Macedonian Vice-Premier for European […]

Tusk: The EU ministers set out the path, keep up the pace of reforms


This is a good week for your country and for the Western Balkans. The EU ministers set out the path towards opening accession talks with Macedonia and with Albania in June 2019, and in just a few hours, I expect that the EU Heads of States will endorse this decision, European Council President Donald Tusk […]

Rama: Albania says ‘No’ to refugee camps


The announcement of refugee camps and their possible construction in Balkan countries that are not part of the European Union have sparked a harsh debate in Albania and continues to this day. Called to a political show, Albania’s Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati was asked whether the construction of refugee camps was set up in Albania […]

Pendarovski: Official announcement for NATO invitation expected tomorrow


Tomorrow, we are waiting for an official announcement from the NATO headquarters in Brussels to be announced that Macedonia will be presented with an official membership invitation at the upcoming summit of the Alliance on July 11-12, said Stevo Pendarovski, the country’s National NATO Coordinator. “NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will make the announcement the […]

Hahn: EC immediately starts preparations for screening process for Macedonia and Albania


European Commission is immediately starting preparations for the screening process for Macedonia and Albania that were given a conditional green light to open EU accession talks in June 2019, EU Enlargement Negotiations Commissioner Johannes Hahn said in an interview with RFE/RL. Hahn said that with conclusions of the General Affairs Council, the European Commission has […]

Dimitrov holds farewell meeting with UK Ambassador Garrett


Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov held Wednesday farewell meeting with the outgoing UK Ambassador to Macedonia, Charles Garrett, the Foreign Ministry said. Minister Dimitrov praised the important role of Ambassador Garrett in the development of bilateral relations. He said that his professionalism and personal engagement were of utmost importance to improve cooperation in various fields, from […]

Ban Ki-moon: Name issue to be resolved ‘once and for all’


The fact that a name solution was reached is encouraging, but it is concerning that there is discontent among the people, according to Ban Ki-moon. The former UN chief has expressed hope that the decades-long dispute between the countries will be fully closed as soon as possible, MIA’s Athens correspondent reports citing his statement to […]

MEP Kukan: Albania and Macedonia given a year to arrive to negotiation table


MEP Eduard Kukan welcomed yesterday’s General Affairs Council’s conclusions on opening the path to accession negotiations with Macedonia and Albania. “They deserve a clear message on starting the accession negotiations. A year was given to the countries to arrive to the negotiation table, which reflects the Council’s internal discussion on the EU enlargement process. I […]

Zaev: Yet another another glorious day and major recognition for our country


Yet another glorious day for the Republic of Macedonia. Yet another recognition for our country, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said in a statement posted on his Facebook profile after the EU Council approved the opening of membership negotiations in June 2019. “The European Union and the leaders of all member states have recognized the Republic […]

Hahn: EC starts preparing accession negotiations as of tomorrow


The European Commission can launch a screening process starting tomorrow, EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn said Tuesday after the EU Council has approved conditional opening of accession talks with Macedonia, MIA reports from Luxembourg. “I congratulate the citizens of the future North Macedonia on today’s achievement, because now it’s clear that negotiations will launch in June next year and […]

What if the referendum turnout is 49 percent?


49 percent of all registered voters came out to vote in the referendum to change the name to integrate the country into the EU and NATO, of which 90 percent were “in favor” and 10 percent “against”. Theoretically, in the near future, similar news such as this (which is hypothetical), perhaps with slightly different percentages, […]

EU member-states consider opening EU negotiations with Macedonia by the summer of 2019


Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Kotzias said that in the EU discussions are taking place between the countries in favor of opening of negotiations with Macedonia by the summer of 2019 and those championing to delay the opening. “Today, we have been discussing the enlargement of the European Union, where there are two different […]

Pendarovski: NATO is the only alternative that is beneficial for Macedonia


-NATO is the only alternative that is beneficial for Macedonia. Small countries enter into alliances with big ones, otherwise they cannot survive, NATO National Coordinator Stevo Pendarovski told a debate on Tuesday. Pendarovski said the name agreement is the best the country could get from the present political context. “We had a stronger opponent on […]