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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Zoran Zaev says the coming NATO summit and the Prespa Agreement implementation will surely be discussed with Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Thessaloniki on Thursday. “The Thessaloniki Summit will focus on economic topics but we will surely discuss the European agenda too. I am grateful that Greece is directly involved in […]
The Government of North Macedonia has accepted the proposal put forward by Minister without Portfolio in charge of Communications, Accountability, and Transparency Robert Popovski for the new 2019 Program to Support the Publication and Distribution of Printed Media. 50,000,000 denars from the national budget will be allocated to print media. Next, the General Secretariat of […]
Prime Minister Zoran Zaev will travel to Thessaloniki tomorrow to attend this year’s Summit, and will be part of the discussion “Southeast Europe: Regional Cooperation Initiatives and Reforms”. On the sidelines of the Summit, he will meet with his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Zaev says he expects enhanced economic co-operation with Greece. “I want to […]
The initiative promoted in Ohrid and Novi Sad in relation to the so-called ‘mini-Schengen’ is a developing story that should be considered, said Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperating Council (RCC). “Regional cooperation becomes meaningful once the final end is EU integration. As enlargement is about connecting markets and people, we believe every […]
The period of six years from the commitment of the crime and the failure to have a final verdict in court has saved former prime minister Nikola Gruevski from prosecution in the “Trajectory” case for abuses in the construction of Shtip-Miladinovci and Kichevo-Ohrid motorways. Upon a motion by Gruevski’s assigned lawyer, the trial chamber ascertained […]
