Hahn for Der Standard: Threats against VMRO-DPMNE MPs supporting Prespa Agreement

 Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn says he is aware of threats by the opposition against MPs who want to abandon partisan lines and support the Prespa Agreement in Parliament.

In an interview with Vienna daily Der Standard, Commissioner Hahn urges VMRO-DPMNE to renounce such destructive approach and put interests of the country and its people before the ones of the party.

“This is completely unacceptable for a party claiming to be pro-European and democratic,” says Hahn.

He says that Euro-Atlantic integration is VMRO-DPMNE’s declared goal, but the party should demonstrate this by actions, because the agreement with Greece opens EU and NATO accession doors.

The commissioner says the referendum was purely consultative and a vast majority voted ‘Yes’.

“The calls for boycott are a testimony of a lack of democratic maturity,” adds Hahn.

According to him, early elections bring the risk of breaching the Prespa Agreement time-frames, adding that a snap vote is not a guarantee that the required two-third majority will be reached.

“This is an opportunity that must be seized. On the contrary, the road to EU accession could be a long one,” says Hahn.

He notes that VMRO-DPMNE will be completely responsible for such a scenario and the missed opportunity, which is important both for Macedonia and the entire region.