Bulgarian FM Zaharieva: Green light for Macedonia’s accession talks after signing of name deal


After signing the name agreement, scheduled on June 17, Macedonia will be finally allowed to open negotiations to join the EU and to be given an invitation for NATO membership, Ekaterina Zaharieva said on Saturday. “Bulgaria wants Macedonia by the end of June to finally start negotiating with the EU. Truly, there’s no more time and I’m …

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Hahn: I’m prepared to personally support the name referendum


The Skopje-Athens name dispute solution will have an enormous significance for the entire region. I am prepared to personally support the referendum, says Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn. “There will be a referendum in September and October and I have made myself available to support the agreement. I have certain …

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MEP Vajgl: Name agreement opens Macedonia’s road to EU and NATO membership


Ivo Vajgl, special rapporteur for Macedonia in the European Parliament, welcomed Tuesday the agreement reached by Prime Ministers Zoran Zaev and Alexis Tsipras, saying that it opens Macedonia’s road to the EU, NATO membership. ‘The agreement reached by the Prime Ministers of the two neighboring countries, Greece and Macedonia, creates conditions for better, more productive relations, contributing …

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European Council President Tusk extends congratulations on the name agreement


European Council President Donald Tusk extended congratulations Tuesday to the Prime Ministers of Macedonia and Greece over reaching an agreement on the name dispute. ‘Sincere congratulations to PMs (Alexis) Tsipras and (Zoran) Zaev. I am keeping my fingers crossed. Thanks to you the impossible is becoming possible,’ he tweeted.

Putin: Western sanctions against Russia are ‘harmful for everyone’


President Vladimir Putin has said Western sanctions against Russia are “harmful for everyone” and it is in everyone’s interests to lift them, BBC reports. Speaking in Austria, he said Russia had restored stable growth, despite the EU and US sanctions first imposed in 2014 after Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimea. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said his …

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Sekerinska: Euro-integration process requires engagement of all capacities in society


Every person matters and this is most important in the EU integration process, especially for a country of two million citizens. The Government must increase the institutional capacities, but we cannot do this alone, said Vice Premier and Defense Minister Radmila Sekerinska at roundtable “Creating Public Policies in Perspective of European Integration” on Monday. “We …

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PM Zaev: True patriots are those who are securing the future of the Macedonian citizens


We are moving towards NATO and EU, we are solving disputes, we are strengthening our identity. The Government is continuing the talks with Greece, said Prime Minister Zoran Zaev at Wednesday’s press conference observing one year since its formation. “We have never been closer to a solution and the friendship between the two countries and …

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Dimitrov: Negotiations make no sense if they require same level of maturity as EU accession


Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov has been talking to experts and the press about the name negotiations with Greece. At a conference organized by the European Political Center, he was asked to persuade EU-member countries that hesitate to start negotiations with Macedonia. “There should be a clear distinction,” FM Dimitrov said, “between starting negotiations and EU …

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Hahn: Name solution will be a ‘game changer’ in Macedonia’s EU accession process


Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn says the EU is encouraged by the latest round of name talks between Skopje and Athens. Hahn, who attended Monday an informal breakfast organized by Bulgaria and Austria alongside Macedonia’s Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov and his European counterparts, tweeted that the meeting was fruitful and …

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Dimitrov met with Mogherini Sunday afternoon


Macedonia’s Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov met late in the afternoon with Federica Mogherini, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Early on Monday Mogherini is most likely to brief ministers of 28 EU member states on name negotiation process. Macedonian and Greek foreign ministers Nikola Dimitrov and Nikos Kotzias arrived in Brussels however no details are …

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FM Dimitrov to pay official visit to Brussels on May 28-29


Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov is to pay official visit May 28-29 to Brussels. Dimitrov is to take part Monday at the working breakfast with the EU foreign ministers organised by the Bulgaria’s EU Presidency ahead of upcoming Austria’s EU Presidency and Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) meeting. The central point in the discussions will be Macedonia’s European integration process, implementation …

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Osmani and Dimitrov unanimous: Macedonia deserves date for EU and NATO accession talks


Vice-Prime Minister for European Affairs Bujar Osmani and Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov had a working meeting Monday with the Ambassadors of EU member states to Macedonia, organized by Bulgaria’s Ambassador Ivan Petkov Velkov. The gathering was focused on political developments related to Macedonia’s EU-integration process, and in this respect to the conclusions of the recent …

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Јean Monnet Dialogue: Political leaders united in Parliament’s lead of Euro-Atlantic integration


Working group comprised of representatives of political parties will be established in the Parliament towards supporting the implementation of the reform agenda and the next steps in the Jean Monnet process. During the first two-day informal and open dialogue, political parties once again confirmed the consensus of working together so that the country makes progress …

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Dimitrov: Macedonia expects date for EU accession talks


The EU-integration is the best instrument at Brussels’ disposal for assisting those countries that wish for changes and reforms, Macedonia’s Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov said Wednesday in Sofia at a conference on Western Balkan European prospect. The European Commission’s positive report and recommendation justifies Macedonia’s expectation to get a date for commencing the EU accession …

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Foreign Ministers of V4 and B4 back EU enlargement process


The foreign ministers of the Visegrad Group (V4) consisting of Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland, and the four Balkan EU member states including Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia (B4) voiced support of the EU enlargement process at their informal meeting being  held Friday in Sounio near Athens. We, friends of the EU enlargement have come here, Croatian …

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Dimitrov: Popujt e Ballkanit e kanë vendin në Evropë


Një ditë para raundit të negociatave për emrin mes kryediplomatëve dhe ndërmjetësit të OKB-së, në Athinë dy ministrat e jashtëm Dimitrov e Kocijas bashkë me homologët nga rajoni diskutuan rreth të ardhmes së Evropës. Ndonëse e pakonfirmuar, nuk përjashtohet mundësia që Dimitrov e Kocijas ashtu si rëndom të bisedojnë edhe një herë në katër sy, …

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Dimitrov: “Future” and “Europe” are two synonymous words


 Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov has told counterparts at the conference “Future of Europe” that EU candidate countries from the Balkans consider words ‘future’ and ‘Europe’ as synonyms. “For us on the Balkans, the candidate-states and and aspirants, the future of Europe, the two words from the session title are almost synonyms. When we think about …

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Osmani-Roth: Macedonia, neighbors, and EU should take bold and right decisions


Vice Premier for European Affairs Bujar Osmani met Thursday with Michael Roth, Minister of State for Europe at the German Federal Foreign Office, thanking him for Germany’s continual support and commitment for the European integration of the Western Balkans through the Berlin Process, but also for the bilateral support. Vice Premier Osmani expressed hope that Germany …

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